Plasma cutter for building 4x4 parts

[mitchel.]

Hello,

I've read a lot about pilot arc do I really need it if cutting fresh metal also is the pilot arc something to do with machine or the torch the machine uses

This will be hobby so looking budget plasma cutters like draper and cut50

Be cutting 5mm or 6mm plate at most wanting a clean cut

Also what size compressor will I need?

All help appreciated?

 

[Kent]

Do consider if it's worth the cost
Other choices are is having it cut out if it's real precision you want by a cnc lazercutters
Or on 5 mm using oxy propane or oxy accetalin for curves
A jig saw or a grinder if it's not time pressured

 

[mitchel.]

Do consider if it's worth the cost
Other choices are is having it cut out if it's real precision you want by a cnc lazercutters
Or on 5 mm using oxy propane or oxy accetalin for curves
A jig saw or a grinder if it's not time pressured

Mostly square shapes not curves I thought oxy left a horrible edge and was only meant for mega thick stuff? I will eventually have stuff cnc just for the protypes

 

[Kent]

Jig saw metal cutting blade then. Maybe an angle grinder with slitting disc
Oxy fuel is OK on 5 mm up mild steel but needs practice and a little knowledge
If they will be cut out in quantity I should consider going straight to the lasercutting place. Tell the guys there your prototyping presently and I am sure they will cut your stuff out of spare area on another job. If they won't you need to find another firm coz they will only prove difficult to deal with in future

 

[skotl]

I've never missed not having pilot arc. It's also safer not to have it as there's no chance of the torch firing before you get close to the metal.

Even with some pretty grotty steel, it's never taken me more than a scratch or two to get the cut started.

 

[mitchel.]

Jig saw metal cutting blade then. Maybe an angle grinder with slitting disc
Oxy fuel is OK on 5 mm up mild steel but needs practice and a little knowledge
If they will be cut out in quantity I should consider going straight to the lasercutting place. Tell the guys there your prototyping presently and I am sure they will cut your stuff out of spare area on another job. If they won't you need to find another firm coz they will only prove difficult to deal with in future

So would you not bother with a plasma cutter there's some one eBay for £200 and £260 for a draper one?

Would a jigsaw really cut 5mm wouldn't blades and motor die?
I want to move away from slitty discs due to noise consumables and more danger using them.

 

[mitchel.]

I've never missed not having pilot arc. It's also safer not to have it as there's no chance of the torch firing before you get close to the metal.

Even with some pretty grotty steel, it's never taken me more than a scratch or two to get the cut started.

What sort of machine do you use I was looking at cheap Chinese ones or a draper one don't need to be anything special plus it's a hobbie excersize so won't get excessive use?

 

[skotl]

What sort of machine do you use I was looking at cheap Chinese ones or a draper one don't need to be anything special plus it's a hobbie excersize so won't get excessive use?

Sorry mate - I didn't answer the rest of your question!

Yep - it's a cut50, bought for around £170 this time last year. Do have a read through of some of the cut50 threads to see some of the downsides, but I would heartily recommend it. I used it for a couple of hours solid yesterday and it behaved flawlessly.

I was cutting 4mm with 35A so I would guess you'd get to 5mm or a little more. In terms of the compressor, I used it with a £50 50L Aldi compressor and it worked. but the compressor was always on and the noise got me down so I replaced it with a £250 90l belt-driven compressor.

I'm just a hobbyist and, if my cut50 died tomorrow and I couldn't fix it, I'd probably go out and buy another.

Plus - they're great fun

 

[Kent]

So would you not bother with a plasma cutter there's some one eBay for £200 and £260 for a draper one?

Would a jigsaw really cut 5mm wouldn't blades and motor die?
I want to move away from slitty discs due to noise consumables and more danger using them.

Sure will with metal cutting blades and not too fast a speed. Bit of cutting grease will maintain blade life. Do it lots personally especially on canal boats ( which are 5 mm in the skin) were the gas torch is not a great idea on occasions due to fire risk and such
Re- locating flue holes in the roofs etc

 

[mitchel.]

Sorry mate - I didn't answer the rest of your question!

Yep - it's a cut50, bought for around £170 this time last year. Do have a read through of some of the cut50 threads to see some of the downsides, but I would heartily recommend it. I used it for a couple of hours solid yesterday and it behaved flawlessly.

I was cutting 4mm with 35A so I would guess you'd get to 5mm or a little more. In terms of the compressor, I used it with a £50 50L Aldi compressor and it worked. but the compressor was always on and the noise got me down so I replaced it with a £250 90l belt-driven compressor.

I'm just a hobbyist and, if my cut50 died tomorrow and I couldn't fix it, I'd probably go out and buy another.

Plus - they're great fun

Did you buy the cut50 new was it from a UK company or eBay China import?

Same here for £200 I'll make that back and save to from getting people to do stuff for me.

Currently looking for something belt driven may buy the pillar drill first and plasma cutter

Defineatly can't afford a new compressor

 

[mitchel.]

Sure will with metal cutting blades and not too fast a speed. Bit of cutting grease will maintain blade life. Do it lots personally especially on canal boats ( which are 5 mm in the skin) were the gas torch is not a great idea on occasions due to fire risk and such
Re- locating flue holes in the roofs etc

What size jigsaw wattage do you use and do you use good make blades?

 

[skotl]

Did you buy the cut50 new was it from a UK company or eBay China import?

...there's a whole back story to that...
Yes it was an ebay seller, it shipped from the UK but was broken and all of a sudden it became clear it was a Chinese company. I managed to fix it, tho, so wasn't totally miffed.

On the off chance that you get a dud, file for a refund from paypal immediately.

However, so many of these are sold that it's clear that the majority of them work and stay working so I still believe they are a worthwhile punt.
Be aware, though, that we may only be minutes away from launching yet another "all chinese stuff is crap" ragewar...

 

[mitchel.]

...there's a whole back story to that...
Yes it was an ebay seller, it shipped from the UK but was broken and all of a sudden it became clear it was a Chinese company. I managed to fix it, tho, so wasn't totally miffed.

On the off chance that you get a dud, file for a refund from paypal immediately.

However, so many of these are sold that it's clear that the majority of them work and stay working so I still believe they are a worthwhile punt.
Be aware, though, that we may only be minutes away from launching yet another "all chinese stuff is crap" ragewar...

Don't worry I can feel it coming haha

That ****** me off with eBay so much now Chinese people say there in UK then you check sellers legal info it's all in Chinese for address haha.

 

[skotl]

Some light reading for your amusement

I would still have another one - quite a few people on here have bought one and had no problems.

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/unboxing-setup-and-first-cuts-with-my-cut-50.51625/
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/cut-50-busticated-yes-the-xmas-one.51675/
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/the-xmas-cut-50-think-i-know-whats-wrong.52086/
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/it-lives.52417/

 

[Kent]

What size jigsaw wattage do you use and do you use good make blades?

Just a basic solid makita 110 volt job. Think it was under £40 two year ago when my other bit the dust after about 10 yrs service.
Blades? Whatever dealer has when I need them you shouldn't need many if you don't let the saw jump or fail to clamp stuff down correctly

 

[mitchel.]

Contemplated this a lot hmmm

http://www.evolutionpowertools.com/uk/steel/evosaw230.php

 

[rikrobson]

I have an Eastwood plasma from frosts 40 amp and pilot arc. Very happy with it
Evolution sell b stock stuff on the it ebay shop. Rage 185mm circular saw for about 30 quids.

 

[T0rnado69]

i originally bought a sureweld plasma 34K,
that has built in compressor and can cut upto 6mm, but is slow on 6mm.

i then bought a cut50 new from Essex steam for £300, they say it can cut upto 12mm
think the guy was buying loads in from china and selling them on
he called it his nest egg, but that got shut down by ebay, as he no longer sells plasma's
i only used the cut 50 on 6mm upwards, and proberly used it about 6 times.
then it wouldn't fire up on HF, but tried to on scratch starting.
its now sitting on table in front room with the top PCB out.

didn't really get much use out of it.

 

[the_minidude]

I bought a real cheapie made in china unit. Supposed to also cut up to 12mm. Melted the handle the first time I tried (forgot to open the pressure regulator for the compressor). Can get a nice cut on the thinner metal if you use a straight edge to guide the nozzle. Just for cutting up old steel it's like using a hot knife through butter..... a very hot knife... I have set fire to myself a few times but cut up an old car in a fraction of the time a grinder would have done it.
I'd say it's definitely worth spending the money. I tend to use thin cutting disks on a grinder for precision cuts and general cutting but for awkward cutting (odd shaped subframe sections) then the plasma is very handy. I get very little use out of it but it's a good backup tool. I run it on a very small compressor - small cut with a long wait period to build up pressure again. Buy one, and if you don't get use out of it, then resell it. You would only lose a little (probably the same as the cost of consumables on a few jobs).

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I have a CUT50 and I used it to cut the 12mm beam end plates for the barn I am building. There was a fair bit of dross on the underside but it cut 12m of 12mm plate into assorted short lengths.