Plasma Cutter

[Showmedata]

@ACDII bummer. turned a copper trace into a fusible link, it seems. new tool time!

 

[ACDII]

Yep, it will be here tomorrow, got the consumables today and they look good, on par with the Hobart parts, in fact I think they use the same swirl ring.

 

[torch]

I have a venerable Lincoln "Procut 60". Out of production for several years now, it's getting harder to find parts and consumables. It is quite finicky about the electrode and nozzle condition and the cost of consumables is not negligible. The finish is not up to laser or waterjet standards, but is way neater, faster and far cheaper than oxy-acetelyne. Assuming you have an adequately sized air compressor and power supply, of course.

Another advantage of plasma is that you can cut anything that is electrically conductive. For fun, apply a layer of thin sheet metal or aluminium tape and you can cut non-conductive materials like glass. Not a great cut, but it will work. Best done with the metal on the back, overhanging the edge of the non-conductive material to start the arc.

 

[Chanceywd]

No Question Hypertherm

I bought a hypertherm 45 about 12 yrs ago as we had the same model in our shop at work and liked it. It makes even wife smile when she wants some garden art cut out of sheet metal. Including some shapes out of 1/2 plate to put under pots and our fire ring to make mowing/trimming easier. (She runs the zero turn!)

Consumables are pricey but it always ready. Only use the torch set for heating/bending.

Bill

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Yea the smaller Lotos Plasma cutters

Don't mean to thread jump but I too am in the market for a plasma cutter for occasional use. In doing some research I keep coming back to the Lotos brand LTP5000D Has anyone had any experience with them or the Lotos brands?

LOTOS LTP5000D 50Amp Non-Touch Pilot Arc Plasma Cutter, Dual Voltage 110V/220V, 1/2 Inch Clean Cut, Brown https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052OX876/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_EXGAM5K9BFKB8D13KV40

The Lotos LP7000 is a 220 unit with quite the kick.
I've run the LPT5000D and wasn't very impressed, but it's hard to go from a big plasma down to a smaller unit.

One thing that effects plasma cuts and the tooling is DRY air.
I use a rechargeable desiccant filter and you can see a world of difference if you take it out of the system and try and cut with wet air.

 

[Brick Axelrod]

Hypertherm

 

[Fladogman]

Yea the smaller Lotos Plasma cutters


The Lotos LP7000 is a 220 unit with quite the kick.
I've run the LPT5000D and wasn't very impressed, but it's hard to go from a big plasma down to a smaller unit.

One thing that effects plasma cuts and the tooling is DRY air.
I use a rechargeable desiccant filter and you can see a world of difference if you take it out of the system and try and cut with wet air.

Thanks for the info.

 

[ACDII]

The yeswelder arrived a little while ago, easy to set up, just need a fitting for the air line and ready to cut. The consumables for an PIT40 work well in the torch, perfect fit and a bit longer than the one it comes with so easier to see and use. It is lighter than the Hobart, no compressor in it, but the cables are heavier, the ground clamp is more like a welder clamp than the battery clamp on the Hobart, and the torch is much easier to handle, no safety to pull back and hold to presse the trigger, just slip a gloved finger under the guard and go. The sleeve to the torch is also not as bulky. It has settings too, the Hobart was just pull trigger and hope for the best.

This one will have no problems cutting through the welds on the 1209 to get that plate off so I can straighten it and weld it back together.

Just had an epiphany, been trying to figure out how best to repair the busted flange. I have a strip of 3/16" steel to weld across the face and drill new holes for the pins, but then there is no clearance to retract the pin. Simple, cut it off, weld the plate on, weld the cracks, then put it back on but move it back enough to clear!

 

[torch]

Unfortunately, this is not an easy repair. The board itself is scorched between power transistors. The board is toast. I used to repair aircraft navigation strobe lights and school bus wig wags, so the first thing I thought, maybe I can replace the transistor, but there is an inch long scar into the board where the path fried under the layers.

Jumper wire. Just sayin...

 

[Fladogman]

I ordered a yeswelder plasma cutter today. It's a 55 amp non touch. They have a summer sale with $170 off, so it was $289, too good of a deal to pass up...I hope

 

[ACDII]

So you got the CUT 55DS? Good price. I haven't set mine up yet, picked up the end to connect to the compressor yesterday so have all I need, but first have to take my filter off the compressore and give it a cleaning so that it will trap water again. The dryer the air the better it cuts. I ordered the parts to repair the bed, which will be here this week, and once I get the front end rebuilt, the hubs wont get here until next Monday, AMAZON lied! One day delivery is taking well over a week, then I can get the bed off the truck and put the cutter to use. After I get the hay cut, then I can attack the mower and get the positioning plate cut off and a new one made. Plenty of work for the cutter.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Unfortunately, this is not an easy repair. The board itself is scorched between power transistors. The board is toast. I used to repair aircraft navigation strobe lights and school bus wig wags, so the first thing I thought, maybe I can replace the transistor, but there is an inch long scar into the board where the path fried under the layers.

BTDT, classic was an X-ray spectrometer that someone had bypassed the safety circuit...lotta amps vapourized 1/4" wide copper 'lines' on the PCB. Once the transistors were replaced, used #20 bus wire to 'replace' the missing traces..real EASY to see where they had been.Put layer of electrical tape down first to insulate from the carbon tracks.
Old skool stuff is easy to fix......

 

[ACDII]

Not in this case. This is a multi layer board with traces running over and under other traces. It burned through several different layers. Without a schematic, difficult to replace the traces due to the scorching, especially since the trace that burnt was in the second layer.

Doesn't matter, I replaced it for a lot less than I paid for it with another brand with more power. I will just clean this one up and put it on craiglist or ebay as a parts unit. The torch alone is worth $300.

 

[GrappleDave]

I have a Hypertherm Powermax 900, in case you are not accustomed to running a plasma cutter they take a lot of air and good clean dry air. I have a 5 HP two stage compressor with 80 gal tank connected to a 60 gal tank, the thing just zips right through anything.

 

[Yooper]

Another vote for Hypertherm. Buy once, cry once

 

[CGMKCM]

I have had this unit for about six months. I have used it a half a dozen times and cut 10 gauge - 3/8". So far I am pleased with the performance.

Cutmaster 40

 

[GreensvilleJay]

yes 4 layer PCBs are a pain in the butt to deal with. usually layer 2 is power, layer 3 is ground, 1 and 4 for signals..course that would be 'logical'.....
lucky for me I got out of the PCB design when 'multi layer' boards become the 'norm'...
Still have 30+ year old wire wrapped microcomputers 'up and running'

 

[Fladogman]

My yeswelder cut 55 came in today and I got a chance to play with it on 120v. Did a pretty good job on old mower blades. Can't wait to run a 220 circuit for it.

 

[ACDII]

Mine is still sitting on the floor behind me. I came close to plugging it in yesterday and setting it up to cut through a ball joint, but used a cut off wheel instead. Waste of time, the ball joint press still didn't it, was 3/16" too short.

 

[Daferris]

Another vote for the Yes welder Cut-55DS plasma cutter. Tried it out tonight on 110v I need to chenge the adapter plug to the twist lock I used on my Mig. Seems to work ok but I need to play around with the settings some more. Also Amazon has the OEM Yes Welder consumables for $16.95 (after the coupon) in either the 110v or 220v orfice size https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LGRGL44?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details