scored a hell of a deal on a plasma cutter at HF

[WDixon27]

regular $799 on sale for $650 and bought it with a 20% off coupon out of the back of car&driver for $519 + tax Oo. i haven't done anything with it other then wire up the plug and fart around for a minute or so to make sure it wasn't DOA with a piece of scrap but it seems to be decent and i haven't seen much bad press about it, seems to use a common gun so consumables should be easy if i migrate away from a harbor freight

 

[Bob Cochran]

I keep waiting for them to get lower in price. When looking at them I cannot understand why so expensive!!!!

 

[WDixon27]

around here practically the whole store goes on sale about twice a month, this unit usually goes down to 699 from 799 but when i saw it hit 650 i pounced, i don't know what all different magazines have the 20% off coupon but every car & driver i receive has one dated later then the last one on the last couple pages

 

[GHarman]

Dont forget to use an aggressive water removal filtering system on your shop air. if you are using this air in the plasma cutter. Water in the airline flashes to steam at 1600 times the original volume, in the tip, and will blow out orifices and erode electrodes in VERY short order. Just a tip:-laf from an "old hand"! GregH

 

[Bob Cochran]

I will wait tell they get to $300 or so and buy... HHMMM this could be a long wait.

around here practically the whole store goes on sale about twice a month, this unit usually goes down to 699 from 799 but when i saw it hit 650 i pounced, i don't know what all different magazines have the 20% off coupon but every car & driver i receive has one dated later then the last one on the last couple pages

 

[WDixon27]

i can see how that could get annoying, so far the system at the new shop is nice and dry but our old shop could make like a sprinkler no matter how hard i tried to dry it out sometimes, i don't remember having any issues with my last plasma cutter (died couple years ago) but it had a separator

Dont forget to use an aggressive water removal filtering system on your shop air. if you are using this air in the plasma cutter. Water in the airline flashes to steam at 1600 times the original volume, in the tip, and will blow out orifices and erode electrodes in VERY short order. Just a tip:-laf from an "old hand"! GregH

 

[HEMI®Dart]

TDR member Murle had back luck w/ his low buck PC

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/other/35422-poor-boy-plasma-cutter.html

 

[MChrist]

If anybody is looking at plasma cutters here, I just got mine last week and LOVE it. It's a Miller 375 X-treme. I got mine from Indiana Oxygen for around $1170 delivered, out the door (list is $1565). Hooks up to 110v or 220v using a quick connect plug and cuts 3/8" at either power setting. (Only difference is duty cycle between 110v and 220v. ) If you are only cutting sheet metal, then the less expensive plasmas probably work fine, but as soon as you start with the 1/4" or more, they will slow down real quick! If you can swing the more expensive plasmas, I would recommend this one.

 

[WDixon27]

i know its been a while but i finally had need to fire it up for more then a few test cuts to see if it was DOA and it works great, better then the smith that i had that took a dump in the middle of building a crackhead catcher for a buddy's truck, didn't have enough stuff to cut to give it much of a workout but it seems to have plenty of azz