HTP Plasma cutter

[Navigator]

Anybody have one? Your input please.

Thanks Frank

[enjenjo]

You have a good name. I don't have an HTP plasma, but people I know that do, like them.

frank

[1FATGMC]

Anybody have one? Your input please.

Thanks Frank

   

I bought a Hypertherm  380 Plasma Cutter recently and have been very happy with it.  Actually a Miller dealer put me onto it.  Hypertherm makes the miller, but miller has them make the gun or whatever you call it different so that miller can sell you the consumables.  I got it on line from http://store.weldersource.com/  with no hassles for about $1040 if I remember right.  It is rated at 3/8 and 1/2 extreme if you know what you are doing.  I've been cutting a lot of 3/16 for brackets.  Cuts it pretty fast.  I'm still on my first tip and the Miller dealer says the Hypertherm doesn't use up the consumable as fast as the Miller version.  It looks like the model I got has now been superseded by a new one with the same rating, but is smaller.  

Also have cut some thinner stuff and some aluminum sheet.  I like it and find uses for it all the time now. I'd buy another one of these in an instant.  You will be happy with one.

c ya,

Sum

[Canuck]

Sum

Thanks for the endorsment on the Powermax, have been hemming and hawing between the 375-X and the Powermax.

Some good deals out there one the 380, as if has been replaced by the 30.

Think I am leaning toward the 30 thopugh, as it supports drag and has a tip with better visability.  The 375-X will also support drag with different tips, etc.

Canuck

[1FATGMC]

Sum

Thanks for the endorsment on the Powermax, have been hemming and hawing between the 375-X and the Powermax.

Some good deals out there one the 380, as if has been replaced by the 30.

Think I am leaning toward the 30 thopugh, as it supports drag and has a tip with better visability.  The 375-X will also support drag with different tips, etc.

Canuck

When you say drag, are you talking about the thing that can go on the tip to keep it slightly off the work???

 

I don't know if this will help anyone or not, but I have been making my patterns using a light cardboard, cereal box weight.  Then I trace around that onto a piece of 3/8 inch thick particle board (4 X 8 sheet is cheap).  Next I cut the pattern out of the particle board on the "inside" of the cut line making it a little smaller.  Once you have the cardboard pattern you can transfer it to the particle board and cut that out with a saber saw in less time than I can explain this.  

I clamp that on the metal and the 3/8 particle board seems to hold the tip off of the work at a good height since the body that holds the tip rests on it.  Then I just drag along the pattern.  The distance from the center of the tip, cutting point, to the outside of the tip that is dragging on the pattern is still a little larger than the original paper pattern, but by the time you clean it up with the grinder, not much, you are right on the pattern size.  Remember you cut the pattern out on the inside of the line to make it a little smaller to make up for the distance from the center of the tip to the pattern.  Hope you can follow what I'm trying to say.



Here you can see the pieces I was cutting to make the steering arms on the lakester ( MORE HERE) .  These were about the first pieces I cut and was getting the hang of the speed to drag at with the 3/16 material.  You want to get the speed right so you don't get blow back.  If you get blow back you will eventually screw up the tip and also burn the pattern (see picture).  Also once you get the speed down the slag becomes very little.  It breaks right off with some *.  I'm to the point now where I can use a pattern many times if needed without burning it.  I love this thing.

One last tip.  For cutting the particle board I have used a trick that I learned when cutting counter tops for sink openings.  I turn the blade around.  I'm using Bosch T118B blades in my sears saber saw.  They are a 11-14 TPI progressive tooth.  I break the end off that normally goes into the saber saw, they won't fit mine anyway, then I grind some of the teeth off of the end of the blade and reverse the blade and put it into the saber saw.  If you are cutting a counter top this will help to keep from chipping the Formica.  They make blades like this, but sometimes they are hard to find.  These are a blade designed to cut thick metal, so they last forever cutting particle board, which can dull a blade.

One thing I do like about this plasma cutter is that it seems to be carried widely around the country so getting parts or consumables might be easier than with the HTP.  Not saying the HTP might not be good.

c ya,

Sum

[Canuck]

Downloaded the operating manual for the powermax 30 and if I am reading it right, the tip is actually dragged on the metal you are cutting, no holdoff required.  The samething can be done with the Miller 375-X with a adapter.

Thinking it should make it easy for someone not experienced using one (the wife) and for old farts who don't have that steady of a hand.

Canuck

[1FATGMC]

Downloaded the operating manual for the powermax 30 and if I am reading it right, the tip is actually dragged on the metal you are cutting, no holdoff required.  The samething can be done with the Miller 375-X with a adapter.

Thinking it should make it easy for someone not experienced using one (the wife) and for old farts who don't have that steady of a hand.

Canuck

There is a tip with 4 little feet on it that keeps the tip the right distance off the work (maybe that is the adapter with the Miller).  I don't have that tip, so I'm suppose to hold off about 1/16 of an inch with just the straight tip I have.  On light stuff I have just dragged the tip.  

Once you use it a couple times it gets pretty easy.  Way easier than cutting with a torch and you can't use a wood pattern with the torch.

c ya,

Sum