Cool cutting, portable power, fast fusing: the list of new and useful techniques in farm welding and metalworking is a long one these days.
“Plasma cutters are probably near the top of the ‘I want that’ list for farmers,” said welding specialist Ilie Irinici.
“We see farmers at our demonstration booths and they want that plasma (cutting unit). It was like it was meant for farming,” said Irinici, who works with Acklands Grainger in Saskatoon.
Plasma cutters have dropped significantly in size and price over the past 15 years.
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The units use electricity to melt the steel and compressed air to carry it away, which produces less hot metal to fall into crop stubble, machine parts and unlaced boots than does torch cutting. Plasma cutters leave almost no slag or heat damage to the target material. Unlike a torch, they can cut aluminum and stainless steel.
Small units capable of cutting three-eighths inch mild steel can be run in the field or yard from a 4,000 watt generator and weigh less than 60 pounds.
For extremes in portability, new inverter technology versions will draw even less power, still cut the same material and, at the size of a four-slice toaster, weigh less than 20 lb.
Inverter welders for stick and TIG are the same size and weight. Prices for both inverter units start at $1,300.
Irinici said producers are also buying spool guns for their MIG welders so they can weld the stainless steel and aluminum found on recent farm equipment.
“We see a demand for the newer MIG welders as well. Some make welding steel so easy all you have to concentrate on is the weld itself. There is a new welder with a patented automatic system that looks after the amperage and the wire feed. You just set the wire size and the metal’s thickness and start welding,” he said.
“You add a spool gun for aluminum and go welding.”
Irinici said another trend is the training that accompanies the sale of new welders and tools.
“Farmers are no longer content to buy the welder and take it home and play with it until they learn how to make use of it. These days we have to spend some time with them instructing. They will invest in the machines, but they want to know they’re going to put it to work right away and get results.”
