Plasma Under $1k?

[BR3W CITY]

Anyone have good recommendations for a Plasma Cutter under $1k? I'd really like something with an onboard air source if possible (I'm working out of 2 hobby garages and a shop hours apart).

The best option I've seen so far is the Hobart 250ci. Plasma w/onboard air for ~$875. I've got a Hobart welder and LOVE that thing, so this seems like a good option.

Anyone else have an idea? Obviously something $350 would be great, but it seems like with these things its either $120 brown-box stuff from the china wholesalers, or $900+ for the America/partially American stuff with standard consumeables etc.

[Wasted Income]

This is your guy.

Everlast SuperCut 50 110v/220v Inverter Plasma...

I wouldn't trade my HyperTherm for anything, but I've messed around with my friend's Everlast plasma, and it's pretty good for the price.

EDIT: If you feel like splurging, I see that HyperTherm has added an on-board-air setup to thier line

http://www.bakersgas.com/HYP088096.h...MvUBoCo_bw_wcB

[BR3W CITY]

I looked at those Hypertherms after seeing a youtuber (ChuckE2009) put up a few really positive reviews. $1700 is just too much for me right now, I'd pick up a new tig give or take a few hundred extra for the cost.

edit; just noticed that the same guy has a few reviews of the Everlast unit too...so I'll have to take a look at that. $650 is pretty doable for a brand new unit. Was your friends unit able to do aluminum and medium (3/8) plate? Thats all I need....not gouging out 1" tool steel hehe.

[_Ogre]

buy a cheap plasma and a cheep tig for the same price, neither will do as good as a good plasma or tig
pay me now or pay me later and you wonder why the wife says you spend too much on tools?
you have to buy everything twice

[drfloyd]

I picked up my TD from the welding repair facility in my hometown for $800. Money well spent. Got my Syncrowave 250 from there too.

[mongocanfly]

I have a $600 parker plasma-tec 40..they say its good for up to 3/4" but struggles on 1/4"..I bought it mainly for thin sheet metal and its ok for that. Like ogre says ..you get what you pay for..and it doesn't have on board air

[BR3W CITY]

Well thats also whats got me wondering....what are we calling "cheap"? To me, the $870 unit down to the $650 unit would be fairly affordable, as an investment in a tool. $1500+ for a plasma just isn't worth it.

I can see the sub 300$ units being crap, and I always hate stuff that uses weird consumables you can never find.

[drfloyd]

Consumables is an excellent point. You can go buy a piece of crap plasma cutter and have to fly to Indonesia to buy parts. That's one thing about a TD. Every welding supply store has consumables on the shelf. If not there, at another location close by. My welding supply store even had the drag tip and shield for mine.

[Wasted Income]

Originally Posted by drfloyd

Consumables is an excellent point. You can go buy a piece of crap plasma cutter and have to fly to Indonesia to buy parts. That's one thing about a TD. Every welding supply store has consumables on the shelf. If not there, at another location close by. My welding supply store even had the drag tip and shield for mine.

ROFL at the thought of flying to Asia to get parts.


I agree on consumable availability. Your Thermal Dynamics and the HyperTherm are like the Lincoln and Miller of plasmas. Not hard to find replacement parts in most places.

[drfloyd]

Now you have metal shavings all over you.

[Wasted Income]

Originally Posted by drfloyd

Now you have metal shavings all over you.

It took me a second, but...


I keep my shop cleaner than that.