i don't want to appear to be saying thermal dynamics machines aren't as
good as the manufacturer claims them to be, there is the possibility that i
never really learned how to use the machine properly. what do they say?
that the "cutmaster 39" can "sever" 5/8" material? i never tried, maybe it
can. it just seemed to me my plasma cutter doesn't cut as well as i had
hoped it would, i was pretty disappointed, maybe it's just teh way i use it
though. (i just reviewed their info) yeah, if it was me i'd get the next
size larger machine, at least, if not two sizes larger, for me at the time i
bought my machine that was WAY more than i wanted to spend.
b.w.
Cutting speed ratings paint the clearest picture, although they can be
hard to find sometimes. Mine is rated to sever 3/4, but at an
impractically slow rate. Still useful occasionally on such thickness
for short cuts of material that won't fit in the chop saw. Anyway, the
ratings assume that the consumables are in good shape, which tends to
make the ratings overly optimistic. With even somewhat worn
consumables, mine will breeze through 1/8" and cut 1/4" acceptably,
but gets sluggish at 3/8", particularly when starting at awkward
angles. On thick stuff I usually start with new consumables and try to
get through any difficult areas early. I keep the worn consumables for
lighter material, or for when clean cuts aren't important. One other
note about my machine - I find that unshielded consumables yield a
narrower kerf and therefore are more effective on thick material. I
only use the shielded parts when I'm using a template, since the
square edge of the shielded cap makes that easier.
Wayne
