It has a good-sized torch with a safety on the trigger so you don’t accidentally start it. The consumables are pretty easily available for the torch, too. It’s a blowback torch, so you don’t have to clean up the metal before cutting, unlike plasma cutters that have high frequency start.
On the panel, there’s an on / off light, a warning indicator, a circuit-breaker style on / off switch on the front of the machine rather than the back, a post flow control for your air that goes from zero to 60 seconds, a dual amperage knob for 110 and 220 volts. There’s also a pressure gauge and a pressure regulator. So all of your controls are on the front of the machine.
There’s an air connector for the hose from your air compressor and a power cord on the back.
On the front, the torch hooks up with a nut with its ground right next to it. There’s a trigger control for the torch and the ground for your work itself.
Kevin puts on his safety equipment – a welding jacket, safety glasses, welding gloves and a welding fumes respirator – and sets up a piece of 1″ plate steel, a piece of 18″ gauge metal, and a piece of 1/2″ steel with some welds going across it for some nice, uneven territory.
He starts with the 18 gauge at 20 amps. It cuts easily. There’s a little dross on the back, but it should clean up no problem.
Next Kevin turns the plasma cutter up to 40 amps and cuts right through the piece of 1/2″ metal with the welds on it. Again, it cuts easily with a little dross that will chip off without any problem. He was able to cut at an easy speed.
Now it’s time to turn the plasma cutter up to 60 amps and 90 PSI and attack the 1″ piece of steel. The machine cuts through it easily, once Kevin gets away from an initial tricky surface. The plasma cutter goes right through the 1″ piece of metal. He had to move a little more slowly, but the cut is nice and smooth.
“That’s cool!” Kevin says. “Well, it’s hot, but you know what I mean.”
For the plasma cutter’s $700 introductory price, you get a dual voltage, 60 amp plasma cutter.
Caron is ready to get some more metal to play with, but you might want to stick around for another moment to see our little green friend look for a good Thanksgiving recipe ….