Primeweld 50A CUT50D Plasma Cutter Review

Plasma cutters have revolutionized metal cutting for automotive repair, fabrication, industrial construction, and ship repair. Nowadays, plasma cutting isn’t just something you can only do in a major metal fabrication shop. Portable plasma cutters make it possible for you to do some metal cutting work in a dedicated workshop in your backyard. Here we will explore what we consider to be one of the best plasma cutters.

One of the plasma cutters to consider is the Primeweld 50A, also known as Primeweld CUT50D Plasma Cutter. It’s made in China, so you may have misgivings. But most reviews on Amazon have been positive. Besides, most welders and plasma cutters now are made in China or, at least, contain parts that are made in China. Outsourcing the manufacturing process is one way to bring down the costs of these machines.

Anyone who’s shopping around for a plasma cutter wants the best unit out there. But what qualifies as the best plasma cutting machine? Well, the best plasma cutter can cut 1/2” metal sheets with precision. It should be built to handle occasional as well as regular metal cutting operations. It should be able to slice through any type of metal. Machines made of military-grade steel are not only reliable but also durable. Some technicians consider dual voltage machines to be superior to counterparts that are not.

Primeweld is a popular company known for making top rated welders and plasma cutters. That is why it’s no surprise that Primeweld 50A Air Inverter Plasma Cutter is designed to look good and perform well, although buyers can have qualms about its quality and performance because of its price. The doubts are understandable, so read on and decide for yourself whether or not the Primeweld 50A is worth your money.

Primeweld 50A CUT50D Plasma Cutter & Specifications

Build Quality

The quality of a machine’s components determines whether it will work, keep working on a long day, and last for a long time. It’s worth noting that Primeweld 50A is one of the several variations of the CUT50D plasma cutter. Other manufacturers have their own versions with their own parts. So how does the 50A measure up against the other versions?

These plasma cutters are made for non-professionals. They are for beginners or hobbyists doing some metal cutting work. They are not designed for professional automotive technicians or metal fabricators. You won’t find these machines in shipyards. The Primeweld CUT50D is for occasional plasma cutting for small DIY projects. The machine is fantastic for such purposes. Although you might have heard discouraging things about Chinese-made tools, plasma cutters made in China work well without ripping you off. However, these machines are not designed for long hours of daily use. That’s why if you intend to use one for your business, you need to look elsewhere. But if you’re only doing some metal cutting work on the weekends, then the Primeweld plasma cutter should be all right. 

Precise Cuts

Precision is a crucial aspect of metal cutting. What’s the point in cutting sheets of aluminum or stainless steel if the cuts can’t be used because the edges look really bad? Plasma cutters that produce a lot of slag are also bad for business. Slag entails clean-up and polishing that significantly trim the edges and affect the size of the workpiece. Inaccurate cuts can sometimes lead to redoing the entire project and wasting of resources. Having said that, Primeweld 50A does accurate cuts for metals 1/2” thick. Its severance thickness is 3/4”, so it’s expected to cut up to 3/4” thick sheets or plates with reasonable precision.

Cuts Any Metal

Plasma cutters are expected to cut any type of material aside from steel, aluminum, and metal alloys. Otherwise, what’s the point? So that’s an important thing to look for.

Dual Voltage

The machine works with any input voltage (e.g. 110/115/120V and 220/230/240V). You should have no problem plugging it into any power source. You also don’t need to buy an adapter. This feature is important when you’re traveling, as you won’t have to worry about the input voltage from the available power supply.

Inexpensive Consumables

One way to determine whether a welder or plasma cutter is good for the average user is whether the consumables are cheap and easy to come by. Primeweld machines use consumables that are cheap, but one problem for many China-made plasma cutters is the availability of the consumables. When production stops for old models, production of their corresponding consumables stops as well. This is one risk to think about when buying inexpensive machines. So if you’re buying the Primeweld 50A, consider buying lots of consumables just to be safe. But if the availability of consumables is really important to you, maybe you should invest in expensive brands that support the production of consumables for the entire lifespan of their units.  

Warranty

If you look at Primeweld 50A’s Amazon listing, you’ll see the 3-year manufacturer’s warranty, much longer than the average 1-year warranty for machines in this price range. There have been reports of bad customer support, but as of the writing of this review, the CUT50D plasma cutter has 81% 5-star rating on the top e-commerce site.

Conclusion

The Primeweld 50A CUT50D is for people with small budgets but are looking for a machine for light metal cutting work. It’s a reliable machine for such a purpose. If you grow your hobby into a business and have to do plasma cutting more often for larger projects, proceed with caution because the machine isn’t built for long hours of operations. Nonetheless, the 3-year warranty and the general good reviews are hard to ignore.