longevity tig and plasma cutter machines

[Jim Ciampi]

Has anyone had any experience with the Longevity tig and plasma cutter combined machine?
The prices seem pretty good Any opinions are welcome.....Jim

 

[Rbeckett]

Jim,
I am a retired welder who just got back from 2 years down range in Iraq before I retired. I can warn you in advance that they still continue to have durability issues. The warranty is sufficiently long enough to cover it, but the cost to send it back and forth to California and the time involved make it way not worth it. I'm usually pretty open to trying different manufacturers, but in this instance I have been watching them and the press they get for about 2 years and it still isn't up to my minimum requirement. The IGBT's and Electronics tend to do the nuclear meltdown out of the clear blue, no warning just boom. If you are looking at a new one, why not look for a relatively new, much more powerfull machine on Craiglist and Ebay. Great deals come up all the time. The biggest hitch is they have to be close because the freight is usually a deal killer. I have several different machines in my home shop and have them from most of the manufacturers like Miller, Hobart, Lincoln, Esab, and Hypertherm, I even have an offshore DC only tig. If it blows, I will just toss it and move on. Each of those machines was bought for a specific purpose and with particular features I needed at the time. Cheap welders are a real source of frustration once you blow up a couple. My suggestion is to try and stick to a brand that has been established a long time and eliminate a lot of the issues they cause. Nothing is worse than trying to learn to weld with inferior equipment. You never know if it is you or the machine. Just my thoughts, your mileage may vary but this used to be my 12 hour, 7day a week job in Iraq, and my fulltime job in the states for about 35 years or so. Hope this helps you figger it out.
Bob

 

[brucer]

I bought a longevity plasma cutter last year.. I'm just a hobby user, i've used it about 6 times, i've had no problems with it, although I feel it is underpowered.. I'm usually working on automotive type stuff and 1/4" is usually the max thickness material I mess with, and it does fine, but I think anything over 3/8 would give it problems..

I bought mine as a step up from the chinese units sold on ebay, the warranty helped... I didnt have much money in the longevity unit as I sold another older bluepoint plasma cutter and made a very good profit from the sale, I had about $200 invested in the Longevity plasma cutter..

If i were going to buy a plasma unit today I would buy a thermal dynamics cutmaster 42, it seems to be about the best bang for the buck...
Hypertherm plasma cutters are nice, but I think theyre overpriced, more practical for a business..


I would never buy a combination plasma/tig welder..

leave plasma cutting to the plasma cutters, and welding to the welding machines..

 

[Charley Davidson]

I belong to the forum over there but do not own any of the equipment, but from what I read I really think it's a crap shoot. Some (quite a few) have issues right out of the box. And as stated shipping back and forth can negate any savings over a well known American made unit.
I don't care how much I'm saving I don't want to purchase a brand new "project" just saying.

By the way it is a very friendly forum like this one and a few members here are over there too.

 

[Jim Ciampi]

Thanks for your reply,I guess I knew that but was hoping against hope......Jim..................

I bought a longevity plasma cutter last year.. I'm just a hobby user, i've used it about 6 times, i've had no problems with it, although I feel it is underpowered.. I'm usually working on automotive type stuff and 1/4" is usually the max thickness material I mess with, and it does fine, but I think anything over 3/8 would give it problems..

I bought mine as a step up from the chinese units sold on ebay, the warranty helped... I didnt have much money in the longevity unit as I sold another older bluepoint plasma cutter and made a very good profit from the sale, I had about $200 invested in the Longevity plasma cutter..

If i were going to buy a plasma unit today I would buy a thermal dynamics cutmaster 42, it seems to be about the best bang for the buck...
Hypertherm plasma cutters are nice, but I think theyre overpriced, more practical for a business..


I would never buy a combination plasma/tig welder..

leave plasma cutting to the plasma cutters, and welding to the welding machines..

 

[Jim Ciampi]

Thanks for your reply......What is the "forum over there".......Jim....................

I belong to the forum over there but do not own any of the equipment, but from what I read I really think it's a crap shoot. Some (quite a few) have issues right out of the box. And as stated shipping back and forth can negate any savings over a well known American made unit.
I don't care how much I'm saving I don't want to purchase a brand new "project" just saying.

By the way it is a very friendly forum like this one and a few members here are over there too.