Best plasma cutters for auto bodywork are essential tools as they bring automation and fine-quality work. Finishing and repair work needs the plasma cutter with high-temperature plasma draught, steady output current, and lightweight features.
If you are an auto body work enthusiast, either a hobbyist or a professional, you need top-quality auto body fabrication tools.
In this review article, we have covered top-quality auto body plasma cutters. These are smart, portable, reliable, and serve the top professionals throughout the world.
You can choose any of the following cutters depending on your requirement, budget, and cutter capacity.
So let’s get into it.
TOP PICKS
★★★★★
Lotos LTP5000D
- Weight: 19.4 pounds
- Dimensions: 15x6x12 inches
- Dual-frequency: 50/60 Hz
★★★★★
SUPER DEAL
- Weight: 24.4 pounds
- Dimensions: 18.5x11x13.5 inches
- Input voltage: 110/220 V
★★★★★
ZENY DC
- Weight: 22.05 pounds
- Dimensions: 19x14x11 inches
- Current : 20-50Amp
Contents
Best Plasma Cutters For Auto Bodywork 2023
IMAGE |
PRODUCT |
DETAILS |
PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall
|
Lotos LTP5000D 50Amp |
|
|
Professional Plasma Cutter
|
SUPER DEAL DC Inverter |
|
|
Light Work Plasma Cutter
|
ZENY DC Cut50 Inverter |
|
|
Heavy Duty Plasma Cutter
|
Hobart 500576 Airforce 40i |
|
1. Lotos LTP5000D 50Amp
BEST Overall
★★★★★
Specifications:
- Type: TIG welding
- Dimensions: 15x6x12 inches
- Weight: 19.4 pounds
- Clean cutting thickness: ½inch.
- Severance thickness: ¾ inch
- Input voltage: 110/120- 220/240 V
- Dual-frequency: 50/60 Hz
- DC output: 10-50 A
Lotos LTP5000D plasma cutter is a great choice for a non-touch pilot arc plasma cutter. It does not touch the metal surface while working, so a handful of practice is required to get started with it. But you can easily get steady on it as it uses arc technology.
Moreover, you can cut any rusty or painted surface, and no prior surface cleaning is required. The plasma cutter produces minimal or no slag, so the cutting process is not only easy but clean and gives a good finish to the surface.
Because heavy machines are difficult to carry, Lotos technologies solve this problem for us. The unit is lightweight, highly portable with a handle on the top, and compact in size.
There is not any harmful gas involved in the process. A non-hazardous compressed air is used to cut many types of metals, including ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
Check out:
Features
Non-touch pilot arc technology
The plasma cutter is based on non-touch pilot arc technology. It helps to cut through the metal easily and smoothly. You can have any rusty, painted, and uneven surfaces for the smooth cutting process. The amazing quality is the production of minimum or no slag. So a clean cut is achieved without any post-treatment.
Safe and economical
The plasma cutter has a strong built, so it offers safety while using it. It comes with an economical price, so it is not a big-budget cutter, and anyone can afford it for their workshops.
Technical Aspects
The plasma cutter works on dual voltage technology. When you run the cutter at 110/120 V, it gives an output current of 10-35 A while cutting ⅓” clean-cut and ⅖” maximum severance. At 220/240V, the output current is 10-50 A DC, and the cutting capacity is ½” clean and ¾” maximum severance.
Quick and easy set up
The plasma cutter features a pre-installed NPT ¼” industry type D Plug along with an air filter regulator. This helps to connect to the plasma cutter within no seconds quickly. So you get an easy and fast assembly along with speedy cutting.
Advanced technology
The plasma cutter uses advanced PAPST technology that helps to keep the torch cool. This not only increases the consumables’ life but also requires less maintenance.
PROS:
- Quick and easy set up
- Fast action pilot arc
- Portable, compact and lightweight
- Works on dual voltage
CONS:
- Low-quality ground cable
- Can have problems of weak arc at high voltages
It is a fantastic tool to have such a small size. Installation and operation are both very simple. The main drawback so far is that the consumables are a touch more expensive than those for almost all other machines. I’d heartily suggest this plasma cutter. For the price, this small gadget is pretty darn excellent. Consumables do run out quite quickly.
I found Lotos LTP5000 the best auto body fabrication tool. Being robust, lightweight, compact, and small in size, it is highly portable and easy to use. If you are a DIY user or have small industrial work, this auto body plasma cutter is the best choice for you. But for heavy-duty work, it might not be as wonderful as other plasma cutters.
2. SUPER DEAL DC Inverter
Professional Plasma Cutter
★★★★★
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 18.5x11x13.5 inches
- Weight: 24.4 pounds
- Maximum cutting thickness: ½ inches
- Input voltage: 110/220 V
Super Deal cut 50 plasma cutter is the most economical, efficient, power-saving, and professional plasma cutter among all other auto plasma cutters.
It offers a high duty cycle which turns to saves more power as there is less down while cutting with it.
You can have a superior level of cutting, as it generates high-energy plasma draught.
The super deal has outranked all other cutters in terms of strong and robust built.
Moreover, it offers high speed and high temperature that results in any professional use along with DIY and small uses.
Moreover, this auto-cutter features an LCD to display all the working parameters, so monitoring becomes quite easy for you.
On testing, we found this autobody plasma cutter the safest one because it has overheat protection, under and over-voltage protection. Furthermore, if the compressed air gets low in pressure, it stops because of gas pressure protection.
The widely used plasma cutter has the following detailed features.
Features:
Performance
The plasma cutter has been specially designed for heavy-duty professional work. It has a high duty cycle, so it consumes less energy as compared to other plasma cutters. Moreover, the cutter offers high-temperature plasma that gives a supreme level of fast, clean, and accurate metal cutting. As a result of the high temperature, the plasma draught is sufficient throughout the cutting process.
Construction
The plasma cutter has a strong construction. The material used is pure cast iron that shows high wear and tears resistance towards any kind of harsh environment. Moreover, it is compact, portable, withstands all professional heavy-duty works, and serves best to its users.
Digital panel
The plasma cutter features a digital panel for showing all the working parameters. You can have an easy readout of current, voltage, temperature, and pressure. Furthermore, the cutter does not have any noise, saves energy, and offers fast action and high cutting speeds. The cut surface is so smooth that it does not need any post-polishing treatments.
Safety
The plasma cutter has a strong construction that does not go under any deterioration. So you can use it for a longer time span. Moreover, it comes with safety protection features for many factors, including overheat protection. Moreover, it offers overvoltage and under-voltage protection, low-pressure protection. The cutter comes with its own safety gears of mask and wire to keep you safe from any hazards.
Applications
The plasma cutter has vast applications, from auto bodywork to DIY uses. People all across the world are using this cutter both in professional and hobby work. It can be used in heavy-duty industrial work, fabrication, auto bodywork, ducting, cutting, farming, construction, and even for household work.
PROS:
- High duty cycle
- Energy saving
- It comes with safety protection features for overheat and voltage variations
- Portable and lightweight
- Robust and strong
CONS:
- Users complain about the poor customer support of the manufacturer
Very simple to put up and operate. The main drawback is that the consumables are much more expensive than those used on almost all other machines. I’d heartily suggest this plasma cutter. You must initiate the cutting arc using cutters devoid of a pilot arc, exactly like you would with a stick welder. But if you’re doing upwards of one box, this really is the proper method to go about it.
I found Super Deal cut 50 plasma cutter best suited for professional auto bodywork. This autobody cutter is all in one, and both DIY enthusiasts and professionals can use it for heavy-duty work. The high-duty cycle, protection features, and strong cast iron construction are the top-notch features of this cutter.
3. ZENY DC Cut50 Inverter
Light Work Plasma Cutter
★★★★★
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 19x14x11 inches
- Product weight: 22.05 pounds
- Voltage: 110/220V with 60Hz
- Current : 20-50Amp
- Duty cycle: 60%
- Efficiency: 85%
- Cut thickness: 1-12 mm
Zeny cut 50 is one of the most famous plasma cutters for auto bodywork. It hits the spot among lightweight and highly efficient cutters because of its small size and 30% increased efficiency. You can easily move around the cutter as it is compact in size with a portable handle on its top. Moreover, the inverter technology uses high-frequency transistors that help to feed DC supply with 50% energy saving.
The dual voltage enables you to run it on either 110V or 220V industrial electricity. The plasma cutter has an improved cooling system that keeps the torch safe with long-lasting performance. This cooling system results in longer lives and durability of the consumable.
The lightweight feature makes the cutter high in demand either for professionals or DIY users. We have listed all the features in a detailed section listed below.
Features:
Efficiency
The plasma cutter is based on inverter technology that makes it compact in design, reducing the weight and size. The small weight of the main transformer saves energy by 50%. The overall compact size has 30% increased efficiency
Durability
On testing, the plasma cutter shows longer consumable life because it has an advanced cooling system. This cooling system helps to keep the torch cool while it works. This way, no heating up of consumables happens, resulting in longer consumable lives.
Dual voltage
The plasma cutter works on dual voltage technology. You can easily run it either on 110V or 220V. So it is easy to operate both on household electricity and industrial electricity. Moreover, the plasma cutter supplies the gas ahead of time, so no gas delayed issues occur.
Cutting capacity
The plasma cutter has a cutting capacity of 1-12mm thickness. This thickness is enough for auto-body parts. This thickness capacity makes it suitable for wide applications, including autobody work, small industrial work, fabrication, DIY users, and any kind of repair and maintenance work.
PROS:
- Energy saving
- Small and compact
- Advance cooling method
- Portable
- Wide applications
CONS:
- Some users complain that they need technical experience before getting used to it.
My entire welding setup is high-end gear. Miller, Linde, and Lincoln. I almost regretted buying this item because, given the option, I prefer to buy American-made products. Have a plan if you decide to take a chance because it’s inexpensive. My approach was as follows: assuming that I use this consistently over the course of the 30 days.
if the machine can withstand repeated restarts & heavy use, it should likely survive a very long time before everything fails. Additionally, there is no need to heat anything up or prepare anything. Nothing is warped. Just push the button to switch it on! Cuts so quickly that the metal barely warms up. Excellent performance; repurchase! The test of longevity is time.
I found ZENY DC Inverter a wonderful choice for DIY users and small industrial jobs. It is suitable for the workers who want to have an efficient plasma cutter either for their hobby or small applications like repair, maintenance, light fabrication, and ducting type work.
4. Hobart 500576 Airforce 40i
Heavy Duty plasma Cutter
★★★★★
Specifications:
- Dimension: 22.5×12.25×10 inches
- Weight: 21 pounds
- Input voltage: 120/240V
- Max cutting Amperage: 40A
- Work cable: 12 ft.
- Cutting capacity: 5/8 inches clean-cut steel
- Duty cycle: 50%
The review for auto body plasma cutters will be incomplete if we ignore Hobart 500576 Airforce 40i here. As Hobart has served millions of its users with long-lasting, durable, portable, and high-quality cutters, Airforce 40i is also one of those plasma cutters. It comes with an eye-catching white color with strong construction. A handle for portability is also present on the top.
Moreover, it has a 50% duty cycle, so it provides speedy cutting and a better choice than oxy-fuel cutters in many aspects.
It features an exciting fan on demand. It turns on only when the debris is to be removed, and surface cleaning is required. You don’t need to prepare the metal surface before cutting. As it is based on auto refire technology, it can cut any kind of rusted, painted, perforated, expanded metals without losing the cut quality.
We have tested the plasma cutter and found it to be having extraordinary features that we are describing in the section below.
Features:
Auto refire technology:
The plasma cutter is based on auto-refire technology. It means you can cut damaged surface metals as well. These surfaces include expanded metals, perforated surfaces, metals with paints, and rusts.
Input voltage:
The plasma cutter works on a high input voltage of 240 V. means you need high power sources for the plasma cutter to run. Moreover, high input voltage results in high output current and supreme cut efficiency.
On-demand fan
The cutter features an on-demand fan. It only turns on when any dirt or debris comes along the way while cutting the metal through the metal.
PROS:
- Faster cutting action than oxy-fuel cutters
- Autofire technology works on all kind of painted or perforated surfaces
- On-demand fan
- Safety trigger
- Compatible with the engine-driven welder
CONS:
- No drawbacks found yet
I’ve utilized a Lotos LT3500 plasma cutter for several years as little more than a hobby/garage welder. It cuts through some thickness, except at 120V. Metal sheet cuts quickly and effortlessly. On a 30A RV outlet, I’ve been using the Lotos, and occasionally it trips the breaker. Excellent value for the money. I required a better solution. I finally acquired a better item like this Plasma Cutter.
They have outrageous costs for someone like me who welds as a hobby. I’m impressed overall; excellent & quick cuts! I had no problems cutting up to 7/8, but I’m not really too thrilled with the ground clamp wire. It appears cheap, is poly coated rather than rubber, and tries to maintain its coiled-up shape. Even just the inferior knockoff plasma I previously owned had a superior ground cable. It is best for bodywork cutters because of its cutting capacity of up to ⅞ inches with a 50% duty cycle.
Conclusion
So in this auto bodywork plasma cutter review article, we discussed the fourBest plasma cutters for auto bodywork that people are using and getting high-quality results. Our top pick is the Lotos LTP500D plasma cutter because of its versatility and portability. There is nothing low class in this cutter as it has the highest duty cycle, portability, and lightweight features. Moreover, it is best for all kinds of applications, whether you are a DIY user or a professional worker.
We hope to provide you the best information about the reviews of auto body work cutters. Get one based on your requirements and have fun with your work.