Posted by AL on October 28, 1998 at 21:46:58:
In Reply to: Mig & Plasma cutter question? posted by Ken Dahlberg on October 28, 1998 at 18:04:52:
H THERE
THOUGHT THAT I MIGHT LEND SOME INSIGHT INTO
METAL WORKING EQUIPMENT AS I OWN A METAL SHOP AND
HAVE HAD A FAIR BIT OF EXPERIENCE WITH DIFFERENT
WELDERS AND CUTTING GEAR..
AS FAR AS WELDERS ARE CONCERNED I WOULDN'T GET
ONE ANY SMALLER THAN A 200 AMP 220 VOLT MACHINE
AND THEN PLAY WITH VARIOUS WIRE DIA. AND
DIFFERENT GASES ANYTHING SMALLER IS A TOY AND
YOU WILL EVENTUALLY BE DISAPOINTED.....
YOU CAN ALWAYS TURN A MACHINE DOWN BUT YOU CAN'T
ALWAYS TURN IT UP.
A MILLER 200 OR 250 ARE A GOOD CHOICE
AS FAR AS PLASMA MACHINES LOOK AT THE DISPOSABLE
PARTS THAT YOU WILL NEED TO BUY AND THE AIR '
SUPPLY, IF ITS AIR YOU ARE USING. BOTTLED AIR
IS A LOT BETTER THAN DRYER THAN SHOP AIR AND THE
DRYNESS OF THE AIR IS WHAT WILL MAKE YOUR DIS-
POSABLES LAST LONGER. AND THEY DO GET EXPENSIVE.
AGAIN THE BIGGER THE BETTER. A MACHINE THAT WILL
CUT 1/4" STEEL WILL ONLY CUT IT SEMI-WELL
REMEMBER THAT WHEN THEY TELL YOU THAT A MACHINE
IS RATED AT 1/4" THAT 1/4" IS THE MAXIMUM.
ALSO , IF YOU WANT TO CUT ALUMINUM WITH THAT
MACHINE YOUR MAXIMUM REDUCES DOWN TO ABOUT 1/16".
AS FAR AS MANUFCTURERS GO, GO WITH THE COMPANY
THAT IS GOING TO GIVE YOU THE BEST SERVICE AND
WARRANTY. MOST OF MY EQUIPMENT IS HOBART AND
SOME MILLER, BECAUSE MY SUPPLIER OF SUPPLYS
SUCH AS GAS AND WIRE ARE DEALERS FOR THESE BRANDS
AND IF I HAVE PROBLEMS AND BREAKDOWNS, AND BELIEVE
ME THEY DO HAPPEN, THE DEALER HAS THE TECH SUPPORT
STAFF TO HELP ME OUT OVER THE PHONE OR WITHIN
A DAY IN PERSON.
HOPE I WAS OF SOME HELP..................
AL