Never used one before, but was at a friends shop and he let me use his plasma cutter to play around and I loved it. His is really nice and 220v so it can cut something thick. I don't have a 220v only 110v so I looked around and found 3 on CL. 2 were sold so I went to look at the only one left and guy said it was used once for a job and then it's been sitting around. He was asking $650 and I got it for $500. It's $1150 new.


Built in air compressor, works on 110v and cuts up to 1/8th. So it doesn't cut the thickest of metal but it's still awesome. I highly recommend this to anyone!!!
Next I want to get a router to make some nice edges and welding positioner.

Sweet!

Just like that first hit of smack, you'll be wanting more and more and before long you'll be in a group sharing the fact that you're addicted tometal working (disclaimer, never done heroin,, just using an example )

plasma cutters kick ass and having the built in compressor makes portable cutting so much nicer than units likemine where although i can cut 1" material i either need a large compressor or a tank of nitrogen on hand to cut, as well as having to have 220 on my unit..the 110 is much more versatile as long as your cutting needs aren't exceedingthe limits of your machine


The only thing i would be concerned with is finding new parts for the cutting tip,shiledsand electrodes

here's some pics of what i am talkijng about they do wear out sorta fast and effect cut quality drastically... also water/condensation in your air supply can ruin a cut fast too, so if there's an air dryer or moisture absorbing element that can be replaced keep a few of those too

here'sa pic of the basic cutting shield (there's 3 types, gouging, "drag", and "non-contact" tips) gouging which is the big large hole one is used at a 45* angle to blow out old welds and such, but not for straight up cutting work. A drag tip is grooved with a croiss on the face and allows you to drag it across the material for steady height control (great for some one like me with nerve damage that keepsmy hand from being steady sometimes) and then the "non contact" probably the clenest cut but requires a steady height to be held by you of about 1/8th inch fromthe material surface
** note: there's no pic of a "non contact" shield as i don't usually use them, and the "drag" tip in this pic is worn the f&ck out**

I use drag tips/shields almost 100% of the time, and use gouging tips for taking stuff likewelded up snow plow mounts and such and getting the old weld out to eitehr re-weldor finlally seperate the part at some point... the non contact i have used but with my ondition it's a pain sometimes

then you have the nozzle where the air and plasma arc are thrown from which will wear out into an uneven hole and effect cut wuality too (this is the fastest wearing and most replaced parton the system really) it's the smallround piece that comes to apoint with a hole in the middle in the pics

then there's the electrosde, the part that looks "threaded" on the outside, that's actually to start the air intoa swirling pattern to maintain it's velocity and tighten up it's path,these are the 2nd fastest wearing part..You will go through about 5 electrodes and nozzles for every one cutting shield as a general rule of thumb

here's pics showing the parts (the gouging parts are on top in the pic with two sets of parts)
and the wear is illustrated by newest parts next to parts with roughly only an hour or two's use on them but heavy use at that

But don't worry. parts aren't too bad to buy, a shield usually goes for about 5-7 bucks and you can pickup a pack of 5 noxxlesand electrodes for about another 20-25 bucks, 2-3 shields and the 5 pack of nozzle/electrodeswill get you through a year or so unless you're cutting constantly just to cut, but even 2 nozzle/electrodes should wear you out on learning and ready you for doing some real work

Crap that is a lot of info. I'm assuming they just twist off? I'll have to pull mine apart and see whats in there then figure out where to get some at.

I had that same one. It is fine for REALLY thin metal. The built in air compressor sounds like a good idea, but it isn't. Just don't over work it. I hope yours last longer than mine did. I now have a 60 amp Hypertherm.

Please use in a well ventilated area,

Gamble97 said:

Crap that is a lot of info. I'm assuming they just twist off? I'll have to pull mine apart and see whats in there then figure out where to get some at.

Click to expand...

yea,usually the first partofthe tip screws off and then the larger round portion screws off or slides off fromthere exposing the inner parts above (electrode and nozzle)

92awdgsx said:

I had that same one. It is fine for REALLY thin metal. The built in air compressor sounds like a good idea, but it isn't. Just don't over work it. I hope yours last longer than mine did. I now have a 60 amp Hypertherm.

Click to expand...

I LOVEmy hypertherm, I have the 45amp unti (powermax45) and it cuts great, rated at 1/2 mild, SS, and AL at 100% DC and max severance of 1 1/4 mild and SS and 1" AL, which i've had to prove the aluminum severance on the miller welding forums when i was on there regularly

what he has is a good starter unit, the onboard compressor may not be up to the tasks required by our machines, but for cutting sheet and 1/8th" material it does ok (at least on similar units i've used, i've never seen that exact model)

Thats not a bad looking plasma cutter.As long as it don't crap out in a few months you may have gottena great deal.

92awdgsx said:

I had that same one. It is fine for REALLY thin metal. The built in air compressor sounds like a good idea, but it isn't. Just don't over work it. I hope yours last longer than mine did. I now have a 60 amp Hypertherm.

Click to expand...

How long did yours last? And is there anyone that fixes or services them?
I've heard nothing but good things about hypertherm. Due to my electrical limitations this is great because running an air compressor and plasma would probably blow my circuit.

Gamble..if you can find documentation on the unit (owners manual) make sure to keep within it's duty cycle and it should last you a long time..if the compressor goes out that's easily bypassed and fed by an external unti should you need to

I can't find the manual for this thing at all
Only info I found is this:

Air Plasma Cutter with Built-in aircompressor,
1/8" cut capacity on mild steel and stainless steel.
Input: 20 amps @ 120 volts.
Output: 12 Amp fixed
30% Duty Cycle @ 12 Amp
Automatic Pilot Arc Starting For Cutting Expanded Metal

Click to expand...

Then this
Thermal Dynamics 1-1111-1 Drag Gun

So how do I know if I'm outside it's duty cycle. All it says is 30%

The duty cycle is the amount of time you use it.
In a 10 minute period you can ise it for 3 minutes straight at 12 amps. Let it cool off for 7 minutes.

I've always been confused on the cool off period, do you cool it off with the power on or off?

On. Especially if it has a fan.

yep, that info is correct, you can cut for 3 minutes then just let it run whitout being used for the 7 remaining minutes, then pickup and go again. I've found that unless you're doing production type work even a 30% DC is plenty, you'll rarely ever find yourself cutting for more than 3 straight minutes, so coming near the edge of DC availability is not as easy as you might think. you may cut for 30 seconds to a minute then while your setting up a guide or whatever for the next cut that rest time in between of 3-5 minutes will be all you need (hope that makes sense- what i'm basically saying is that under normal use you'll never have to keep track of the time you're using the arc,as you'll without purposely trying be giving it enough rest as you do other little odds and ends things that the machine will be just fine)

Got it used. Had it for about a week before it craped out.

Selling this plasma cutter now. Still works perfect, but got a text from a friend who is working a trade show and hobart is there. They are selling the demo 250ci for 600. So he is picking it up for me. If I can get 600 for this I'll be EXTREMELY happy

NICE! can't wait to see what you think of that machine, It's pretty bad ass!

This thing is great. What I like is how small and lightweight it is and how powerful it is. Odd things is that that it still blows air when it's done cutting, is that normal?
Also i have to hold down the trigger for a few seconds before it starts.

What kind of tip is this?

Yea, the good ones will all blow air for a set time after cutting. It's to cool down the gun/tip after heat buildup from the cutting. Nothings wrong with it