Plasma do's and don'ts

[SPEC]

Hey all,
I've always preached to buy american
So 3 years ago I paid 1300 bux for what was the top of the line plasma cutter...THERMAL DYNAMICS... I had used Thermal dynamics plasma cutters since they were pretty new in the late 80's and early 90's
I needed a new plasma since my old one burned in the shop fire...I saved up for over a year...RAMEN NOODLES...MAC AND CHEESE you know the drill...Bought the peice of shit, it cut pretty good but always had an intermittant stutter, some days it would go like hell other days it would just eat consumables...dealer tells me I have wet air...I have the refidgerant air dryer so I find out later that they had a bad batch of tips/cups acouple of years ago...The dealer is 140 mile round trip so I buy in bulk....every body that had these parts got fxxkED... In december my gun(or so I thought) went south...call up my dealer...the gun IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTEE...So I need to save up the 500bux for the gun...In the mean time the supposed warrantee goes out 5 /27/08
I finally save up enouph money for the gun and went down to pick it up...GUESS WHAT...WASN'T THE GUN BUT THE PC BOARD WAS JUNK...$1300 DIVIDED BY 3 = $433 PER YEAR...ASSHOLES AT THERMAL DYNAMICS WON'T SHARE THE INFO ON THE PART THAT FRIES...BUT WILL GIVE ME 300 ON TRADE IN...LIKE I'D BUY THEIR fxxkIN SHIT AGAIN...
sO HERE'S THE DO'S AND DON'TS PART OF THIS...If your going to buy the hi-buck americasn shit...BTW 95% of the parts in the thermal dynamics is made in china...Trade it in before the so called warrantee goes out they'll give rouphly 3/4 of what you paid for it and fxxk the next guy on it...My buddy bought a POS chinese one the same time I bought mine...he paid $399 for it and used almost as much as I used mine...Guess what... His is still running and mine is junk...HE DOESN'T HAVE A $500 AIR DRYER...CHRIST HE DOESN'T EVEN USE A WATER TRAP...So heads up on the new industry standards...get rid of it before the warantee goes out ...My lincoln welder did the exact same thing only they helped me get the parts to keep it running
They have a 3 year parts and service warantee

[Punkur67]

I have had no problems with miller plasma cutters. We also have 15 or so thermal dynamics at our shop that work ok. I find that they tend to be a little finicy at times but work. Almost everything we buy is imported now. That is a good part of the reason our economy is in the shiter, we are giving money to all of these other countries.

[SPEC]

I have had 2 previous thermal dynamics plasma cutters in the past one got stolen in redneck-land after the drive shaft incident....one got burned up in the fire...both of those cut 3 times what this last peice of shit did...I have run thermal dynamics stuff way beyond what they were rated for in the past...I babied this hunk of shit from the day it was new...It got bi-weekly blow downs, a 500 buck air dryer...deticated 50 amp service...I built a cart for air flow and stuff wouldn't get set on it... It was kept in a climate controled shop...All I can say is when you plop your hard earned cash down on the counter...not your boss's...not your buddies...not the school's....your blood sweat and tears hard earned cash
MAKE fxxkIN SURE YOU GET YOUR MONEYS WORTH...
Not some name your just paying the price for

[SPEC]

I've been doing some research on plasma cutters,
I decided to give a little guy company a shot...Any body here heard of longevity welders/plasma cutters?...I was talking on the phone with a rep a few minutes ago ...I'll be posting a video of what I think of themal dynamics...It includes the crappy brown jeep...and my minni front end loader

[borris]

Oh shit ! You're not going to crush it are you?

[SPEC]

 
I GUESS YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO STAY TUNED TILL AFTER THE COMERCIAL

[SPEC]

I ordered my plasma cutter last friday...For about a third of what the td costed delivered...I still gotta do the video
But it got here fast way faster than the 3 1/2 weeks it took for the thermal to come in...I'll post some pix as soon as I get it out of the box

[SPEC]

1st impressions...
MMMMM
It is smaller than I expected, The download for the owners manual was good so I'll always have a copy even after I burn the original up...I like that is has a heavy ground cable and a heavy duty grounding clamp...I like the gun way better than thermals...some would call it sorta cheesey but it is nice to be able to move the trigger around to better position it for your thumb or finger...and for me with my arms...That is a huge deal.. Came with no plug,but it had the cord...Thermal did too at 3 times the money...It even came with a water trap...I put it on but will be using the custom set-up off the thermal...It blows thru 1/2'' like nothing, the hi freq start is taking me alittle getting used too, It has a switch on the front of it I'm trying to figure out, I suppose I should finish reading the owners manual effen fabber the smartey pants, It has a digital readout for the amps your cutting at wich is nice...I just came in to get the camera...

[SPEC]

I got a couple hours of seat time on it now...
Still have the 1st set of consumables in it, It'd definately a little different than the TD. pilot arc is different and will take some getting used to, It isn't much bigger than the new Miller suitcase unit and about the same weight, way out cuts the old one...heres some pix

[boltz2012]

Pretty clean...what did the unit run you?

[RC51 Rhino]

 I bought almost the same one...Parker Metalworks. Says 40 amp but works it's A$$ OFF!! I've cut 5/8" plate clean enough to do a simple grind/clean up!! I like yours for the digital display. Mine only has the control knob...pretty much stays cranked up all the way! I know the guy at Parker and can get those 40A units for about $399.00 plus shipping if anybody is interested.

[SPEC]

I paid 550 with the 60 amp gun,50 amp machine and 15 gun rebuilds...Thats tips,cups,rings, and the ceramic cups...They say this one will severe and inch I was blowing thru 1/2'' at 35 amps...I haven't had much time to play with it today...But this week end I got a jeep to cut up A gasifier that needs to go a bunch of old lawnmower chassis's that need to go so I'll get a few hours on it then...BTW...they sell a 40amp for I think 399

[Admin]

If anyone is in the market, These guys are coming on board to site sponsor, and they will have some deals and stuff to be discussed at a later date...

[SPEC]

There might even be a Dealer amung us too...
I did some tail light cut outs last night on the drag mode...instant on is nice ....I'm liking this cutter more every day...But we will know after this week end when I push it hard...

[fabr]

1st impressions...
MMMMM
It is smaller than I expected, The download for the owners manual was good so I'll always have a copy even after I burn the original up...I like that is has a heavy ground cable and a heavy duty grounding clamp...I like the gun way better than thermals...some would call it sorta cheesey but it is nice to be able to move the trigger around to better position it for your thumb or finger...and for me with my arms...That is a huge deal.. Came with no plug,but it had the cord...Thermal did too at 3 times the money...It even came with a water trap...I put it on but will be using the custom set-up off the thermal...It blows thru 1/2'' like nothing, the hi freq start is taking me alittle getting used too, It has a switch on the front of it I'm trying to figure out, I suppose I should finish reading the owners manual effen fabber the smartey pants, It has a digital readout for the amps your cutting at wich is nice...I just came in to get the camera...

hehehehe read the instructions! That's a good one!