let's see your bandsaw do this!
 

so i picked up a little plasma cutter because i knew it would save me a ---- ton of work on a job i got in. i had to modify a stand from 115"x42" down to 102"x24" and it is all 3" square tube with 3/16" wall... there was just no way i was going to do it with a saw of any kind, or my angle grinder... so i went out and picked up this little unit that was on sale at the local welding supply shop. i've used them before and knew it would make this job quicker, but didn't realize how handy it would come in.

the unit: hypertherm powermax 30. good for cutting up to 3/8" thick mild steel (i've already cut 1/2" without a problem!) oh yeah, and it runs on 110v and only consumes 6cfm from your compressor.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC07781.jpg

no more grinding welds away!
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC07777.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC07780.jpg

chop chop! i cut all this out in about an hour and a half... probalby would have been a day or more with a recip-saw or an angle grinder.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC07782.jpg

here is the stand welded back together:
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC07783.jpg

i'm looking forward to using it on manifolds and downpipes when i get the opportunity... it should make life much easier. :y

Re: let's see your bandsaw do this!
 

Aaron can you believe that my Smiley still plasma cuts weekly?

Re: let's see your bandsaw do this!
 

Cool. So did they just pay you to reweld it or did you change any of it for them?

Re: let's see your bandsaw do this!
 

what are the smiley plasmas good up to on thickness? they sure make quick work of cutting stuff.

this project isn't done, there will be more pieces welded on, and i'll be making some tooling as well. it should be done in 3-4 weeks.

Re: let's see your bandsaw do this!
 

The smiley is only good up to 1/4 clean. I am looking into getting a Thermal 51

Re: let's see your bandsaw do this!
 

niiiiice!
here's 3/4" *bearly* cut with my chin-tig-plasma hooked to 220v.
Attachment 26785


does pretty good on 1/2 inch tho if you keep it slow.
Attachment 26786




ya plasma is the bomb. i also highly recommend keeping some angle iron around b/c it makes a very nifty / easy / quick to use rail to hold your torch against.

Re: let's see your bandsaw do this!
 

Very nifty indeed. I always keep an eye out for a good deal on a plasma cutter. One day I'll bite and pick one up myself.
Congrats on the purchase.
Is it possible to cut a hole in a piece of pipe using a plasma cutter without blowing all the way through the other side?

Re: let's see your bandsaw do this!
 

Yes, the jet of plasma is typically extremely concentrated & not huge long like most oxy-fuel torch cutting jets are. The problem would be jsut like a normal torch, cutting a round hole, which could be accomplished using a cylindrical object to use as a torch sled (align the "sled" so your torch stays exactly in plane & on pattern where you want to go, then ride it.)

Some people do alot of free-hand. I think it's a waste of time. Regardless of what method you use. The more free-hand cutting you do, the less steady you are. That means more work grinding, fitting & dealing with slag.


On the flip side oxy-fuel is alot cheaper to cut or gouge alot thicker material. it's also more versatile in that you can heat objects with it, etc. But I'll take a correctly sized plasma cutter over a torch when it comes to cutting & gouging any day of the week.

Re: let's see your bandsaw do this!
 

Same Plasma we have. Ours is a little older. We love it. I've used it on stuff up to 5/8". Pretty Rough/Sever cut, but nothing that is un-workable!

Re: let's see your bandsaw do this!
 

Hey toysrme what sort of money was your jackie chan plasma? would you recommend a cheapy or save that little bit harder?