Looking for advice on a decent budget friendly plasma cutter for the garage. Let's hear your experiences. Thanks.

I don't have a plasma cutter but when I was looking I found a brand that dint c ost much I just forgot the name.

I bought the wife a Forney
With any plasma cutter you need a good sized air compressor

I have a small Hobart plasma cutter and have been please with what small projects I use it for. Has a built in compressor so no extra hoses and such. Don't recall what I paid for it as that was pre-covid time but felt I got a heck of a deal on it since it was the display model.

Can't imagine any shop without one?

I went with hyperthem not really cheap but good quality and I agree with having a big compressor the better your air flow the cleaner the cut.

Thats because you are Old,,:),,, Now a days everyone thinks they can get by with a pancake compressor

Are they right?

You know the answer,,,,,,,
If not no.....
I have a 50 gallon
I believe a plasma cutter will work with a good 20 gallon,,,,,A guy can always add a storage tank if needed.....

Most small garage ones will be about 300.0 bucks or less, they all run about the same really for what one does in a garage
or small shop.

Yes it's important to have a least a 20 gallon compressor or you are going to be held up a lot waiting for a nice cut.

I picked up a nice clean Esob for 200 a few years ago purrs like a kitten, I know there are others out there at that price.

Make sure you have a filter on the air out to it as well, can be real nasty on the tips quickly !

You have to spend money on either plasma gotta buy tips ,a grinder with a cut off wheel you gotta buy wheels a torch you have to buy tips,gas oxygen so either way you have to pay.

I've had 5 plasma cutters. First was a contact machine-not to good. Then a 50 amp Everlast-very good machine. Then an 80 amp offbreed---Junk. Then a 60 amp Everlast-very good machine. and now a 100 amp Everlast--excellent machine. Still have the 50 amp and I borrow that one out. The biggest thing is to have plenty of CLEAN DRY air. I agree-couldn't get by without one. Once you use a good one one you will use if far more than a torch.

The other thing not mentioned besides the clean dry air, is the air pressure. All the plasmas I have owned, needed pressure set at 65 pounds. Any more than that, they would cut off on you. Anything other than tuning the air pressure and being clean and dry, will cause you a lot of grief!

My wife uses a smaller Hobart plasma cutter for crafting with an internal compressor and it works well on lighter material which is about the only thing she uses.

Probably the same model I have.