Plasma cutters

[dmoses42]

I bought a place with a 5 stall garage but it doesn't have power run to it. In the course of deciding my power requirements to run power, I'm also putting together a list of tools I want to put in it. I'm pretty sure I want to have a plasma cutter, but the most recent thread I could find on here discussing them is 8 years old. From that thread, it appears that I will need about a 45-50 amp circuit for one to cleanly cut 1/4 inch steel, correct? I'm also looking for recommendations for one that is a good value for the money. I'm sure over the last 8 years, some model preferences may have changed. Thanks for any input.

Don

 

[jeffncs]

Yes. You def want a 220v plasma. I can get the specs from mine but it burns 1/4 like butter. I don’t have experience with a 120v plasma but can’t imagine it has the gusto to cut thicker metals.

I have a FirePower FP35i. Tips, other parts and accessories are cross-compatible with other brands. Love this thing - so much better than cutting discs! Forget what I paid for it but I caught it on sale and recall it being. Steal for its quality.

 

[Broncobowsher]

The past two houses I have opted for a 50A garage service. After I moved in I made a sub-panel off that 50A circuit.
On that sub panel I have two different 50A circuits (one for plasma, one for welder) and a 30A circuit (air compressor)

If you get a plasma, you will be getting a welder eventually. 50A service is a typical "welder outlet". Even my cheapy flux core 120/240V lightweight MIG has the 50A welder plug included with it.

I look at it this way. It is just me. I won't be welding thick plate at the same time I am cutting with the plasma. Even if both machines are on at the same time only one trigger is pulled at a time. And current house, I also have a mini split on the same 50A sub panel.

My thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 50 (2 generations old now) will cleanly cut 1/4" with only 40A output. When I got it 25+ years ago it was a really nice one. It was also in the day where plasma cutters at home was extremely rare. Today they are everywhere and good one can be cheap. Best advise I can give that gets overlooked, shop availability and cost of consumables. That cheap plasma is worthless when you can't find new electrodes or cups. Or they wear out quick and cost a fortune.

 

[nvrstuk]

HUGE difference in machines. Mine cuts thru 1/2" like warm butter but it won't start on metal that isn't in clean, good shape. I MISS my Thermal Dynamics that I had for 28 yrs... dang! It died a couple yrs back and nobody in the US that we tried had the part... so, new unit time. Tried out this one nice unit for 1/2 the price (actually less than 1/2) and by the time I was cutting something up with a heavy paint covering it was too late to return it. MY fault I know...

It's for sale if you never work on dirty or painted metal it's great.

 

[ssray]

Duty cycle is something to check as cheap ones cut corners. Full power will be below 100% but you can compare brands at the different settings. If you might be cutting holes in material check the pierce rating as it will be lower than cutting normally starting from an edge. Also consider that you are running air at around 85 psi to the plasma and a running 7.5 hp compressor will be 50 to 60 amps. Even 5 hp really needs 50 amps to be safe. So if you dont want to be babysitting the compressor (on and off) you need closer to a 100 amp panel. Lights, fans, AC are in there as well. Put good filtering on the compressor as they dont like water and oil in the line. It can lead to a short life for the tips.

 

[dmoses42]

Thanks for all the info so far, it is greatly appreciated. Since my garage is about 80 yards from my house breaker panel, I'm having a separate service installed for it, planning on a 200 amp service. I plan on 220 outlets on both front corners and one in the center in the back for a compressor, all on separate breakers.

 

[dmoses42]

And I'm putting 110 outlets 4 feet off the floor, about every 4 feet around the interior of the garage. As far as a welder, yes, I'll be getting one. Steve83 suggested a Millermatic 211 (I think) in a thread I had a while back. I'll take suggestions on any other shop equipment as well, since this thing is a blank slate at the moment. The man I bought this property from said that he bought the barn and 5 stall garage portion of the property from the man who owned the local funeral home, and he built the garage just to store coffins in. That freaked the wife out a little bit. Didn't bother me, I just said "As long as all them coffins was empty, I'm good."

 

[Yeller]

I deal with plasma cutters daily. My favorite home shop size too is a Hypertherm 45 Sync. They are not inexpensive, but nothing makes a finer cut. On the up side you only need a 30amp breaker to safely run it.

Also since you’re taking about plasma, welding is going to come up. Everyone will scream no it won’t work, I ran a Lincoln 255 wire welder for 2 decades doing some very heavy, very long duration work on a 30amp breaker with 10ga wiring and never had an issue with tripping or any hot overloaded wiring. Modern equipment is far more efficient than that of old.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Yes to modern inverter designs. I don't think plasma comes in anything besides inverter, that was standard 25 years ago.
As for welders, I still rock my Miller 185 (220V 'pocket MIG'). The only time I really hit the duty cycle on that was welding feet at a time with the welder set as hot as it could go while welding a tractor bucket. Asking a little too much out of it, but it did it. Just forced me to take a few breaks. I have a couple more now, one is a little flux core only China special. Last I saw they were on sale in the jungle for under $70. It is inverter based. That inverter doesn't care what it gets for power. Stack a couple 16 gauge extension cords and run it across the back yard and weld some rusty painted metal, doing everything wrong. It lays down a very nice bead, for flux core. Inverter equipment is so nice. So much more efficient in the power transfer, which means less circuit needed to drive it. A transformer based machine that needs a 50A service can weld exactly the same with an inverter on a 30A service.

I recently picked up a cheap inverter TIG welder. I was hoping for an AC machine for aluminum, but I got a smoking deal on a DC only machine. I'm getting to really like using it. It sucks for large projects. The hot glue gun (MIG) can do so much more volume. Great when you don't have all day. But when you want to really get it nice, that TIG can do tricky projects that a MIG just can't do. There are some nice multi-process inverter machines on the market now. I am not opposed to those for the home hobby projects.

 

[73azbronco]

i dropped dime, miller plasma cutter, was my new best friend, have not used in years. It will use 110 15a and cut 1/4, but really likes 220 30a.