If you’re in the market for a plasma cutter under $1000 the Primeweld CUT60 is one of the most impressive machines for the price coming in right around $700. Primeweld is a company that is based in the USA, but their machines are made overseas. The Primeweld brand is known for their stellar customer service based here in the US, which is rare for a manufacture in this price range.

The Cut60 really hits the sweet spot for functionality, features, design and build quality. Most Plasma cutters under $1000 in this price range have good performance, but are built cheaply. The Primeweld is actually built better and falls somewhere in the middle (not as tough as Miller/Hypertherm but better than LOTOS). This makes it a good middle ground for a large amount of users. Today we’re going to break down why this machine is a great fit for many fabricators.

In A Hurry? Check It Out On Amazon.com

View On Amazon.com

Primeweld Cut60 60amp Non-Touch Pilot Arc

The Cut60 is a great machine that really provides a ton of power, build quality and features for a price that fits a lot of people’s budget. What makes this machine so great is the fact that it is a dual voltage machine with a capacity of 60 amps. No other manufacture has a dual voltage machine with this much power.

This is a great plasma cutter for light professionals or serious weekend warriors.

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

What We Like

Pilot Arc

Pilot Arc is a feature that is often times not included on machines in this price range, but the Cut60 does indeed have it. Pilot Arc allows you to start your cutting arc without touching the tip of your torch to the metal. This is great for cutting rusty or painted steel were direct contact can be difficult to have.

Pilot Arc also helps preserve the life on your torch consumables because your machine it not dealing with a ton of blow back upon initiating a cut. Once you use a machine with pilot arc you’ll never want to go back as it really changes the way you cut.

60 Amps Of Power

60 amps is a sufficient amount of power for 99% of plasma cutter users. You can expect to be able to cut 3/4 inch steel with this machine at a slow to medium pace (likely 4-6 inches per minute depending on your setup).

In general, we find that machines made over seas often times don’t cut as efficiently as more expensive machines. For example, we tested the Hypertherm Powermax30 XP (30 amps)(Made in the USA) and it severed 3/4 steel in our tests. We tested the Lotos LTP5000D (50 amps)(Made in China) and it had very similar performance and severed 3/4 steel as well. So the 20 amp increase in the LOTOS didn’t make a whole lot of difference as there was likely some energy lost in the Lotos LTP5000D in one form or another. That being said, you can expect the Primeweld to cut around the same capacity of an American made 45 amp machine (keep in mind most 45 amp USA made machines cost over $2000).

Euro Central Connection Torch

One thing we really like about the Cut60 is the all in one torch design with a EURO central connection. Cheaper machines like the LOTOS LTP5000D have a separate wire that operates the pilot arc feature and it is likely to break overtime. Primeweld has made their torch an all in one Euro connection that easily attaches to the machine. This design is not only easier to assemble, but is less prone to failure over time.

 

Dual Voltage

Having a machine that is dual voltage really makes it adaptable to any environment. The fact that you can cut with this machine on 220V at 60 amps and then attach a pigtail adapter to run it at 20 amps on a standard 110v wall plug is awesome. This gives you the flexibility to work in just about any shop. Primeweld includes the pigtail adapter needed to convert your 220V plug to a standard 110V plug, so no additional purchase is necessary.

When running this machine on 110v expect the max cutting power to be reduced to 20 amps and the max cutting capacity to be reduced to 1/4 inch steel.

 

Nice Comprehensive Manual

The included manual has a ton of helpful information on getting to know your new machine and how to make proper cuts with it. It has a entire break down chart of machine settings for different metal types and thicknesses. You will also find a comprehensive breakdown of all of the different parts on the machine if you wish to order replacements.

Good Warranty

The Cut60 comes with a 3 year warranty and many users have reported great customer service from Primeweld’s USA based service center. From our experience they are quick to reply to emails and help you with anything you need regarding their machines.

Torch Consumables

The CUT60 uses a Tecmo IPT60 torch. Consumables for this torch are easily available on Amazon and other common welding sites. The consumables are reasonably priced and work well.

View On Amazon.com

IPT-60 Plasma Cutter Consumables For The CUT60

These are the consumables for the IPT-60 torch that is included with the Primeweld Cut60. It’s Always good to have extra on hand.

If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

What We Don’t Like

The Included Welding Helmet

This welding helmet is trash and you can simply throw it away when your machine arrives. Having both hands free while plasma cutting is a must and a hand held mask simply won’t cut it. Be sure to pick up a good welding helmet when you get your new plasma cutter.

Max Cutting Thickness Test

Cutting Tests on 220V (60 Amps)

We were very impressed with the cutting quality of the CUT60 and were blown away by how well it cut 3/4 inch mild steel. We tested it on 1/4″, 1/2″ 3/4″ and 1″ mild steel with the machine on 60 amps (220V). It cut from 1/4″ to 3/4″ no problem and the cuts looked great. When we tried 1 inch the machine still produced a clean cut, but failed to penetrate all the way through. So the true tested maximum thickness is somewhere between 3/4″ and 1″.

Cutting Tests on 110V (20 Amps)

We then went ahead and turned the machine down to 20 amps (110V) and tested our first cut on 1/4″ mild steel. It cut it without any issues, but 1/4″ is the maximum thickness you would want to cut on 110V. You could probably go thicker, but the speed at which you would need to cut would be rather slow.

What Accessories Are Included In The Box?

  • IPT60 Plasma Torch (20 ft.)
  • 220V to 110V Pigtail Adapter
  • CNC Plug
  • Wire Brush
  • Extra Consumables
  • Ground Clamp
  • Cheap Welding Helmet (No good)