compressor for plasma cutting

[chunkolini]

I am on the brink of a job that will involve a heap of freehand plasma cutting
ie fifty of these around 800mm long for the leaves with options on more for my favourite fashion chain

yippee, a hideous job in these numbers but part of the game.
yes I could get them laser cut but they like the hand made element of it and each one being different.

my old compressor is a noisy thing getting on for twenty years old and is a real pain when I have classes on.
Ive seen these advertised at a reasonable price

Hyundai 50 Litre Air Compressor, 11CFM/100psi, Oil Free, Low Noise, 2

PLEASE NOTE: THIS ITEM IS DISPATCHED STRAIGHT FROM THE MANUFACTURER AND CAN TAKE UP TO 7 DAYS TO BE DELIVERED Low noise air compressor. OIL FREE - maintenance free and no oil contamination. 2x Hyundai 750w (1500w combined) / 230v direct drive electric motor with UK 3-pin 13amp plug. 50 litre...

cartecuk.com

Possible a bit over specced but better that than over work a lesser unit. There is also a 24l version that would probably do the job https://cartecuk.com/products/hyund...WkQqEYDTkUa_I4rCBreWYqdytkeSiwsxoCLYQQAvD_BwE
I wont be using air powered tools (or will I?; doubt it but .....)
my plasma cutter is a GYS Cut 40 I cant find the air needs for it but have googled around 80psi and 6cfm? that does sound a lot to me

GYS Easycut 40 Plasma Cutter

At Premier Welding we aim to

www.premierwelding.com

 

[wyn]

Make sure your building power supply has enough ummph for the compressor and plasma running at the same time.
Plus maybe lights and a kettle and a heater.

 

[chunkolini]

no problems regards electric. Iver been in there for nine years
but good thinking

 

[Pigeon poo welder]

I am on the brink of a job that will involve a heap of freehand plasma cutting
ie fifty of these around 800mm long for the leaves with options on more for my favourite fashion chain
View attachment 454871

yippee, a hideous job in these numbers but part of the game.
yes I could get them laser cut but they like the hand made element of it and each one being different.

my old compressor is a noisy thing getting on for twenty years old and is a real pain when I have classes on.
Ive seen these advertised at a reasonable price

Hyundai 50 Litre Air Compressor, 11CFM/100psi, Oil Free, Low Noise, 2

PLEASE NOTE: THIS ITEM IS DISPATCHED STRAIGHT FROM THE MANUFACTURER AND CAN TAKE UP TO 7 DAYS TO BE DELIVERED Low noise air compressor. OIL FREE - maintenance free and no oil contamination. 2x Hyundai 750w (1500w combined) / 230v direct drive electric motor with UK 3-pin 13amp plug. 50 litre...

cartecuk.com

Possible a bit over specced but better that than over work a lesser unit. There is also a 24l version that would probably do the job https://cartecuk.com/products/hyund...WkQqEYDTkUa_I4rCBreWYqdytkeSiwsxoCLYQQAvD_BwE
I wont be using air powered tools (or will I?; doubt it but .....)
my plasma cutter is a GYS Cut 40 I cant find the air needs for it but have googled around 80psi and 6cfm? that does sound a lot to me

GYS Easycut 40 Plasma Cutter

At Premier Welding we aim to

www.premierwelding.com

Hi GYS plasma needs 115 litres per minute on the air to run, issue is the compressor is only 50 ltrs and will constantly run as the receiver isn't large enough. I would look at a compressor with 150 ltr tank. You only need 5.5 bar ( Approx 77 psi) to run a plasma the air receiver is the most important part

 

[gaz1]

go bigger

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wolf-Dakota-150psi-Cylinder-Compressor/dp/B007VOLOHG

Recommend me a water filter for a 10bar compressor?

Hi all eagerly awaiting delivery of this and was wondering whether I should fit a water filter? According to the specs, it is; • Air displacement: 14CFM • Motor: 3HP • Tank Capacity: 90 Litre air receiver • Max Working Pressure: 150psi (10BAR) When I look at Amazon, ebay, etc. there is...

www.mig-welding.co.uk

if you want silent buy a screw compressor

 

[Morrisman]

Hi GYS plasma needs 115 litres per minute on the air to run, issue is the compressor is only 50 ltrs and will constantly run as the receiver isn't large enough. I would look at a compressor with 150 ltr tank. You only need 5.5 bar ( Approx 77 psi) to run a plasma the air receiver is the most important part

The size of the receiver has nothing to do with the amount of air the compressor produces. If it can’t produce 115 actual litres per minute then you’ll get lower and lower pressure until the plasma cuts out.

 

[Barking Mat]

Mine's 200 litres, you have to pause after 3 or 4 minutes, to let it catch up, or you kill plasma nozzles.

 

[bricol]

I have a 2.2kW hydrovane - it runs near enough continuously when using a similarly sized plasma on 3mm steel. With my little compressor on a 24ltr tank, it runs flat out and you simply run out of air - it cannot keep up with the volume required.

You think you will pause and wait for it to catch up . . . but that means waiting for it trip out - how long does your's take to fill? That soon gets old.

 

[not done it yet]

Hi GYS plasma needs 115 litres per minute on the air to run, issue is the compressor is only 50 ltrs and will constantly run as the receiver isn't large enough. I would look at a compressor with 150 ltr tank. You only need 5.5 bar ( Approx 77 psi) to run a plasma the air receiver is the most important part

Receiver volume has no bearing whatsoever on whether the pump will, or will not, trip out - only how long it stays off. If the pump is producing less than is being used, it will never switch off after it initially fires up under use.

 

[Turbo]

Depending on your budget but I would suggest one of the Clarke 3hp 14cfm units. Top quality & will give you more than enough air. If you keep a look out they are often available second hand.

 

[julianthegypsy]

Depending on your budget but I would suggest one of the Clarke 3hp 14cfm units. Top quality & will give you more than enough air. If you keep a look out they are often available second hand.

3hp belt driven, definitely.

 

[Robert Weaver]

I have that Hyundai silent model and, set at 70psi, my plasma consumes more volume than the compressor can produce. Just means I need to stop after around 45 seconds and wait (likely a good thing for duty time) for refill. (My low pressure trip is 70ps, so the cutting air supply is constant.)

does get tiresome.

If you need longer cutting time, better look elsewhere.

Edit: by this I mean you can't run on compressors alone, regardless of tank size.

 

[Morrisman]

I’ve seen plasma cutters advertised with their own built in compressor. Until I actually use my R-tech cut 30 and realised just how much air it uses I thought they were a good idea. Now I can’t imagine how they work, unless they’re pretty huge.

 

[not done it yet]

Edit: by this I mean you can't run on compressors alone, regardless of tank size.

???? Don’t think you mean that ….or….do you mean you can’t run on receivers alone? That might make sense.

 

[Morrisman]

My little puffer barely keeps up with my plasma cutter, and mines about the smallest model plasma you can buy. It runs at 50psi max to the cutter.

 

[hotponyshoes]

I’ve seen plasma cutters advertised with their own built in compressor. Until I actually use my R-tech cut 30 and realised just how much air it uses I thought they were a good idea. Now I can’t imagine how they work, unless they’re pretty huge.

I have no idea how they work.
The lidi version with the in-built compressor will run at 35amps until it overheats. But the compressor inside keeps up just fine.

What I can't understand, the whole thing only costs £150(?) so you would think you would be able to buy the same compressor as a stand-alone for <£100

Looking at the job the op needs to do it looks like thin metal.
Probably cheaper just to buy the lidl plasma.
All runs automatically off a single socket as well then.

Although, the lidl has a 16a plug (might work fine on a 13a for the thickness he is using?)
Also, when you let go of the trigger on the lidi, it post-flows for a few seconds. During the post-flow you can't re-start.
That may have just been a fault on the one I was using but that got annoying quickly and I could see myself getting really annoyed if I was cutting those leaves out.
Probably a way of disabling that if you had a look inside?

 

[Erie Fred]

Also, when you let go of the trigger on the lidi, it post-flows for a few seconds. During the post-flow you can't re-start.
That may have just been a fault on the one I was using but that got annoying quickly and I could see myself getting really annoyed if I was cutting those leaves out.
Probably a way of disabling that if you had a look inside?

Is this a snap start or HF torch ?
snap start, the "blow" air also actuates the piston in the torch, unless it's a new Hypertherm.

 

[hotponyshoes]

Is this a snap start or HF torch ?
snap start, the "blow" air also actuates the piston in the torch, unless it's a new Hypertherm.

No idea, it was the black lidl/parkside version.
Not my machine, I was using it at someone else's place. Running down 6m Lengths of Angle. Worked fine, I was surprised at the capability of the inbuilt compressor

 

[chunkolini]

some useful answers here.
Screw compressors look way over budget.
I reckon around the £400 mark. My ancient SIP thing keeps up with the plasma ok and I do a skip load of it.
Main thing it must be getting tired and if the job comes off it will pay well and I figure pension the old one off and keep it as a back up.
Noise is an issue the old thing sounds like a bomber taking off.
im in work Monday and will get photos of the old thing and check how much air the plasma needs.
the little ones with a built in compressor sound like great fun, great for security vans and shipping containers

 

[Robert Weaver]

???? Don’t think you mean that ….or….do you mean you can’t run on receivers alone? That might make sense.

Probably the latter. Certainly there's no way to run isolated compressors alone, free of receiver tank. I meant the draw from the plasma cutter is more than the pumps can deliver to the receiver, so the net pressure always drops, ie the compressor can't keep up with demand.