Powermax 30 XP Plasma Cutter with Case 088079

For the small size and light weight of this unit it is amazing what it can do. Just hook up power and compressed air and it is ready to go. So far I have used it to cut sheet steel to 10 gauge and steel angle iron. Works great. I haven't tried it on steel thicker than 3/16-inch so far but have no doubt it can cut to the thicknesses claimed. My welding instructor recommended Hypertherm and I am glad I took his advice.

I had ordered the wrong equipment and when I discovered what I had done, I contacted them and got the correct order number, ordered it, received it and it was what I needed and ordered. They were most helpful. Thank you

Hypertherm is the best brand for plasma cutting period! Other brands require you to stay 1/8tg inch or better away from whatever your cutting or you risk shorting out your machine but this hypertherm actually touches the material your cutting for better accuracy and control. Also this machine will cut 1/8th inch plate all day long without turning off or needing to cool down. This is a great machine for anyone and the consumables last as long as you have a great filter for your air compressor (I recommend the 175.00 one from hypertherm) one never has an issue with this machine and I have cut allot of designs out and I'm still using the sample packs of consumables! Also recommend getting the leather wrap for your 17' of cabling as you could damage it easily and 500 bucks to replace isn't cheap.

Let me start by saying that I do not own this but we have them at the fabrication shop that I work at. I've been a metal fabricator for a little over 28 years and since we got these machines about 2 years ago I've used it extensively everyday, I'm at the point where I rarely use my torch set at all. We mainly use from 14ga to quarter inch, I've even used it to cut half inch rod. If you are a hobbyist you'll be fine but for commercial use we're seeing an issue with a plastic water separator just inside at the air connection in time develops a small leak that eventually turns into a big enough leak that the machine will not operate. It's a design flaw in the casting of the part. It's happened twice with the one I use and one other is starting to leak. It's happened enough for our welding supplier to keep them in stock as a replacement part. This wouldn't keep me from buying one in the future for myself I just figured I'd put that out there for people to know. Again this is in a commercial application and it gets used constantly throughout the day 5 sometimes 6 days a week.

My husband absolutely adored this plasma cutter when he got it. He was very surprised when he opened it on Christmas. We had a slight issue in that the fine cut consumables were not in the box for some reason. But we contacted the seller Harris Welding Supplies and talked to Shelby. If you ever have to contact this company Shelby is your woman to get the job done. She was very informative and on the ball. She expressed how sorry she was that the part wasn't in the box and got hold of a tech or someone and they were going to send out the part right away. She even called me 15 minutes later or so and let me know that they got it all sorted and should be in the mail by end of the day. Shelby is AWESOME. When my husband actually started playing with his new toy he was very impressed with the normal cut the machine could do with the regular consumables. Very little slag and he had to do very little grinding or sanding or whatever it is one does to clean the cut. When he got the fine cut consumables for it he was even happier at the even BETTER clean cut he got. He said just a little but of grinding to clean up very little slag end and it would be good to go. He was seriously impressed. And while we ordered the consumables we needed off amazon cause we love this place. We also know that there are local stores in our area that actually stock what we need for consumables. It does need an air compressor since it doesn't come with one but that is not a problem since we have a compressor in the shop. For anyone interested in getting a plasma cutter this would be a very good one to look at. And if you need a good seller check out harris cause they have truly awesome customer service as well.

It took me sooo long to decide on which machine to buy but, after I viewed an unbiased demo video of the Hypertherm Powermax 30XP I was convinced. And it was within my budget. I like that it packs away easily because sometimes I need to make space available in my shop or take it with me somewhere. Being a practical woman, I didn't want anything that was heavy and cumbersome. I currently teach a Metal Sculpture class and its high-tech drag tip protective design allows my students to focus on controlling their body movements while cutting rather than worrying if the tip will stick to the metal. It's fool proof and works consistently well. I find it to be a highly reliable machine. Because this machine is without hiccups, all my students are inspired by seeing what they can do using a plasma cutter AND are introduced to a machine that works the way any user would expect. They just want to play with this machine it all day! This machine has all my student signing up the next level class! ...***this is additional comment*** After I bought this machine the company came out with a version that offer Air compression inside the machine! This one is called the PowerMax "AIR". I suggest buying this one if you want to be more portable. If you don't need to be portable then get the XP and use a 30+ gal air compressor. Still loving it!

If you don't need to regularly fast cut 3/8 steel or 1/2 inch, this is the tool for you. Now if you absolutely have to cut some 3/8 or slightly bigger (even 1/2 inch), the Hypertherm will do it. (watch the YouTube vids on the PowerMax30 XP) It will just be very slow. I practiced on some 1/4 and 10 gage and it worked like a charm on 110v dedicated 20A circuit. Your milage may vary if you don't have a dedicated 20 amp circuit. I have yet to try it on 220V as I have yet to have 220 installed in my workshop. As well as this works on a dedicated 20A 110v circuit, I imagine it will even be much better on 220. I know you can buy less expensive imported dual voltage plasma cutters, but what if something goes wrong. Where are you going for warranty service or to get fixed. That thing is a pretty big paperweight if'n it doesn't work! I have only had it for a little over a week and its probably too soon to review. However it so exceeded my expectations I felt compelled. I can always amend this review later if it takes a bad turn. You know tho I don't think it will.

Broke this in on a 4 x 8 sheet of 0.25" plate. Cuts nicely on that thickness but you do have to be really steady to get a fine result. Important to note the difference between simply making a cut and making a clean, straight cut that requires almost no cleaning. It cuts almost as fast as you can move the torch on thinner materials. The drag tip is very nice, especially if you've ever used a traditional torch. Cutting without dragging right on the work surface allowed for a surprisingly deeper/faster cut. The unit is extremely compact and lightweight. It comes with a sturdy case and literally everything you need to start cutting with the exception of air. On that note, I was able to do some light work with a puny pancake compressor and it did just fine - air requirements are pretty low if you are making small/short cuts. I am very pleased with this cutter. If I had to do .025" frequently, I would move up to the Powermax 45. Otherwise, this one is the right choice. This 30 amp unit cuts as well or better than 40 amp imports and Hypertherm has a reputation on par with Miller and Lincoln. Buy with confidence.