so i picked up a little plasma cutter because i knew it would save me a ton of work on a job i got in. i had to modify a stand from 115"x42" down to 102"x24" and it is all 3" square tube with 3/16" wall... there was just no way i was going to do it with a saw of any kind, or my angle grinder... so i went out and picked up this little unit that was on sale at the local welding supply shop. i've used them before and knew it would make this job quicker, but didn't realize how handy it would come in.

the unit: hypertherm powermax 30. good for cutting up to 3/8" thick mild steel (i've already cut 1/2" without a problem!) oh yeah, and it runs on 110v and only consumes 6cfm from your compressor.


no more grinding welds away!



chop chop! i cut all this out in about an hour and a half... probalby would have been a day or more with a recip-saw or an angle grinder.


here is the stand welded back together:


i'm looking forward to using it on manifolds and downpipes when i get the opportunity... it should make life much easier.

 

how much you pick it up for

 

nice except on manifolds and what not don't you want a pretty straight even cut?
doesn't look like it will give you a nice edge. . .

 

You get some interesting work since you've opened. Do you advertise for this type of thing, or have prior contacts or what? Just curious.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RC000E &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You get some interesting work since you've opened. Do you advertise for this type of thing, or have prior contacts or what? Just curious.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

i haven't had to look for work yet. this project is for a place i worked part time at before opening my own shop. they have given me quite a bit of work as they don't have a shop of their own. i guess a lot of it also has to do with location... by accident though... i've been getting a great deal of work from a couple places in the same building as me (one right next door). for them it is about convenience and quick service/turnarounds. there is a small cnc shop just down from me and they don't have any manual equipment or welding equipment. they can't afford the downtime on their production so when they need 5 widgets here, or 2 widgets there, or some welding done, they just walk a few doors down. they drop in every morning with something new that is rush rush.

 

Nice job, thats one big stand ..... I've decided i want to be you when I grow up

 

Nice little unit, how much did it set you back ?

 

plasma is a great tool for sure! if you ever want to make really clean straight cuts, get yourself a drag tip for it. you'll thank me

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by weiRtech &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

i haven't had to look for work yet...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Wow...that must be a nice situation. I was in business for 3.5 years ending early in 2005. I learned alot of lessons from it, and my business was more geared towards swap installs and wiring. The market changed alot in the import world, and alot of the "hype" of the scene died around me.

I've been putting together a business plan as of late though. I have alot of new idea's and I think I'm going to try alot different advertising strategies this time. It'll be my second time around....and final for that matter. You should feel grateful to have work come so easily in the beginning...the first year in business is certainly the toughest.

As usual man...good job

 

How much $$?

 

looks mint, my dads buddy can cut with a torch like that, its amazing !

 

Yepp Yepp !

I own an older version of this plasma cutter, ,

it's trully a charm... I dunno if you have to chop cars in part's sometime... but I do with wrecked car, easier to transport to the scrap yard, THIS IT THE CAR CHOPPER...

it's so damn great going trough the floor pannel and such with this thing... it run super quiet too and dont get the compressor to much of a beat...

over all, it's really a great investment for the job.
time saver it is!

jp

 

Man I coulda sure used that thing today, how much did it set you back if you dont mind me asking? Nice work btw

 

this is the first piece of equipment that i've bought new... it was on sale for $1295CDN. i think in the next couple years it will pay for itself many times over...

 

your better off using carbon air arc to remove welds

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by m R g S r &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">nice except on manifolds and what not don't you want a pretty straight even cut?
doesn't look like it will give you a nice edge. . . </TD></TR></TABLE>

depends on how steady of a hand you have and make relief cuts.

 

Air arcs are nice if you don't mind shooting sparks 200 feet down the road.But a guy that is good with a torch can scarf that weld off and never touch the parts that were welded together.

 

well if you look at the pics he cut the base metal....ill take carbon air arc over plasma any day for weld gouging, i hope that your not suggesting using plasma for that.....

 

i saw something somewhere about being able to cut glass, rubber, wood with plasma
just use a thin piece of sheet metal and lay it over the glass, rubber, etc.
the stream will cut most material under the sheet metal supposedly. i've only used a plasma to cut something over a metal table or hovering off of it, so i really have no clue how the results would look.

definitely would like to try this myself when i get a plasma in the future.

 

They have gouging tips for the plasma now also. They work pretty slick.
Fair bit faster than arc-air.
I have a ton of experience on arc-air, and quite like it.
I use to fix wrecked train cars etc.
It works awesome, but requires a hefty powersource, is crazy loud, and very dangerous in a small shop as sparks get into every dusty corner.
I hope to have a plasma one day in the near future. No room for a real shear.

Nice job. Great that you get variety. Keeps you sharp.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hybridmoments &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i saw something somewhere about being able to cut glass, rubber, wood with plasma
just use a thin piece of sheet metal and lay it over the glass, rubber, etc.
the stream will cut most material under the sheet metal supposedly. i've only used a plasma to cut something over a metal table or hovering off of it, so i really have no clue how the results would look.

definitely would like to try this myself when i get a plasma in the future. </TD></TR></TABLE>
You are probably thinking of a water jet .They will cut ANYTHING

 

no. it was definitely plasma. i found the info.
http://www.parkermetalworking.net/

"We have developed a technique to cut non-conductive amterial withe plasma. we have cut glass, rubber, wood. Procedure... lay sheet metal over the top of the non-conductive material... the cutting arc is maintained by the sheet metal and the plasma extends aproximately 1" below. "


they could just be trying to sell machines. but i'd like to see someone try it and provide the results.