Objective for 2019 plasma cutter

[Memmeddu]

So as title I hope to buy a plasma cutter in the next year , but I need advices
Wasn't looking for ultra cheap ones but middle range budget
I'm thinking that I will buy a stamos s-cutter 50.1
Which have 100% duty cycle at 40A ,it have a built in air regulator (manual settings) ,2t or 4t,pressure gauge ,LCD for settings , gouging mode
It comes with a PT-31 torch but searching I didn't find gouging consumables only cutting ones.
I would like the plasma cutter mainly for gouging and demolition ,because often i need to do this
Can you help me to find a cheap torch that have also gouging consumables ,or consumables set compatible with PT 31 torch?
Another question
I will use this machine mainly outside for repairs and built things
Is better a simple plasma cutter or a built in air compressor plasma cutter?
I think the first but the second has more mobility I think
Otherwise is heavier and is bigger than the simple generator only unit

Thank you for the advices

 

[Shedendman]

Hi,you say you want this for demolition,what are you actually demolishing?

 

[Memmeddu]

Hi,you say you want this for demolition,what are you actually demolishing?

Not heavy demolition ,cuts without esthetics necessity , sometimes cutting beams ,but mostly rough cuts and gouging
Pilot arc is needed to clean metal and also heat bolts
I work on farming equipment ,scrap metal ,repairing things as old doors

 

[henry Kadzielski]

Good morning I have done some demolishing, but 65amps is what I used, cuts quite well including 12mm. The difficulty is beams access is the problem and may require a larger capacity machine to get to areas that are hard to reach. Also depending on what you are doing and how much duty cycle may be a problem. I cut up a 5000liter 5mm thick fuel tank at 65amps, and it cut fast (very fast) and clean, 4 hours job completed and removed. As fast as I could cut the pieces were removed with help, so pieces were cut to be managable size to be moved by hand. So you will need a good supply of air, weld gouging also uses quite a bit of air and time for the distance traveled. I have a seperate compressor for the plasma and I have a Hypetherm PM125 which runs my CNC plasma table and goes out on site with me, but that is what I chose to do. So far it has been working well (very well, but I must be quiet so the toys don't hear me and play up). I am a firm believer in 'you get what you pay for' and also get bigger than what you need as you will need it later. Most of my equipment that I have bought was bigger then I needed at the time of purchase, but later down the track could have used something still bigger or more powerfull. I bought the PM125 as they don't make a 130. One thing you will find, depending on the plasma that you buy, consumables will last a period of time. If you haven't had or used anything else it will be no difference to you, however get a top name manufacturer and the consumable life is massively different. I have plasmas that are near 20years old, they work and work well, but the tips and electrodes don't last anywhere near what Hypetherm consumables last. I would say Hypetherm parts last 10 times what others last, but that is also dependent on other factors, operator, air quality. So good luck in your venture

 

[Memmeddu]

Good morning I have done some demolishing, but 65amps is what I used, cuts quite well including 12mm. The difficulty is beams access is the problem and may require a larger capacity machine to get to areas that are hard to reach. Also depending on what you are doing and how much duty cycle may be a problem. I cut up a 5000liter 5mm thick fuel tank at 65amps, and it cut fast (very fast) and clean, 4 hours job completed and removed. As fast as I could cut the pieces were removed with help, so pieces were cut to be managable size to be moved by hand. So you will need a good supply of air, weld gouging also uses quite a bit of air and time for the distance traveled. I have a seperate compressor for the plasma and I have a Hypetherm PM125 which runs my CNC plasma table and goes out on site with me, but that is what I chose to do. So far it has been working well (very well, but I must be quiet so the toys don't hear me and play up). I am a firm believer in 'you get what you pay for' and also get bigger than what you need as you will need it later. Most of my equipment that I have bought was bigger then I needed at the time of purchase, but later down the track could have used something still bigger or more powerfull. I bought the PM125 as they don't make a 130. One thing you will find, depending on the plasma that you buy, consumables will last a period of time. If you haven't had or used anything else it will be no difference to you, however get a top name manufacturer and the consumable life is massively different. I have plasmas that are near 20years old, they work and work well, but the tips and electrodes don't last anywhere near what Hypetherm consumables last. I would say Hypetherm parts last 10 times what others last, but that is also dependent on other factors, operator, air quality. So good luck in your venture

Hiperterm was the choice if had a good buget,but unfortunately not
I'm an hobbist work for me and for friends
We think same way ...
I bought metabo for grinder for safety and power but really not need to much power but I have this and appreciate the power sometimes need more

 

[Shedendman]

Not heavy demolition ,cuts without esthetics necessity , sometimes cutting beams ,but mostly rough cuts and gouging
Pilot arc is needed to clean metal and also heat bolts
I work on farming equipment ,scrap metal ,repairing things as old doors

Personally for what you've said there i'd go for an Oxy propane setup,i do have a plasma cutter,but found its the tool for more bench work,i did at first use it for the odd cutting up cars etc,but found it wasn't suitable to lug around with the comp.
I've an OP kit,shall i say its more mobile,and more suited for that sort of thing

 

[Memmeddu]

Personally for what you've said there i'd go for an Oxy propane setup,i do have a plasma cutter,but found its the tool for more bench work,i did at first use it for the odd cutting up cars etc,but found it wasn't suitable to lug around with the comp.
I've an OP kit,shall i say its more mobile,and more suited for that sort of thing

Oxypropane was an option but oxygen cost ,propane is not a problem
but the torch ,the tips ,the hoses are expensive
Compressed air is easy to make and find (just a compressor) current I have an engine driven welder if I need
Making two counts
Plasma cutter about 500 euro
Air compressor 120 euro (bought on December 2017)
A good 10meter hose 20 euros
An extension cord 20 euros
Total about 700 euros

Cutting torch (harris ) about 400 euros
Gas regulator 50 euros
Oxygen regulator 80 euros
10 meter twin hoses 25 euros
Quick connections 50 euros
Flashback arrestors 80 euros
Oxygen bottle 160 euros cheapest one
Gas bottle 40 euros (domestic rated LGP)
Inexpensive bottle cart about 50 euros
Total about 1000 euros

I think that I need both but now is easier get a plasma cutter
I also think that plasma cutter is safer than oxy propane or oxy acetylene rig

 

[anto44]

I have a stahlwerk cut 50st, it's a good machine for the money. I've cut 12mm steel with it, the cut was definitely a severance cut but it handled it no problem. Today I needed some steel sheet to do some rust repairs so I got an old bonnet off a jag and a few minutes later I had a pile of sheets to use. Best tool for this kind of work by far.

 

[Memmeddu]

I have a stahlwerk cut 50st, it's a good machine for the money. I've cut 12mm steel with it, the cut was definitely a severance cut but it handled it no problem. Today I needed some steel sheet to do some rust repairs so I got an old bonnet off a jag and a few minutes later I had a pile of sheets to use. Best tool for this kind of work by far.
View attachment 164035

Yep was looking at your thread ,and I read that has not pilot arc .
Did you use this machine for gouging?

 

[anto44]

I did try using it to gouge out welds, it works well but is very messy and hard to control, it's very easy to accidentally cut through the piece you're gouging. I was doing it using the standard tips with the power set lower than if I was cutting. I've seen videos on youtube of the hypertherm cutters which have a gouging mode and specific gouging tips and they look a lot better for the job. Hypertherm was well out of my budget when I was buying though.

 

[Memmeddu]

I did try using it to gouge out welds, it works well but is very messy and hard to control, it's very easy to accidentally cut through the piece you're gouging. I was doing it using the standard tips with the power set lower than if I was cutting. I've seen videos on youtube of the hypertherm cutters which have a gouging mode and specific gouging tips and they look a lot better for the job. Hypertherm was well out of my budget when I was buying though.

So i think I will buy the stamos s-cutter which have a gouging mode
For pilot arc ,I think may make a little circuit board to install into the machine
Using a 30 ohm 800 watt resistor battery connected to the ground (the ground allow the power) one side and to the torch on the other side
I can put it into the machine or make a little box to it
Pilot arc in this way uses about 4A with about 500W of power

Torch must be replaced whit one suited for pilot arc
P80-6 may be good enough to be used and to be saw
Consumables are only electrodes tip and shields
No swirl ring

About gouging ...
Gouging consumables have a bigger tip orifice than cutting ones
Try to take an old tip and make bigger the orifice , 3mm for example
Oxford says 3,5 bar for gouging

Can you try to explain to me what is meant for severance cuts?
Was reading that a 50A plasma cutter can cut also 25mm thick steel
But the tecnitech features says for the mainly cut 50 that they can cut only about 12mm .
I don't need to cut 25mm but I would like to know how can do it with mine future plasma

 

[dannyp]

Severance cut. Seems to mean it can eventually chew and knaw it’s wsy through

 

[Memmeddu]

Was thinking that I may buy a plasma cutter with compressor and pilot arc
But i need to grow up my budget and go down with A and duty cycle
What do you think about plasma cutters with built in air compressor?

 

[pondy]

Difference between clean and severance cuts