I'm considering purchasing a new plasma cutter, I have a miller spectrum 500 and it doesn't seem to like my electronics much. Also, the nozzles produce a kerf of about .125, which doesn't allow for good detail work.

I'm looking at the major manufacturers (hypertherm, thermal dynamics, miller...). My main concern is kerf width on small stuff (<3/16). (I've been looking at the hypertherm fine cut consumables, but haven't found an actual kerf width number.) I also want to be able to cut the occasional 1/2" plate as well. Right now I'm leaning towards the hypertherm 1250 w/ machine torch.

Any advice?

Fine cut kerf width on 16ga is about .035. Slightly bigger on 14Ga. I cut 10Ga and up to 1/4" with a 40A tip and it has about .043. My 60A tip gives about .056 on 10g and .065 on 1/4"

What height and tip volts are you using on the 500? I used to get smaller than
.125 kerf width with new tips. I found a source of really cheap tips and I changed them every 25 to 50 pierces. I had to use good grounding techniques but my 500 ran with a PC and THC electronics about 6 ft away.

The 500 is truely a wretched machine for CNC cutting but I cut miles of decorative steel with mine. Once I got a Hypertherm1000 I could not believe how much better and faster it cut! I think working and making the 500 work made me a much better plasma "Dude" than if I had just started out with the best first.

Hi Torchhead,
I have some question to ask you.
1) I am little puzzled with GA unit as you refer. What does it mean? :confused:
2) It's possible or not.Could you please advise me for sources which sell tips to release kerf width smaller than? please advise.:stickpoke
3) THC system? It's necessory to use with plasma cnc or not ? I found some machines that did not have this system.


Cheers,
Mongkol

I am little puzzled with GA unit as you refer. What does it mean? :confused:

I've never quite figured out why sheet metal thickness should be measured in standard wire gauge and then called gauge instead of SWG. It is a peculiar standard like those whacky letter and number drills. Guess it's a history thing :confused:

6 swg 0.192"
10 swg 0.128"
12 swg 0.092"
16 swg 0.064
18 swg 0.048"
20 swg 0.036"
22 swg 0.028"
24 swg 0.022"

I recommend Hypertherm. I own a 1650 G3 and have runs it hard for 4 plus years. Hypertherm produces only plasma equipment. Period. Their customer support is top-shelf too, not that it is required very often.

Good luck,

Tom

Fine cut kerf width on 16ga is about .035. Slightly bigger on 14Ga. I cut 10Ga and up to 1/4" with a 40A tip and it has about .043. My 60A tip gives about .056 on 10g and .065 on 1/4"

What height and tip volts are you using on the 500? I used to get smaller than
.125 kerf width with new tips. I found a source of really cheap tips and I changed them every 25 to 50 pierces. I had to use good grounding techniques but my 500 ran with a PC and THC electronics about 6 ft away.

The 500 is truely a wretched machine for CNC cutting but I cut miles of decorative steel with mine. Once I got a Hypertherm1000 I could not believe how much better and faster it cut! I think working and making the 500 work made me a much better plasma "Dude" than if I had just started out with the best first.

I've tried heights of .05 to .2 with not alot of difference. I can't measure the volts since the electronics dies when the torch fires.

hi tom
whats your "source for cheap tips?
thanks
bear

Also, can anyone recommend a good place to buy hypertherm units? The local places are pretty high, and I'd have to pay tax as well.

Gentlemen,

This is a company that I buy my consumables from to keep my local vendor honest.
http://hypermax.3dcartstores.com/index.html

They have "free freight" on complete machines too, plus you save sales tax if purchased outside you state.

Luck,

Tom

Also, can anyone recommend a good place to buy hypertherm units? The local places are pretty high, and I'd have to pay tax as well.

You get what you pay for...

Also check the price on Miller, Lincoln, and Esab. I found the price on the Hypertherm to be less than the others when I bought mine.

Lean like you are headed, Hypertherm is a very good unit I purchased mine from an ebayer I got a much better deal than locally and it shipped in 3 days for free. Call 1-866-360-WELD Tell them Bob From Oregon Refered you.

thermacut sels great consumables

thermacut sels great consumables

Seconded

Hypertherm tips and electrodes are better than factory units.

Seconded

Hypertherm tips and electrodes are better than factory units.


Didnt want to stick out my neck to far, im actually a distributor for thermacut.

hypermax proved 50-100% cheaper for my consumables too. very fast even over the border

I went with the hypertherm 1250 from hypermax. Nothing but good so far. I am using the finecut nozzles on 12 gauge, and the kerf is about .040. The life of the tip is pretty impressive too, I probably pierced 500 times before it starting giving error lights. I took it off and rubbed it on my jeans, and I'm still cutting with the original tip. Soon as I get that THC working, I can probably reduce the dross alot. :-)
When running 80 amps on 1/4, the suggested feedrate is about 105 ipm. That seems pretty fast, and my cut quality around curves and corners is pretty rough. Any slower and it adds alot of dross, though makes smooth edges. Anybody had more luck with the smaller tips and slower speeds?

Just don't go with Multicam. That's all I have to say...

I'm also pondering a plasma torch with similar specs as the original poster, and I've been looking strongly towards a Hypertherm with Fine-cut tips.

How small a hole can you cut in 11 ga HRS? I have parts with some holes that are about 1/8" dia. Other parts are 7 ga and have holes as small as 1/4". These parts are currently being laser cut by a guy who likes to raise his prices every run.

Thanks, Scott