Plasma cutters

[caterpillar guy]

There is a hypertherm Max 100 on an local auction. What are the good bad and ugly of this make and model? It has a few days till the sale ends.

 

[wp6529]

Look on the Hypertherm site for support details. I believe that is a 20+yr old system and OEM consumables are no linger available. Third party consumables may be available. Hypertherm is one of the best brands but obsolete stuff is still a crapshoot. I have a newer and still "Legacy" Powermax1000 that is a great machine.

 

[Janicholson]

Great brand I have a 75 amp CNC system that cuts 1 inch steel. Research the consumables for availability and make sure you have dry air (and I mean less than 5% moisture) Jim

 

[caterpillar guy]

Will do on the consumables and parts. Don't some of those have their own air compressor for them ?

 

[Stan Coryell]

Hypertherm are the best by far. If it's the old style torch, you needed a deep 5/16? socket to change the the electrode. The consumables have not been available for 5? years or so. Hypertherm did or does offer a replacement torch. We scraped a good 1100 because a 20 year old machine wasnt worth a new torch. I'm pretty sure it was a 60 Amp machine.

 

[SDMike]

Caterpillar guy, I have a Hypertherm MAX43 that I bought used over 13 years ago. Works great. Consumables I get from Thermacut. Very helpful folks. Hypertherm and Thermal Dynamics are probably the 2 best plasma cutter brands. (kinda like Miller and Lincoln for welders) Like Jim says, they like DRY air, and mine likes 70 psi. I have never seen a plasma cutter with it's own air compressor. Maybe the bigger ones do? Make sure you check, but one that size might be three phase? When you do replace consumables, ALWAYS replace the nozzle and electrode at the same time. Hope this helps.
Best of luck,

Mike

 

[wp6529]

There are a few very small plasma cutters with built in compressors. They are primarily intended for sheetmetal work like HVAC ducting and only cut to perhaps 1/8" thick or so. Higher capacity plasma cutters require a lot of air, like 5 CFM and up.

 

[Uniballer]

As a matter of fact, Hypertherm makes the PowerMAX 30 Air. It is generally considered the best of the plasma cutters with an internal compressor, but only get one if you really need the portability. You get more for your money with a plasma cutter that needs an external air compressor.


This post was edited by Uniballer on 04/19/2023 at 05:57 am.

 

[504]

No help but the new machines have a cartridge 20
seconds to change the consumables. One and done. Price
is about the same as the individual ones.

 

[caterpillar guy]

I talked to one of the distributors for Hypertherm today and was told not to just walk away but to run since the machine has not been made in about 20 plus years and no parts for them available. So I guess my search continues. I will also talk to the local weldersupply guy to see what he has to offer. According to the Hypertherm sight the 30 air is good the 5/8's inch severence and works better for 1/4-3/8 or I sould say cuts a bit faster on the 1/4-3/8 material than for the 5/8's. The new hypertherm 30air is also about 2100.00 today. Would like to be able to cut 1inch plate with it even if it is a bit slower. I don't cut that much plate that thick more in the 1/8 -1/2 most cases.

 

[wp6529]

(quoted from post at 12:16:38 04/19/23) I talked to one of the distributors for Hypertherm today and was told not to just walk away but to run since the machine has not been made in about 20 plus years and no parts for them available. So I guess my search continues. I will also talk to the local weldersupply guy to see what he has to offer. According to the Hypertherm sight the 30 air is good the 5/8's inch severence and works better for 1/4-3/8 or I sould say cuts a bit faster on the 1/4-3/8 material than for the 5/8's. The new hypertherm 30air is also about 2100.00 today. Would like to be able to cut 1inch plate with it even if it is a bit slower. I don't cut that much plate that thick more in the 1/8 -1/2 most cases.

You want somewhere around a 60A machine which should be rated about 3/4" cut, 1" sever.

 

[caterpillar guy]

How long do the consumables last and how expensive are they? Looks like through Thermacut I can get consumables for the torch handle. What else is there to go bad ? What is meant by the statement of if I didn't get one with the air compressor in it I get more for the money? I had just thought with the air on it I would not need an air compressor to make it work and if I needed to take it to the field for some reason it would work for me. Just thoughts since I already have the portable welder I could run a plasma with amperage restrictions in use. I also have a regular cutting torch if needed for portable use if the plasma was not up to the cutting job due to just 40 amp out put on the welder. Some options if needed. Thanks for the help on this.

 

[wp6529]

(quoted from post at 05:28:12 04/20/23) How long do the consumables last and how expensive are they? Looks like through Thermacut I can get consumables for the torch handle. What else is there to go bad ? What is meant by the statement of if I didn't get one with the air compressor in it I get more for the money? I had just thought with the air on it I would not need an air compressor to make it work and if I needed to take it to the field for some reason it would work for me. Just thoughts since I already have the portable welder I could run a plasma with amperage restrictions in use. I also have a regular cutting torch if needed for portable use if the plasma was not up to the cutting job due to just 40 amp out put on the welder. Some options if needed. Thanks for the help on this.

Check the Hypertherm site for typical consumable life info which is based on cut length. I don't do a huge amount of plasma cutting, but a set of consumables lasts me a very long time. It's not really a notable expense for general use, only important in production applications really.

Again, the only plasma cutters with built in compressors are really small ones mostly for sheet metal work. Higher capacity plasma cutters need a lot of air. If you want to be cutting 3/4"+ you need at least 6 CFM at 70 PSI which is not a small compressor.

One of the great things about the good, more modern plasma cutters is input power flexability. The PowerMax1000 for example will happily run on anything between 200V-600V single or three phase, with no jumpers or anything to change. If your power source has limited capacity you can still get away with lower power settings just like with a welder. I've run my PowerMax1000 off 480V over 1,500' of 12ga wire without issues (separately powered compressor).

O/A cutting is still great for the quick remote stuff not worth dragging power and air out to.

 

[DR. EVIL]

I bought my 40 Amp Hypertherm about a week after I watched Jesse James slash a sheet of sheetmetal in two with one on his show, probably 20+ yrs ago. I originally wanted a Miller, another Blue Box to match my mig & tig but the salesman at my welding supply shop said I'd be making a mistake if I bought anything other than a Hypertherm. I haven't used it that much but it's a time saver when I do. Sounds like perishable bits are NO Longer Available.
Only the little plasmas had internal compressors.

 

[DoubleO7]

(reply to post at 13:16:38 04/19/23)

I talked to one of the distributors for Hypertherm today and was told not to just walk away but to run since the machine has not been made in about 20 plus years and no parts for them available.

So if you buy that brand, expect to have to replace it in 20 years or so when anything but off the shelf parts fail?

 

[wp6529]

(quoted from post at 09:03:40 04/21/23)

(reply to post at 13:16:38 04/19/23)

Aftermarket consumables appear to be available. Many of the components most likely to fail like IGBTs are standard items available from many sources. So after 20 years, just like your car or perhaps your 50+ year old tractor you will be reliant on aftermarket new or rebuilt parts.