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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2003-03-06          50667


I've decided to buy a plasma cutter. The two major welding supply outlets in town sell Miller and Hypertherm. The Miller model 2050 was priced to me for 2,175.00 and the other store quoted me a Hypertherm powermax 1000 for 2,057.00. I'm just curious about anyones experience with either brand, and if the dealers have some wiggle room on their prices. I like to buy localy if possible instead of buying a picture of something on the net. I also checked Lincoln on their website, but they seemed pretty pricey for like size units. ny comments apreciated, thanks.



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BillMullens
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 649 Central West Virginia
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2003-03-07          50687


Hardwood,
Have you tried the Yesterday's Tractors tool talk forum? They have a few experienced welders that usually like to answer welding/equipment questions. Man, I'd love to have a plasma cutter; I've heard they were the berries.
Good luck,
Bill ....


Link:   YT Mag tool talk

 

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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2003-03-07          50692


Bill, thanks for the tip on the YT web, I checked it out for a few minutes this morning, looks like a ton of experience there I'll take more time later to study it. I too am facinated at what a neat job plasma cutters do without the slag and distortion from the regular cutting torches. Some guys have gone to LP because of the cost of acetylene, but the plasma sure looks neat to me. Thanks. ....


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DavesTractor
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 148 Red Bluff, California
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2003-03-07          50701


We have the Miller 2050. We use it almost everyday for something, even if only for a couple of minutes. I can't compare it to the Hypertherm as we only have experience with the Miller. We have had it about a year and have had no problems. It cuts 1/2" and below like a hot knife through butter. As you get up closer to 7/8" or so, you have to go slow. The drag tip is cool, but doesn't work well with the thicker metals. We use the regular tip most of the time. ....


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AC5ZO
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 928 Rio Rancho, NM 87144
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2003-03-09          50829


I have owned another model of hypertherm and it worked fine. Miller makes fine equipment and I would trust it on brand name alone.

Personally, I have a Powcon plasma cutter, but Powcon is out of business, or at least has changed owners. Powcon was one of the first to use inverter welders and cutter like a lot of them do today.

I would say that either unit would work well for you. One thing about plasma cutters is that they do use some expensive tips and nozzles. You could easily make up the difference in the prices you were quoted if the cost of the disposable parts was significantly higher on one compared to the other. It is worth checking it out. ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2003-03-09          50832


AC5ZO, thanks for the advice, the hypertherm dealer did tell me that their tips were less expensive than some other brands, and that was one of the reasons he favors them. The Miller dealer did'nt mention the cost of tips, but at that time I did'nt know anything about tips. I've pretty much made up my mind to go with the Hypertherm as the dealer has been there for years and years, I've bought Acetylene and Oxygen from them for a long time, sso I'm sure they will stand behind anything you buy there. ....


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bullworker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 22 western mass
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2003-03-09          50850


plasma cutters are great machines i have 4 at the moment. a few things to consider... what type of use will it see? ie. sheet metal, aluminum, or just general shop use. does it need to be portable? as in a 110 or 220 power. do i have clean dry air? they don't like water at all.a filter may be nessacry. is your shop heated? you can't leave them in the cold and expect them to work. they have thier uses but they have'nt replaced the torch completly.both brands you mentioned are very good just choose the right one for your application. ....


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Pacesetter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 178 Maine
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2003-03-10          50918


I have to add that Harbor Freight - I know, not a place I would expect to find one either - has a 30 amp and 40 amp plasma cutter that are excellent high quality units. They are made in Italy, as is my Matco mig welder and many other "American" brand welders. I have a 30 amp that I bought last year on special for under $700 (reg $859). The 40 amp cuts up to 1/2" and regularly sells for $1200. The PN for the 40 amp is 41952. I use mine to scrap antique parts cars. The only problem I have is working with a section that is heavily undercoated, it is sometimes hard to hold an arc. I use it heavily and never got to the point of overdoing the duty cycle. These might work for someone who doesn't want to spend $2000+ for a unit.
Pacesetter ....


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harley152
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 9 western washington
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2003-09-07          63321


Around here most larger welding suppliers rent most anything you may need for fabrication--I would recommend renting each of the units your looking at for a month(around $150.00) then see which you like---then ask the supplier whats the pay-off for the one of your choice!! Most assign around 80% of rental income against the purchase value.
case in point, I contracted to re-plate the bottom of a large steel barge several years ago and rented the powersource, LN-25 feeder, and misc. other equip. The owner paid the rent while I did the job, and when done I "payed-off" the LN-25 for $400.00!!! I'm the only one to ever used this machine, I got payed to use it, and I now own it for about 20% of what I would have payed to buy it new!!! It was new in the box when I rented it!!!

Jerry ....


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jeeper
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 5 north carolina
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2003-09-15          63980


we currently have a hypertherm 1000 the tips do last a little longer than our older miller we used to have which saves on operating cost but i found the hypertherm harder to use it can be aggrevating to start or keep the pilot arc burning.you must have a really clean grounding surface. the miller was much easier in that manner. the miller model we had is no longer made now and i have not used any other brands. ....


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AC5ZO
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 928 Rio Rancho, NM 87144
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2003-09-16          64022


The two items that you describe, starting and tip wear, can be related. When a plasma cutter has not transferred the arc, it arcs against the tip and tends to wear it faster. So, the consumable life on the Hypertherm may very well be related to its finicky nature about starting and transferring the arc.

When a plasma arc starts, it produces a pilot arc to the consumable nozzle. When the arc transfers, there is little current going to the nozzle and the arc is supposed to go directly from the internal electrode through the nozzle creating a hot plasma and out the nozzle to have the circuit completed at the workpiece. Once the arc is transferred there should be little nozzle wear. So, the consumable life on the Miller may very well be related to the type of usage that it saw and because it had reverted to a pilot arc more often than you Hypertherm.

I use a silica gel air dryer before my plasma cutter air line. You don't want any water in there, and even water vapor is not good. It is easier to ionize dry air. ....


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itsgottobegreen
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 329 Mt. Airy, MD
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2003-10-09          65897


Cyberweld.com is a great net site. Free shipping on everything. They sell miller 2050 plasma cutter for $2186. I have bought stuff from them, there great plus no tax. Millers are the way to go, look at any welding shop all the new welders are millers. My next welder will be a miller 251 w/spool gun ....


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AC5ZO
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 928 Rio Rancho, NM 87144
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2003-10-10          65975


Miller welders are blue. ;-) ....


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itsgottobegreen
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 329 Mt. Airy, MD
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2003-10-18          66537


Yes they are blue with some black, and Miller logo in white ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2004-02-29          78285


Now that I've semi retired from 30 some yrs. in furniture mfg. the torch has passed to the next generation with my son now taking over the business, so I'm setting up a metal working shop as a retirement hobby. After those yrs. in the furniture plant I learned that the best machines you can by are by far the most economical to own. With regular matinence they just never seem to wear out and seldom depreciate much from the original cost. Over the past couple years I've bought some machines for the metal shop as the budget has allowed, a Hypertherm 1000 plasma cutter, Lincoln 250 Mig welder, Jet electric hoist, and just last week a Jet Model BP 1248F box and pan brake. I was astonished at the massive structure of this machine, I think an Abrams tank could run over it and barely scratch the paint. We've allways been happy with Jet brand machines in the wood shop, we've got wide belt sanders, knife planers etc. from Jet that have ran flawlessley for years, so I want to stick with Jet in the metal shop. Now to my Question, has anyone had any experience with a model HS- 1652 hydraulic shear from jet. That's my next goal when the budget allows, so any comments positive or negative would be greatly apreciated. Thanks, Frank. ....


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DeTwang
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 268 Shingletown, Ca. (Near Redding)
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2004-09-14          96488


What are your opinions on Thermal dynamics and hobart cutters?

My welding supplier claims that hobarts are actually millers (Pretty sure he said millers), and Harbor Frieght sells hobarts pretty cheap.

I like the thermal dynamics units because machine torches are available for the smaller units (and I've been eyeing those torch master cnc rig kits).

I've been looking at the thermal dynamics cutmaster 50 which goes for about $1600 and will cut 1/2" ans sver 3/4".

Anyone use either of those brands?

....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2004-09-15          96500


DeTwang; Thermal Dynamics I've heard of, Hobart has been around for years, but don't know a lot about either. I started out to buy a Miller Plasma cutter, the local dealer was a jerk. I came in dressed in work clothes grease and all, he could'nt seem to get me out of there quick enough. I drove across town to the Lincoln / Hypertherm dealer, he took a new unit, hooked it up, gave me a few basic instructions and told me to go to it. I bought the hypertherm 1000 on the spot. It's been a good reliable machine. I guess I'll just preach my old sermon on dealers that most who know me probably are tired of hearing by now, but here goes. I'm quite sure that all brands mentioned with proper care will last you a lifetime, so in my book a good dealer who is interested in having a happy repeat customers is much more important than the brand of the machine. I've ordered things from Harbor Freight several times, sometimes I was satisfied with what I got from them, but most things I was dissapointed with. Enough of my yammer. Frank. ....


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tomrscott
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 96 Newberg, Oregon
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2005-01-18          104416


Hardwood,

What did you decide? I am seriously considering buying a slightly smaller one myself. I may just rent it, but I can see future jobs coming up if I went ahead and got one. ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2005-01-18          104419


tomrscott; I got thr hyperthrem 1000 mainly because of the dealer. I honestly haven't had time to use it enough yet to give it real test, but so far it's worked fine. Frank. ....


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