Welding Tips and Tricks

Anybody using Thermal Dynamics welders or plasma systems? How do they hold up? Are they comparable to the Miller's and Lincoln's of the welding world?

Hi there,

Thermal Dynamics stuff is good not as high end as Miller and Lincoln but pretty good. It is branded CIGWELD here in Australia but its the same stuff or close to it. Definitely check it out.

Mick

I have no first hand experience with their equipment, but they look good and the new models that do three processes seem like a great idea. I have read quite a bit about their plasma cutting units not doing too well though. I think for those, I would stick with HyperTherm.

Don't get the Drag-Gun model plasma cutter, it's the one with the built in air compressor. It will barely cut 1/16" sheet metal and that's with a struggle.

I have use of two TD plasma cutters at work. I've been pleased with both. They are 90A units (on 480 3-phase), and perform very well. They've proved more reliable than the ESAB unit we had before.

At 40A, you can use the tip as a drag cup, and with dry nitrogen as supply gas you can cut light-gauge stainless with very little dross.

These things see frequent use in conditions short of rain... No climate control on the gulf coast.

The machines can cut up to 1/2 inch, and with practice can wash out welds.

Steve

We have two TD plasmas, as well. We have the Cutmaster 51 (been replaced by the 52). We can cut up to 1/2 with it at 40 amps. The 51 was on the plasma table for a while and did pretty good. Our other is a Cutmaster A120, it's the automated model. It does excellent, will plunge 3/4 and edge start on 1.5". Gotta say I'm real pleased with both. I don't think I'll look at a Miller or Lincoln next time I buy another plasma.

BTW...I just found out why Steve goes by Otto...been wondering about that but finally read it all together.

Kewl, thanks guys! I'm looking to add a plasma to my arsenal on my truck (don't have much of a shop to speak of). My welding supply store is having a big spring sale on TD equipment among other things and said I should look into it. Anybody doing a mobile plaz unit? What do you use for gas? Is an air compressor my best bet here?

We take our TD 51 on the road with us all the time, feed it from one of those cheapie Home-Depot Rigid gas powered compressors. Mounted dual driers on the machine and change them frequently, especially when we're working in the south/southeast. No problems with it in three or four years. One thing I learned, is always bring plenty of consumables. I always wanted to assume I would be able to track them down in whatever region I find myself, but I've finally learned at home I've spent years with my suppliers and they stock some parts especially for me, but on the road I am just another idiot to those guys so they are hesitant to special-order equipment/parts for someone who is only in town a week or two.

Those dryers are important. That's why I'll use the dry nitrogen in the shop.

Oxygen in the plasma stream has less effect than you might expect (though with the shop N2 it's out of the equation). Condensed moisture in the air supply is a micro-explosive in the cut and will leave you grinding far more crap off the backside than with dry air.

The story behind my "handle" is pretty simple, actually. The first time I ever signed up for a chat forum, I was "in my cups", so to speak, and began to use my actual e-mail address as my screen name. Before I hit "submit", I looked it over, and said, out loud to myself, "You ought to know better!". So, I deleted it, thought for a few minutes, and "Otto Nobedder" is what my slightly inebriated mind found funny.

Steve

Thanks, its good to hear somebody else who goes on the road with a plaz. I am aware of the dry air stuff - the drier the better. I could never get my dad to spring for even a basic descicant drier for the shop machine and we frequently blew out comsumables. I did put a drain sytem on the tank and taght everybody that would use the plaz to drain before each use and frequently during but that only goes so far. I may end up with one of those Dewalt or Rigid style compressors but i am going to make sure I get proper driers for the road.

When we were looking at getting a plasma cutter for our shop, our concern was that we don't have a very large compressor. I enquired about using compressed N2 and was told, it should be okay, but the capacity would be reduced a bit because of the lack of oxygen. Since then, I spoke to Hypertherm at a show and they were using N2 as a portable air source. The operator told me it worked great and was real easy on the tips and such. From that and what I read here, I don't think I would bother with a bigger compressor just for a plasma.

Unless you're doing some SERIOUS cutting with a manual plasma, you can generally get by with a pretty reasonable sized compressor. When we set up our new shop and got a plasma table, we upgraded our compressor, but before that, we used a 33 gallon Craftsman compressor and as long as we weren't cutting six feet or so of quarter inch with our little TD plasma, we had no problems. Nitrogen works great, don't get me wrong, I have thought about going to Nitrogen on our table, but I am a cheap bastard that can never bring himself to spend that money. Just remember if you use compressed air, add as many filters and driers as you think you need, then mount two more. Drier inserts are cheap compared to how many tips, cups and electrodes you can chunk out.