help buying plasma cutter

[koikidder]

Hi i am looking at buying a plasma cutter mainly hobby use max cut only 6mm steel, there is a clarke plasma king 50 on ebay what looks good but dont think you can buy this model now maybe just too old can anyone put some light on these clarke plasma king 50 are they any good also what should you be paying second hand.

I really wanted the r tech plasma cutter as i have there welder and i cannot fault it but i just cannot afford the price of it at the moment plus its only going to be used for hobby work.

 

[rikrobson]

I have the Eastwood one from Frosts. Its got pilot arc and will cutt 6mm with ease.

the consumables are expensive from frosts, but its a generic torch and the parts are available from plasma part.

The Chinese ones on ebay can be hit and miss, but are reletivly east to fix if it needs it. Plent of threads on here about them.

 

[koikidder]

So whats the difference between pilot arc and hf im looking at that eastwood one and compering it against the r tech one trying to figure out which is the better cutter lol

 

[rikrobson]

HF helps the ARC start, but it needs clean metal. The pilot arc, initates the arc in the torch, then its tracks to ground via the work piece.

This enables you to cut through a painted surface, that would normally prevent the arc from forming. Its not essential, but handy.

 

[koikidder]

yeah im just looking at the two r tech models and the dearest one is the hf pilot arc were the little 30amp is just hf im looking at the eastwood one its cheaper than the r tech but the r tech you get alot of consumable with it and an air filter so would an hf plasma find it hard to cut straight through a gas bottle without prep work?

 

[rtbcomp]

Pilot arc doesn't need high power high frequency electronics so it should be more reliable.

 

[wobblemonster]

I also have the Eastwood plasma cutter and as rikrobson says they're not a bad machine, had mine 21/2 years now and it's never let me down.

 

[koikidder]

im also wanting a plasma i can drag the tip on the metal so i can make template and just cut round them do you need specific tip or arcing system to do this??

 

[koikidder]

so in your guys opinion which one is the better unit the r tech 30 amp or the eastwood versa i dont know a great deal about these cutters but i sounds like the east wood is the better unit and cheaper you get £70.00 consumables kit with the r tech which sounds great but maybe you need this many with it not been pilot arc????

so overall getting a unit with pilot arc seems to be a better idea than just getting hf arc

so not only is the eastwood 40amps its also pilot arc.

Am i missing something because the eastwood one is also cheaper than the r tech unit

i appreciate all your input

 

[rikrobson]

I drag the tip on mine without any problems.

 

[rikrobson]

I've not used an other plasma but mines done every thing I've asked of it.
It's got an internal air regulator with a gauge and control on the front with a wee know for the amps. 3m earth lead on a dinze plug and a 4m torch.

 

[addjunkie]

so would an hf plasma find it hard to cut straight through a gas bottle without prep work?

You need to do more prep work to a gas bottle than just get clean shiney metal when cutting into it with a plasma cutter.


Get this wrong, your mrs will be spending the life insurance.

 

[koikidder]

Yeah LOL i wondered why she keeps telling me to have a go with the grinder on the new bbq bottle lol