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Plasma Cutter?

Danny B

Active Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2008
Messages
42
Location
Checotah, OK
We are considering purchasing a plasma cutter to use on the farm. We have steel pipe for fence building and need to finish one corral and start another. I was hoping for advice/info on what you have used, good or bad.
Thanks.
 

bill5362

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2007
Messages
353
Location
Indiana
Occupation
I own a excavation company and a rolloff container
I have a ESAB 1125 and it is a beast, had a thermal dynamics and I didn't like it much, it used a lot of consumables and had to cool down short duty cycle. I have never had my ESAB kick out of it's duty cycle, used mine to day and it sliced through 3/4" steel for about 5 hours, only used one torch tip, and cut there was a lot of heat. Hope this helps here is the link

http://products.esabna.com/EN/home/...nual_powercut®_1300_plasmarc™_cutting_package
 

Feed Bunk

Active Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2008
Messages
39
Location
NW MO
I wouldnt want one to build coral with unless I was close to a shop. Scince they need electricity and an air compressor going all the time. We had an esap in school and it worked pretty slick. Out of curiostity our you using pre fab pannels?
 

willie59

Administrator
Joined
Dec 21, 2008
Messages
13,361
Location
Knoxville TN
Occupation
Service Manager
I can see where a plasma cutter would be useful on a farm, but I'm trying to figure out cutting pipe with it. Why not a pipe cutter? Or even a portable band saw? :cool2
 

powerjoke

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2009
Messages
1,125
Location
Missouri
Occupation
owner/operator/estimator/mechanic/grunt/ditchdigge
i have a 75amp miller, and use a oxy/accetelyne torch 10times more than the plasma, if your not making cuts in sheet steel often dont waste your money IMO.

Forgot to ad, there is no "plunge" cuts with a plasma like there is a torch in heavy steel, it just burns up extremely expensive consumables

Pj
 
Last edited:

powerjoke

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2009
Messages
1,125
Location
Missouri
Occupation
owner/operator/estimator/mechanic/grunt/ditchdigge
alot of guys around here use old guard rails from state surplus, and a plasma would work good for that but, not on pipe.....i am with ATCOEQUIP totally on the portable saw

Pj
 

Feed Bunk

Active Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2008
Messages
39
Location
NW MO
I never thought about a band saw, but you could run it off the welder and have a pretty slick cutting machine. I would have to say bandsaws are my favorite way to cut metal besides a torch.
 

willie59

Administrator
Joined
Dec 21, 2008
Messages
13,361
Location
Knoxville TN
Occupation
Service Manager
I never thought about a band saw, but you could run it off the welder and have a pretty slick cutting machine. I would have to say bandsaws are my favorite way to cut metal besides a torch.

LoL...I probably use our Milwaukee Porta-Band as much as any power tool we have. It's a handy tool. ;)
 

roddyo

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2008
Messages
788
Location
Arkansas
Occupation
Manipulator of the Planet
I can see where a plasma cutter would be useful on a farm, but I'm trying to figure out cutting pipe with it. Why not a pipe cutter? Or even a portable band saw? :cool2

Probably saddling the pipe.

Any that we cut off square we just weld the top and bottom, then a few licks with a sledge on the sides before welding it up.

Anyone using electric cable and sucker rod clips on your pens?
 

willie59

Administrator
Joined
Dec 21, 2008
Messages
13,361
Location
Knoxville TN
Occupation
Service Manager
Probably saddling the pipe.

Yep, I was thinking about that roddyo. But the more I thought about it, to cut the saddle notches and to have the pipe the correct length, just sounded too time consuming. I like your idea better. Cut it to length, flatten the ends with a sledge, and weld it in. Quick and easy. :cool:
 

roddyo

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2008
Messages
788
Location
Arkansas
Occupation
Manipulator of the Planet
Yep, I was thinking about that roddyo. But the more I thought about it, to cut the saddle notches and to have the pipe the correct length, just sounded too time consuming. I like your idea better. Cut it to length, flatten the ends with a sledge, and weld it in. Quick and easy. :cool:


Don't ask how long it took to figure that out.:rolleyes:

Kinda like tryin to weld sucker rod to pipe. It's a lot cheaper to just buy the clips. Plus you don't have to weld on your coral every time you want to get your cows up.:Banghead
 

bd797

Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2009
Messages
17
Location
Livermore
It is very easy to just flatten the ends of the pipes and than weld them to the posts. Time consuming also, not to mention tired arms. I built a little machine out of some scrap flatbar and a hydraulic cylinder that crushes the end of the pipe to the same dimensions evry time. It is run off of either a portable hydraulic unit or off the tractor hydraulics.It is just a matter of cutting everything first, doing the crushing and then welding. It just separates out all of the steps so you dont have equipment spread all over the shop. I would post pictures but I dont have any at the moment. If you're interested, I can do so. That little unit saves me large amounts of time when I'm building panels.
 

Danny B

Active Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2008
Messages
42
Location
Checotah, OK
Sorry it took a while to get back. Yes saddle cuts is what I'm doing. Getting a clean fitting cut with torch is a challenge. Thought plasma would do better job. However, I do have to make several plunge starts. The demonstration I have seen at the Tulsa Farm Show was so damn fast. I think I like the thought about flattening the ends. Don't want to start in middle of my job. Will suggest that to son when we start on his. Did look at place where I get my O2. They had Hypertherm 35 for about $1500. Should be able to run from my welder. Don't know about my little portable compressor(cfm).
 

Willis Bushogin

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2007
Messages
855
Location
NC
Occupation
owner
cutting

Sorry it took a while to get back. Yes saddle cuts is what I'm doing. Getting a clean fitting cut with torch is a challenge. Thought plasma would do better job. However, I do have to make several plunge starts. The demonstration I have seen at the Tulsa Farm Show was so damn fast. I think I like the thought about flattening the ends. Don't want to start in middle of my job. Will suggest that to son when we start on his. Did look at place where I get my O2. They had Hypertherm 35 for about $1500. Should be able to run from my welder. Don't know about my little portable compressor(cfm).

I have a TD50 and I love it, but for pipe I would use (as suggested) band saw/porta saw. My thought would be a metal chop saw, they are fast.
 

guest

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2007
Messages
67
Location
Texas
I use a metal chop saw also very quick and you can cut any angle you need. I also bought a jig that clamps on pipe to cut saddles with torch it is specific for the size of pipe you use. These work great better than marking with soapstone making several cuts and still not fit. Got it a local welding supply.
 

OneWelder

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2007
Messages
483
Location
Derry, New Hampshire
Use with Any Drill Motor, Hand Held or Drill Press

Create Any Angle Saddle Notch on Pipe for Weld Fit-Up

Uses Standard Hole Saw Blades up to 2.5"

Compound Angle Adjustment up to 60 Degrees

Chrome Plated Frame

Easy to Read Angle Scale

Long Life Bronze Bearing

Holds up to 2" Pipe

Weight 12 lbs

Part # Description Price Buy Shipping **
SP PIPE Pipe Notcher $62.99
$10.00 **
** Shipping Quote Via Fed Ex Ground Anywhere in the Contiguous 48 States
Outside of this area additional shipping fees are required and you will be notified
upon receipt of order. If you would like a quote prior to ordering call our office
at 1-800-391-5419 and we will be happy to calculate shipping options.


Or if I had ad a lot to do I would look into one for a Ironworker such as Scotchman, Piranha- these notchers would work in any press and would be very quick
 

stock

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2008
Messages
2,022
Location
Eire
Occupation
We have moved on and now were lost....
Well for notching pipe on a farm for fence repair maybe one of these,

125M-large.jpg

200M-large.jpg
 

Karl Robbers

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2011
Messages
164
Location
Australia
To be honest I would not even contemplate a plasma for your application. A torch will give far better results and you would have to do a lot of cutting to balance the cost of the plasma against your gas costs.
Plasmas demand good clean, dry air and small compressors are not good at supplying this because they work too hard, not allowing enough time for the air to cool and moisture to condense. You will notice that your consumable life will be pretty miserable if you use air with much moisture content.
A plasma will not handle rust or other contaminants as well as Oxy Fuel gas cutting, nor will the cut quality be as good other than on thinner materials. What they can do is handle non ferrous metals and stainless steel. If you don't have this need I would not bother.
I use plasmas regularly and to be honest I have yet to find a more contankerous machine then a plasma cutter and prefer oxy every time if I cut steel over say 5/32".
 
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