Who's the Best

[John1]

Money being not the case, who makes the best plasma cutter, I have been lead to believe it would be Thermal Dynamics!

John

[mike6845]

I put my money on a TD39 and I am as happy as a dog in a meat market!!!

[yorkiepap]

Hey John1,
I believe you will get many opinions from those who use a plasma cutter daily, or several days a week. I have an ESAB at work that is 15 yrs old I use daily that has been extremely faithful and my own shop cutter is a Thermal Dynamics Pakmaster PAK50 that I use 4-5 days/wk. It also has performed superbly with no issues and is also a senior citizen like myself. It has quite a few feet of material it severed in the last 6 years I have had it as I bought it used from an estate sale. The gent who owned it was quite meticulous with care and was in like-new condition when I bought it....even had the original box & paperwork. Anyway, just do a bit of homework & research with your thoughts of brand to choose.
Good Luck...... Denny

[Blacksmith]

The older I get, the more I realize two things - most NAME brand products are good and I've got to like what I use. If you find the torch or controls on brand X that everyone else loves to be uncomfortable or awkward, maybe you should have brand Y. I always look at name brands and then play with them to see if they "fit me". Just my 2 cents.

[platypus20]

Asking who makes the best plasma cutter is like asking a room full of welders who makes the best pick up truck or gas drive welder. I have 2 Hypertherms, a Powermax 30 and a Powermax1250. I've had over the years owned machines made by Hypertherm, Lincoln, Miller and Thermal Dynamics, all of them work fine and were solid dependable machines. I ended up with Hypertherm, because of the excellent service, support and consumable life. The availablity to buy consumables for about 5 different sources in my area, and just about everywhere we had jobsites, sealed the deal. At that time, consumables for the others, had to be ordered, so there was a 3-4 day wait, not bad or inferior units, just at that time not as well supported as the Hypertherm. So to me parts and support was the determing factor, it could have gone anyway, if the others had a better support system than Hypertherm, I'd probably be using them. To me its stick with a name brand.

Jack

[ventureline]

A plasma cutter is a plasma cutter, it's the gun and support you buy.

I think T-dyne wins across the board.

[toolaholic]

I believe hypertherm is the best

[Hammack_Welding]

I'll put my money on hypertherm every time. There's more to a plasma cutter than the gun. Just do a google on import plasma cutters and read all the horror stories you want. Thermal dynamics makes a good unit as do most "name brand" companies. I now own two Hypertherms, and in the past have owned a Thermal Dynamics, and an esab. Both were dependable units, but I give the edge to Hypertherm. This is pretty much a ford/chevy debate. I suggest trying to get your hands on both and going with what feels right to you.

[Hotfoot]

Notice how no one has said Miller or Hobart??? Interesting...on this forum...:rolleyes:

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YOU CAN'T EVEN SPEAK ENGLISH!!!!!:mad:

[ventureline]

I'll put my money on hypertherm every time. There's more to a plasma cutter than the gun. Just do a google on import plasma cutters and read all the horror stories you want. Thermal dynamics makes a good unit as do most "name brand" companies. I now own two Hypertherms, and in the past have owned a Thermal Dynamics, and an esab. Both were dependable units, but I give the edge to Hypertherm. This is pretty much a ford/chevy debate. I suggest trying to get your hands on both and going with what feels right to you.

Electronics may differ, but the theory is the same. The chinese made guns are bad, often take the machine down with them if they fail. We put T-dyne guns on them when they arrive. No particular problems after that..

Really once the Chinese engineers figure out how to copy the competition better, all the big names will stuggling to survive, we figure in 10 years or so.

[Hammack_Welding]

Electronics may differ, but the theory is the same.

that can be said about ANY welding process when comparing machines. Mig, stick, tig, plasma just take your pic. The quality of the electronics is what differentiates a good machine from a not so good machine. What good is having the latest most upto date technology when you build it out of crap? I may live to be wrong, but I have a hard time believing that the Chinese will ever compete with other countries on quality given their past history. In ten years time when China is copying what US welding companies are producing now the US companies will have newer/better technology. Until China decides to compete in the global economy on a "quality" basis instead of a Quantity for less basis they will always be coming in behind.

[ventureline]

A bunch of friends that are also techs, most of which including myself have been into China for various reasons have noticed some componentry in thier machines appear to be right out of the tech books from Lincoln and Miller. Equally we have noticed that more and more Chinese made components in these same US name brands.

The Chinese takeover has been underway for years, Look around, From the Cars you drive to the clothese you wear,and the welders you presently use.

We are not saying that it'll happen right away, we figure the Big US firms have at least a 10 year reprieve

Not to difficult to reverse engineer a product, and call it your own. Its the exporting of that same product into a market that the original exsists. And thats the problem some of this Chinese equipment is having. There are not any patent rights in China.

[knucklehead]

A bunch of friends that are also techs, most of which including myself have been into China for various reasons have noticed some componentry in thier machines appear to be right out of the tech books from Lincoln and Miller. Equally we have noticed that more and more Chinese made components in these same US name brands.

The Chinese takeover has been underway for years, Look around, From the Cars you drive to the clothese you wear,and the welders you presently use.

We are not saying that it'll happen right away, we figure the Big US firms have at least a 10 year reprieve

Not to difficult to reverse engineer a product, and call it your own. Its the exporting of that same product into a market that the original exsists. And thats the problem some of this Chinese equipment is having. There are not any patent rights in China.

Dont forget, years ago we said the same thing about Japan. Now they are a symbol of quality.....

[Grappletractor]

A bunch of friends that are also techs, most of which including myself have been into China for various reasons have noticed some componentry in thier machines appear to be right out of the tech books from Lincoln and Miller. Equally we have noticed that more and more Chinese made components in these same US name brands.

The Chinese takeover has been underway for years, Look around, From the Cars you drive to the clothese you wear,and the welders you presently use.

We are not saying that it'll happen right away, we figure the Big US firms have at least a 10 year reprieve

Not to difficult to reverse engineer a product, and call it your own. Its the exporting of that same product into a market that the original exsists. And thats the problem some of this Chinese equipment is having. There are not any patent rights in China.

Where do you get that information from, heresay?

[ventureline]

Where do you get that information from, heresay?


Here say, hardly, I inject 10's of thousands into Asian markets, the end result is generally a 300% markup back home over that landed cost to maintain market value. Competitors sudenly don't make much money, usually they to drop pricing, but if your already making 200 -300% over cost. They have no room to go and eventually discontiinue the product line.

And there are no patents rights in China. Been there ohhhh about 26 times on my companies business.

What I don't get is looking at a box of welding wire, doesn't seem to matter which one and it always says MADE IN THE USA. Now, I've been to Korea and inked alot of deals there. I know that that welding wire in question came from Korea, so the only thing that was made in the USA was the Box. Don't get me wrong as there is a couple of brands trully made in the states, but the good stuff is made in Korea, with the cheap comming out of India and China.

[ctmike]

OK. I read all the old posts and now am scared to death to buy a Chinese plasma cutter. I was ALL SET to buy a Giant Tech Cut 50 from Ebay and now I have cold feet.
I'm listening to and following your advice, so fill me in!
I have a Stickmate AC/DC that I've been practicing like crazy with. Now I'm read for some projects. I already built a pretty nice welding table, but want to build a utility trailer next. I want a plasma cutter that can work with 3/8 stock with no problem. It won't be used professionally or even very often, so it kills me to spend a grand or so. I mean, it's just a hobby.
So....what should I buy and where. How about used?
I'm ready to buy SOMETHING, but I'm soooo confused.

[ventureline]

Get yourself a T-dyne 51, The reason why I say 51 and not 52, is that t-dyne is blowing out all the older stock. Great machine, and long warrantee. Really can't go wrong!

[Roger]

Why not use abrasive cut off saw, horizontal band saw or metal cutting circular cut off saw.

Oxy fuel cutting torch would also work.

Much cheaper.

[Wyoming]

Why not use abrasive cut off saw, horizontal band saw or metal cutting circular cut off saw.

Oxy fuel cutting torch would also work.

Much cheaper.

Yeah, but why walk when you can drive to the opposite coast? Maybe the OP already has those tools and wants more. I'd hate to see a show of hands on how many here got into welding because it was cheap...I did see where he stated money was not the case.

[ctmike]

Mr Wyoming is right. I already have a chop saw. Great for cutting angle iron and tubing. Already have an old Harris torch, but I hate cutting with it. Sloppy, messy...you know.
I can't imagine trying to cut 3/8 plate with anything other than a plasma cutter for a neat quick cut.
Ran into a guy today who owns a Giant Tech and he's pretty happy with it. I guess they're out of Michigan somewhere. Don't know if they actually import 'em or not but the guy said they stand behind the machine. He had a torch issue after 3 months of use and called for help. They said "we'll send you one right out. When it arrives, just send us the old one." That's pretty good service.

[Wyoming]

Plus, other than the torch, none of the other options allow for anything other than a straight cut.