Plasma Cutters on eBay

I don't know if you will find one that is great, but perhaps you might find one that will work. I bought a harborfreight one from a local store since their is no shipping if it breaks.

Its only 40 amps and thats probably stretching it, and I am sure its made in China as well. I didn't find much about them online, and I am sure it could break just the same as the neverlast, but so far it hasn't.

So far I have used it to do quite a bit of cutting, chopped up a car and some other stuff, and it hasn't giving me any issues. I do seem to use up the consumables quicker than I would like, but so far it has worked well.

If you find a cheap one that works for you let me know. I want to make a cnc table with the cutter I have, and would prefer to have a separate cutter for hand use if the price was right.

At the moment I am keeping an eye out for auctions or used american ones, as that may be the best way to get something decent.

Good luck

Thank you Frank, I have been considering the Harbor Freight route just so I can storm back in for an exchange if needed. My closest one is about 50 miles away, way cheaper to drive there than to ship a defective unit back at my expence and have to wait weeks to get another one sent out. I will let you know if I find anything else worth buying. Jack

Recently I started a Hobby CNC blog for DIYers. You are most welcome to add your side (I know nothing about plasma cutters!).....there is only stuff from me at this moment and I am a newbie!!!

If you can't find it, let me know and I will suppy a link.....

I have a Harbor-Freight Plasma cutter also. No problems or issues, I have used it quite a bit. I think it was about 800 or 900 bucks. I used coupons or some other money saver and got about 20 % off as I recall. If you look for that kind of thing, coupons are available about twice a year.

You wont find defective GiantTech plasma cutters or tig welders for sale on EBay.

Wow, very informative and right to the point, you get my GA. Like I said in my post I sold my mid size ESAB the other day and will be buying a new plasma before long. I had used it since 1996 and the pilot arc had finally went out. It still cut very good but because I was afraid it was fixing to go it was time to move on. I do a lot of Sch. 10 stainless pipe in my shop and occasionally build a tank from 3/8" to 5/8" thickness 304L. I hardly ever use a plasma to cut pipe because of the clean up on the inside of the pipe. I also hardly ever use a plasma to cut carbon steel because I have always used oxy acetylene and it works as good or better than a plasma as well as it is cheaper to use. Thanks for the information about ESAB and I will check out the Hypo Therm and Miller machines. Did you ever work on any Lincoln brand plasma arc machines? Also I own 2 welding machines made by Thermal Dynamics and they have performed very well with little maintenance over the last 10 years. I was wondering how Thermal Dynamics plasma would check out. I want a good machine that can sever 1" and easily cut 5/8" to 3/4". I am in no big hurry at the moment and want to get a good machine for my money.

we have an Esab Avenger - when running a program to cut cs holes - they are getting bigger each hole, although all are programmed for the same size.

Have tried countless things, and at the machines whim, it will go back to cutting things correctly using the identical program??

Any suggestions?

If it reads glass scales, try cleaning them.

Hello jacksnothere please understand .. that problem happened last year with one order from factory we no longer use. We now have IGBT and PILOT ARC technology units from 50a-100a. We also offer 30days money back. All IGBT's made by Robust Infineon (By Siemens) Post you saw by Greg happened late 2008 we no longer sell unit from that factory !

If you are not cutting stainless steel, PetroGen oxy-gasoline cutters are fantastic.They cut through rust, across gaps between pieces,cuts over six inches thick.Used for decommissioning nuclear power plants.Cheaper to operate than Oxy Acetylene and works better.

petrogen.com

you're welcome.

HTRN

I would suggest a oxy acetylene torch unless the I-beam is non ferrous. It will cut it just as good or better if you know how to set and use it. I am an old oxy acetelyne torch guy and I use it for all carbon steel in my shop. As far as plasma cutters goes though I would suggest buying a name brand cutter from Thermal-Arc,Teledyne, Lincoln, Miller or ESAB. I personally believe in ESAB plasma cutters and I just sold my 15 year old 720i for 700.00 and now looking to buy another one. My old one cost about 2200.00 new and would cut 1/2" stainless at 7 inches per minute and rated to sever up to 3/4". The exciter arc had recently went out on my machine but it would cut just as good except you had to touch the material to get it to start cutting( this w=ould shorten tip life) I only use a plasma cutter on stainless steel and really on pipe work the spatter that is deposited on the inside when plasma cut is so hard to remove I don't use it to cut pipe. I had rather use a band saw, cutting wheel, or abrasive blade on a skill saw to cut stainless pipe. This being said I would like to have capability to cut 1" stainless but in reality the cost of such a machine compared to how much I would use it tells me to get one of the small machines that can handle 3/8" or that I should have kept the one I just sold.

Two brands that I have used that performed as advertised would be be HTP (www.usaweld.com) and Burco-Cebora.

The Burcos are Italian I think, and I believe that all of those used contact starters.

The HTP people are quite helpful, and I never had any problems with their units that I used over the years.

Pricing was very reasonable for the product line.

Hey Jerry, I am looking to buy a plasma in the next few days. I will check out these Co's. I don't care who makes it or where it is made at as long as it a good machine. of all the plasma cutters I have checked out lately I have to say that Thermal arc had the rest beat just a little bit. I was thinking that this company was bought out a few years back by an Italian company. The problem I have is that I do most of my stainless steel cutting with a saw or Metabo cutting blade and would never cut SZ?S/S pipe with a plasma. I hate to spend extra money to get a brand name on something if I can help it especially a plasma cutter I will use only a few times a month at best. Thanks for the info. on these machines, I will check them out.

Thank you and good luck.

I BOUGHT A PLASM CUTTER HERE IN ST.LOUIS FROM A GUY THAT SAID PLASMADYN WAS HIS COMPANY FOR ABOUT 400 BUCKS IT WORKS GREAT .I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT ,I HAVE 3/8 PLATE WITH IT AND IT HAS WORKED WELL ON STAINLESS WITH EASE .I HAVE HEAR ALOT OF STUFF ABOUT THE COMPANY SINCE THEN BUT MINE WORKS GOOD.IK TOLD THE GUY IF I HAD ANY PROBLEM WITH MINE I WAS COMING BACK TO SEE HIM .IF YOU CAN GET UR HAND ON A PLASMA DYN CUTTER AND TEST IT BEFORE BUYING IT THAT WOULD BE THE WAY TO GO.I WILL USE THIS OONE TILL IT DIES THEN BUY A HOBART OR MILLER,BUT THIS ONE WAS A GOOD LEARNING CUTTER AT A GOOD PRICE .GOOD LUCK