Plasma cutter

[Bren]

Anybody got one that they can recommend?

 

Looking for one in the near future - cutting is a piece of piss with one of these.

 

I refuse to cut sills off with an angle grinder - never again.

[John F]

One of the lads in our unit has one, and it's ace to cut with.

 

It did have problems with a burnt-out tip a while ago, but I think it's back up & running now. I'll find out what make it is & price of consumables, etc for you.

[nigel bickle]

I've always fancied one, but never got around to it.

 

Got to be better/ safer/ quieter than a grinder, hasn't it?

[Bren]

I used three phase ones at work.

 

Once you have used one you don't want to cut with anything else.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

I have never actually seen one, but a few of the guys on xj40.com reckon they're brilliant things.

[DSdriver]

Broke mine doing that Hatton Garden job... oops what a giveaway.

[Station]

Cheap as well, thought these were thousands:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR6.TRC1.A0.H0.Xplasma+cutter.TRS0&_nkw=plasma+cutter&_sacat=0

[cort16]

If using it to cut out manky sills do you need to have it back to bare metal or will it cut through small amounts of paint/filler/old copies of the Glasgow Herald?

[spike60]

If using it to cut out manky sills do you need to have it back to bare metal or will it cut through small amounts of paint/filler/old copies of the Glasgow Herald?

Dunno, but they do aluminium very well.

[jakebullet]

If using it to cut out manky sills do you need to have it back to bare metal or will it cut through small amounts of paint/filler/old copies of the Glasgow Herald?

 

Mine has a 5 seconds pilot arc which gives you time to burn your way thru the initial paint n crap. You've then got the arc started and away you go easily slicing giant holes.

[explosive-cabbage]

Mine has a 5 seconds pilot arc which gives you time to burn your way thru the initial paint n crap. You've then got the arc started and away you go easily slicing giant holes.

Only problem is you have to weld them back up again!

[jakebullet]

Yeah. It's dead easy going Wheee! look at all the rot getting cut out! and then realising you're not faster at welding new steel back in.

[Jikovron]

I think most of them can work at home on a single phase supply but will only run on minimum setting, our cheap ass import miscellaneous branded one at work needed a 32amp plug and a more mm/sq wire fitted to get it properly cutting but due to its cheap nature it doesn't start easily and cuts how I imagine a Catherine wheel would if it could.

Spending abit on a reasonable one that is made somewhere in the first world seems a decent bet imo

[alf892]

I had a nice little single phase Cebora one which was very easy to use.............you started it by pushing the tip down and releasing and off you went. It is much better if you mark the cut or even clamp guides to the work area as it saves time welding back the good bits you chop out.

 

Will also cut two thicknesses of steel when you maybe only wanting to cut one.

 

Just as good as an angle grinder for igniting things that are laying around your work area........

[Des]

This is the best thing I've done so far with a PLASMATRONIC DEATHRAY OF AWESOME.

 

 

I bought a Chinese one for buttons which turned out to be good, probably worked out cheaper than buying scores of skinny discs for cutting up the odd old car, certainly safer. With care they can defuckerate a sheared off stud that a socket won't hammer onto. Now who will be the first to port a cylinder head with one?

[cort16]

You need a compressed air feed though don't you?

[Bren]

You sure do

[jakebullet]

I bought one that has a compressor built in, so portable death ray.

[alf892]

This is the best thing I've done so far with a PLASMATRONIC DEATHRAY OF AWESOME.

 

 

I bought a Chinese one for buttons which turned out to be good, probably worked out cheaper than buying scores of skinny discs for cutting up the odd old car, certainly safer. With care they can defuckerate a sheared off stud that a socket won't hammer onto. Now who will be the first to port a cylinder head with one?

You could make good money selling tat like that at some of the retro type events I go to