cheap plasma cutter

[TJL]

Just got my shipping noticed, right as i was buying a new TIG.. Garage should be even better equipped soon.

[smokindawg]

Yep, nice too have so many extra consumables. The tig is something that one day I'll have in the shop as well. I don't do much aluminum welding but the ability to do so would be nice.

[TJL]

I didnt really care much for aluminum welding before but i got into club cars. Have had to do minor repairs to the frames so i bought a spoolgun for my lincoln mig. The spool gun is very hard to get a nice weld out of and its so bulky i cant get it in some not so small spots. If i use perfect clean metal and have good work space i can get nice welds with aluminum. With the tig you have so much control and room to work. Plus its just cool and gives me alot of flexability for other metals.

[raydhd]

Really used my cut 50 plasma cutter today.Cut a lot of 3/8 " metal. Used up a couple of tips.Unit never overheated even when run hard.With all the cutting of the old harley cart engine mounts I would say worth the $200.

[smokindawg]

Sounds like for $200 you did well. If it get's the job done it's well worth it. 3/8" cutting is usually good for most uses, especially when it comes to use on carts, but I wanted something that would cut much thicker as I at times cut some pretty thick material.

I bought mine and expected to and have cut some heavy stuff, but I paid a lot more than $200.

Anyone that just needs light to mid range thickness cutting would do well to have one like yours Ray, especially for the cost point.

I have too say that a plasma cutter is very handy and since getting mine the torch is used only for heating and bending now.

I sure wish I could find the consumables for the price you spent Ray..... I'd then have a lifetime supply as well.

[raydhd]

I just looked they are still on ebay for dirt cheap if you buy the bigger kits.This assumes of course they fit the more expensive units.My 2 main weapons of choice these days are the cut 50 and my eastwood 135 mig. Can't remember the last time I use my stick welder.The interesting thing was the snowmobile bottom plate is 3/8 aluminium and that cut was not as neat as the steel.Also you notice a BIG difference when you reload with new consumables.

[smokindawg]

I was told when I bought my plasma cutter that I had to use the consumables from Longevity. I'm finding out now that there are others that will work as long as I get the ones with the right sized hole in the tips.

I'll do some more searching as I have enough for a while, but would be nice to be able to find some that cost much less. Longevity is proud of their consumables.

[raydhd]

The longevity LG-75 and PT-31 look like the cut 50 consumables where the S45 looks completely different.

[smokindawg]

Yep Ray, while Longevity says that no other brand consumables will fit my machine, I've not read where the ones for the S45 will fit.

So I went on ebay and can buy them reasonable enough. Just have to watch the size of the hole in the tip. On mine the site says the hole is 0.9 and I have found some that have a 0.8 I'll not need any for a while but once I get a few more funds I'll order some and check them out. Someone also said that the ones from Harbor Freight will work too, but I don't know about those.

[raydhd]

I see you can still buy a cut 50 for $209 delivered on ebay.The more things change the more they stay the same.