Hypertherm 600

[TB76Bronco]

I've had a 40 amp Chinese knock off plasma cutter for about 4 years and I have never really been able to get it to cut right. I bought it after reading several reviews from people on here saying it was a great unit. I used it once or twice on some thin metal and it cut pretty well. After that I had a bunch of stuff going on and had to pack up my garage and move. About 2 years later I finally got my garage finished and got the plasma back out. I tried the plasma again and couldn't get it to work properly. It cuts thin 1/8 stuff well but when I move up to 3/16 or 1/4 its cuts terribly. I did call the manufacturer and they tried to help but the unit just never seemed to cut correctly. I chocked it up to user error and just muddled through.

A few days ago I found a used Hypertherm 600 on Craigs list. I went today and picked it up. It looks to be in great condition and came with the original user manual and some consumables. It's about 5 years old but has had very little use. I got it hooked up at home and I tried it out. What a difference!! It cuts 1/4 amazingly well almost as fast as I can pull it across the metal. The torch seems much sturdier and the wires are much better protected. I can now buy tips for gouging, dragging or stand off and I can get them at the local welding shop.

Once again I learned my lesson to buy a name brand!! It may have been about 2x as much at the Chinese junk but it works 100x better.

[cabletech]

I too gave in to the evil voices in my head, ordered the Hypertherm Powermax 45 yesterday. The temptation of Chinese tools (by pricing) was strong, but odds are that I'd have been one of those 3-machines-and-out people with those. I just decided to empty the wallet and get the exact machine that I wanted, and not roll the dice with a Chinese machine.

[AthlonAJ]

You'll love that machine. I've had my 600 for over a year now and it has never had a glitch. Before that I had a 380 which was about 7 years old when I sold it, never once had a single problem with it.

[Rockrunner86]

With the economy the way it is now, no one should be even considering anything other than american made tools.

Thermal Dynamics 101 here had it for about 2 years not one problem. Oh and it cuts 1/4 faster than you can move.

[TB76Bronco]

I actually saw Ian cutting with a plasma on Xtreme 4x4. I saw him zip across the metal and how clean the cut was. That was when I realized I needed to get a REAL plasma cutter.