ArtMetal

Matt - I have had 3 Plasma cutters since i began sculpting. The first one was a Miller which would cut up to about 1/8 inch. It had its own compressor built in, but the water would eventually leak through the system and ruin the torch... not good! The second Miller unit needed to be hooked up to a compressor and worked very good. You need to keep an in-line water trap installed and a drain before the torch to keep condensation from entering the torch. This Miller cut up to 1/4 inch, but I sold it, as I was needing to cut thicker plate. I wanted to cut bigger steel and with this unit, I would need to make multiple passes along the initial cut line.

My current unit is a Hypertherm 600. These folks ONLY make plasma cutters and has been one of the best I have owned, in my opinion. It will cut 5/8 inch and sever 7/8 inch. So far, this has met all my needs. It is a wonderful machine and has great tech support.

My recommendation is this: Do NOT buy a cheap unit - If you buy from a reputable manufacturer, you will get their knowledge and support along with a machine that you know will keep working. It is well worth spending the money for a good cutter.

Hope this helps - Paul