What's new
What's new

What is a good plasma cutter ?

Shaybuilder

Cast Iron
Joined
Sep 24, 2006
Location
Nevada
I am looking for a new plasma cutter and am wondering what is a good model to buy. I have looked at the Miller Spectrum 625X but am wondering if this is a good unit. I don't want to but some off breed unit that I won't be able to buy the consumables for in a year or two. Any recommendations?
 
Hypertherm. I have an XP45. Its a great machine. Drag tip lets me follow straightedges or templates for near cnc quality cuts. A factory man, Jim Colt, stops by here every so often and answers questions and offers tips. USA company, employee owned.
 
Hypertherm. My old Powermax 1000 has been rock solid reliable for almost a decade in an environment notorious for being hard on electronics being powered by a sometimes unreliable off-grid solar system and has never balked for a minute.
 
I have a Hypertherm 45xp as well that is used as a hand-held machine. I have been very happy with it. Consumables seem to last a decent amount of time. I use the standard consumables for most things but the fine cut consumables are very useful for thinner gauge metal and the gouging consumables are handy for weld removal.
 
I have had both Hypotherm and Miller both machines are great.
I like that they don't use hi freq start so they can be used in a cnc table
Both ran perfect never a issue and consumables available from OM and several other manufacturers however cut quality will be effected with aftermarket consumables.
Just my two cents
 
Please don't flame me but Harbour Freight used to sell Italian made welders and Plasma cutters. They sometimes have Italian made mig wire made by Esab. I understand that is a top quality company. I wonder who made the Italian Plasma machines? Rumor is some welders were from Russia for a little while.
All I see now in the store is China made junk.
Bil lD
 
Hypertherm absolutely takes the cake for plasma.

The local Miller rep even recommends them and that's saying a lot! :D


EDIT: Wow, looks like an overwhelming consensus here, too. Not much that we can all agree on anymore. :eek:
 
IIRC Hypertherm licensed Miller the technology.

BTW I program a xp65 on a table at work, and I am amazed how long the consumables last.

FWIW picked up an old Thermal Dynamics pak5 for cheap, for in an unheated pole barn usage (few hours a year) and while it works good, and after market consumables are cheap, TD has no information
on the machine, the manual I found online from a 3rd party.

Hypertherm ahs all manuals online for everything they have made.
 
Please don't flame me but Harbour Freight used to sell Italian made welders and Plasma cutters. They sometimes have Italian made mig wire made by Esab. I understand that is a top quality company. I wonder who made the Italian Plasma machines? Rumor is some welders were from Russia for a little while.
All I see now in the store is China made junk.
Bil lD

But they don't anymore.....:D
 








 
Back
Top