Plasma cutter & compressor advice

[VillageBlacksmith]

Thanks guys for the comments on the el-cheapo... I think I'll stick to the R-tech.. seems pretty good, with good return and warranty services too... and instant death isn't a favourite pastime of mine

 

[eSCHEn]

The thing is (and to the baying masses reading - whoa!); the R-Tech is probably not that much different from the cheap one. People do say that they have internal parts upgraded but I personally have no comment either way.

What is in no doubt however, is R-Tech's customer service. They are by (all?) accounts an excellent company to deal with and turnaround on a unit failing within warranty seems to be short as they frequently ship a new unit and pick up the broken one at the same time. Again, not a personal experience and I'm sure those who have will tell their side

TLDR: R-Tech may be more but you get WAAAAAAY better customer service that is worth it.

 

[Bladevane]

Probably too late to make a difference but the issue with a small compressor is the lack of stored capacity. The hysteresis in the pressure switch means there is a real risk of dropping the pressure at the gun whilst cutting and the compressor is then trying to feed the gun and top up the tank. The result is that neither gets done properly and the quality of work suffers. This happened to me but once I got a beefy 3 HP compressor with decent sized tank my work improved.

 

[MIGMAN89]

Hi Chaps

I just unboxed my CUT50 it looks pretty solid, fingers crossed I didnt get a 'guna go bang' model as eSCHen said, atleast it was well packaged.

Am now waiting on the compresser (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/391230905284?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT) decided to go as cheap as possible (both delivered for just over 200quid ) so got more to spend on other kit !

Going to stick the compressor in its own little room, i dont have a clue how loud they get so again fingers crossed the flat above don't go nuts.

 

[skotl]

Hi Chaps

I just unboxed my CUT50 it looks pretty solid, fingers crossed I didnt get a 'guna go bang' model as eSCHen said, atleast it was well packaged.

Am now waiting on the compresser (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/391230905284?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT) decided to go as cheap as possible (both delivered for just over 200quid ) so got more to spend on other kit !

Going to stick the compressor in its own little room, i dont have a clue how loud they get so again fingers crossed the flat above don't go nuts.

Welcome to the forum

Errr... are you planning to run the compressor and/or plasma cutter in a flat? Or is it a garage, with a flat above?
We've talked on the forum about people wanting to weld in a flat (bad idea) but plasma cutting would pretty much guarantee a fire...

As to the compressor - if you're in a flat then, yes, that compressor will cause the flat above to go nuts - it will be very loud and will vibrate through the wooden floor.
If it is a garage with a solid floor then there's still a decent chance that your upstairs neighbours are likely to be extremely dischuffed

 

[cumbriasteve]

Hi Chaps

I just unboxed my CUT50 it looks pretty solid, fingers crossed I didnt get a 'guna go bang' model as eSCHen said, atleast it was well packaged.

.

It would be good if you did a review of the cutter, from unboxed to in use and what you think of it.

There are many debates about these cheap plasma cutters, usually revolving around they tend to blow up or not work, there is some truth in that but there is also some truth in the fact thousands have been sold and some members here have them and are happy with them.

They are in the 'more affordable' range for many members who find the higher price of other makes/suppliers a bit too much to warrant buying one.

 

[MIGMAN89]

Good idea, I'll see what u can do. Have done the basic setup with the air hoses etc but nothing else, once I've used it for a few cuts I'll do a little review of my experiences. If I'm still I'm one peice that is

 

[MIGMAN89]

.

Welcome to the forum

Errr... are you planning to run the compressor and/or plasma cutter in a flat? Or is it a garage, with a flat above?
We've talked on the forum about people wanting to weld in a flat (bad idea) but plasma cutting would pretty much guarantee a fire...

As to the compressor - if you're in a flat then, yes, that compressor will cause the flat above to go nuts - it will be very loud and will vibrate through the wooden floor.
If it is a garage with a solid floor then there's
still a decent chance that your upstairs neighbours are likely to be extremely dischuffed

Should have realised that sounded like a pretty bad idea. We got the ground floor and it's got its own little concrete yard out the back with a room to put a bin in,
No windows from above look down 2 see the arc when I'm welding there. The flat above have some questionable characters in to say the least so fingers crossed some vibrating floors go a miss.

 

[gaz1]

query here with the cut 50 its been mentioned about needing the higher cfm to run machines and other tools with a compressor i reckon 24ltr is too low for a plasma cutter so what would be the desired ltr for those on a budget or dont have the floor space for a 300ltr upright maybe but not across the floor space like the big compressor machines

 

[julianf]

The OP may also like to consider that, unless theyre running a cnc etc. the torch is unlikely to be lit for that long at a go.

So if, for example, the compressor output is only 50% of the requirement of the cutter, but you never work for more than 1.5X the volume of the receiver (or somthing like that) in one cut, then you would get away with it.

What i mean is, for a lot of work, there's more time without the torch lit than you might think.

 

[skotl]

The OP may also like to consider that, unless theyre running a cnc etc. the torch is unlikely to be lit for that long at a go.

So if, for example, the compressor output is only 50% of the requirement of the cutter, but you never work for more than 1.5X the volume of the receiver (or somthing like that) in one cut, then you would get away with it.

What i mean is, for a lot of work, there's more time without the torch lit than you might think.

Seconded.

 

[gaz1]

sort of looking for a compressor myself now for the cut50 plasma cutter

ive seen a few that im interested in but im still a skin flint

heres the ones ive looked at but dont know there cfm ratings are good enough

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AIR-COMPRESSOR-50-LTR-NEW-c-w-WARRANTY-ct81/381741485178?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid=111001&algo=REC.SEED&ao=1&asc=20131017132637&meid=a698449521264675829ae76f437bb8d1&pid=100033&rk=8&rkt=8&sd=122021690062

this one of austins prefer it being a belt drive the quoted cfm

the figure seems low but from the plate in the first picture it seems to convert to 4.24 cfm

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/compressor.65826/

id prefer this one but thats got to wait for a while

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Warrior-50-Litre-V-Twin-Air-Compressor-14-6CFM-3HP-240v-Electric-8Bar-116PSI-50L/121700762724?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid=111001&algo=REC.SEED&ao=1&asc=20131017132637&meid=a698449521264675829ae76f437bb8d1&pid=100033&rk=2&rkt=8&sd=122021690062

these are choices until i get the big tank going with new motor or use it as an extension tank to the compressor thats 170 litre too fill up

 

[gt6s]

Get a big propane tank and build one. Pumps, motors, pressure switches all readily available. Warning do not buy a pump or a compressor with an aluminium bore. Iron bore all the way.

 

[gaz1]

Get a big propane tank and build one. Pumps, motors, pressure switches all readily available. Warning do not buy a pump or a compressor with an aluminium bore. Iron bore all the way.

i bought the compressor tank instead

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/...needs-some-attention-to-it.65839/#post-860681

 

[DAPPH]

Get a big propane tank and build one. Pumps, motors, pressure switches all readily available. Warning do not buy a pump or a compressor with an aluminium bore. Iron bore all the way.

I was thinking the same perhaps using a cast iron barreled compressor off a truck , if they are easily available & cheap as they should also come with the unloader valve on or close to the air pump as most trucks run at 120 psi for the air brakes ( or used to ) .

For a long time I've been hankering for a reasonable Mig , Tig MMA set up ..I now have one on order from Weld Equip arriving this week hopefully) my next man cupoard priority item is a plasma cutter & compressor .

I've been given two old butane gas cylinders ,x 2.5 foot tall x 2 foot wide cylinders with valves removed fotunately the valves are in a plastic bag tied to each cylinder .( company closed down donkey's years ago )

They seem nice and rust free inside and appear to have 4 mm thick walls , were pressure tested to far in excess of the 120 psi I'm talking about .
I've also been given a working ( in poor condition ) band saw which has an excellent motor & switching set up ... we shall see what I can come up with once I've mastered my new boy's toy welder to give some reasonable welds ..

 

[gt6s]

Truck compressors will work but most require an oil supply from the engine. A proper compressor would be far better. Having said that before I bought my 150 ltr 3hp compressor. I used a propane tank. One with a leaky truck compressor. Painted a lot of cars with that old thing. Gone to the big scrapyard in the sky now.