Tool Reviews

What matters when cutting thin stainless For stainless sheet, a plasma cutter’s advertised maximum thickness is less useful than its ability to make a controlled cut at low output. Thin…

Heavy steel angle iron is within reach of many shop plasma cutters, but thickness, duty cycle and the cut’s fit-up matter more than a headline amperage figure. For ordinary structural…

Choosing a plasma cutter for trailer work Mobile trailer fabrication puts different demands on a plasma cutter than occasional bench work. You may need to cut rusty angle iron beside…

Cutting galvanized steel pipe is well within the capability of a properly sized plasma cutter, but it is harder on equipment and more hazardous than cutting clean, uncoated mild steel.…

Minimal dross comes from the match between the cutter, the plate thickness, and the cut settings—not from amperage alone. A machine that can slice through thick steel may leave a…

What matters for intricate cuts For small curves, stencil work, and cutouts with tight corners, a plasma cutter needs more than a high amperage rating. The key factors are a…

Cutting steel mesh screens is not the same as cutting solid plate. The open grid gives the torch less metal to bite into, and thin wires can melt back, distort…

What thick brackets demand from a plasma cutter Bracket work often means cutting short, straight edges and slots from plate, then fitting the parts accurately enough to weld. The advertised…

Cutting steel channel is less about chasing a high amperage rating and more about matching the cutter to the channel’s web and flanges, your power supply, and how often you…

Perforated sheet is harder to plasma-cut cleanly than solid plate. The torch repeatedly crosses open holes, so the arc can extinguish, wander, or restart on the next narrow bridge of…