Moose,
plasma cutters are handier than a shirt pocket... you can buy cheap and
expensive... I have an old Plasmark with a transformer...that will handle
up to a 1/4". it's as big as a dog house and weighs a ton (but it's on
wheels) new ones have an inverter and are lighter and cheaper... check ebay
or craigslists for those... basically you need the machine and DRY
compressed air... the tips are considered 'consumables' and they do make
drag tips so the gap is constant... it's basically a point and click
operation... straight edges make it nice doing long straight cuts... cutting
hose length is important... more is better 15-20' is nice. if it's less
than 10' you can't move around much without moving the unit. between $600
and a grand you can find one that will cut clean thru 1/2 and 'hack thru'
larger diameters... ifn' it were me, I'd look for a used unit of the old
style... but Miller/Lincoln/China make some really affordable portable units
that will serve you well in a 'home owners' mode... high production work
needs the big boys name on it.
john
----- Original Message -----
From: <eric at megageek.com>
To: <shop-talk at Autox.Team.Net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2011 10:56 AM
Subject: [Shop-talk] Plasma cutters
> OK, I'm looking to buy a "thumb" for my back hoe. While it is expensive
> to buy, I realized that this is an easy piece to make, failing one
> thing... I don't have a good way to cut heavy steel. (1/4" plate or
> better)
>
> I don't know much about plasma cutters, but I'm willing to learn. With
> the cost of this thumb, I could justify getting a good cutter and making
> my own.
>
> What do you need for a cutter besides the torch? Are they hard to learn?
> Any special skills I need?
>
> I'm just gathering information at this time. So I'm looking for any and
> all suggestions on buying one and what I need to do to learn it.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Moose
> "Be as beneficent as the sun or the sea, but if your rights as a rational
> being are trenched on, die on the first inch of your territory." Ralph
> Waldo Emerson
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