Finally Got A Plasma Cutter...

[Packy]

Well, I had been pricing plas'es for several years, now. My requirements are not great; it is for personal use on my projects. The small "pro" models run $1000 and up, mostly up. Waay up. By small, I mean one that runs on 120v. and has an internal compressor. But, the benefit there is basically portability. After doing some fact-finding research, I went on EBay, and bought a lightly-used semi-pro model, 230v., that uses an external air source. This makes it simpler. This machine is the china-made "house brand" for several large mail-order industrial tool distributors. They sell new for around $700. It was $275, plus shipping from the K.C. Area. It had no spare consumeables, only the ones already on the machine. Consumeables are a formidable cost factor in these machines, so check first(which I did)about price and availability. I bought some locally, for not the lowest price--$40/set of 5. I had to add an air filter/dryer to the machine. I had to install a 230v receptacle, and make a 230v extension cord. After doing all that, I checked the machine to be sure that it worked, which it did. Then, I went online and found a company in S.L., Zurra,(a place where where thugs have the chances of a snowball in hades), and they handle a complete line of consumeables, for much more reasonable prices & so I stocked up. I have another $125 added to the purchase price of the machine. I used the cart I built years ago to set it on. It should come in handy, and it should be fun. Now that I've got a thread started, I can just add on to it, as I use it. Hope that helps you some. Thank Mee.

[bae]

Pictures! Experiences! Tell us more!

I've been relying on a grinder and a sawzall with a giant box of metal-cutting blades so far, or a chisel.

[dmc]

I always wanted a plasma cutter. Just could never justify the cost. When I looked I thought the cheapest was at least a couple of thousand.

[Packy]

Yes, yes. Sooo glad you brought up the subject of sawzalls & grinders. Sawzall: it is a Milwaukee one I bought in 1989. It was broken, discarded, and an associate took it home. He flipped it to me for $30--he figured I got taken, but it didn't require much to repair it, & I've used it for home projects and even tree trimming, since then. 120v Grinder--big, heavy 1975 Black and decker, when they were professional grade, and overkill. Paid too much for it. But, I have used it over the years, and it is effective. . Small 120v grinder--a major brand, sounds Asian--Ryobi, plastic, but the plant is in N.C. An associate gave it to me; needed a trigger switch. Another one saved from the dumpster. That little thing works pretty well, actually. Another Milwaukee I've had for 12 years, bought on sale. This one rotates slowly enough and is light enough to work as a polisher. Ingersoll Rand pistol-grip sander-grinder. This, I got at the bent n' dent grocery store, new in box for $35. These sell for about $75, new. Professional grade air tool, but it requires lots of air. Cut-off tool; uses the circular fibre reinforced disc. Harbor Freight. This is their $29 El Cheapo Supremo. It is adequate, but not like a $150 mac. But, it works. They are pretty essential. Then, there's the air drill; several electric drills 3/8 & 1/2 & even a 1/8 sears that I inherited. It actually has come in handy because of it being compact. Oh, yeah--a 1960's Craftsman(Sears)sabre saw that I inherited. Air shears. Harbor freight. These also pretty well for cutting certain plastics, and I used it on suburban wheel housings, to trim them for the escalade conversion. Harbor freight screw gun. Don't use it often, but I have at times. Perfect for sheetmetal, where you use self-tappers. Like, in bodywork, where you are positioning a panel to splice. Milwaukee cordless screwdriver. I bought this because it was "on sale". Initially had buyers remorse. But, I use this one almost every day on something, or another. Even twice, some days. Good thing it is Pro Grade. Once you buy and use these, you'll wonder how you ever got by without. Of course--the $$$ invested COULD have been spent on Concert Tickets, Pot, Plane Tickets, Restaurant Meals, Tattoos, body jewelry, and important stuff like that, I realize. To be continued......

[Packy]

I always wanted a plasma cutter. Just could never justify the cost. When I looked I thought the cheapest was at least a couple of thousand.The "pro" grade plases come up for sale, but usually are either needing repair or high priced. The deals get snapped up very quickly. Now, you do have people that buy a lower-priced one to use on a specific project, and then flip it to recover part of their investment and get it out of the way. After much looking and using a small Italian-made mig for 5 years, I bought a small Linkin' 100-amp mig for $500, new, in 1994. It, was a step up. works as good as when I bought it. But, I don't use it a huge amount, either. The old Italy mig prolly has as much use on it. The prices for those Linkins have actually declined, in 20 years! I think even Walmart handles 'em. un-believeable. I also have a like-new Lincoln arc welder, that I bought at a pawn shop about 13 years ago, and a Montgomery-Wards 120 stick arc welder, that was free. It actually works pretty well, but on a very narrow range of materials. I don't use either of those, very much. The plas I got uses a torch that is an Asian knock-off of an Italian brand--parts even interchange. I figure the plas is at least comparable to my old Italian mig, which still works & don't use at present. Now, I had a co-worker at this one place, a boy about oh, 15-20 years younger, but he was "in charge". Very cocky and overconfident. But, I guess those guys have the best chances of success! Employers buy into their B.S., at least at first. Anyway, I told him one day that I'd just bought a welder for at-home, and needed to acquire an extension cord for it. Mr Cocky starts this ssssesss..sssessss snickering....he says....bob....sssssessss....guess whaaaat?....ssssessss...they don't MAKE extension cords for WELDERS!....all knowingly. O-kay. What ever you say, boss. Anyway, I've got several of the non-existent extension cords. Just hafta be sure they are the proper gauge of wire, that's all.

[Selah]

Holy moley, Packy, what kind of projects do you make with all those great tools? It sounds like you have one heck of a workshop!

[Packy]

Yah, hey, waaaay up there in Bellingham, home o' tool importer, Grizzly! I don't have much from grizzly, even though they have an enormous store and warehouse, here in Zurra. I have a dial caliper, that I bought there; an OD mic set; and a "pancake" air compressor that I bought on sale for $80. It was unboxed, with a tag that said checked OK. It was sort of oily on the outside. I used it several times before it just locked up. Seized. Well, it turned out that apparently they were part of a shipment that had been upside down at one point, and all the compressor lubricating oil had drained out of them. They were evidently uncrated, cleaned up, powered up to see if they still ran, and priced to sell quickly--but not refilled with oil. What I did is let mine cool down, put oil in the crankcase to fill, and freed it up with a pipe wrench. It works fine, but it prolly shortened it's life by running it with almost no(but some) oil in it the first few times. I really don't get a lot of use out of it; just when I need portability.