MAC Tools Plasma Cutter (1 Viewer)

[oldIron]

Found a plasma cutter on craigslist for $500 which on the surface sounds like a good deal. It is a Mac Model# PCA120 OCC edition that has seen maybe 5 hours of work total. Here are my questions:

1. Mac does not list this on it's web site and I believe it is actually a Miller unit but Mac only sold it for about 5 months so I am wondering why it was dropped so quickly.

2. It has 3.5 years left of a 5 year warranty so I am not sure what happens after that.

3. Will consumables be available?

4. It runs off of CO25(?) which I hear is a very expensive way to go. Supposedly there is a converter out there for it to switch it over to shop air but I cannot find it at the Mac web site. Can this be done affordably, and does it affect the operation of the cutter?

Anyone who knows anything would be greatly appreciated, maybe a Mac tool guy.

Thanks
Pete

 

[kulangot]

Pete,

I'd go no further than your local welding shop. They'll tell you if they can get parts for it. For what it's worth, Miller Plasma is rebranded Hypertherm - you could call either one and see if they can support it.

Mac has gone down the tube over the last few years and I'd be weary of buying any welding machine or plasma from them. To be fair, I'd also stay away from Snap-On branded stuff in the welder/plasma type of tools.

I prefer Thermal Dynamics, but Hypertherm is good. Each makes stuff for Miller and Lincoln and any of the above 4 brands is the way to go.

For $500 you could get a new cheap Chinese communist unit and at least have some support for it. I don't care for them, but many users of this board say that they have luck with one.

$500 is not a great deal if you can't get a tip when you need one. THe Co2 thing sounds like PITA too.

-Stumbaugh

 

[oldIron]

Thanks Stumbaugh,

I called my local shop and talked to someone I know there. He said to stay away from it since he would have no idea where in the world to source the parts for it. The guy selling it told me he talked to his Snap on rep who said "just hook it up to shop air" they did and it works. When I talked to my local shop about this he told me there is a reason these use the gas bottle and it is not one of convienence, it is not likely that it could be easily converted. I passed. Will keep looking.

My shop guy did say to stay away from used units, but I suspect that is the salesman in him since he does not sell used, though he has taken great care of me in the past.