$500 or under plasma cutter?

Beware of HF plasma cutters. The one I got died after a while. A few years. HF won't repair them or stock parts. Can't find a schematic for it either. It was not a good buy.

These kinds of equipment can be a crap shoot. We get enticed by the price, rather we get suckered in and buy, later to regret it. If you're willing to buy something twice, go cheap.

I'd like to get another PC, but I'm having second thoughts. If I had a task that needed it and justified it, I'd consider it. Just to have and crap out when you really needed it a few years later, not a good deal at all.
 
I'm waiting on FedEx to deliver the plasma cutter. I'm all set up to take my first test cuts. I can't wait!
 
I only had a few minutes to play. It took a few minutes to set up. 20 amps 30 psi running on 220v.

20230407_154439.jpg

Cuts so easy it's scary. I'll try thicker stuff tomorrow. I've got babysitting duty with the grandson so I got cut short.
 
G-ManBart said:
I'm no expert, but that looks pretty darned good for 1/2" steel!
Click to expand...
I'll say. The machine cuts! Because of the pace of work with plasma when used for fab and welding, you're never going to hit thermal. Even if you're knuckle busting busy, measure-cut-tack will keep you below 20% duty in reality. I can count the times I've needed to cut more than 1/2" and switched up to the 1" capacity torch using one hand, and I've had that capability for 25 years now. Maybe if I rebuilt yellow iron and loader buckets on the regular I'd use more, but how often do you encounter steel heavier than 1/2 on any wheeled vehicle, commercial or otherwise?

Of course, when you need it, plasma capacity beats a hacksaw. But it's a big price gap.
 
I watched video after video of folks trying to cut 1/2" with various machines and various levels of success. I thought it would be difficult. The chart said 50 amps at 50 psi. I moved slow and smooth and wow!
 
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