Used Plasma Cutters

Shop around long enough, and you’ll find a tremendous amount of opportunities to buy used plasma cutters, but in doing so, you’ll want to make sure that you keep a few key factors in mind. Three factors that immediately spring to our mind are ease of use, execution, and quality. You’ll also want to ensure that the used plasma cutters you’re looking at match the power source of your place of business. It would be a shame to buy a perfectly good cutter only to find out that you can’t use it. Remember that 110 or 220 V power sources run light and medium used plasma cutters, and plasma cutters that use a 220 V are generally run in the working environment.

You’ll also want to keep in mind that any used plasma cutter runs fine with an 8000 W generator. In fact, many used plasma cutters run on single or three phases (208 V - 575 V) which makes it even more important to verify a working environment’s power source. If you’re concerned whether you’ll find a built in power fluctuation capacity in a used plasma cutter, don’t worry, this is a common feature -- even among used products capable of 20 and 30 V fluctuations.

Here are some additional details:
1. Knowing the metal thickness that you’ll cut through beforehand is really helpful when shopping for a used plasma cutter. Knowing your desired cutting speed is helpful as well. If you need to cut through 3/8" steel at 10 in./minute for example, you’ll find a used Miller plasma cutters very satisfactory. If you need to cut through 3/8" steel at 75 in./minute, you’ll find a used spectrum 1000 plasma cutter satisfactory. Keep in mind that the thicker the metal, the slower the cut and this is true even with high capacity cutters. Should you get into a conversation about ratings, remember that the standard rate is 10 in./minute.

2. Plasma cutter duty cycles indicate a minutes-per-10 minutes ratio of a rated capacity. If you were to use a machine with a 70% duty cycle for instance, it could run at 400 amps for 6 minutes without having to be cooled. This information is crucial when used plasma cutters operate in hot surroundings.

3. When looking at your choices of used plasma cutters, make sure you can supply a steady stream of clean and dry air from a quality air compressor. You’ll also need to ensure that any air compressor you use is capable of satisfying a particular cutter’s pressure requirements. Every cutter has a different requirement, so don't think that one air pressure is appropriate for every cutter. You might find a small cutter with a built in air compressor, but if you’re in the market for a large cutter, be prepared to seek out an external compressor with a 40 - 60 PSI.

4. Portability is another important issue to address. In most cases, a cutter that sits idle for a while isn’t that big of a deal. A cutter that will be idle for a lengthy time, such as during transportation for example, is a big deal since it can affect the machine’s unit delay.

5. Don’t forget to verify that all controls are easily accessible and functioning. All diagnostic lights should work and consumables (including and air filter and dryer) should accompany the entire machine at either a very small fee or at no charge at all.

6. You’ll also want to see if the product’s warranty is still in effect. This will help you get your used plasma cutter serviced. If you can locate the cutter’s manufacturer, and that manufacturer is local and still in business, that’s even better.

7. Upon closer examination, avoid buying a used plasma cutter that has cracked cables, dirty inside compartments or other visual signs of damage. These types of signs indicate a very short life-span and/or costly repairs down the road.

You’ll increase your chances of finding a quality used plasma cutter by searching for one on the internet. Online auctions are a great source for getting the most bang for your buck but you’ll need to buy from a reputable source. Make sure you buy from a trusted source that has high customer ratings and positive feedback. And if you’re buying long-distance, be prepared to pay higher shipping costs for heavier, used plasma cutters.