Chinese or other Low-Cost Plasma Cutter

Let me preface this by saying, I believe in the old adage "You get what you pay for".

But, I'm looking for a plasma cutter and I would love to have the big Lincoln but I'm on a Hong Kong budget. I'm looking for something that will do at least quarter inch. Does anyone on this group have any experience with the Chinese or other low-cost plasma or combo machines?

I've seen some machines from homier, Eastwood, Amazon, etc. that look like they would fit the bill but I can't really find any info on them. There is one that says its a TIG / STICK / and Plasma machine. I have an old Sears AC buzz box that's getting tired and a multifunction machine would be nice.

Any way, I get some interesting reading on this site about Homier, Horror Freight, etc. and thought if was any good news in the area of cheap Plasma it would be here.

Thanks, Byrd

Reply to
Byrd
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Two words: buy used.

It ain't worth squat if it isn't dependable, and the cheap ones aren't.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

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Not bad for a cheapy.

They get refurbs regularly as well for cheaper.

Shrug..but you can likely find a decent used machine with more capacity for less money.

Gunner

"I don't want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub.

-- Grover Norquist

Reply to
Gunner

I agree. Used quality stuff is virtually always better than new cheap stuff.

Hold out for a Hypertherm.

John

Reply to
JohnM

Thermadyne makes a small unit with it's own air supply that will sell for about $1000. Thermadyne owns Victor torches

I have a sell sheet in front of me.

Thermal Dynamics FirePower Model PC250 "Genuine Cut 1/4"

Part# 1445-0927

Reply to
Rex

China machine quite different in quality, in realy complicated machine, China yet not make a competitive one, but I think as plasma cutter, there should be no problem.

For you reference, If I have to buy one, I will

1: consult with friend to look for someone have experience 2:look for some decent vendor with long history, prefer the company once own by state. 3: Try some vendors which are foreign venture in China. 4: TaiWan machine always not so bad, get near to Japan quality, but cheap.

In you case, you just need one or tow, so you may try to look for if there is any China nameplate on sell in US, then check their website or something like that, if you like, tell me which nameplate you had found, so I may offer some suggestion for you reference.

Reply to
Leo

Just bought a ParkerMP 40 AMP Plasma cutter with the "Turbo 50" option. I just used it for 5 hours straight tonight at about 35 amps to cut a boat trailer project I'm working on. Lots of 3/8" thick metal and it cut it like butter.

The Ebay seller is local here in Arizona so I picked it up directly from his business. He had at least 5 guys testing new units and repairing all sorts of other units. (Didn't see any of the ParkerMP blue boxes in the "fix-it" pile.

Nice to see a seller that actually supports his product. All units are tested before shipment. (I got to play with mine on 1/2 plate, but he put a new torch, leads and consumables in my box for me to take home.

Nice light unit, easy to get consumables and less than $500 for a 50 amp unit. I was looking at a Miller XL250 Plasma cutter at a tool shop, it was a well used 25 amp cutter with no warrantee for $550.

The ParkerMP has a 1/1/3 warrantee. I year hardware, 1 year ? and 3 years on the electronics. (That's what I really want the warrantee on!

Just a satisfied customer. I did "blow out" the first tip by cranking it all the way up on some 3/4" plate. I think too much spatter destroys the tips. For the 3/8" plate stuff I dialed it up to 35 then dialed it back to about 28 for the most cut, least slag operation. NICE!!

To think I was going to tackle welded rusty steel with a Sawzall. The first blade was shot in less than a minute when I touched a weld. That wasn't going to cut it for this project. (Kinda punny right? ;-) )

Bart D. Hull snipped-for-privacy@inficad.com Tempe, Arizona

Check

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my Subaru Engine Conversion Check
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Tango II I'm building.

Remove -nospam to reply via email.

Byrd wrote:

Reply to
Bart D. Hull

I just went to Ebay and asked the seller some questions about combination machines ( TIG/ Plasma ) and suggested he post any answer either here or in SEJM. So if he does, don't jump on him for posting SPAM.

Dan

Reply to
dcaster

...

Leo, Given your 163.com email, I assume you live in China. Just out of curiosity, are you a home-shop machinist, metalworker by trade, or what? Also, what is your preference for a formerly-state-owned company based on?

Reply to
James Waldby

Don't assume, for you reference, I work for this shop:

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Mold maker in China, if necessary sometimes help customer source something.

I assume, to make a decent machine, the factory need some technic accumulated, if they stay in business for long time, they should not so bad in this point. Before 1978, all the China factories own by state, they got finance/technic from government, also, since a long time history, they got many skilled workers...after 1978, all the factory change to private, if success in this process and stay in business, it means that their quality will not so bad.

Government tend to buy some technical patents from overseas, and all the this are prefer to award to former-state-owned factory, because the country have to save them, in auto trade, almost every factory is state+private+foreign...

There are many home-shops, all these shops may probably own by a guy who once work in state-own factory. If the stuff is simple, maybe they can make it in the same quality, if it is complicated, they may get some problem in quality, after all, I am not saying every this shop is low quality.

To prove? China just make a aircraft J-10 seems a little better than F-16 in some aspects, also, Boeing and Airbuss source many components from China.

It depend on if you can found a qualified one.

Reply to
Leo

Just change my email to snipped-for-privacy@golden-greatwall.com . You guys will not assume... I have present too many troll in other groups, I will not do this here, hope this group good for technical issue.

Reply to
Leo

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