Another Marketplace find..

[Scott V]

I was searching for a Thermal Dynamics SL-60/100 hand torch on Craiglist/Ebay, and Market place. The ATC style and the Cheaper RPT is going for huge money now.. You can still find them for $500 here, and there but mostly over $700 + now.. That led me to a Marketplace ad about a old Thermal Pakmaster 50 (at least 25 years old now)Was listed for $150 non working,but had a pretty new SL60 RPT torch, and a spare with a burned up cable end. Also came with quite few consumables that match my machine torch..

Anyway,
drove over to the valley to a huge farm, and in the maintenance shop was the cutter and parts.. Took it home, and messed with it a bit, and it was dead like they said, although it did turn on, just no spark.. I was trying to retro some parts out of the torches, and took the torch off the machine. Had the adapter that fit the old machine opened up,and a couple of the wires/ pins was loose, I reinstalled the torch,and it fired off.Just a few more adjustments it was cutting like new. Really better than new, because of the better torch setup..These machines are only 35 amps output rated , but it was outputting 38 amps and a good strong arc.. That means 40 amp consumables can now be used with the shielded tips or dragged with good consumable life.. The only downside is the machine is heavy, at 68 pounds, but it is built like a tank. Just sitting on my other dinosaur, the Esab CV-353.. I have been using it a lot, and it has not missed a beat..