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plasma cutter info

seikosman

Aluminum
Joined
Dec 31, 2004
Location
Hilo, HI
Hello, all; I usually spend my time on the antique machinery forum but I have a question hopefully someone here can answer: I'm looking at an Astroplasma 450 plasma cutter (made in Italy, NOT China) and can't find much info on it. Is anyone familiar? Good machine or junk? When did they quit making them? How thick will it cut? Any advice will be very much appreciated.

Rick A.
 
The problem with any off brand welding equipment is parts and service support. Sooner or later it will need them.
I sell and repair construction equipment, specificly Mortar Mixers. I have customers ask me if I work on other types of equipment. The problem is I can tie up so much time trying to find parts and then have trouble buying them wholesale. At some point it's a loose, loose situation. I'm sure it's the same for welding equipment service people. Also with off brand it might be a poor design and the repair person ends up having to warranty repairs to a POS.
If you stay with the name brands you have options.
Plasma cutter manufacturers rate their machines. Some are honest about capabilities, others are optomistic. I have a Miller 625 and I have found Miller is conservative when rating their equipment.
 
I just got my new hypertherm powermax 1000 delivered today. Man, my boss is the best! In just one year at the helm, she brought us all christmas in september. got everyone here the tools/toys/whatever, that they thought they needed to get stuff done.

The hypertherm is beautifully made and designed. I am VERY impressed. I have yet to plug it in (since it just got here half an hour ago), but I am sure I will be just as impressed then. I have used an number of older designs in the past, thermal dynamics, lincoln, and one other I can't remember. never was too impressed with the quality of the construction, and with one, not at all impressed with the cuts.

best $2132 (delivered to my loading dock) of someone else's money that I have ever spent. Hands down.

Check out the hypertherms website, and make sure the one you buy has the newer model of torch that has the most advanced electrodes. From previous expereince the electrode design is the lynchpin of the whole operation, and if what I have been told is correct, they have the longest lasting, most economical to replace.

skip the import crap on this one man.
 
Thanks for the input, guys; I think you have me convinced; the other factor was that I could find very little about it on the web. I had already gotten the impression that Hypertherm about the best- gotta save my pennies a little longer.

Rick A.
 
i hope macona doesnt say my esab is a throw away. i only heard of hyper after my esab purchase. ihave run 250mig masters since before Ltec got bought out. i own esab migmaster 251 and pcm 750. they both have served my needs as my hobbies required.
 
The hypertherm units with G3 (third generation) electrodes and torches are supposed to have longer consumable life than other models. you might look for that when you buy.
 
I guess I have to disagree here. Thermal Dynamics beats Hypertherm hands down, no contest.

I've used both quite a bit, all recent models. The thermal dynamics cut better, the consumables last ALOT longer, and the consumables are about 1/2 the price of other brands.

It wasn't a hard decision for me when I bought one for my home shop. I bought a Cutmaster38 an never looked back.
 
The Migmaster 250 and you PCM series are both American designed and made machines. Good machines...

The migmaster is still made to this day with the exact same design and the PCM-750 legacy can be clearly seen in the large plasmas like the esp-100, esp-200, and epp-200.

Now the stuff like the smaller migmasters and handyplasmas are junk, pure and simple.
 








 
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