b4utoo Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 Hypertherm Powermax 65..(used)..(with a ton of consumables) Curious does anyone have a plasma cutter and what they use theirs for (forging / smithing related) Was going to get a small basic one but was really cheap compared to others I have found. Bought within minutes of listing. So I jumped. (I do need to upgrade to a 60 gallon air compressor now though to run it my smalled craftsman professional barely does the job) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmccustomknives Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 You got a very good plasma. I've been selling plasmas for 20 years and in this current market the hypertherm is the best. You got a big one too. You might want to get a machine torch and table to take full advantage of the machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted June 18, 2016 Author Share Posted June 18, 2016 It's in my sights one day... Paid I think $1600 total...for Cutter & Consumables( All hypertherm) Going to sell alot of "junk" soon...maybe I can make room for it.. 48 minutes ago, jmccustomknives said: You got a very good plasma. I've been selling plasmas for 20 years and in this current market the hypertherm is the best. You got a big one too. You might want to get a machine torch and table to take full advantage of the machine. I need to learn how to use it properly first...thought I would mention this lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firemn260 Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 I have a hypertherm 30 and for as small as it is it packs a lot of power. You did real good. My only advise is learn how to use guide bars when cutting something if you want it strait unless you have a real steady hand, which I don't. They make all kinds of guides with rollers and such for cutting different shapes. The ultimate would be a CNc table. I used one at a duct metal shop I worked at and as long as you can use a computer you can cut anything.Thinner material you can run the top right on the metal. Thicket you want to pick it up about a 1/8 the of a inch. I am no means a pro I'm just going with experience with mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natenaaron Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 I've got a thermal dynamics cutmaster 39. Best tool investment I made for our business. That thing saved tons of man hours when we had to cut into house boat pontoons for repair and baffle work. Paid for itself the first summer. I thought I might sell it when we shut the shop part of the business but I am always finding something that needs cut. It is nice not to have to use the Oxy/Acet torch for cutting things under 1/2 inch plate which is 90% of what I cut. I get a cleaner cut too. That's a big boy you got there with lots of consumables. If you are not careful you can blow through those consumables in no time. Get a good water trap. I have two. One at the beginning of the line and one at the machine. During monsoons I have found water in the second. Things get ugly when water gets in the line and destroys the tips quick. Get in the habit of NOT dragging. Just because you can does not mean you should. A welder friend (40 years experience welding professionally) drags his tip and is always griping about the cost of consumables. You will soon wonder how you lived without it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 That Hypertherm is designed as a drag tip compared to many cheap import models that require you hold off the work. Dragging shouldn't effect the tip unless you outrun the cut and blow a lot of metal back into the tip. You'd have a similar issue cutting when not dragging as well, but a bit less. Get yourself a Motor Guard filter. It will take out a lot more water and stuff that normal coalescing filters won't. If you go with a table, you may want to invest in a descant dryer or an electric dryer to help with moisture. I use my HP 1000 for cutting leaves, disks and such. I've been making do with my small compressor but I can't wait until I get the chance to drag my "new" 80 gal, IR compressor home and hook it all up. 19 CFM @ 175 PSI. That plus the extra 60 gallon tank should set me up just in case I ever run across an air hammer in my travels... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eseemann Posted June 22, 2016 Share Posted June 22, 2016 Yup, I can tell you (from having one of the cheap ones) that you can tell a good cutter from a cheap cutter. My cutter will work but it takes more time and control to get a good result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted August 30, 2016 Author Share Posted August 30, 2016 tried using it wilth my small compressor 25 gallon craftsman professional...don't think thats going to "cut it" lol so I went out and got a pro 4000 60 gallon...only $200 so going to try it out this week maybe making a power hammer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natenaaron Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 Yep. By a plasma cutter and discover how woefully under capable your compressor is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS3900 Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 I have that same Plasma. I run it off a 7.5 HP IR type 30 compressor. It is a beast of a Plasma, moving up from a Thermal Dynamics that was about 10 years old. Consumables on it last longer, the cut is more precise, and it cuts aluminum much better. Did you get the book with it? Otherwise download it. It has buttons for cutting expanded metal, On/Off for table work, and other features. As DSW said, Filter it up well and it will last a long time. Also check the back of the machine to see if it has computer ports, hypertherm calls it a CPC port. This will tell you if the machine was setup from the factory to accept input from a torch table down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Plasma cutters are great tools, just keep the consumables in stock as they (my experience) eat consumables. PLEASE be aware that you are producing massive quantities of BAD AIR when you use the plasma cutter. If you doubt how much dust and dross come from the cutter, make some cuts outside in the snow. The ground turns gray in short order. This is the same dust that gets everywhere in the shop or area where the cutter is used. Water tables help but do not catch it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted August 31, 2016 Author Share Posted August 31, 2016 The first time I used it, was out back in wide open space...2 months later I can still smell it on plants/fence 100 ft away...and snow? what is this thing you call snow? lol Cactus Country here....but I get the point. It does have the Port on back...I did download the very thick book.. Will update on my progress on next use with the new compressor... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted September 7, 2016 Author Share Posted September 7, 2016 And the hits just keep on coming! Went to try out my plasma cutter once again....heard a crazy rattling from my "new" compressor I got on the cheap (60 gal)... Well I know why it was cheap...Piston exploded lol Well I had to learn how to repair a compressor pretty quick... Old and New one in photos...Good news only took 10 minutes to replace.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 That and noise are some reasons I really dont like oil less compressors. had a craftsman 30 gal. for many years and it seemed like it would run forever without filling up. took it apart and found out the teflon ring wears out and it looked nowhere near like that. I fixed it and still have it but I moved up to a 3 piston 80gal oiled compressor. now I'm learning I need a Good drier for running my plasma cutter. ugh. That will have to wait a little bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted September 8, 2016 Author Share Posted September 8, 2016 Oiled compressors cost a fortune around here... Always looking for a good deal on one.... But going to mush on with this set up for a while at least... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 If you're running a plasma cutter on an oiled compressor you have to install some serious filtration or the oil and moisture is quick death for the consumables on the cutter. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted September 15, 2016 Author Share Posted September 15, 2016 YEEEEHAAAAWWW! GOT THE PLASMA GOING! I got some welding done, so I jumped over to the plasma and cut out a piece for a new knife grinder I'm making...and I felt like I was drawing in steel....(did noticed the ground after Yikes dirty!) Now I'm brainstorming what I can make... I need to add some cash flow around here, things have been all bad lately.... Any Ideas on some projects that a plasma can dish out ...Simple is good though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eseemann Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 This may be a silly question but can a drag tip be added to a cheap plasma cutter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 14 hours ago, b4utoo said: Any Ideas on some projects that a plasma can dish out ...Simple is good though... There are any number of shapes and stuff you could it out and weld a spike to to stick in the yard as lawn ornaments. Or wall plaques. Fancy numbers for houses and mail boxes. If you have a plasma cutter that can handle it and some sheet metal and a steady hand there's a lot you can cut out that people might buy. 1 hour ago, eseemann said: This may be a silly question but can a drag tip be added to a cheap plasma cutter? To my knowledge those are for the more heavy duty plasma cutters. Lighter duty ones shouldn't need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eseemann Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 Thanks Daswulf! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted September 15, 2016 Author Share Posted September 15, 2016 I like the lawn ornaments idea...thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4utoo Posted September 16, 2016 Author Share Posted September 16, 2016 I know this is my first project...Platen bracket for a grinder I am making...And it will take time and practice...but its pretty hard to keep a steady hand...A slight wiggle, cough, or slip in concentration and this plasma cutter can ruin your day/project easily...The steel is nothing to this cutter, it cuts likes a marker, you move it leaves a hole. I cut a full size railroad track in half today....it was a ugly cut, I went from two sides...But its scary powerful....I did slip and got a splash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 For any straight or sooth cut, use a guide for the cutter to ride against and follow. This can be a piece of angle iron, flat bar, etc. When you get used to the cutter you can then start seeing all sorts of possibilities. I had a bunch of circles to cut and made a guide from plexiglass with a small spacer under neath to raise the plastic sheet from the metal. You could lay the plastic guide on the metal and cut the circle as fast as you could move the plasma cutter. Shapes such as leaves etc are just a matter of finding the offset between the guide and the cut. The smoothness of the cut depends on the settings on the cutter and the speed of the cut. When it is right, the cut edge is extremely smooth and needs no additional finishing. Like anything else, DO NOT build a box !! Think of it as a cutting device and how you are going to get it to do what YOU want. ALWAYS use caution as it produces large quantities of bad air, sparks, and very fine metal dust. DO NOT cut closed containers. Air mixed with heat and sparks will ignite many left overs in the containers, including dust. Boom is not a nice noise. It upsets the wife and neighbors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 And delights the undertakers. SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodThing Factory Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 nice find ... i'm actually about to sell my smaller version having switched to oxy / ace. the only piece of advice i can give you is related to the compressor ... regardless of the size of the tank make sure it will push the proper scfm, mine required 5.2@ 80psi. i found there's lots of compressors out that that have large tanks with high psi but only push out about 4.5, without adequate pressure you wont get max performance. that said, you're already cutting rail track so you prob have it figured out. off topic, but since i'm about to list mine ... if you dont mind and its not impolite to ask ... how much did you pay for yours? and if there's anyone near my area in the market (westchester county, ny) i'm selling a plasma cutter ... hypermax 30 in good condition - doesn't look out of the box works well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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