Cutmaster 101

[chevybythesea]

So, I have been using my Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101 - works great for what I do - mostly cut plate for sales, but also a little bit of artwork - nothing as fancy as most of you folks - but acceptable for me. One day I'll upgrade to a Hypertherm....but not today.

So - cutting fine today, paused for an hour (112 here today, needed to cool off). Came back, and no worky! The air pulses on and off, the torch doesn't ignite, the lights look right, except the AC light flashes.

I know my air is clean - I use a refrigerated dryer. Tried new electrode, tip, internal parts - still nothing. Does it no matter if I have the amperage all the way up, or mid-way, or all the way down. Torch up in the air, or on the material.

I can push my manual start button, and the air will go continuous, but the light still blinks, and the torch doesn't ignite.

Any ideas?

[Brand X]

Maybe change out or clean your start cartridge? I had a 101, and a 151, and if you work on figuring it out, it's cut quality is very good.. The 101 was the first cutter I had on my table, and the 151 resides at my friends shop now.. (he has a Hypertherm 85 too)Most of the time I don't even hook my Hypertherm up to my table, and just use the lowly cutmaster 52 setup to A-40 specs.. Not that I don't like the Hypertherm, just that I have been cutting so long with the cutmaster series, I get it to do exactly what I want it to do.. The 101 was the last of the USA built Cutmasters,and is a real good machine.. Probably pushing almost 12 years old now, so you never know if there is a real issue or not?