Skip to content
For those of us welders who’ve been around a while, the story of plasma cutting has been a curious tale. At first, consumer-grade plasma machines were finicky and expensive. Most welders trusted the time-tested solutions more, such as grinding and oxyacetylene cutting. A few people even thought plasma cutting was a gimmick that wouldn’t last long.
But plasma cutting didn’t go away. The finicky machines got more reliable, and plasma cutting gradually became accessible to everyone. That cycle continues even today. Lincoln has decided to retire their entire line of Tomahawk plasma cutters. While they were a favorite among Lincoln fans and were in production for more than 20 years, Lincoln's new line, called “FlexCut,” has some impressive improvements over their predecessors.
Currently, Tomahawk consumables will still be accessible for some period of time, but all Tomahawk machines have now been replaced by Lincoln’s new FlexCut line. In this article, we’ll go through each of the new plasma machines to help you decide which option is best for you.
Unbeatable Ease-of-Use
The entire new line of FlexCut machines features some serious user-friendly improvements. Gone is the overly complex setup. Each of these plasma cutters has an intuitive interface that conveniently guides you through getting the most accurate setup. All you have to do is enter your material type and thickness, and the screen will display the recommended parameters. Of course, you can fine-tune everything exactly how you want, but this solution takes all the guesswork out of cutting.
Each machine in the FlexCut series is also built for reliable performance in even some of the roughest situations. They’re made with an industrial IP23-rated enclosure, reinforced internal components, and shock-resistant housing. Basically, if there’s a tornado coming, we’re hiding behind the plasma machine because these things are tanks.
FlexCut® 35 Plasma Cutter
While it’s technically “the baby” of the bunch, the FlexCut 35 is no weakling. It’s capable of reaching up to 35 amps of power. This translates to a recommended cut depth of 1/4" and a severed cut of 1/2”.
The FlexCut 35 comes with a 5-year warranty and can weld with both 240- and 120-volt power sources. However, the 120-volt power plug requires a 20-amp circuit, so it might not work with any old household socket. If you're curious if you have an appropriate socket, a 20-amp plug looks almost like a standard US plug, except one prong is turned sideways.
Besides power, all Plasma cutters also require pressurized air to work. The FlexCut 35 requires 90-125 psi. While the base version of the machine needs an external air compressor, there is a version of the FlexCut 35 coming soon that has a built-in air compressor. Obviously, it is a little heavier and a little more expensive, but it will be the perfect option if you don’t want to worry about acquiring a completely separate air compressor machine. Make sure you're subscribed to our emails so you can be updated as soon as that version of the FlexCut 35 with a built-in air compressor is released by Lincoln.
Speaking of weight, the base version of the FlexCut 35 comes in at 26.5 pounds. That’s just enough to feel solid, but still be incredibly portable. The version with the built-in air compressor weighs 35 pounds.
FlexCut® 45 Plasma Cutter
With the FlexCut 45, you’re looking at a serious step up from the FlexCut 35 without having to rewire your entire workshop.
The FlexCut 45 has a recommended cut depth of 5/8" and a severance cut of 1”. Just as a reminder, the “recommended cut” is how deep the machine can make a clean, precise cut. The severance cut is the absolute max depth the machine can cut in a single pass. It’ll make it through the material that thick, but it sure ain’t gonna be a pretty cut.
The FlexCut 45 can work with both 240- and 120-volt power supplies. To access its highest power, you will need to use the 240-volt plug. Similar to the FlexCut 35, the 120-volt plug requires a 20-amp circuit socket (the kind with one of the prongs turned sideways). For the 240-volt plug, a 30-amp circuit breaker is recommended.
The FlexCut 45 weighs just 26.8 pounds. That’s incredibly impressive, considering it’s only 0.3 of a pound more than the FlexCut 35, despite being able to cut twice as deep. There isn’t an option of a FlexCut 45 with a built-in compressor, so you will need an external air compressor capable of 90-130 psi.
FlexCut® 65 Plasma Cutter
With the FlexCut 65, you’re looking at some industrial-level power. This machine is capable of a 3/4" recommended cut and a 1 ¼” severance. That’s an insane amount of potential for the size of this machine! Do you realize that in the military, most of their vehicle don’t even have armor that thick?
Unlike the smaller FlexCut machines, the FlexCut 65 will not work on a 120-volt plug. It can, however, work with both 1- and 3-phase power supplies (200-240V on 1-Phase and 200-600V on 3-Phase). If you're unsure if your electrical setup can handle this machine, here’s our guide on 1- and 3-phase power.
With the increase in cutting power, the FlexCut 65 is larger than lower-powered models. However, at 76.3 pounds, this beast is still moveable by hand (lift with the legs!). It’s basically everything you could want for drag cutting, grid cutting, mechanized, extended, precision cutting, gouging & marking.
To operate this plasma cutter, you will need an air compressor machine capable of 90-130< psi.
FlexCut® 85 Plasma Cutter
As Lincoln’s 2nd most powerful plasma cutter in their new line, the FlexCut 85 is an absolute monster when it comes to raw power. It’s capable of a full 85 amps at 60% duty cycle on 3-phase or 40% at 85 amps on 1-phase. That equals a recommended cut of 1” and a severance cut of 1 ½”.
With the FlexCut 85, you’re not just getting more power. This machine is capable of many different plasma cutting processes, including drag cutting, grid cutting, mechanized, extended, precision cutting, gouging, and marking.
Despite having 20 more amps worth of power compared to the FlexCut 65, the FlexCut 85 has the exact same weight of 76.3 pounds. You will need an external air compressor capable of 90-130 psi.
FlexCut® 105 Plasma Cutter
For any fellow 80s sci-fi nerds, remember when Luke Skywalker gets dropped down into that giant slug man’s pit to see a massive gate. Slowly, the gate rises, and this big ol’ mother of a monster comes barreling out. When it comes to plasma cutters, that monster is the FlexCut 105.
Capable of a recommended cut depth of 1 ¼” and a severed cut of 2”, you’re practically capable of sawing cruise ship hulls in half with the FlexCut 105. Unsurprisingly, the sheer power of this machine means it can only run on 3-phase power supplies (200-600V).
With the extra power, we see another jump in the weight of the machine compared to other FlexCut models. The FlexCut 105 comes in at 90.6 pounds. While that’s fairly heavy, having a machine with this much potential weighing less than 100 pounds is definitely an impressive feat. You will also need an external air compressor capable of 90-130 psi.
Whether you’re interested in the FlexCut 35, 45, 65, 85, or 105, Lincoln’s entire NEW line of plasma cutters offers an impressive array of improvements. Just remember that a high-quality machine like this should come from a reliable, proven supplier. At Welding Supplies from IOC, we’ve got the best customer service and prices in the business, meaning you’ll always have a team of experts on your side when you shop with us.
