is a Consumable Kit nessesary?

[John T]

I'm about to place order on a powermax 45
what are the parts that will most likely need to be replaced and good to have handy?

I could get the small consumables kit for $85.00
•(1) 120925 Swirl Ring
•(1) 220713 Retaining Cap
•(1) 220674 Shield Cap
•(3) 220669 Electrodes
•(3) 220671 Nozzles
•(1) Storage Case

OR the big kit for $129.00

•Shield ( 1 ) 220674
•Retaining Cap ( 1 ) 220713
•Nozzle ( 5 ) 220671
•Swirl Ring ( 1 ) 220670
•Electrode ( 7 ) 220669
•Gouge Shield ( 1 ) 220675
•Gouge Nozzle ( 1 ) 220672
•Deflector ( 1 ) 220717
•Ext. Nozzle ( 1 ) 220718

or just pick up a few spare nozzels and electrodes
for $4.00 each...

what are the items most replaced?

thanks.

[jimcolt]

If you break down the pricing...the consumable kits are less expensive. It's really your decision......there is a starter kit that comes with your system....just a few ( I don't recall how many) extra nozzles and electrodes.

You will use more nozzles than anything else.....especially if you are piercing and cutting thicker than gauge material....that being said, I know some users of the 45 that are still on their first or second nozzle after months of use.

Jim Colt

[John T]

You will use more nozzles than anything else.

Jim Colt


Thanks.
thats just what i needed to know.

since I'm over budget a "tad" I think I'll just pick up a few extra nozzles then. :drinkup:

[specter]

Hi Ya again John glad to hear that you decided on the 45. You'll be surprised just how long the consumables will last. I don't know who you are buying the unit from but if weldersource they usually put in some extra consumables. Plus If you are a disabled veteran they have given an extra discount, consumables and few extra goodies as well.

Thats some little bug you have on your signature. My granddaughter thought it was a bug on the screen. She nearly knocked over my laptop trying to bop that bug.:laugh:

[John T]

Welding Supply Company of Louisville, Inc.
weldersource.com

Name Code Qty Each Options
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hypertherm Powermax 45 Plasma Cutter 1 - $1519.00 (Option = Hand Torch 20' 088016)
Protective Cover for Powermax 45 Plasma Cutter 127219 1 - $35.00
Nozzle Powermax 45 220671 2 - $4.00
Electrode Powermax 45 220669 2 - $8.50
Subtotal $1579.00
Shipping 0.00
Tax 0.00
Total $1579.00


:cool2::blob3::D

[specter]

Not a bad price I believe that is same price as weldersource.com minus the freebies.

[John T]

Not a bad price I believe that is same price as weldersource.com minus the freebies.


Welding Supply Company of Louisville, Inc IS weldersource.com :D

[specter]

:jester:ah OK shows ya how much I paid attention to their address.:cool:

Did they throw in any freebies? like gloves, goggles, consumables?

[John T]

:jester:ah OK shows ya how much I paid attention to their address.:cool:

Did they throw in any freebies? like gloves, goggles, consumables?

well,
your not the only one...
I didn't notice this on the website:

thats OK though... now I have 4 extra electrodes and 4 extra nozzles :cool:

Free pair of gloves, safety glasses, (2) electrodes, (2) nozzles
with purchase of this machine

[specter]

glad to hear that you got some freebies. Weldersource is a great company to deal with. Now you should have enough consumables to last you for awhile.

[MoonRise]

As said, the most 'used' items are the nozzles and the electrodes.

But also remember that without ALL the required pieces for the hot-end of the torch, the machine won't work.

And the price for the consumables kit usually gives you a price break compared to buying all the pieces by themselves.

What do you -need- to run the machine? Electrode, nozzle, swirl-ring, cap AFAIK. The other parts (deflector, gouging tip, etc) may be useful or necessary for certain operations (like gouging with the gouging tip), but usually aren't necessary for plain cutting operations.

If you have a well-stocked LWS or can live with the machine being out-of-service while you order/get replacement parts, then you can just get parts when you need them. Sucks though to be in the middle of a job/project and not have a nozzle or you crack the cap because you dropped the torch or something.

Your call as to how many spare parts you need or want to have around.

Note, feed the plasma cutter CLEAN DRY air and the consumables last -much- longer and your cut quality is much better. Look around here on the forum for someone recently who was having horrible consumable consumption because he wasn't giving his plasma clean DRY air.

(still on my first nozzle, although the tip is looking a bit rough that is mostly cosmetic. But I do have spares. :D )

[John T]

As said, the most 'used' items are the nozzles and the electrodes.

But also remember that without ALL the required pieces for the hot-end of the torch, the machine won't work.

And the price for the consumables kit usually gives you a price break compared to buying all the pieces by themselves.

What do you -need- to run the machine? Electrode, nozzle, swirl-ring, cap AFAIK. The other parts (deflector, gouging tip, etc) may be useful or necessary for certain operations (like gouging with the gouging tip), but usually aren't necessary for plain cutting operations.
D )
I have no experience with plasma, so please forgive me but,
your saying that the machine I just bought will not come with the proper tips for Gouging and or cutting? :confused:
or your simply saying it's a good idea too have ALL types of spare tips/nozzles etc. ?

[LarryO]

The torch should have a set of consumables to cut fitted when you get your machine.

Its good to have spares. I brought 5 tips and nozzles when i got my machine and it also came with a consumables pack.

The original consumables fitted when i brought the machine lasted over 12 months.
Here is a test i did with the new and old tips on my 45.

http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=37524

For someone who dont cut often or abuse the tip, i recon you could get at least a couple of years out of one set.

Good luck with your new machine. Im sure you will be happy.

I was......:D

[MoonRise]

I have no experience with plasma, so please forgive me but,
your saying that the machine I just bought will not come with the proper tips for Gouging and or cutting? :confused:
or your simply saying it's a good idea too have ALL types of spare tips/nozzles etc. ?

The Hypertherm machine comes with the tip/nozzle for cutting and all the necessary parts for the torch to work for cutting things (the swirl ring and the electrode and the cap).

It also comes with a few (2?) spare/replacement electrodes and nozzles. Those are the parts that will typically wear out (or get consumed :D ) with normal use of the machine.

So, right out of the box, the machine is set and ready to go for cutting things and it includes a few of the most commonly needed consumable items.

If you want to do gouging with the machine, then you kind of need the gouging parts (not included in the basic machine). If you don't need to do gouging, then you don't need the gouging parts.

The swirl ring doesn't wear out too much typically, but the torch won't work without it.

The cap doesn't wear out too much typically, but again the torch won't work without it.

It's your call as to how many and what spare parts you want to have on hand, based somewhat on how long you can tolerate having the machine down/out-of-service if you do somehow wear out or break some of the replaceable/consumable parts of the torch and how well stocked (or just how quickly) your LWS can get needed spare parts for you or how quickly you can order and get spare parts yourself.

It sucks to be in the middle of a job/project and run out of some consumable, so I figured for me I wanted to have -some- level of spare parts on hand so I wouldn't be out-of-service. That kind of worked out to mean just get a consumables kit. I haven't needed it yet, but then again you usually hope you don't need your spare tire either. :laugh:

And as mentioned, the Hypertherm consumables kit usually gives you a price break on things compared to buying them all separately.

And your consumables will last MUCH longer and you will get better cuts if you supply the machine with clean DRY compressed air. Look here on the forum for someone who recently mentioned/posted how their plasma cutter was eating consumables like candy and it turns out they were not giving the plasma cutter clean dry air. The Hypertherm machines like the PM30 and the PM45 have a (small) built-in filter to try and keep the air going into the machine clean and dry, but it can be (and apparently was) 'overwhelmed' if you don't do at least -some- filtering of the air before you send it into the plasma machine. The general level of cleanliness and dryness required of the air supply for a plasma cutter is about the same as for spray painting, ie pretty darn clean and dry.

So unless you already have some good/decent air filtration and air drier on your compressed air supply, remember to take care of that. I figure about $100 of filter/dryer stuff is about the minimum needed. The Motorguard filters are used often and apparently well, other pieces parts can be used too.

That ~$100 filter/dryer stuff pays for itself in consumable life. I'm still on my first nozzle for my plasma cutter (granted I don't use it constantly), that other guy went through enough nozzles and electrodes to probably pay for the filter set-up before he figured it out.

[John T]

If you want to do gouging with the machine, then you kind of need the gouging parts (not included in the basic machine). If you don't need to do gouging, then you don't need the gouging parts.
thanks , I will look into getting the gouging parts as well .. gotta look up the part #'s ... every guy should gouge once in a while, right? :D.


So unless you already have some good/decent air filtration and air drier on your compressed air supply, remember to take care of that..yes, I have a water seperator/ dessicant filter and I also have a Motorguard 56 ? (the big one) filter dedicated to the plasma cutter only.

[John T]

I got my PM 45 today.
works great.
just to let you all know, It does come with a set of gouging consumables also.

consumables included:
1 set already installed on the gun...
And
4 extra electrodes
4 extra nozzels
1 pair gloves
1 pair of safety glasses.

I also bought 2 nozzels and 2 electrodes, so I now have 6 xtra nozzles and 6 xtra electrodes.. :cool:

I'm not sure if weldersource gave me all the xtra consumables OR hypertherm...
either way, I'm happy. :waving:

[specter]

Kind of like Christmas when you get to open that PowerMax 45 box and peer in at all those goodies. Very easy to setup and operate. Plus the manual has some great charts showing how to set up to cut various types and thicknesses of metal.

[John T]

easy,

yep, I was hooked up and cutting in no time flat.

amazing how small the machine is for what it does.
good times. :D

[fhsfiremanco1]

I know I am still amazed by the powermax 30.