I've got a line on a huge Thermal Arc 100 amp plasma for scrap value. It's a single phase machine, but the torch and wiring is gone. It should work fine. I don't have a plasma, and it's cheap enough that I am considering it despite its hugeness.

I have a pretty primitive understanding of plasmas, and apparently this thing was originally a Nitrogen machine, but can be converted to shop air use through the use of a newer style torch with an air regulator. It is HF arc start.

What says the PBB? Any info on what I need to do? Obviously, an adjustable air regulator would be needed, and a conventional torch as used in newer machines. As the HF arc start, pre, post and other timers are all built in, I figure it is just a matter of adapting the torch.

www.weldmart.com has info on adapting old Nitrogen machines. I will be e-mailing them.

Found another thread on the subject.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=388257&highlight=nitrogen+plasma

Sounds like it can be converted but may not be worth the trouble.

There is no doubt a good reason why it is being sold for scrap.

Anytime you are trying to do something like this the model and serial number are a given.

Do you have a torch you might be able to convert to use . A new torch sort of makes the whole idea very much more expensive .

Do you even know if this old relic works ???:D

Sounds like the plasma that I have.

I bought mine it was already set up to run on shop air, with a plazcraft gun. Works great though the only control on the sucker is to regulate the air pressure. Mine works great and slices through 3/8" like butter and can cleanly cut 20ga. It takes some learning on torch speeds but otherwise works great.

About there being a good reason why it's being sold for scrap, no doubt there is. In any type of commercial shop it's probably an absolute nuisance. It's huge, cumbersome, probably very power hungry and it's likely these guys don't even know that it can be run on shop air. If you ran a commercial shop you'd probably drop 3K on a new machine - But:

Plasma - 50$
Ebay chinese plasma torch that works with HF start - 100$

A weekend of futzing - Free

If it does not work out I get 50$ back for it at the salvage yard.

The only other issue I can think of it you want to fawk with it is that it is going to need ~80A service at 230v.