Arc Captain, RX Weld, or?

[Roert42]

I've had good luck with a no name plasma cutter myself. Some random $100 plasma cutter from Amazon.

The consumables are shit, but the power is decent and it's never given me any issues.


A plasma cutter is also a lot different then a torch rig. Technology wise.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Do more research on what you have. Take the torch handles to the local weldings store, or like I did, to Princess Auto (harbor freight or equivalent) and compare what's on the shelves to what you own. That might save you a bunch of money.
And ask ChatGPT about what fits, load pics and ask it. You can't trust it but I find it gives me directions to search.

The torches that I have that are functional, only the Craftsman has interchangeable heads. The torches on my shed set and my shop set are cutting only, so no way to use a rosebud with those. The midget set isn’t worth trying to find a rosebud for, it’s too small of a torch for most of what I do (it’s intended for the little portable sets).

The other couple torches I have either have leaking valves and/or parts are not available anymore. There’s one or two cutting only and one welding only.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I've had good luck with a no name plasma cutter myself. Some random $100 plasma cutter from Amazon.

The consumables are shit, but the power is decent and it's never given me any issues.


A plasma cutter is also a lot different then a torch rig. Technology wise.

I’m definitely not giving up the torch because it’s pretty versatile but it would be nice to move to a plasma for general cutting and save the torch gas for things a plasma can’t do. I have looked at those cheap Amazon ones a couple times, lol

 

[Roert42]

I’m definitely not giving up the torch because it’s pretty versatile but it would be nice to move to a plasma for general cutting and save the torch gas for things a plasma can’t do. I have looked at those cheap Amazon ones a couple times, lol

I don't use mine every day, but it works well when I do use it. I think we bough it about 6 or 7 years ago for cutting stainless.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I bought a pilot arc plasma cutter last summer for working on my trailer. Also bought the rosebud for the same job. I wish I had bought a drag type plasma as I couldn't get the head of the pilot arc very close to inside corners. About 1" away was the best. That is because of the metal shield that holds the arc away from the metal. The drag arc makes an electrical connection by... wait for it... dragging the tip on the metal. The pilot arc uses a seperate ground to start the arc. But the drag tip will go thru more consumables, so that's the trade off. If your cutting flat plate mainly the pilot arc is good. If you need to get into corners then drag is better.

This is an assumption on my part as I've never used drag tip.

 

[ForgedCrank]

So I have three torch sets now, plus two sets of gauges and a couple antique torch heads.

Not one of my three sets has a rosebud heating tip. I have an old Craftsman set that has the interchangeable heads but it’s just a cutting head and a welding head with three or four tips. That was dad’s original set. I don’t know if there’s an option for a Rosebud with it. The other two torch sets I have are cutting torch only. The antique stuff I have is another cutting head or two and a welding head plus a midget torch set.

Came across both an Arc Captain torch set and one by RX Weld that has a cutting head, welding head and rosebud for a reasonable price. RX Weld doesn’t seem to have a website. Arc Captains site is… klunky. Both appear to be Victor-ish? Google AI claims they both work with Victor tips and stuff but I can’t find confirmation. If they accept Victor parts it makes any concern over getting replacement tips a non-issue.

Or should I just bite the bullet and buy a Victor, Harris, or Smith rosebud torch?

Its more spendy, but you can't lose buying Victor if it's a tool you use more than occasionally. There will always be replacement parts and accessories that work. Not to mention, it's the baseline, so knockoff nozzles and stuff are usually made to fit Victor. You can get a Victor torch, then get knockoff rosebuds for it to save some change. You also know you have a solid torch with valves that'll never let you down. If it's something you use once a year, then maybe consider the cheap stuff... but I've never used anything but Victor so I dunno how well they work.
I see them on craigslist on occasion so if time is on your side, start lurking.
Anyway that's my two cents worth

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Its more spendy, but you can't lose buying Victor if it's a tool you use more than occasionally. There will always be replacement parts and accessories that work. Not to mention, it's the baseline, so knockoff nozzles and stuff are usually made to fit Victor. You can get a Victor torch, then get knockoff rosebuds for it to save some change. You also know you have a solid torch with valves that'll never let you down. If it's something you use once a year, then maybe consider the cheap stuff... but I've never used anything but Victor so I dunno how well they work.
I see them on craigslist on occasion so if time is on your side, start lurking.
Anyway that's my two cents worth

Yeah, I know, quality is worth the cost.

Around here is frustrating, the torch stuff I’ve bought I’ve gotten when I went to buy something else from someone and they hadn’t got around to listing the torch stuff for sale so I got a deal. Most of the stuff that does get listed people want dumb money for. They will have an old torch set with empty/expired tanks and still be demanding $3-500 for it.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I bought a pilot arc plasma cutter last summer for working on my trailer. Also bought the rosebud for the same job. I wish I had bought a drag type plasma as I couldn't get the head of the pilot arc very close to inside corners. About 1" away was the best. That is because of the metal shield that holds the arc away from the metal. The drag arc makes an electrical connection by... wait for it... dragging the tip on the metal. The pilot arc uses a seperate ground to start the arc. But the drag tip will go thru more consumables, so that's the trade off. If your cutting flat plate mainly the pilot arc is good. If you need to get into corners then drag is better.

This is an assumption on my part as I've never used drag tip.

There's scratch start (basically works like arc/stick welding) and pilot arc, you can take the metal guide off your tip, that doesn't matter. The pilot arc just strikes the arc with a burst of high voltage. They do make drag tips but they do the same thing as the guide that's clipped to your ceramic insulator thing, you just want 1/16" or so gap from the nozzle to the material so it doesn't splash back and ruin the consumables...

I don't know what parts I have, I just know I have a couple extra torches, likely Victor or copies, I think I just have the one rosebud so no extras of that but I can verify what I have that fits Victor tips. The trick will be finding everything, I know there's a spare set of hoses hanging in the shop with a torch and I'm pretty sure I know where the box of spares that came with my torch set is in the garage...