Plasma owners on Obama's hit list?

[magma-joe]

I keep reading about the increasing regulations on emissions that the Obama administration is pushing on us. This mornings news paper talks about the push to tighten the standards on nitrogen dioxide that is released from motor vehicles, factories, and coal burning power plants.

I am not quite sure what pollutants are produced when I use my CNC plasma but I would not be surprised to find out one or more of them is on his hit list. Perhaps Jim Colt could chime in here and give us some insight.

I am all for a clean enviroment however I wonder if our society can afford all the increased costs forced apon us to acheive these new standards and still allow us to compete with China and the rest of the countries with lax standards. After all we as a nation seem to be unable to compete even now. All our industries have been moving over seas for many years.

With the cap and trade bill that just passed congress, fees, taxes and regulations will be imposed upon the citizens to force us to change our ways and move toward cleaner energy.

This situation will be bad enough for businesses but I hope those of us who have CNC plasmas at home don't become targets of the pollution police..........

[One of Many]

Not all our industries have moved over seas. If that were true, our GDP would be near zero. Which may still be part of the plan in claiming green success despite the resulting third world status it ushers in.

The bill passed in the House of Representatives and still needs to go through the Senate to become law. There is no schedule for that until at least fall of 09. If it could be held off until 2010, and the stars are aligned or the GOP gets their act together, there may be a slim chance it will be pushed off in the heap for a few years.

There is much to be said if you can make it at home, at least you are not buying it from over seas.....

DC

[jimcolt]

The fumes from plasma are largely dependant on what you are cutting! The plasma process itself....if fired in the air produces some fumes associated with the gas that is being ionized. If air is used....you will produce a very small amount of ozone, an a very small amount of nitrogen dioxide.

Extensive testing has been done......and I'm happy to report that fumes from the torch itself are harmless (in the quantities that they are produced in).

Fumes from the metal that is being cut can be dangerous.....when cutting galvanized metal (as an example) fumes from the zinc based cating should be contained. When cutting stainless steels....fumes from the nickel content should be contained as well.

Hypertherm has a white paper that lists levels of fumes produced by cutting a variety of different materials. It can be found on the www.hypertherm.com webesite.....search for "fume study" under the library tab on the main page.

So....the fume police should'nt take your plasma cutter away.....just all the bad metal that you wish to cut and weld!

As far as industries moving overseas.....That, in my opinion is the fault of management of the companies that move their businesses. There are many companies that manufacture here in the US.....that export a large percentage of their product. To me this means that these successful companies are well managed, and can produce a product that is accepted from a performance as well as price standpoint around the world. And the product is designed and manufactured here in the USA.

I work for one of those companies and am proud of it! Go Hypertherm!

Best regards, Jim colt

[mc-motorsports]

Originally Posted by jimcolt And the product is designed and manufactured here in the USA.

That is refreshing! I used to own a Hypertherm, very good machine, but I didn't use it much and ended up selling it to fund milling equiptment... And when I buy another one, it will be a Hypertherm.


Not to get off topic, but...
Is it true that Miller is under new ownership and moving to off-shore production?

[WSS]

Originally Posted by mc-motorsports Not to get off topic, but... Is it true that Miller is under new ownership and moving to off-shore production?

Oh no! Please, someone say it isn't true.

[mc-motorsports]

Originally Posted by WSS Oh no! Please, someone say it isn't true.

That's what I was told by a engineer who was recently interning with Miller, they immediatly sent thier torch/gun/consumable production to my favorite place in the whole world, China! I'm just waiting for confirmation... I'll drop them like a bad habit, and they better not put the american flag on the side of a off-shore produced machine...

[jimcolt]

Well.....the Miller plasma torches are made in the US.....by Hypertherm in Hanover, NH.Just torches....not any of the rest of the system.

Jim

[slammedxonair]

I will be pissed if miller turns into some china crap my mig and tig are both miller and I dont really like lincolns machines that much. Oh and my plasma is a hypertherm.

[mc-motorsports]

Originally Posted by jimcolt Well.....the Miller plasma torches are made in the US.....by Hypertherm in Hanover, NH.Just torches....not any of the rest of the system. Jim

I was specifically told MIG and TIG torches and consumables, good to hear they left something in the US. But it's all hear-say at this point, waiting to hear for sure. It was a guy I met about a month ago that was interning with Miller, don't know him personally, and I didn't know they were bought out, but I also read some stuff on the welding website too, but no for sure yet.

[magma-joe]

Miller has been out sourcing items from China for some time. Two products I know for sure are the Spoolmate 3035 & 3045 spoolguns. Here ia a link to the Chinese manufacturer (Fengli). Read the 2nd paragraph in the lower portion of the page next to the pic of the stud welding gun about the spoolmate guns.

And at the bottom of the page there is an advertisement for Miller. Some older established US companys with a good name brand trick you into believing that you are buying a product made in the US when in reality it is made in china with their name brand / logo stamped on it.

http://www.globalpowertools.com/welding_gun.htm

[WSS]

Big companies mold lies until they resemble the truth. It seems common enough. I have been tricked often. I have been a die-hard Miller buyer for probably ten years. I have rarely had an issue with their stuff. I will peel back covers and plastic now. If your sales rep won't let you do that, you might want to shop elsewhere. I am noticing a huge jump in internet purchases which prevent that and also promote "lower" prices. Thats a good reason for a big company to send stuff to the east. Why not? Nobody kicks the tires anymore and all that is needed is a "cheap" price.

[winddominio]

I will be pissed if miller turns into some china crap my mig and tig are both miller and I dont really like lincolns machines that much. Oh and my plasma is a hypertherm.