The plasma cutting world is not an easy market to compete in. Within the last decade, we’ve seen incredible innovations from brands like Hypertherm, Thermal Dynamics, Lincoln, Miller and more. The caliber of plasma machines seem to double in quality every year. Now Thermal Dynamics have released a plasma cutter they’ve nicknamed “The beast.” But is this monster just another one of Frankenstein’s creations or the hulk on steroids?
For its size, the Cutmaster 60i lives up to its nickname. Although it weighs in at just 37 pounds, this machine packs a punch. In fact, it actually has the highest power output in its class (7.6 kW while cutting half-inch mild steel). This means it can hit 60 A at a duty cycle of 50%, which is pretty incredible considering its small, portable size.
The cutting arc for the Cutmaster 60i is also pretty impressive, boasting a max sever of 1.5 inches. It can do this without sacrificing quality either so you can still expect those nice clean edges that really make plasma machines stand out from other forms of cutting.
Although they’re not considered major features, the Cutmaster 60i has undergone quite a few quality-of-life improvements compared to previous models. Alone they aren’t much, but add it all up and it makes the Cutmaster 60i a lot more user-friendly than other machines. For instance, in the Cutmaster 52 the ground was internal. Now it’s detachable. The water trap has also been made much easier to drain. This means you no longer have to take the whole panel off like you had to on the 52 (the 60i also comes with a free filter kit to help prevent water from building up).
The display has also been improved. The Cutmaster 60i does a great job of giving you all the information you need and making recommendations for optimal settings. One nice thing is that these are only recommendations and you can still alter any settings to whatever you prefer.
Another benefit of the new display is that it makes trouble shooting a little easier. Any time the machine is not operating as it should be (for instance, you’re torch isn’t attached properly), it’ll display an error code. No more trial and error to figure out what exactly the problem is. The only quirk we found was that the error codes could get a little crazy if you’re not use to how the machine functions. For instance, when you turn off the machine, it flashes an error code for insufficient voltage. This doesn’t affect the performance of the machine, but if your personality is to panic at the sight of an error code, it can take a little bit to get used to.
The Cutmaster 60i’s display also features a consumables indicator. This small light turns on when your consumables are past the point of producing an optimal cut. We know what you’re thinking. You’re worried that the indicator light is a scam to sell more consumables. Well according to the stats, you’ll actually use 25% less consumables when utilizing the indicator light (and the Custmaster 60i’s torch only requires 4 consumables).
So how does the Cutmaster 60i stack up? With its small size and impressive power output, it’s definitely one of the fiercest lightweight plasma cutters available today. Check out more about the Cutmaster 60i here. At the very least, you owe it to yourself to check out the promo commercial below. It’s one of the most energetic welding spots we’ve ever seen, complete with tribal drums and animal noises.
