Compressor for mobile Tomahawk 1000

[RivetsNleaves]

Hello World,

Hi, I am a newbie to the Plasma cnc cutting world. Let me list my current set up. I bought an almost new 4x4 Torchmate table Growth series. I also bought a New condition (literally previous owner only powered it up once or twice) Lincoln Tomahawk 1000 plasma cutter with a machine torch LC65M. So this set up will be mobile. This is how I am powering it. Accumove and computer is being powered by a 200 amp hour Ecoflow battery bank. Lincoln tomahawk 1000 is powered by a Duromax 13kw generator. I also have a really good air dryer/cooler that is refrigerated(cant remember the specs right now.Now here is my dilema...

The air compressor. I am looking to get a mobile compressor and looking into a unit like the one from Harbor Freight Fortress 30 gallon driven by a gas engine https://www.harborfreight.com/30-gallon ... 59373.html I also came across a deal on offerup 30T Ingersoll-Rand pump and Kohler gas engine that is used. Finally to the dillema.... All the specs sort of check out to support the tomahawk but I have read that volume is usually the issue with having a steady and good cutting by having constant supply of air. Do you guys have any experience with cutting using gas powered generators? is the tank a must to have over 60 gallons is volume? Please feel free to bring me to reality on reality's terms. Cheers

[plasmanewbie]

If you were doing production cutting in a shop I would want a larger tank. Since your a mobile setup I suspect you are going to job sites, cutting repair parts, or 1 offs so I think you could get away with the 30gallon tank.

[adbuch]

You just need to make sure that you don't run out of air in the middle of a cut. I have an inline air pressure gauge installed at the air entrance to both of my Hyertherm plasma cutters (85 and 45xp). I have my regulator set so that there is always a constant 100 psi at this gauge while air is flowing thru the torch. You can probably look in you manual for your cutter to see what air pressure is required. I have no experience with gas powered generators/compressors - but I don't think it matters as long as you can meet the air pressure/cfm requirements for your particular plasma cutter.

David

[RivetsNleaves]

Thank you guys for your input. I am probably going to take a risk at the ingersoll 30T since its for sale at $250 bucks. I am almost certain that it will have something wrong but at that price I think I can probably still be under 600 bucks in rebuilding. If gas engine is bad I can always go with a HB predator until I can upgrade to a better quality compressor once I get an understanding of the plasma cutter's needs.

Thanks again.