I bought a Giantech just after Christmas (I'll also add, no affilation here either). I went with them because the Giantech guy is local to me so I went and test drove one before I bought. Like Stump said, really helpful guy. I have about 10 hours of continuous cutting mostly nasty rusty steel and have been really happy with it. After I first got it I burned through a torch hose and Giantech hooked me up with a replacement for a very fair price compared to what is on Epay. I've been through one set of consumables. I don't particularly care for the shorter cutting tips that came with the consumable kit I bought with the machine. I found the longer one that came with the torch easier to guide. All in all it's been a good machine. We'll see how it does over the long haul.
Plasma Cutter (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Greg1190
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fj40charles
SILVER Star
I certainly would not compare the chinese made welders or plasma cutters to Craftsman tools.
Snap on welders / plasma cutters are the biggest overrated and overprices pieces of crap out there.
I would much rather buy a used Miller, Lincoln, Ebab, Thermal Arc, or Hypertherm over these chinese made tools.
ITW (Illinois Tool Works) owns Hobart and Miller. Miller is the industrial/commercial duty machine. Hobart (the ones with white paint, not the yellow painted ones) are considered hobby duty machine.
Disclaimer: I not affiliated with any vendor.
On the advice of a fellow Mudder who has used several brands of plasma cutters, I bought a TD Cutmaster 39. Have not fired it up because I want to finish installing the Motorguard prefilter. Rated 1/4", sever 5/8". I figure I'll never cut anything thicker than 1/4-3/8" for any of my projects. Was looking at the Miller Spectrum 375, essentially rated the same, so dunno.
Paid right at 1K. We'll see.
Ed
Paid right at 1K. We'll see.
Ed
Fess up, you're going to use this on the clients in your office
My Cutmonster 39 can cut through 2 feet of solid steel, cost only 3 dollars and does dishes.
Fess up, you're going to use this on the clients in your office
My Cuntmonster 39 can cut through 2 feet of solid steel, cost only 3 dollars and does dishes, head and takes it up the poop chute with a smile.
That's the one I bought, per your advice!!!
I just called up Parker today, I'm seriously considering getting the Plasma-Tec 40/160dv Tig/Arc/Plasma Combo. All told, it's gonna be close to $1K OTD, including foot pedal control.
I've read over all the experiences here and on Pirate, but still having trouble dropping that kind of cash on something sight unseen. Anyone have anything else to say before I take the plunge? Good, Bad, or otherwise?
I've read over all the experiences here and on Pirate, but still having trouble dropping that kind of cash on something sight unseen. Anyone have anything else to say before I take the plunge? Good, Bad, or otherwise?
Stumpalama
Forum Junkie
When you say you wouldn't compare them, what exactly would you not compare?
My point is I don't need an industrial machine that will cut everyday for 4 years when I will only be using it 10's of hours a year.
Same with my tools (Craftsman); I don't wrench all day everyday, though I have many friends who do who will say they like the Snap-on/Mac stuff for all day work (especially the airtools). They also use Craftsman or Mastercraft in their home tool kits.
Have you used one of these Chinese machines?
I have not used any other plasma cutter, so I can only say that from my research here on 'mud, Pirate and several other welding forums, I decided this 3-in-1 machine would be right in my wheel house for what I needed, at half the price of an equally rated SINGLE USE plasma cutter from one of the big names.
I will certainly report my findings as I use this machine because it's just that type of feedback that lead me to this decision.
I'm not trying to argue, I just want to flesh out the thought process a bit. If it is a "Buy American" or "don't buy Chinese" issue then that is fine. I can understand that. However, I can't expect a Canadian to have the same view, although MANY do, because "Buy American" also means buy Canadian as many American good are made in Canada too. Starting to ramble into chat territory, so I end here.
Cheers-
-Stump
I used to reject "Made in China"........now i embrace it, primarily because if you want hobbyist-grade tools, that's it.
I just replaced my ice machine, it was a U-Line, no idea where it was made but it was sold by a high-end appliance store I hated it from the day it was installed. It finally took a dump and went silent on me, so I looked for another one. Found a Manitowoc....like who has not heard of them? Bought one from a place in Louisville, KY and a fellow mudder helped me with the pickup.
Got it home, impressed with pacakging, etc, etc. When I go to hook it up, the back of the machine has a label....."MANITOWOC CORP China Division"
I am bummed, but the machine has perfomed flawlessly....better than the "U-Line" ever did.
It is the wave of the future. Just hate trade imbalances when they go the other way....
Ed
I just replaced my ice machine, it was a U-Line, no idea where it was made but it was sold by a high-end appliance store
I hated it from the day it was installed. It finally took a dump and went silent on me, so I looked for another one. Found a Manitowoc....like who has not heard of them? Bought one from a place in Louisville, KY and a fellow mudder helped me with the pickup. Got it home, impressed with pacakging, etc, etc. When I go to hook it up, the back of the machine has a label....."MANITOWOC CORP China Division"
I am bummed, but the machine has perfomed flawlessly....better than the "U-Line" ever did.
It is the wave of the future. Just hate trade imbalances when they go the other way....
Ed
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fj40charles
SILVER Star
I have never used any of the chinese made machines. I have heard good things about Parker plasma cutters. I know Mace loves his. All, but one of my welding equipment is made in USA. The only one not made in USA is a Thermal Arc Fabricator 210 which is made in Malaysia.
Some Craftsman hand tools (their professional series) are very good in quality. Not as good or strong as Snap on, but still very good quality. All other craftsman hand tools are getting worse and worse in quality, fit and finish.
Chinese made welders/plasma cutters are not good quality wise as Miller, Lincoln, Esab, or Thermal Arc yet. There is a huge gap in quality and price. A huge price gap exists between Snap on and Craftsman hand tools, but not in quality. If we were to fast forward 5-10 years from now, good chance this would change.
I don't wrench or do fabrication for a living, but I still like quality tools. I buy Snap On or Mac tools whenever possible (find a deal).
I would rather buy a used name brand welder and plasma cutter over the cheaper chinese made models. I'd much rather spend extra for something that is going to last me a very long time. I'm not the type of person to buy and throw away tools after a couple of years. Tools allow me to make/repair things and in the long run, it save me money. Also, working with good tools mean less frustration because they work and will not fail you when you need it.
I'm not a proponent of "all in one" machines since they generally don't do any one thing well.
disclaimer: not affiliated with any vendor and I paid for all my stuff.
My 2 cents.
Stumpalama
Forum Junkie
Right on. I see where your coming from now. (BTW, most of the craftsman stuff sold here in canada is apparently made in China and the quality is not as good).
I learned my lesson a while ago about buying the cheap tool vs. the quality tool. I try to buy the highest quality tools I can afford. That being said, I thought I would try my hand with this machine seeing that most big name machines are (in my opinion) overpriced. The electrical recepticle I used was made in China also as are most at this point, I suspect.
Time will tell how this machine goes, but I'm happy with it so far.
I just picked up a Cut50D from GiantTech. Got it a little over a weekago. Seems to work pretty well. I think I will get better using it as its new to me. For the record I have a Millermatic 210 and mostly Snap-on tools. My reasons for buying the chinese plamsa was it was affordable. I couldn't touch a Miller or Lincoln that would cut the same for the same price. If I got one that would only cut a max of 1/8" it would be of very little use to me. For the frequency that I will use it this machine was priced right.
I have no affiliation with GiantTech.
I have no affiliation with GiantTech.
Curious to those that own one. How does it cut on new metal vs. old slightly metal? Do you have to prep the metal at all first? The reason why I ask is that I was offered a plasma cutter from a guy at work who bought it on a group buy on pirate. I want to say it was 300 or so. He is selling it due to that metal must be prepped first before you can cut it?
As long as an arc can be struck, you are golden. If you can't start an arc, it won't cut..
I have a Hypertherm power max 45. It was a little pricey at 1600$ but can handle any thing i throw at it. Hypertherm rates their plasma cutters very conservatively. It is rated to cut 1/2" steel at around 35 inches a minute. I have cut 1" thick steel with it. Also it is very light wieght and portible at only 40 pounds. On feature that made me choose hypertherm is that it has 3 diffirent settings. One for cuting, one for cutting expanded metal, and one for gouging. I use the gouging feature alot for removing old welds and preparing joints. All hypertherm machines are completley made and assymbled in the US aswell. Over all i think you would be very happy with hypertherm and they make smaller machines that might fit your budget/ needs better as well. i give their plasma cutters two thumbs up.
BTW i have no affiliation with hypertherm just a happy customer!
BTW i have no affiliation with hypertherm just a happy customer!
How are you liking you GiantTech Cut50D plasma cutter ?
For the purposes you have stated what you need is a cutter with a maximum of 40 amp adjustment. It's lightweight and portable. I use one here in the Philippines which I bought brand new for less than a thousand dollars brand new. It's really a great investment for a home brewer. I've used it to cut half-inch steel plates and it works just fine. So I say no worries. If you can find extended tip electrodes, they are better than the short ones. They just clear the ceramic tips far enough not to burn them when cutting bends. Enjoy!
bmorefj40
SILVER Star
Anyone use the Northern Industrial Plasma 375 Cutter?
Northern Industrial Plasma 375 Cutter | Plasma Cutters | Northern Tool + Equipment
I'm about ready to pull the trigger on a plasma cutter in the next month and trying to decide between the giantec,parkers, etc and the northern tool one. All are about the same price level. any I've read pretty much everything i could on mud, and pirate and can't find a reason to go for the big names unless i quit my day job and pick up metal working as a career. advice before I take the plunge?
I've held out for a about a year after getting my hobart 187 by searching craigslist for a used (AND affordable) plasma cutter with a name like hypotherm, thermal dynamics, etc, but can't find anything much less than $1k, so I'm looking at the above mentioned types since they'll fit in my budget and the amount of welding/cutting that i'll do.
Thanks for the input,
Nick
Northern Industrial Plasma 375 Cutter | Plasma Cutters | Northern Tool + Equipment
I'm about ready to pull the trigger on a plasma cutter in the next month and trying to decide between the giantec,parkers, etc and the northern tool one. All are about the same price level. any I've read pretty much everything i could on mud, and pirate and can't find a reason to go for the big names unless i quit my day job and pick up metal working as a career. advice before I take the plunge?
I've held out for a about a year after getting my hobart 187 by searching craigslist for a used (AND affordable) plasma cutter with a name like hypotherm, thermal dynamics, etc, but can't find anything much less than $1k, so I'm looking at the above mentioned types since they'll fit in my budget and the amount of welding/cutting that i'll do.
Thanks for the input,
Nick
I bought a Parker. Took it out of the box, plugged it in, squeezed the trigger and heard pop sizzle and all the magic blue smoke escaped from the box.
Sent box back for a replacement. Plugged it in, squeezed the trigger....and heard nothing. Nada. Call Parker and find out someone decided to change the wiring around in the machines so I had to rewire the connector on the torch. After that it worked ok. It's a hobby machine so it doesn't see much use.
Fast forward awhile to the end of the warranty period on a machine that doesn't see much use and one day it goes pop sizzle again soooo, send it back in for repair and about $300 later it comes back. Seems to work ok except now it doesn't like to strike an arc unless the cap on the torch head is left a little bit loose. Haven't figured that out but oh well...
So. Three hundred on top of the original purchase price of the unit, plus shipping, plus all the down time of the various times it's been out for replacement or repair, on a machine I bet doesn't have 5 hours of ON time let alone a miniscule amount of cut time.
I probably paid 3 times as much for my TD Cutmaster 82 (not counting the Parkers added repair cost) and even still being a hobby machine it's probably seen 20 times the use of the Parker so far and it hasn't so much as twitched.
You may get lucky, some do. My experience has been otherwise and I look at it like this. A ticking time bomb of a piece of crap, even at 1/3 the cost, is still just a cheap piece of crap. In the case of a plasma cutter, even if you are spending "only" $500 vs $1,500, you still only get a $500 turd.
Parker, or Giant, or any number of the resellers of various Chinese Plasma cutter clones, have exactly how much history? Two, five, TEN years at most? Where are you going to be when the odds say they won't be around much longer?
What about Miller, Lincoln, Hobart, Esab, Thermal Dynamics, Hypertherm, etc?
You can roll the dice with your $500-$600, or you can save some more coin and make a MUCH safer bet. Your choice.
Sent box back for a replacement. Plugged it in, squeezed the trigger....and heard nothing. Nada. Call Parker and find out someone decided to change the wiring around in the machines so I had to rewire the connector on the torch. After that it worked ok. It's a hobby machine so it doesn't see much use.
Fast forward awhile to the end of the warranty period on a machine that doesn't see much use and one day it goes pop sizzle again soooo, send it back in for repair and about $300 later it comes back. Seems to work ok except now it doesn't like to strike an arc unless the cap on the torch head is left a little bit loose. Haven't figured that out but oh well...
So. Three hundred on top of the original purchase price of the unit, plus shipping, plus all the down time of the various times it's been out for replacement or repair, on a machine I bet doesn't have 5 hours of ON time let alone a miniscule amount of cut time.
I probably paid 3 times as much for my TD Cutmaster 82 (not counting the Parkers added repair cost) and even still being a hobby machine it's probably seen 20 times the use of the Parker so far and it hasn't so much as twitched.
You may get lucky, some do. My experience has been otherwise and I look at it like this. A ticking time bomb of a piece of crap, even at 1/3 the cost, is still just a cheap piece of crap. In the case of a plasma cutter, even if you are spending "only" $500 vs $1,500, you still only get a $500 turd.
Parker, or Giant, or any number of the resellers of various Chinese Plasma cutter clones, have exactly how much history? Two, five, TEN years at most? Where are you going to be when the odds say they won't be around much longer?
What about Miller, Lincoln, Hobart, Esab, Thermal Dynamics, Hypertherm, etc?
You can roll the dice with your $500-$600, or you can save some more coin and make a MUCH safer bet. Your choice.