• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

plasma cutter recommendation

MMIXJ

MMIXJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Golden, CO
{i asked about this in the CO forum, but thought i'd cast a wider net.} ;)

so my mom wants to buy my dad a plasma cutter for christmas...
any recommendations?

somebody said they had good luck w/ one from THERMAL DYNAMICS. :dunno:
hobart, miller, other?? he's got 220 in the garage, and will mostly use this for light duty fab and sculpture-type work i imagine. (of course i'll want to learn how to use it to make myself a front bumper). :D

thanks.
 
jfiscus said:
I was looking at plasma cutters & saw a guy on Pirate (vendor) offering a good deal on plasma cutters to Pirate members. His company website is: http://www.parkermetalworking.com/ He goes by "divtec" on Ebay & Pirate IIRC.
Click to expand...

I can personally vouch for these machines. I got the Plasma Tec 40dv. Cuts awesome for the price...

Around $475 shipped to my door. The regulator is a POS but that can be fixed for $20...
 
racer32 said:
I can personally vouch for these machines. I got the Plasma Tec 40dv. Cuts awesome for the price...

Around $475 shipped to my door. The regulator is a POS but that can be fixed for $20...
Click to expand...

How long ago was that? Was it with the pirate discount? I checked out his site and the lowest price I could find was 699.00, which isn't too bad, but 475 is a "I'm going to order one right now" price.
 
Sorry for not responding sooner Israel... looks like you found the right price though...

I would have ordered the combo machine but I already have a tig and a stick. From what the guys are saying though, the combo machines are awesome too...
 
Just so you know. That Parker machine is Chinese made. I have the TIG/Plasma/ARC combo one. I have used it for 2 years off and on. It has never failed me. On the other hand I have 2 friends where theirs both died on the 10th to 20th time it was used. Mine only plasma cuts, I have a TA 185 TIG I use daily.
 
CSaddict said:
Just so you know. That Parker machine is Chinese made. I have the TIG/Plasma/ARC combo one. I have used it for 2 years off and on. It has never failed me. On the other hand I have 2 friends where theirs both died on the 10th to 20th time it was used. Mine only plasma cuts, I have a TA 185 TIG I use daily.
Click to expand...

Were their machines still under warranty? Did the Parkers take care of the problem or leave your buddies high and dry?
 
jfiscus said:
I was looking at plasma cutters & saw a guy on Pirate (vendor) offering a good deal on plasma cutters to Pirate members. His company website is: http://www.parkermetalworking.com/ He goes by "divtec" on Ebay & Pirate IIRC.
Click to expand...

You can't go wrong with these units. I don't personally own one, but have used them several times, and I know more than a couple people with them now. They can't be beat for anywhere near the price. On the off chance you do have a problem with the unit, Divtec goes out of his way to make it right.

They are a great company to deal with.
 
These have actually sparked my interest. I used to own a Miller Spectrum 375 and I liked it a lot.

I can't afford another one, but these Parker Units look to be the ticket.
 
Any more feedback on these?
 
Ramsey said:
Any more feedback on these?
Click to expand...
While I don't own one it seems to me like lots of people are having issues with the Parker ones on the PBB and the service has been less than good.
To me I'd rather spend the little bit of extra dough (ok $300+ is a lot of dough) to get a good reliable unit and not some Chinese junk you can't get service for.

Just my $0.02, it'll be a little bit before I can afford a plasma.
 
We have a Parker, about 2+ years now. The stinger button did get a little messed up once, but i think that it was more from us not taking care of it too well. We regularly cut 1/4" with it and it seems to work fine. Normally 2 in passes though. Leaves the same kind slag burn through crap on the back as others.

IMO, Its a good plasma. It does everything we want it to.

IIRC, I believe it took about a month to get to us though.
 
I have a cut-60, also chinese made, and I got it off ebay brand new.

It does the same thing the more expensive ones do, and it can cut up to 1" max.

I have already used it enough that if it died tomorrow, it wouldn't owe me anything.

All I do is turn it on, hook up the air, and cut what I need to cut. No hassles at all.
 
I know I know... Plasmas are expensive. I put off getting one for some time, but when I started the Fab business, I knew I would need one that was very reliable, and one that I could get service for. I ended up getting a brand new Miller Spectrum 625 XTreme... cost me $1425, but it had the highest duty cycle, was rated to cut the most (5/8 rated, although I have cut 3/4), and because of the Special introductory pricing, it was the cheapest. I love it. I have had no problems from it whatsoever and I would recommend it to anybody any day of the week.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Dave's 98 XJ build
Replies
2
Views
797
91Heep
9
Skully
HYPERTHERM POWERMAX 380 Plasma Cutter $600
Replies
18
Views
284
mcantar18c
mcantar18c
S
“My KOH Experience as a Competitor”
Replies
8
Views
2K
Will_Beck
W
X
Lots of stuff for sale
Replies
12
Views
1K
xjjeeper19
X
MMIXJ
plasma cutter recommendation
Replies
7
Views
1K
old_man
old_man
Back
Top