Which is best PowerMax or CutMaster

[Ed Williams]

I want to buy either a Cutmaster 152 or a PowerMax 1250. They are both about the same price. But CutMaster is 120 amps and PowerMax is 80 amps. I’m going to use machine torch on which ever one I buy. Other than power which one should I buy and why?
Thanks Ed

[jimcolt]

You are comparing a 120 Amp unit (152) to an 80 Amp unit (1250). I would guess that you are looking at these as you probably have single phase input power......and the T-D unit will operate on single phase....while the larger Hypertherm unit, the PowerMax1650 is 3 phase only.

There are no "free lunches" when it comes to input power, which is directly related to output power! If you plan to run the T-D on single phase power....you may want to look at the Amp rating and wire sizes required for the 112 Amp input current draw at full output power. You wll need a 120 Amp/240 volt circuit and a pretty large input wire size to support this.

The Hypertherm 1250 will operate on single or three phase, any voltage from 190 volts to 600 volts....which makes it very adaptable to a lot of different input power sources. Hypertherm units are known for their reliability, and their long consumable life. The 1250 has shielded torch technology for all of its power ranges...and for cutting thin materials it uses Hypertherm's FineCut technology at power levels down to 30 Amps. Power supply and torch are made in USA by employee / owners of Hypertherm.

It may be better if you let us know what materials and thicknesses you plan to cut with this unit. It sounds more like you are just looking at a price range!

Best regards, Jim Colt

I want to buy either a Cutmaster 152 or a PowerMax 1250. They are both about the same price. But CutMaster is 120 amps and PowerMax is 80 amps. I’m going to use machine torch on which ever one I buy. Other than power which one should I buy and why?
Thanks Ed

[Ed Williams]

Jim
I'm just trying to get the best for my money. If power is going to be a concern then I can go with a cutmaster 82. It is half the price and they have narrow cut from 20-100 amp too. I hope I don’t upset you but again limited budget and I want the best for my money. They have been around a long time too. Give me another sale point.
Thanks Ed

[jimcolt]

I'll give you all of the competitive data....as long as you tell me what you plan to cut! If its biggest bang for the buck with no regard to consumable life or performance.....then just buy the cheapest plasma you can get.....there are a lot of them! If you need a good machine with honest ratings....and you want advice on which will best do the job....we need info on what the job is!

So far it seems like 1. You will be cutting with a machine torch (what type of machine?...track burner, pipe cutter, cnc plasma, magnetic tracer, robot?) and 2. You have single phase power (voltage, amps available?).

Other questions.....what is maximum thickness of material that you need to pierce?. What thickness and type of material do you normally cut?, how thin do you need to go? What are your expectations for cut edge angularity and cut part accuracy?

Without info.....I'd say the Powermax 45 is way less expensive than the Cutmaster 82...and has about 3 times the consumable life.....and cuts with much better edge squareness on 3/8" plate....and uses much less power.

I'd be happy to offer my statistics (Kw output, advertised cut speed and pierce capacity) in comparison between different brands and models.....if I know what you really need.

Best regards, Jim