New plasma cutter

Cjmc

Cjmc

Well-Known Member
Hi all,
I know this has probably been talked to death in the past but anyways..
I'm in the market for a new plasma cutter, my 3 in 1 mma/tig/plasma went bang there before christmas.
Was a cheap Chinese machine I bought nearly 10 years ago and had a fair amount of welding and cutting done so I wasn't too disappointed it died.
I am going to buy a dedicated plasma this time, not a 3 in 1 type.
I have been looking at various makes and models, the one that looks best value for money seems to be the R-tech 50hf.
I know that hypertherm are one of the best out there, but I'm not sure I can justify the extra expense for one.
I also see that oxford make one, called the cut maker 550.
This is a bulky transformer type machine so not as portable, but it has a heating function and a gouging function which may be handy as I currently don't have oxygen acetylene for heating.
Any opinions on any of the above machines or any other make would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
 
Cjmc said:
Hi all,
I know this has probably been talked to death in the past but anyways..
I'm in the market for a new plasma cutter, my 3 in 1 mma/tig/plasma went bang there before christmas.
Was a cheap Chinese machine I bought nearly 10 years ago and had a fair amount of welding and cutting done so I wasn't too disappointed it died.
I am going to buy a dedicated plasma this time, not a 3 in 1 type.
I have been looking at various makes and models, the one that looks best value for money seems to be the R-tech 50hf.
I know that hypertherm are one of the best out there, but I'm not sure I can justify the extra expense for one.
I also see that oxford make one, called the cut maker 550.
This is a bulky transformer type machine so not as portable, but it has a heating function and a gouging function which may be handy as I currently don't have oxygen acetylene for heating.
Any opinions on any of the above machines or any other make would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Look on plasmapart.com
I got a mid range model and so far its tidy
 
I'd tell you u should bite the bullet and buy the hypertherm. I bought a r tech and was never happy with it ended up buying a hypertherm after should have bought it first
 
Deutz638 said:
I'd tell you u should bite the bullet and buy the hypertherm. I bought a r tech and was never happy with it ended up buying a hypertherm after should have bought it first
Click to expand...
I’m thinking you’re right quality almost invariably wins out in the end, it’s just a fierce chunk of money for an occasional user.
The r tech is less than half the price and will almost certainly do what I need it to do, the problem will be in the long term reliability.
I’ve used the Hypertherm before and without doubt are a super machine.
What size r tech had you?
Thanks
 
lough said:
Have you many more to do or is it a one of
Click to expand...
I’d make a good few throughout the year but usually only as they’re wanted. A lot have gone to 18 or 21 m tramlines and I’ve never seen an original 21m wheel but there have been a few 18s around. A good bit of work involved in making one and not what you’d want to be at every day either.
 
MF30 said:
I’d make a good few throughout the year but usually only as they’re wanted. A lot have gone to 18 or 21 m tramlines and I’ve never seen an original 21m wheel but there have been a few 18s around. A good bit of work involved in making one and not what you’d want to be at every day either.
Click to expand...

The reason I was asking was, if that was drawn up on Autocad you could get a few of them cut out at the one time on a CNC plasma cutter for very little money. It doesn't look like it would be that hard to draw up
 
lough said:
The reason I was asking was, if that was drawn up on Autocad you could get a few of them cut out at the one time on a CNC plasma cutter for very little money. It doesn't look like it would be that hard to draw up
Click to expand...
Yes, that would be a great solution if I was doing volumes, the thing is that I usually make them to order and if work was quiet I’d make 5 of them or so to have ready. There’s 5 different options of teeth arrangements that I’m aware of and if I got them done by CNC I mightn’t use the volume that I’d probably have to order. At the moment I’ve got at least one of every option available in stock.
 
I’ve got the rtech 50 amp plasma as well it’s a good little cutter never give me any trouble mines 6 years old now it has the old torch I’ll up date it too the new torch and consumables when I run out of tips for this one. When I got it they were half the price of the hypotherm which to be fair is a far superior machine just depends how much you want too spend and how much use you will get out of it the rtech s done everything I’ve asked of it and other than a wire breaking in the torch it’s never let me down.
 

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The Man said:
I’ve got the rtech 50 amp plasma as well it’s a good little cutter never give me any trouble mines 6 years old now it has the old torch I’ll up date it too the new torch and consumables when I run out of tips for this one. When I got it they were half the price of the hypotherm which to be fair is a far superior machine just depends how much you want too spend and how much use you will get out of it the rtech s done everything I’ve asked of it and other than a wire breaking in the torch it’s never let me down.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply, I think I’m goin to go for the rtech, I just can’t justify the price of the Hypertherm, I don’t have the daily use for one, might use one every day for a week at some project, and may not need it again for a month or two.
Do you find its able to cut the thickness it’s advertised to cut?
 
No they say it can cut 20mm or something like that it might do it very slowly but realistically anything more than 12mm I’d use the gas. There deadly if your doing a lot of sheet metal work cutting 3/4/5 you can put a straight edge along cut fly through it with no grinding dust. Cuts 10mm really clean and quick two. I do make bale handlers and different attachments and stuff I find it fierce handy to have beside you to take a little nick here and their when your tacking things up.
 
Well the r tech landed today, only had a quick play with it but it looks to be decent enough, time will tell.
Does anyone know can you get blanking/ cover plugs for the euro torch connections?
When not in use the plasma will be stored in a cabinet and torch disconnected, meaning connection pins will be exposed, would be handy to have a plastic plug to screw on to the torch and machine ends when not in use, save it getting damaged.
 
Ya but I want to protect that end and the machine end, might get 2 threaded plugs 3D printed or milled if they can’t be bought.
 
Cjmc said:
Ya but I want to protect that end and the machine end, might get 2 threaded plugs 3D printed or milled if they can’t be bought.
Click to expand...

The spare plugs are to plug into the machine when not in use to protect the machine end
 
Cjmc said:
Well the r tech landed today, only had a quick play with it but it looks to be decent enough, time will tell.
Does anyone know can you get blanking/ cover plugs for the euro torch connections?
When not in use the plasma will be stored in a cabinet and torch disconnected, meaning connection pins will be exposed, would be handy to have a plastic plug to screw on to the torch and machine ends when not in use, save it getting damaged.
Click to expand...
I’d be inclined to not be taking the torch on and off every time you use it they have tiny little connecting pins that you’d be likely enough to have bother with them not connecting up right if your taking on and off the torch all the time. Just my opinion anyways.
 
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