Plasma Cutter & Plasma/AC-DC TIG/Stick (Inverter Design = Magic!)

[DivTec]

Originally Posted by USMCPOP

Bite a big one. Eat shit and die, as we used to say.

Ok... I'll give you a thrill... and tell you that your comment made me feel sad.

[DivTec]

Originally Posted by GWIZ

"TECHNOLOGY"
That is the new infomercial coined word for 2016.

Like "HD" for 2015
Like "TURBO"

Are they still paralleling the transistors ?

What... did I misspell the word?

Yes... they do "still" parallel the transistors... which is really just fine.
Do you know why? Hmm.
Ok... I'll tell you. One reason, is because when they parallel, the combined On resistance is reduced. Check out ohm's law. We want the lowest On resistance possible... which mean lower heat (waste) and more power to the tip... yeah! And another positive side-effect is smaller heat-sink... which mean lower machine weight, small machine size... shall I go on... well maybe not because other reasons are not coming to mind... although I may think of some later. Oh heah, cost.

[DivTec]

Sincerely, thank you all for your comments, suggestions, and questions.

Hopefully, your not done.

Hey, maybe someone can stump me.

Here is the challenge!

Anyone who stumps me get's $200 discount on the PT50/200ACDC

However, one condition, you must agree to TEST THE HELL OUT OF THE MACHINE and report back anything you are dissatisfied with. Now I do not mean superficial stuff like your opinion where the torch trigger button is too small or too large or the color, bla bla bla.
Anything to do with performance.
I am really serious about anyone that is not a pretender will be amazed at the performance of this machine.

BTW... same technology applies to our other models too... just different features different prices.

-THIS GUY CUTS UP ENGINE BLOCKS WITH OUR PT50dv PLASMA CUTTER-
There is a customer of ours that uses his 50amp plasma cutter to cut up engine blocks. He wrote an article called "Fun with a plasma cutter" which is on backyardmetalcasting.com. Very interesting article and good photos. For those interested or just want to be entertained... here is the link --> http://backyardmetalcasting.com/plasmafun01.html

[WeekendWarrior]

Originally Posted by DivTec

I know how you feel... but, you'd be selling yourself short out of stubbornness. I mean another way to look at it, is that you get to keep a hell of a lot more $ in your pocket...

This is partly why America is going down the tubes, we're giving our money to the Chinese.

Originally Posted by DivTec

not mention that unfortunately no combo machines are made by US mfg's.

I have a Lincoln 210 MP. It does stick, TIG, MIG and FC. Is that not a multi-process machine?

Originally Posted by DivTec

WTF! I'm the closest you got, I import base machines (since 2004, do internet search) and technically embellish, cause I know how. And yet another bummer... can't find technical help these days. Hopefully, things will change in November. Go Mr. T!

This could make you feel better. I least the Chinese chose to us US designed Pulse Width Modulation chip. I mean great design... the workhorse. SG2535.
Turthfully, the machines that chose back in 2004 turned out to be an amazing design. Not sure if it's a copy or was designed by the Chinese. Really not anything but, properly designed classic inverter technology. They just did it right. I looked at two other designs back then, one was a technical embarrassment , the other was just mediocre.
The problem China has is quality of the build... as they let anyone build products, so quality varies. But, that's way we do, every machine we sell has been prepped. Very important!

[Shade Tree Welder]

Cutter are you going to send him the advertising bill?

[WeekendWarrior]

If you know so much about inverter technology and electronics of welders, why are you buying and modifying Chinese welders instead of having them made in the U.S. or at least buying and modifying U.S. made welders?

If your mods and knowledge are so great then you certainly shouldn't have a problem finding a U.S. capital investment group to back your start up. Hell, if nothing else, start a go fund me page. Negotiate with Lincoln or Miller to have them supply you with U.S. made basic welders and then modify them in your own facility.

I tell you, if you could make a U.S. made welder that will do AC/DC stick, MIG, FC, AC/DC TIG and have a plasma cutter in it too, with decent duty cycle, warranty, in a 40lb package you'd have every serious home hobbiest, custom fabricator and probably a good bit of the professional welders beating a path to your door...even if the thing cost $2,500.

The biggest issue with Chinese made stuff is durability. Typically the higher the technology involved, the crappier it is. Will it even turn on in a week, a month, a year? The second biggest issue is warranty, or at least getting anything fixed or replaced under warranty. Third is having a local facility to take the thing to in order to get warranty work, or parts without having to spend a fortune in shipping it back and waiting weeks or months for the repair or replacement, or getting parts and accessories.

[platypus20]

somewhere here I posted a picture of a Chinese plasma cutter that burst into flames the first time it was plugged in.


I personally would never buy an all-in-one machine, I'll stick with my Millers, Lincolns and Hypertherms. Purpose built machines, used for that purpose.

[DivTec]

Originally Posted by WeekendWarrior

If you know so much about inverter technology and electronics of welders, why are you buying and modifying Chinese welders instead of having them made in the U.S. or at least buying and modifying U.S. made welders?

If your mods and knowledge are so great then you certainly shouldn't have a problem finding a U.S. capital investment group to back your start up. Hell, if nothing else, start a go fund me page. Negotiate with Lincoln or Miller to have them supply you with U.S. made basic welders and then modify them in your own facility.

I tell you, if you could make a U.S. made welder that will do AC/DC stick, MIG, FC, AC/DC TIG and have a plasma cutter in it too, with decent duty cycle, warranty, in a 40lb package you'd have every serious home hobbiest, custom fabricator and probably a good bit of the professional welders beating a path to your door...even if the thing cost $2,500.

The biggest issue with Chinese made stuff is durability. Typically the higher the technology involved, the crappier it is. Will it even turn on in a week, a month, a year? The second biggest issue is warranty, or at least getting anything fixed or replaced under warranty. Third is having a local facility to take the thing to in order to get warranty work, or parts without having to spend a fortune in shipping it back and waiting weeks or months for the repair or replacement, or getting parts and accessories.

I do like your post of "frustration"? I think?
Anyway... I am not bragging when I say what I know.
To answer your questions and comments...
1) Because they are inexpensive enough and of exceptional design that I can use my talents to offer a Great machine, at a Great price for those that don't resist logical changes after I thoroughly prepare them... because you are correct... the build quality is unreliable. Design is great, part quality is the same as what Miller or the other use... since virtually all electronic parts come from the orient.

BTW... I'd be seriously willing to compare performance of your machine to mine. I think that would be very interesting to members of this site. Are you up for that? I'm talking serious friendly competition no matter how politically incorrect it may be. Although I may be operating under a handicap since I do not claim to be a welder. I would expect you to assist me in proper technique as you see fit... to make the competition fair. Agree?

BTW... how much did that multi-function machine cost. Because it looks you made eat my words when I stated incorrectly that US mfg's do not make combination machine. My bad! I should have said "as far as I know" or something like that. Sorry. You right I'm wrong.

2) I do not know about the GoFundMe... and those kinds of sites. However, I know of them... and that is not a bad suggestion. If I could find someone to do it... since I can't do everything... I would strongly consider it. and that brings me to your next comment.

3) Yes... you are not far off when you suggest a machine with Plasma, AC-DC TIG, AC-DC Stick. Well that is the PT50/200ACDC I've posting about, less the MIG functionality. Did you watch the video and check it out at http://parkermetalworking.com/parkermp120416_005.htm?
The only function that is missing is the MIG... which is doable (I've got the circuitry running on simulator). I'm not sure what you mean, FC (frequency control?). If so... my PT50/200ACDC has that feature for AC TIG.
Is 60% duty-cycle at 100% power, and 100% continuous operation at 3/4 power good enough? Actually it's more like continuous operation as we've never had a report of it cycling on over-temp from any customers. Inverter machines DO NOT suffer from the duty-cycle over-heat issue like transformer based machines do. (I can explain why if you want). It all comes down to power in, to power out, efficiency.
Our Inverter machines are typically 85-87% efficient... hence virtually no duty-cycle parameter applies. Fact not fiction!
Additionally... due to the inherent efficiency, the current is low. How low you ask... well, let me tell you. Our 50AMP PLASMA, 200 AMP AC-DC TIG, STICK draws a maximum of ~24 amps. (I can do the power math for you if you are want). Yep... that means you can run this machine on 12 gauge power cable, over 100 ft. due to the low current draw. Obviously, that coupled with the low weight of ~40lbs equals extreme portability. Hey it runs on a close dryer circuit with enough left over (just barely) for the compressor (2.5 hp >).

So as much as you hate the facts... really, think about that... they are facts.
It's not my fault that US manufactures did not produced a combination machine like the Chinese make.
They should have, they could have, but they didn't.
You tell me why, because I do not know. Just file it under the category... America's disintegration.

So back to the challenge, you up for it? I am!
These days we have great photo and video ability on our cell phones.
So it's a can do, if we want too.

I addition it would provide interest with regard to welding, cutting and even more interest in this ShopFloorTalk site.

Agreed?

Hey anyone out there think it would be a great entertaining competition?

[cutter]

Originally Posted by Shade Tree Welder

Cutter are you going to send him the advertising bill?

Nah, but if he doesn't morph into a mawmaw I might try to help him correct the most glaring grammatical errors in his ad copy.

[DivTec]

Originally Posted by platypus20

somewhere here I posted a picture of a Chinese plasma cutter that burst into flames the first time it was plugged in.


I personally would never buy an all-in-one machine, I'll stick with my Millers, Lincolns and Hypertherms. Purpose built machines, used for that purpose.

Oh yeah! Well, I've got a Miller repair job that I couldn't fix because the micro-controller board went up in flames. Want photos so you know I'm not lying?

Micro-controllers are fine except it makes it impossible to repair due to the functionality being in software and not a common hardware component that can be troubleshot and replaced.

Millers are great machine no doubt! I'm just saying people must realize all these machines are "high-tech" and can fail. Thank goodness that there are redundant systems on air-planes.
If you want ultimate reliability... buy a toaster... but don't expect it to weld worth a crap.

BTW... I'm just sayin... expect $800 to over $1000 if your Miller dies... because they do not troubleshoot to the component level... the just only offer board replacement. At least that is complaints from many customer that had Miller or Hobart. Again, I'm just sayin.

Better for the company, worse for the customer.

After our warranty of 1 year labor, 3 years electronic parts... we repair at $69 / hour with a 4 to 5 hour maximum depending upon the machine.

But, sense we know the electronics theory of operation of all our machines we can more times than not provide problem solution by phone.

Try to find fault with that... by golly.