[TheForge] Plasma cutter comparison

Fri Oct 24 16:42:01 2003

Dan
I have Thermal Dynamics Pac 50, half inch capacity. Really great=20
machine.
According to my "guy" in the business, most of the manufacturers=20
licensed Thermal Dynamics technology to get
in the business. Not sure how true that is.

What I do know is that no matter whose you buy, ZAP PlasmaTherm,=20
founded by former Thermal Dynamics engineers
make better consumables for much less than the OEMs.

Just make sure you have clean DRY air, or for thicker cutting, nitrogen=20=

sure does help!!

Ray Miller
Cincinnati

On Friday, October 24, 2003, at 02:01 PM, Dan Armstrong wrote:

> I'm in the process of comparing the following plasma cutters for=20
> eminent
> purchase:
>
> Lincoln Pro-Cut 25
>
> Hobart Air Force 400
>
> Hypertherm Power Max 380
>
> My price range is $1200. - 1300. (US) and 3/8" max. cutting ability is
> plenty.
>
> Anybody have any experience/information or other suggestions to share?
> Or perhaps knowledge of consumer report info on same?
>
> Thanks.
>
> DanA
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Cameron Stoker" <[email protected]>
> To: <[email protected]>
> Sent: Friday, October 24, 2003 10:23 AM
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Responses to "Possible new TH design"
>
>
>> Thought I should respond to this thread -
>>
>> I bought a set of plans from Bruce several years ago for the
>> grasshopper hammer, and they sat quietly for some time, but about a
>> month ago I ended up needing to clean out my scrap pile, and realized
>> there were many shapes of stock appropriate for the GH. Spent about
> two
>> and a half weeks of more off than on working at building the
>> grasshopper hammer, and finished it about the beginning of this =
month.
>> I took some photos of the building at several stages, and one or two
> of
>> the finished hammer. I'll see about posting them to the photo site.
>>
>> I have since been very busy and haven't been working on projects =
where
>> a treadle hammer was the appropriate tool so I have probably only =
used
>> the hammer for about an hour.  The bearings are just starting to
>> break-in and get really smooth - I sometimes just bounce the head a
> bit
>> while waiting between heats because it's fascinating to watch the
>> mechanism work.
>>
>> I think this hammer will really come into its prime when I've had =
time
>> to make a few die sets. I mainly just used it with some top tools =
over
>> a lead block to clean up lines in some bronze repouse. Very nice to
>> have the all the adjustments available.  The action is very smooth.
>>
>> Thanks Bruce
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Cameron Stoker
>> [email protected]
>> "May you run like a vicu=F1a!"
>> pgp key @ http://keys.stoker.net
>>
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>>
>
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