I was wondering what plasma cutters you guys have used / own and would you purchase or suggest them again.

I'm currently looking at a Thermodyne PAK 5XR as one has come up for purchase at work. It's capable of 1/2" with a 60% duty cycle. Probably more than I'll ever need, but bigger is better.

Any input on this specific model?

Originally posted by big97redtj
I was wondering what plasma cutters you guys have used / own and would you purchase or suggest them again.



Lots of reading here:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=242303&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending

MJ

Geezuz, I did do a search...guess I don't know what the hell I searched on now.

Thanks

:bounce2: Plasma Cutters/All open forums/thread titles only. or something liek that...otherwise there is a lot of crap that comes up that is unrelated.

MJ

My advise is to buy one where the recommended cutting capacity is greater than what you want to cut most of the time. Recommended not rated capacity.

My Hypertherm 380 (1/4" rec.) does a sweet job up to 3/16", but I think it is marginal at 1/4" if you have to cut a lot of it.

I have the Hypertherm 1000, good machine up to 1 1/4"

Originally posted by fatkid
I have the Hypertherm 1000, good machine up to 1 1/4"


I am absolutely sure it is. Never know when you need to recover someone from a tank.

Actually, I brought it home today. It's not a lightweight solid state machine, but it whacks 1/2" pretty well. It was a demo unit that has been sitting at the shop for a few years. The cooling fan wasn't even dirty. Overall a good purchase for the chunk of cash I laid down on it. I figure I can always trade it in on a new model when it no longer does what I want it too. Now the only problem is that I feel like cutting every peice of steel I see.

Originally posted by Shrock
My advise is to buy one where the recommended cutting capacity is greater than what you want to cut most of the time. Recommended not rated capacity.

My Hypertherm 380 (1/4" rec.) does a sweet job up to 3/16", but I think it is marginal at 1/4" if you have to cut a lot of it.

A good rule of thumb is "go double" If you plan on cutting 1/4" get a 1/2" machine. You will never be sorry you did.

Have had my Hypertherm 380 for almost a year now and for what I spent really like it. Use it up to about 1/4" but someday I'd like to get a bigger machine, just all I could afford at the moment.

I have the Hypertherm powermax 350 and it blows through 1/4 no prob. and is a little slow at 3/8. Is the 380 one step up from mine? I bought mine 3 years ago and I still love it.

Ryan

We went with 2X's your normal cut capacity to keep the cost on tips and electrods down.