Welding Tips and Tricks

Here in Australia we are in a small market.
And it seems manufacturers know this.
I see plasma cutters at $350. People say these are 'cheap Chinese rubbish'.
I see same size and capacity plasma cutters at $1000. My question is are these expensive 'cheap Chinese junk'?
Then I see the same size for $3500, and I wonder if the maker is just enjoying a huge profit.

Then there are multi process machines at $300, $1000 and $4000...ditto
Do I just close my eyes and point to one?

Over time I have watched and gained a tremendous amount of respect for Jody's video's, demonstrations and the quality of his work. He has video's that address this and I recommend watching those. I personally won't buy a Chinese welder based on my own reasons, doesn't mean they aren't good machines. But the saying "you get what you pay for", all depends on what your requirements are.

And that was my point!
You don't know what you are getting
Is cheap "Cheap" or expensive 'Expensive"!

I feel ya buddy I'm Australian as well and good gear here is expensive no ifs or buts. Basically you have your industrial quality units which are designed to be run flat out all day without fail they are expensive because of R&D and our small market plus gst and logistics costs then the Chinese stuff which is a bit of a lottery as its just made to do the job and if it lasts its a bonus. Not all of the Chinese stuff is junk but you need be careful and look for reviews.



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So much depends on what you are using it for and how much you rely on it.

If I relied on my machines to make a living, I'd want rock-solid reliability or at the very least an assurance of instant service/replacement if it all went wrong.

I am a hobbyist, so I kinda split the difference. I have a Chinese-made multi-function machine sold by a local Australian seller with a great reputation. If it goes wrong, I have a 5-year warranty and what's more, I know for a fact that the seller will get me sorted right away, even to the point of shipping me an exchange machine.

Remember that satisfaction comes as much in the shape of solid people as it does solid machines. If you can't afford to spend the really big money, spend what you have wisely with a seller who you can be sure has you covered.


Kym

As a 38 year veteran of plasma cutting (I work for Hypertherm) I can tell you there is a big difference in plasma cutters in terms of purchase price, in terms of operating cost (add these two together and factor in time....and you can calculate the cost of ownership), in performance (cut speed, cut quality), in ease of use and safety, in reliability.....and of course after sale support.

Plasma cutting systems are available from 20 amp units (sheet metal) to 800 amps (high end industrial mechanized for cutting over 6" thick stainless steel). There are a dozen or so manufacturers of plasma cutting systems....from hobbyist grade to full on industrial commercial units. They all cut metal.

You need to determine what is most important when getting ready to choose a plasma cutter...here are a few things to consider:

-Purchase price. If you must have a plasma cutter and only have $600 dollars.....then your choice is a low cost, hobby grade import, most likely from China. Or...search the used market, ask questions about what good quality plasma's are worth on the used market.....often you will end up with a much better system at the same price as a new hobby grade machine.

- Material thickness, pierce thickness, cut speed, ability to adapt for cnc machine use. Make sure the system is properly sized for your application. The major brands specifications are honest and repeatable....many of the hobby grade machine specs are not.

- Reliability. Huge difference here...and if you expect to use this plasma cutter to earn a living....do your homework and get one with a good relkiability record...and a factory service staff (not just an importer in an office) that can help you when issues occur.

- Safety. Many of the low cost imports have live voltage right on the front panel....and you are also exposed when changing consumable parts inside the torch. Plasma cutter voltage can be as much as 300 to 400 volts DC.....lethal. I don't know how these companies get away with their designs......the major brands are safe, and have interlocks and torch connector designs that meet international safety specs.

- Torch design. Most low cost suppliers buy their power supplies (mostly inverters on air plasma systems) from whatever factory will provide the lowest cost. They then buy the lowest priced torches...which are usually a copy of a 30 plus year old design from a major manufacturer (Esab, Thermal Dynamics, Hypertherm). Trust me.....to get the best combination of cut quality, cut speed, consumable life....the torch technology must be developed with the power supply. The companies that make commercial / industrial grade plasma cutters design their own torches and power supplies with gas flow and power ramping that dramatically improves performance. Speaking for Hypertherm (because I know most about them!)....there are over 140 patents pertaining to torch technology and power supply technology that optimize cutting performance...and especially consumable life. The import torches are simply copies of old technology....and the companies that copy them know nothing about the high temperature physics (how does a 25,000 degree F arc get forced through a copper orifice...when copper melts at around 1000 degrees F?) that occur inside. The latest air plasma torches from one major manufacturer have nozzles and electrodes (sometimes called "tips") that will last for thousands of starts and thousands of feet of cut...the imports will use 6 to 10 sets of consumables cutting the same distance.

There is a lot more. The bottom line...as already mentioned: If purchase price is your only criteria and you must have a plasma cutter...low cost imports or used major brand systems are your choices. I would be patient and buy a used system with a good reputation. If you are looking for a shop or field tool that will always work, will be cheapest in the long run (cost of ownership), and that your Children will inherit.......spend and buy a good one. Plasma cutters are not commodities, they are not all the same.

I am always happy to share my knowledge of almost any brand and model....what they can cut, expectations about performance, what they are worth on the used equipment market....and even what I would recommend for your needs. And yes....I have been known to recommend brands, models other than Hypertherm! Jim Colt Hypertherm

Appreciate the reply Jim
And the response of others.

Liked your post there Jim, very informative.

Not often you get a detailed and impartial report from a sales guy, so well done.

I have not worked in sales for about 10 years at Hypertherm...and when I did I was an applications engineer....meaning I helped our customers choose the right cutting process that would be most efficient for their particular application. This often meant that in all honesty (why not be completely honest?) I had to suggest products that my company did not produce.....such as laser, oxy-fuel, waterjet....or even another brand of plasma that fit the application better than ours.

I have never taken an order directly from a customer (100% of our products are sold through dealers and OEM machine builders) in 38+ years so I do not consider myself a salesman. I prefer to be known as a "Trusted Advisor"......meaning I know metal cutting very well....and want to steer those that need to cut metal to invest in the best option for their needs.

Best regards, Jim Colt Hypertherm

The_Fixer wrote:Liked your post there Jim, very informative.

Not often you get a detailed and impartial report from a sales guy, so well done.