Bought a Chinese plasma....

[paulkeith]

Just tossed in an order for one of the chinese plasma cutters for sale on pirate. I went with longevity-inc / A2Z instead of divtec. Seems divtec has been having pretty consistent customer service issues, stories of the owner being a total jackass, etc.

I got the LC-416D 40amp plasma/stick/tig combo. The tig/stick combo unit was like $100 more than just the plain plasma so I said what the hell. He also threw in a 30 pack of consumables and free shipping.

Not sure if its a mistake or not. I'll get to play with it in about two weeks, so I'll let you know then. Brand name stuff is like twice the price...but wasting half the cost of a good unit doesn't do any good either.

flame away. bitches.
Paul

[Pearce]

flame away. bitches.
Paul

Thanks for supporting china from the USA.

[CrawlerReady]

Well let us know how it works and make sure to throw up some pictures!

[ATL ZJ]

My friend's Parker/divtec 40 amp machine that I've borrowed stopped working while in my possession, so unfortunately I'm on the hook to make it work again. Hope yours brings better luck.

[dp96zj]

I looked at the title and automatically assumed that it broke already.

[paulkeith]

Thanks for supporting china from the USA.

Fair enough. Find me a company in the US that will make me a cheapo plasma at 1/3 the cost of a brand name unit, and you got a buyer

Well let us know how it works and make sure to throw up some pictures!

done. should be here next week.

My friend's Parker/divtec 40 amp machine that I've borrowed stopped working while in my possession, so unfortunately I'm on the hook to make it work again. Hope yours brings better luck.

dude...I was going to whore your compressed air to try it out. I changed my mind and had it shipped here instead of SC, so I'll have it in a few days. BUT...if you have bad chinasma mojo, stay away.

I looked at the title and automatically assumed that it broke already.

yeah. dammit. We'll see how she holds up. The warranty from these guys is supposed to cover shipping back and forth if it fails which should cover me for a while at least.

[Pearce]

Oh I forgot to add,
if you got protable air, I've got power, lets try it out on my YJ. Going to need to do some cutting during the axle swap!


Cam, I was going to ask you about that cutter you used, LOL, I guess nevermind.

[paulkeith]

Delivered. I'll pick it up tonight, snap some pics when i get it unpacked. Still no compressed air to try it out though.

[ATL ZJ]

I know of a location that has both 90 psi and free test material.

[paulkeith]

this thing fawking rocks!!! pics to come.

[Tommy]

You should be happy with that thing. I have a Parker 40A, that has been used a shit ton. Works great, and I have yet to have a problem. I have owned it for almost two years now.

Tommy

[froggo27]

Personally i like my Panasonic plasma, it works well for me.

[redline61]

Personally i like my Panasonic plasma, it works well for me.

I bet your Panasonic helps your Jeep out plenty

[paulkeith]

here's the pics







my "10-pack" of consumables, with i guess really means "anywhere-from-7-to-12-pack"



bitchin zip-tie on-off switch:






all in all, not the highest quality stuff. no owners manual, cheesy parts and switches, but whatever. At 1/3rd the cost of a brand-name 40 amp unit, this one makes metal come apart just the same.

I had never used a plasma before this one, so I can't compare it. Didn't really know what I was doing, but after about 15 minutes of goofing around I got a pretty solid hang of it.

Didn't take any pics of stuff I cut, but with a piece of steel to guide the torch straight, I cut 3/16" like butter in an almost perfectly straight line.

FWIW. I'll try to take some pics of cut stuff over christmas.

Paul

[Spr-T-23]

Price??

[paulkeith]

$520 shipped for the 40 amp plasma 160 amp stick/tig combo unit, with the "10 pack" consumables.

in retrospect, probably should've just gone with the 40A plasma plain jane unit and saved a hundie, but oh well.

[uplandhawaii]

I also bought one of the Longevity plasma's to replace my Parker unit. My Parker Plasma/Tig/Arc ran really nice but the plasma high freq. arc starter died. I used it weekly for 2 years without a problem, mostly on pipe racks and utility trailers.

The Longevity LP 40 looks similar but according to Jerry its superior in Chinese quality. Both units cut the same, internals look the same but I like the Parker's Plasma torch better. They look interchangeable although I haven't tried it yet.
Jerry at Longevity cut me a sweet deal on the 40 amp, I hope I get more than 2 years use from it.
But by then I will have made enough from my side business to buy a quality name brand machine and the chinese stuff will have paid for it.

I don't think you'll be disappointed in the LP.

[Pearce]

So I got one to, should be cutting with it tomorrow.........
LP-40 with Pilot Arch

[paulkeith]

verynice. crank down on those air reg. hose clamps. mine leaked everywhere when i first hooked it up.

[Pearce]

Yup I had to make the air connections tighter, like you said. But then it worked awsome! Here is a cut through 3/8", the tab on the right. This thing rocks.

[paulkeith]

oh, by the way. thanks for supporting china from the US.

[Pearce]

Yeah I know.....

And guess where my new Swampers are also made. No wonder it took 3 months to get them. They were on a boat!

[slim616]

These almost look like the harbor freight ones. Do you know if there made by the same people? I was thinking about getting one myself for lite use because I cant justify the $1200 + one that will be used maybe once a month tops.

[speedmontzj]

so Pearce, have you used that thing anymore? i am about to buy one of those imported cutters and was trying to pick which one.

[Pearce]

Yup, I've iused it a bunch. The thickest I've been cutting is 3/8". Which is the same in the above pic. Except I cut a full 6" tall bracket out with it. I think the Pilot Arc is the way to go and be sure to have a 30 amp breaker for it if your running 220. I tried it on my 20 amp welding outlet and blew the breaker a couple times. I've also got it on double filtered air. The cutter comes with a regulator/filter, but I added another air drop on my system with an Ingersoll Rand combo filter/regulator. My first drop was oiled air so I needed the second anyway for dry air. The only thing I replaced from what was provided is the 1/4" air line that goes from the regulator to the back of the unit. The provided line is cheap and leaked easy past the hose clamps. So I got a good 1/4" rubber line to replace it with. Just replaced it last night so haven't tested it for leaks yet.