Plasma... why stop there? Go straight to water jet. No warpage. Done correctly...there is no warpage with plasma. That is usually caused by cutting too slow, or with too much power. Waterjet will produce the best cut and metallurgy, however is the slowest process. Plasma is acceptable for most appl...

Hi Folks, Which of the CNC controlled cutting methods are the most cost effective? Plasma......there are air plasma systems on CNC machines (very low purchase price compared to any other process) and there are High Definition class plasma's that provide the best plasma cut quality and far better pr...

Scotty, I suspect your torch is a copy of the over 30 year old Esab PT31 style torch. You can drag with that torch at amperages of less than 30 amps with some success, but over 30 amps it will eat up nozzles and electrodes rather quickly. The torch technology is old and it does not support shielded ...

Just a few points: - There are a lot of good choices out there today for entry level cnc plasma machines. I classify entry level as any machine that is complete with a Plasma cutter for under $20k. (Less than a Bass Boat!). These can be used by hobbyists or for light duty at small businesses. -The n...

3/8" steel cut with a Hypertherm Powermax45XP. This unit is production rated to 5/8", can sever to 1-1/4". Costs a little more than the imports, but if you actually use it it will get less expensive as time goes on (longest consumable parts life, made in USA). Compressor? a 6.0 cfm wi...

If using consumables designed (shielded, proper arc length) for drag cutting (for hand cutting) then the best cut quality is achieved with the torch dragging directly on the material and with the torch perpendicular to the material. Whether you push or pull does not matter....whatever is comfortable...

The differences are: - More portable, more power, smaller package - Longer consumable life - Better cut quality, faster cut speeds, thicker severance capability (higher load voltage from power supply) - Easier to use with torches that can drag cut without double arcing to the material. - Better reli...

Hypertherm has two different 30 amp output air plasma cutting systems. The Powermax30 XP does not have an onboard compressor, the Powermax30 Air does have an onboard compressor. -30 XP is severance rated (operating at 230 volts) for severing 5/8" steel, and production rated for 3/8" steel....

The Lotos unit, like most of the low cost Chinese clone plasma cutters use a variety of different torches.....they buy the torches wherever they can get the best price. If you post pictures of the torch and consumables....some of us may be able to recognize them and help you locate the best source. ...

There are about 30 OEM manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada building entry level and Light Industrial cnc plasma cutting machines. There are about a dozen that have been in business for more than 5 years, and a small handful that have been building machines for over 15 years. FastCut CNC is located ...

There are a lot of different torch designs and consumable parts choices from different manufacturers....so a single "rule of thumb" simply will not apply to them all. As already posted....with major manufacturers (like Hypertherm) you get detailed recommendations for pierce height, pierce ...

With Hypertherm air plasma cutters you could call the hand cutting shield a "standoff guide". When it is dragging on the material the arc length is correct, and since it is electrically insulated from the nozzle there is no stiction. When you switch to the machine cutting shield it is expe...

The same question came up on another forum just a week or so ago....here is a description of different starting methods used by plasma torches over the years. In a nutshell: 1. Contact or Blowback start with a pilot arc is the latest technology in air plasma torches used for hand held cutting as wel...

It does not have an onboard compressor. Jim Colt Hypertherm

Scottcambro wrote:Does anyone know if the miller 375 has an onboard air compressor?

Both good quality units. The 375 is a low powered (27 amps) machine that can sever (slowly ) 3/8' or maybe 1/2", shines on 3/16" and thinner. It will run on 120 or 230 volt power, best results at 230 v. The PCM 875 is a 60 amp system with models available for single phase and 3 phase (be s...

A few things regarding standoff vs drag cutting with a plasma torch. - The two major consumable parts in a plasma torch are the electrode and the nozzle. Some users call the electrode a tip, others call the nozzle a tip.....so for less confusion I will refer to them as electrodes and nozzles. - Elec...

Buying a welder or a plasma cutter with "lowest cost" as the primary criteria is not always the best idea. There are a few dozen different brands of air plasma systems that are from China, many are almost identical when you remove the cover. I work for Hypertherm, which is the largest prod...

Sorry I didn't see this thread earlier...I could have helped with an answer.....though it looks like sru_tx has the correct info now. Keep us posted regarding how the 30 XP works for your template cutting! Jim Colt Hypertherm

Plasma is often used for overhead work. It will work fine. Jim Colt Hypertherm

I generally make slats for air plasma cutting tables at least 1.5 wide, out of 12 gauge or 1/8" material. Thicker than 1/8" will cause molten metal blowback (often) at the torch....which wears consumables at a much higher rate. The width of the slats (1-1/2") is what will make them la...

I assume you may be cutting by hand....so it will be difficult to get a decent cut with no warpage on material that thin unless your plasma cutter manufacturer has nozzles designed for low amperage cutting (20 to 30 amps). Just turning down the amperage with a nozzle designed for 50 amp cutting is a...

First......when you ask how accurately can a plasma cutter cut, most readers instantly think of a hand held air plasma.....others will think of an air plasma cutter mounted on a small cnc cutting table (small is 5' x 10' or smaller). A few that may work in an industry that does metal fabrication wil...

If a plasma cutter is rated for 1/2" material...it can certainly cut all the way down to the thinnest materials. If there is a choice of consumables.....such as nozzles (some call them "tips") that are rated for 20 or 30 amp cutting....then you can turn the amperage down, install the ...

My experience with flap discs is to stick with the best ones......which naturally cost more, however they seem to last much longer and take more abuse.....which means you likely get more grinding, blending, etc. per dollar spent. The two that are superior in my applications are made by Pferd , and t...

To add to the good suggestions so far: -The torch you have was made by Hypertherm. It is designed for drag cutting.....so run at full amperage and drag the nozzle right on the material for best cut quality. If you are holding a standoff while hand cutting....expect more heat input and more dross. - ...