Isaac, I've got 40 yrs in the welding industry. Heavy equipment, certified pipe welder aerospace and nuclear power stations. Your teaching skills,experience and work ethic etc make your videos the best on utube. Most of what you do can't be taught in a school. A wise youg man should watch what you do very closely if wanting to get in the welding industry. You da man.
Charles my credentials are very similar and I agree. If a young man approached me and asked for advice on how to open a general welding business I would give him all the advice I could gather out of my brain and at the the end tell him to go to this channel and watch every video. Main thing I like about his videos is " I think this will work ". And it did. Also " I thought this would work but,it didn't so, I'm going to try this ". Real world,do not give up and do the best job you can advice.
You make carbon arc look easy!! Haha, i just arc’d out some pieces on a stinger for a semi trailer yesterday, and i am just amazed at your skill. With all that you do. Love watching your videos
I am dumbfounded by his ability with a torch saw a vid of him burning out king pin bushings... CLEAN!! i wouldn't even attempt it if it were on my gear. And he makes it look like nothing...
Great and fascinating video. Had an opportunity to take a welding class in the Industrial Education dept at U of MN, Duluth way back in the 1970s (yup I'm that ancient). Oxy-Acetylene was the way to cut. Or soak a 6011 1/8" rod in water for about 10 minutes and run it at 180 Amps. Plasma looks a lot easier and gives a nicer cut. CAG works great, too.
I just noticed this right off, and am wondering what lens he used, as well as what camera. The cleanliness of it and the light blue tint look just like it does through my Lincoln Viking 4C lens in my hood. (Lincoln 3350). The Jackson Balder lenses are the same. Super clean image, and well focused. After using that hood for a long time, I can hardly stand anything else, so be warned if you get yourself one; you'll be spoiled.
@@ChevyConQueso could be but he uses the 2x4 lenses and it looks a bit lighter (when off) than the Lincoln 4c. I noticed he was using a TrueArc HD lens to film the welding in an older video but it had a greenish tint. I wonder if he got the blue lens TrueArc came out with recently
@@ChevyConQueso I tried a bunch of 2x4 auto-darkening lenses when I was in welding school and I found a few that were slightly better than the Lincoln 4c. Weldtube sells a really nice one called the Clearview HD lens that had a purple hue with orange weld, makes it really clear. My favorite was the TrueArc Gold lens, the gold blocked a lot of the heat and it was very clear
i must have picked up something from watching your skillful technique... about a month after watching this video, there was an large excavator bucket showed up at the fab shop i work in, and i agreed to remove a cracked tooth adaptor with the carbon arc. i had less than 10 mins prior experience using it, but i impressed the hell out of the boss, by doing it fairly quick, and for not gouging into the base metal. by the end of the day i got a 2$/hour raise. keep making great videos, you're awesome man!
If you turned the amps up. I was wondering if the arc from the plasma torch would be long enough where the nozzle wouldn't hit the pin boss. And you could maneuver the gun around the boss. Great Job sure a nice unit.
I’ve always been a carbon arch guy an I like to use plasma, the plasma would be good for small quick jobs, heck I still gouge with a torch lol but this was a very insightful video 👊🏽
Excellent video! Why, because you show and teach others that there is "always" a learning curve when doing something new. Even a trained person as yourself takes the time to practice and understand something new. A great lesson for all.
I have arc welded over the years and have plasma cut at times but never had to gouge any metal. Your really well produced video shows quite clearly to me that the carbon arc is a much better system. Thank you and well done.
Thank you for sharing once again. To be honest, everything you do is a little magic to me and I would not have been surprised if all you did was tap the ear 3 times with your leatherman and it disassembled itself in respect. 😀
I cannot afford either one so I guess it really doesn't matter. But I do enjoy watching people do things I cannot afford. Pumping gas is my latest fantasy.
Excellent welding description, excellent video production with proper background music and volume. Two thumbs up from New Brunswick, Canada, IC. Subscribed!
I have sold two of those units already. One was a 65amp hand unit, one was a 105 on a 4x8 koike table. The customer was totally inpressed with the performance on the table. Hypertherm says the cartridge should last 11/2 - 2 times longer than a standard comumable stack. Check out thier flush cut from hypertherm. It was designed for just what you are going to do, cutting those ears off. Good work !!!
I grew up working with the older generation and the carbon arc gouging is the way to do it especially like when removing the scraper blade on a big bucket that moves wood chips as fuel at this energy plant I used to do shutdowns at I could do it all day and got to be pretty good hand at it and the guys would always come to me it’s all about figuring out how it works and just paying attention to what the rod is telling you keep up the good work man
I have never carbon arc gouged anything, but I see how it works after watching your video. Very good camera work! I have plasma gouged a fair amount of heavy aluminum weldments and for aluminum, I have found nothing better than plasma gouging.
This is awesome, plasma cutters have come along way when I used to use them. I used to do this 15 years ago but making sure I cut on a shallow angle cutting off the top of the weld. Awesome work 😊
Great video as always. I have wondered if the air comes through the rod or out the handle... Now I know. The plasma was cool but for some reason I think the arc gouging looks more fun, and cleaner.
i been working with plasma and arc air for years and in my opinion the arc air is by far superior for gouging. the heat affected zone is way smaller. its cooler on the hands and the overall finish is better. i only use plasma when people are grumpy about the overall smoke of the arc air. great video i'll come back for more.
Here it is a year later. I have now used a plasma cutter. I bought a Yes Weld 65. I watched some folk using/testing different plasma machines. The Yes machine performed up to and maybe just a bit beyond the advertising hype. A friend who has done quite a lot more than me liked my new machine he went and bought one for himself. I'm curious if you get notices from RUclips that you've got more comments.
Great comparison, and great editing and arc shots. I think they both have their place, and are both extremely capable. I'm about to use plasma gouging on Monday at work. I've had a Hypertherm 45XP since they came out several years ago, and still haven't used the gouging function. I have a handful of smaller welds to take care of, and I think it can remove them 100x as fast as a grinder can.
Hello IC, great learning video. Once you get used to speed of travel and play with the arc force (amps) settings you will have it made. I used the flat cups on the old machines for flat work, but joints or cutting thick sheets. The cone shaped cups I used for weldments and tight areas by raising the arc force (amps) to hold a longer arc while still blowing material away. Give it a try to see what the torch is capable of doing while you have the practice machine. Thank you for your time again IC.
Great comparison! As you stated, most of the work we tradesman do is based on years of perfecting our skills. I had to laugh at your " just watch it on RUclips" comment. Our better educated friends think that's all there is to it!:) Much respect!
We have an 8+ year old hupertherm powermax 45 that gauges and its just been abused its whole life, wet air, the lot and its never skipped a beat. Excellent machines. Has eaten a few tips, mind.
Very interesting video. I have done quite a bit of airark gouging over the years doing heavy equipment repairs. I have used a plasma torch for cutting and like the way plasma cuts. That’s the first time I have seen plasma used to gouge out a weld. With your experience using stick air ark clearly that proses looked a bit cleaner. But maybe with practice plasma gouging could look as clean. Also I liked that you used the 2 different plasma tips. Very interesting. I enjoyed this one 👍
For those wondering about air coming out of the handle when arc gouging. You must have some kind of air supply such as an air compressor when using it and of course a welding machine.
Learned a few things. The modest amount of plasma gouging that I've done was backwards of what you did just carving out the weld until I could see the separation line. Never had any instruction or even saw it done so I didn't know any different.
Excellent comparison video, my initial feeling on the plasma was, that’s neat, I’d like to try it out for sure. Don’t think it’ll take over from air-arc 100% at the moment but technology don’t stand still. Thanks for sharing 👍
I ran both on a really large repair of cracked 1.5" plate. the plasma worked way faster but started to struggle and got really uncontrollable about 1/2" to 3/4" into the plate. it might be because I don't know what I'm doing but we had to use carbon arc to gouge out for a good root pass once we got deep enough with the plasma. I'm trying to practice with my thermal dynamics machine but it really sucks compared to hypertherm.
For plasma to really shine on thicker material, you want it hooked upto 3 phase . A 220v 50 amp plasma cutter will cut 12-15 ish MM material “cleanly” at its max setting . Anything less than that it’s just going to be able to cut faster and cleaner! I don’t work with anything thicker than 1/2 “ so my Herocut 50 amp plasma cutter with its PT 30 torch is perfect. I love that thing and it was very affordable as well as to this day insanely reliable. Not all Chinese plasma cutters are built to the same quality standards . Herocut is going to be your best bet , great value and good quality. They have much bigger 3 phase and I believe upto 60 amp machines that are single phase I’m not sure. For plasma cutters you want the driest air possible , it really makes a difference in consumable life. Stay away from anything 110v , the inverter IGBT’s or mosfets wear out quicker on 110 V.
Very fair and informative video. As with any tool, each has the application where they “shine” and the situations where they don’t. As always I enjoyed the video…. Y’all stay safe…
I like it! I can see an added benefit of not using up consumables that would save money. Both technologies would have their place and time. Like them both. Thanks for sharing.
I prefer the Arc Air stick gouger as that's the gouger I learned to gouge with . Tried the torch gouger but it didn't turn out very good . Stick gouger sure works great when you screw up and have the brackets fully welded and then find that they are in the wrong location . Great video Issac .
Wow that's an amazing new machine. And it looks like it'll be a good investment for anyone who does that kind of work. It looks a lot cleaner than the other gouging tools that are in use.
Very neat. The plasma gouging definitely looked like something I would enjoy if I was in that field of work. Was really great to be able to see the difference between the two styles. Like anything, there isn't just one thing that does everything so always need a diverse set of tools. Just like you always need more than one 10mm ratchet socket as it always seems to get lost lol.
"Relax, I've seen a lot of YT videos" - Sir, are you suggesting something...? ;-) "Wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more, say no more!" ;-) EDIT: I also have to add that it was a very "in depth comparison" of those two methods, something I always wanted to see. Very informative indeed. Thanks a lot.
I have a cutmaster 60i that has gouge mode but never have tried it as I have a K4000 and am very used to it. Liked seeing them side by side, I think I'll order the gouging tips for my plasma and try it out. Thanks.
Great video issac, I use the extended reach consumables for gouging from hypertherm. Extended reach consumables allow for better visibility and your hands don’t get as hot because they are farther away from the arc and molten metal. They also make a shield that fits onto the torch to help with the heat.
Very nice plasma cutter, indeed! I have sang the praises of gouging with my Hypertherm 45XP on here before. I absolutely love it! I don’t know what the amperage draw is for the cutter you’re demonstrating is but I can run my 45XP off my Lincoln Ranger 305G’s 240V receptacle at maximum output with room to spare.
Very interesting! I personally have never used Carbon gouging before. I have always used plasma gouging. That’s a very nice unit too. Much nicer than the stuff I have. But still we adapt and learn. I actually gouge most of my stuff at around 25-35 amps With a cutting nozzle. It is very precise and I’ve never actually needed any more amperage and I’ve cut welds on 1.25 inch plate.
I've always done carbon arc and never gotten to try plasma. I was just thinking about how gouging off my weak mig is usually more fun than cutting with my wimpy plasma, but if you can do it with 30 amps then I'm going to have to give it a try.
I'm grateful for your comment, as I've never gouged at all! But my current video project I'll need to cut 1" plate & my plasma cutter is not very effective cutting beyond 1/2"-5/8" or so. Was planning to torch cut. Now I may try plasma gouging my way through it just to learn about the process...always learning...even if it's learning it doesn't work!
As a follow up to my first reply, I just did a little digging and through Kevin Caron's page I found George's "The Plasma Cutter Shop" on eBay. Not sure what plasma torch you have, but he sells gouging tips for a few models. They're spendy, but the quality is really good. I have same cutting tip (made in Italy) and it's waaay beefier than regular Chinese stuff.
@@branchandfoundry560 sorry for the delayed response. So I have a primeweld cut50d nothing crazy fancy and I buy all of my consumables on Amazon. I think RXweld. The art to it is just take small bites. I actually don’t like cleanly cutting with my plasma anything more that say 5/16-3/8 but for gouging, I’ll lay my tip sideways and just do a slow tigweave like motion and it is very controllable. Taking out only what you let it really. May have to make a couple passes but it works for me! Now I still typically rely on my torch for actually cutting thick material.
@@maxscott3349 try it! I really like it and picked up on it fairly quickly. The downside I see is going through more consumables than just strait cutting.
Thank you for answering my question about the air ports in the arc gouger. I wondered if it has something like that....I never did any welding. Totally nieve. Looks fun. Almost like decorating and frosting a cake lol.
Easy way to compare the 2 both have their merits and both have their faults . Nice idea for the plasma however its bulky compared to the rod . I'm sure your experience will determine which is best for which task . Great video to share the choice thanks
nice never realy gauged with plasma but looks to pull to the center in that setting in my opinion will give it a go and see if my results are also good
It is amazing to watch your skills. The machine was pretty good too. My first time plasma cutting did not look anything near like that. Neither did the second third or fourth.
Hypertherm makes "Hyacess" tips for those harder to reach spots. They also keep your hands a little further away from the heat. I almost never use the standard length gouging tips anymore. I run a 45xp on my truck.
IC is definitely one of the most talented guys that I have seen using his many talents on RUclips. Some of the comments I see from a lot of you guys makes me wonder if you should be driving a welding truck, or a flower delivery van!
I never wanted to sit in the front row while in school. That has changed with you as the teacher. Moreover, now I want to stay in class after the bell rings!
I used to run a Hypertherm plasma cutter and can confirm it was a quality machine. Yes more expensive but it really was made to a high quality standard. There really is no comparison to those Chinese (rebranded) plasmas you can find in tool supply shops. Tips lasted ages for it if used correctly too. When I first used the Hypertherm plasma I was amazed at how quickly it cut metals. From that seemingly innocent gun all hell breaks loose once the trigger is pulled! For me at my shop the only downside with a plasma was it needing a sufficient air supply. Mine tended to use more air than I was expecting but then again my air supply wasn't a huge one. That's a very interesting comparison. I've not used a carbon gouger before and to see the comparison shown is great. I do think that carbon will remain your favourite though as it suits your workload perfectly. It might be 'old school' technology but if it works keep it.
I’ll admit, I haven’t seen every one of your videos, but I do think that is one of the first times I’ve seen you use a chipping hammer rather than your trusty gerber. Great video as always!
Carbon Arc for me all the way, usually i blow up the mig and the plasma arc the first day.. lol So I just stick with the arc welder Carbon arc and a cutting torch, they always work. good vid!!
Very cool side by side run Isaac! My first thought was "Holy cow, that's way quieter than carbon arc....." but then I realized the plasma gouger doesn't have to shoot air to the end of the rod where the job work is being done.......I may not be quick but I'll get there eventually haha! I've never tried carbon arc and only have used plasma a few times but I don't think one will ever replace the other
Ive used torches to gouge and plasma and im proficient with either however I have never had the opprunity to use an arc gouger. BUt earlier this week the rail dropped off a 994 rock bucket that I get to retro-fit and upgrade...never done that before either so I guess this next project after the d375 blade is done will be that. I have a hypertherm 125 at my disposale and the miller trailblazer for gouging and I plan on using both to determine what my preference will be.
Hey Isaac, all the way from Portugal. Im a mobile welder, i will be doing some air arc gouging in the future, but i still have to purchase an air compressor, what compressor size do you recommend, 150 200 Ltr compressor is it enough? ( 650 ) ltr per minute intake , think might be enough?, my problem is space ( closed van) and plasma is too expensive for to buy. Great videos, love them! I learn a lot !
First and foremost, GREAT video as always!!! You're always so humble despite the video evidence that PROVES your mastery of the metal you work with. Secondly, given all of your 'experience' with carbon gouging versus your 'first time' use of plasma gouging, I would completely EXPECT your carbon gouging to come out better. Lastly, my 'totally inexperienced at anything more complicated than breathing in and out' opinion is that the plasma gouging seemed far less able to show a nice. clean. separation line. It was almost as if it was attempting to weld the two parts back together. Perhaps if it had an increased airflow, it would have achieved a better jobs of 'blowing' the puddle away from the separation line? (For example. if the air nozzles in the head had a rotating disc behind them that (sequentially) concentrated the majority of the airflow out of only 1 or 2 of the nozzles?)
@@ICWeld Just finished the entire video. You demonstrated the differences very well. I can certainly see applications for the plasma gouge. A person also has to keep in mind the significant difference in power. 45 amps vs 200 is significant. Appreciate taking the time to show us. I had no idea this product existed. This guy might learn a few more tricks yet!
I see places for each. Overall, it seems to me that the arc gouging manages the slag better. Gets it out of the way, while the plasma puddles it ahead of the work.
I thank you for showing the plasma gouging but I think I’m gonna stick with a carbon arc gouge I’ve already got used to it but please keep these videos flowing
Very informative video, always wondered how the two methods would compare to each other. For my purposes probably the Hypertherm would work a little better but really admire your skill with the carbon gouge.
I agree with you, they both have their places in the trade. I never much liked plasma cutters for the fact that they have their limitations for cutting thick material. Definetly really shines for cutting 5/16" and down, anything thicker the plasma arc becomes "lazy". I guess my expectations are too high maybe? Lol i always go for the oxy acety to do my cutting and CAG.
Isaac, I've got 40 yrs in the welding industry. Heavy equipment, certified pipe welder aerospace and nuclear power stations. Your teaching skills,experience and work ethic etc make your videos the best on utube. Most of what you do can't be taught in a school. A wise youg man should watch what you do very closely if wanting to get in the welding industry. You da man.
Charles my credentials are very similar and I agree. If a young man approached me and asked for advice on how to open a general welding business I would give him all the advice I could gather out of my brain and at the the end tell him to go to this channel and watch every video. Main thing I like about his videos is " I think this will work ". And it did. Also " I thought this would work but,it didn't so, I'm going to try this ". Real world,do not give up and do the best job you can advice.
You make carbon arc look easy!! Haha, i just arc’d out some pieces on a stinger for a semi trailer yesterday, and i am just amazed at your skill. With all that you do. Love watching your videos
yeah it blasts trough weld with it (in one pass) 😁😎
Good air supply, i use a roofing compressor and i have to stop to let the air build up again before continuing.
I am dumbfounded by his ability with a torch saw a vid of him burning out king pin bushings... CLEAN!! i wouldn't even attempt it if it were on my gear. And he makes it look like nothing...
It's nice that Hypertherm has recognized you and provided equipment!
Great and fascinating video. Had an opportunity to take a welding class in the Industrial Education dept at U of MN, Duluth way back in the 1970s (yup I'm that ancient). Oxy-Acetylene was the way to cut. Or soak a 6011 1/8" rod in water for about 10 minutes and run it at 180 Amps. Plasma looks a lot easier and gives a nicer cut. CAG works great, too.
Can we all just take a moment to appreciate the arc shots, especially at 13:27. That made it so much easier to see what's going on in there
Absolutely!
How about 17:05 ? That was quite a lot of weld removed down to the seam in two quick passes!
I just noticed this right off, and am wondering what lens he used, as well as what camera. The cleanliness of it and the light blue tint look just like it does through my Lincoln Viking 4C lens in my hood. (Lincoln 3350). The Jackson Balder lenses are the same. Super clean image, and well focused. After using that hood for a long time, I can hardly stand anything else, so be warned if you get yourself one; you'll be spoiled.
@@ChevyConQueso could be but he uses the 2x4 lenses and it looks a bit lighter (when off) than the Lincoln 4c.
I noticed he was using a TrueArc HD lens to film the welding in an older video but it had a greenish tint. I wonder if he got the blue lens TrueArc came out with recently
@@ChevyConQueso I tried a bunch of 2x4 auto-darkening lenses when I was in welding school and I found a few that were slightly better than the Lincoln 4c.
Weldtube sells a really nice one called the Clearview HD lens that had a purple hue with orange weld, makes it really clear. My favorite was the TrueArc Gold lens, the gold blocked a lot of the heat and it was very clear
i must have picked up something from watching your skillful technique... about a month after watching this video, there was an large excavator bucket showed up at the fab shop i work in, and i agreed to remove a cracked tooth adaptor with the carbon arc. i had less than 10 mins prior experience using it, but i impressed the hell out of the boss, by doing it fairly quick, and for not gouging into the base metal. by the end of the day i got a 2$/hour raise. keep making great videos, you're awesome man!
That is awesome!
1 year late, but that is absolutely awesome. Hope you're making more now.
If you turned the amps up. I was wondering if the arc from the plasma torch would be long enough where the nozzle wouldn't hit the pin boss. And you could maneuver the gun around the boss. Great Job sure a nice unit.
I’ve always been a carbon arch guy an I like to use plasma, the plasma would be good for small quick jobs, heck I still gouge with a torch lol but this was a very insightful video 👊🏽
Torch an easy to get to space arc in corners is my preference
Your "I've seen a lot of RUclips videos" joke was very funny, and very relatable
Excellent video! Why, because you show and teach others that there is "always" a learning curve when doing something new. Even a trained person as yourself takes the time to practice and understand something new. A great lesson for all.
I have arc welded over the years and have plasma cut at times but never had to gouge any metal. Your really well produced video shows quite clearly to me that the carbon arc is a much better system. Thank you and well done.
Very good video - this is the first time I have actually been able to see what was going on in the puddle - thanks.
Thank you for sharing once again. To be honest, everything you do is a little magic to me and I would not have been surprised if all you did was tap the ear 3 times with your leatherman and it disassembled itself in respect. 😀
Brilliant demo of different techs. Your finesse/accuracy is very impressive to a keyboard expert like me. Thanks
I cannot afford either one so I guess it really doesn't matter. But I do enjoy watching people do things I cannot afford. Pumping gas is my latest fantasy.
Thank you Isaac. I just added two torches to my wish list.😊
Like every machine, each has a specific purpose.
You handle each piece like a pro!
You are really master of your craft!
Keep up the incredible work!
Excellent welding description, excellent video production with proper background music and volume. Two thumbs up from New Brunswick, Canada, IC. Subscribed!
Thank you very much!
I have a Hypermax 45xp and I've been using the Hyaccess kit for most of my gouging needs. They work great!
I have sold two of those units already. One was a 65amp hand unit, one was a 105 on a 4x8 koike table. The customer was totally inpressed with the performance on the table. Hypertherm says the cartridge should last 11/2 - 2 times longer than a standard comumable stack. Check out thier flush cut from hypertherm. It was designed for just what you are going to do, cutting those ears off. Good work !!!
Awesome video!
Hand torch is 75 degree, straight torch is 18 degree.
Welding has come a long ways since I did it for a living. I did what you are doing in the early 70's
I grew up working with the older generation and the carbon arc gouging is the way to do it especially like when removing the scraper blade on a big bucket that moves wood chips as fuel at this energy plant I used to do shutdowns at I could do it all day and got to be pretty good hand at it and the guys would always come to me it’s all about figuring out how it works and just paying attention to what the rod is telling you keep up the good work man
Agreed. I enjoy arc gouging. once you get the hang of it, its so fast and easy!
Bro, been welding for over 125 years, worked on the Titanic ..you are awesome. Great video my friend..i have learned so much from ya😂
I have never carbon arc gouged anything, but I see how it works after watching your video. Very good camera work! I have plasma gouged a fair amount of heavy aluminum weldments and for aluminum, I have found nothing better than plasma gouging.
This is awesome, plasma cutters have come along way when I used to use them. I used to do this 15 years ago but making sure I cut on a shallow angle cutting off the top of the weld. Awesome work 😊
Great video as always. I have wondered if the air comes through the rod or out the handle... Now I know. The plasma was cool but for some reason I think the arc gouging looks more fun, and cleaner.
i been working with plasma and arc air for years and in my opinion the arc air is by far superior for gouging.
the heat affected zone is way smaller. its cooler on the hands and the overall finish is better. i only use plasma when people are grumpy about the overall smoke of the arc air.
great video i'll come back for more.
Here it is a year later. I have now used a plasma cutter. I bought a Yes Weld 65. I watched some folk using/testing different plasma machines. The Yes machine performed up to and maybe just a bit beyond the advertising hype. A friend who has done quite a lot more than me liked my new machine he went and bought one for himself.
I'm curious if you get notices from RUclips that you've got more comments.
You are an absolute artist with the carbon arc!
Thank you for your comparison of the two ways of gouging. Your skill and knowledge is amazing and your sharing is very appreciated.
You make it look so so easy. Very impressive.
Excellent comparison and a fair discussion of the plus & minuses of both. Thank you !!!
Great comparison, and great editing and arc shots. I think they both have their place, and are both extremely capable. I'm about to use plasma gouging on Monday at work. I've had a Hypertherm 45XP since they came out several years ago, and still haven't used the gouging function. I have a handful of smaller welds to take care of, and I think it can remove them 100x as fast as a grinder can.
Hello IC, great learning video. Once you get used to speed of travel and play with the arc force (amps) settings you will have it made.
I used the flat cups on the old machines for flat work, but joints or cutting thick sheets. The cone shaped cups I used for weldments and tight areas by raising the arc force (amps) to hold a longer arc while still blowing material away. Give it a try to see what the torch is capable of doing while you have the practice machine.
Thank you for your time again IC.
Great comparison! As you stated, most of the work we tradesman do is based on years of perfecting our skills. I had to laugh at your " just watch it on RUclips" comment. Our better educated friends think that's all there is to it!:) Much respect!
I prefer the carbon electrod performance.
Thanks for a great video.
Blessings.
always great to see a skilled tradesman at work good job brother
Plasma for light and low volume gouging. Carbon if you just gotta get crazy. I like how gentle plasma gouging is. Great for cutting stuff off.
We have an 8+ year old hupertherm powermax 45 that gauges and its just been abused its whole life, wet air, the lot and its never skipped a beat. Excellent machines. Has eaten a few tips, mind.
Very interesting video. I have done quite a bit of airark gouging over the years doing heavy equipment repairs. I have used a plasma torch for cutting and like the way plasma cuts. That’s the first time I have seen plasma used to gouge out a weld. With your experience using stick air ark clearly that proses looked a bit cleaner. But maybe with practice plasma gouging could look as clean. Also I liked that you used the 2 different plasma tips. Very interesting. I enjoyed this one 👍
For those wondering about air coming out of the handle when arc gouging. You must have some kind of air supply such as an air compressor when using it and of course a welding machine.
There are airless gouging rods available too.
Learned a few things. The modest amount of plasma gouging that I've done was backwards of what you did just carving out the weld until I could see the separation line. Never had any instruction or even saw it done so I didn't know any different.
You make an interesting point. Maybe I was doing it wrong. Maybe I should have done it backwards. I'll try that.
Yes I confirm, for using it every day, it is a great tool. I can't do without it anymore. Very good work Man.
Your findings were the same as mine .. carbon stick gouging done by an experienced hand 👍
Excellent comparison video, my initial feeling on the plasma was, that’s neat, I’d like to try it out for sure.
Don’t think it’ll take over from air-arc 100% at the moment but technology don’t stand still.
Thanks for sharing 👍
I ran both on a really large repair of cracked 1.5" plate. the plasma worked way faster but started to struggle and got really uncontrollable about 1/2" to 3/4" into the plate. it might be because I don't know what I'm doing but we had to use carbon arc to gouge out for a good root pass once we got deep enough with the plasma. I'm trying to practice with my thermal dynamics machine but it really sucks compared to hypertherm.
For plasma to really shine on thicker material, you want it hooked upto 3 phase . A 220v 50 amp plasma cutter will cut 12-15 ish MM material “cleanly” at its max setting . Anything less than that it’s just going to be able to cut faster and cleaner! I don’t work with anything thicker than 1/2 “ so my Herocut 50 amp plasma cutter with its PT 30 torch is perfect. I love that thing and it was very affordable as well as to this day insanely reliable. Not all Chinese plasma cutters are built to the same quality standards . Herocut is going to be your best bet , great value and good quality. They have much bigger 3 phase and I believe upto 60 amp machines that are single phase I’m not sure. For plasma cutters you want the driest air possible , it really makes a difference in consumable life. Stay away from anything 110v , the inverter IGBT’s or mosfets wear out quicker on 110 V.
Nice piece of kit Isaac.. it’s quick, but equally the carbon arc is quick also when your using it … it’s good you have options for different jobs ..
Any time is a good time for gouging videos. Who doesn't want to see you make the sun on earth !
Very fair and informative video. As with any tool, each has the application where they “shine” and the situations where they don’t. As always I enjoyed the video…. Y’all stay safe…
Thank you for sharing. I learn every time I watch you.
I like it! I can see an added benefit of not using up consumables that would save money. Both technologies would have their place and time. Like them both. Thanks for sharing.
Sounds like that one is gouging for dummies you can learn instantly. Or almost. Of course you make it look easy. Thank you keep up the great videos
I prefer the Arc Air stick gouger as that's the gouger I learned to gouge with . Tried the torch gouger but it didn't turn out very good . Stick gouger sure works great when you screw up and have the brackets fully welded and then find that they are in the wrong location . Great video Issac .
I do a lot of plasma gouging I like to put Hobart splatter spray down first in the run off area you technique looked really good thought
Great video as always Isaac can't wait to watch you install the new pieces.
Air arc is my favorite mainly when outdoors
Wow that's an amazing new machine. And it looks like it'll be a good investment for anyone who does that kind of work. It looks a lot cleaner than the other gouging tools that are in use.
Always like watching you do your work. No doubt you will be getting a machine like the new one. Take care.
Very neat. The plasma gouging definitely looked like something I would enjoy if I was in that field of work. Was really great to be able to see the difference between the two styles. Like anything, there isn't just one thing that does everything so always need a diverse set of tools. Just like you always need more than one 10mm ratchet socket as it always seems to get lost lol.
"Relax, I've seen a lot of YT videos" - Sir, are you suggesting something...? ;-) "Wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more, say no more!" ;-)
EDIT: I also have to add that it was a very "in depth comparison" of those two methods, something I always wanted to see. Very informative indeed. Thanks a lot.
I have a cutmaster 60i that has gouge mode but never have tried it as I have a K4000 and am very used to it. Liked seeing them side by side, I think I'll order the gouging tips for my plasma and try it out. Thanks.
Great video issac, I use the extended reach consumables for gouging from hypertherm. Extended reach consumables allow for better visibility and your hands don’t get as hot because they are farther away from the arc and molten metal. They also make a shield that fits onto the torch to help with the heat.
Hypertherm does make longer, "high access" consumables, that might work for those hard to reach places with the plasma cutter
Very nice plasma cutter, indeed! I have sang the praises of gouging with my Hypertherm 45XP on here before. I absolutely love it! I don’t know what the amperage draw is for the cutter you’re demonstrating is but I can run my 45XP off my Lincoln Ranger 305G’s 240V receptacle at maximum output with room to spare.
Wow the technology and your skill is amazing.
Very interesting! I personally have never used Carbon gouging before. I have always used plasma gouging. That’s a very nice unit too. Much nicer than the stuff I have. But still we adapt and learn. I actually gouge most of my stuff at around 25-35 amps With a cutting nozzle. It is very precise and I’ve never actually needed any more amperage and I’ve cut welds on 1.25 inch plate.
I've always done carbon arc and never gotten to try plasma. I was just thinking about how gouging off my weak mig is usually more fun than cutting with my wimpy plasma, but if you can do it with 30 amps then I'm going to have to give it a try.
I'm grateful for your comment, as I've never gouged at all! But my current video project I'll need to cut 1" plate & my plasma cutter is not very effective cutting beyond 1/2"-5/8" or so. Was planning to torch cut. Now I may try plasma gouging my way through it just to learn about the process...always learning...even if it's learning it doesn't work!
As a follow up to my first reply, I just did a little digging and through Kevin Caron's page I found George's "The Plasma Cutter Shop" on eBay. Not sure what plasma torch you have, but he sells gouging tips for a few models. They're spendy, but the quality is really good. I have same cutting tip (made in Italy) and it's waaay beefier than regular Chinese stuff.
@@branchandfoundry560 sorry for the delayed response. So I have a primeweld cut50d nothing crazy fancy and I buy all of my consumables on Amazon. I think RXweld. The art to it is just take small bites. I actually don’t like cleanly cutting with my plasma anything more that say 5/16-3/8 but for gouging, I’ll lay my tip sideways and just do a slow tigweave like motion and it is very controllable. Taking out only what you let it really. May have to make a couple passes but it works for me! Now I still typically rely on my torch for actually cutting thick material.
@@maxscott3349 try it! I really like it and picked up on it fairly quickly. The downside I see is going through more consumables than just strait cutting.
Your the best welder I ever seen sir
Hi issac, very impressed with the New cutter once you get the hang of it it will be dead easy Stan.
Great arc shots! Really clear viewing.
Thank you for answering my question about the air ports in the arc gouger. I wondered if it has something like that....I never did any welding. Totally nieve. Looks fun. Almost like decorating and frosting a cake lol.
Easy way to compare the 2 both have their merits and both have their faults . Nice idea for the plasma however its bulky compared to the rod . I'm sure your experience will determine which is best for which task . Great video to share the choice thanks
nice never realy gauged with plasma but looks to pull to the center in that setting in my opinion
will give it a go and see if my results are also good
It is amazing to watch your skills. The machine was pretty good too. My first time plasma cutting did not look anything near like that. Neither did the second third or fourth.
Hypertherm makes "Hyacess" tips for those harder to reach spots. They also keep your hands a little further away from the heat. I almost never use the standard length gouging tips anymore. I run a 45xp on my truck.
I have that tip for my ancient Powermax 900. It's all I use as well.
IC is definitely one of the most talented guys that I have seen using his many talents on RUclips. Some of the comments I see from a lot of you guys makes me wonder if you should be driving a welding truck, or a flower delivery van!
@@thomashaley5284 What is the point of your comment?
I never wanted to sit in the front row while in school. That has changed with you as the teacher. Moreover, now I want to stay in class after the bell rings!
Rock on!
Thank you for taking us along for the first steps with the new machine; I've never tried either but I'm glad I have some insight now.
Wow that is awesome,I didnt think the plasma would cut that clean for gouging .I'm going to be looking for a setup like that in the future.
First time I’ve ever seen a plasma used for gouging. Very cool!
I used to run a Hypertherm plasma cutter and can confirm it was a quality machine. Yes more expensive but it really was made to a high quality standard. There really is no comparison to those Chinese (rebranded) plasmas you can find in tool supply shops. Tips lasted ages for it if used correctly too.
When I first used the Hypertherm plasma I was amazed at how quickly it cut metals. From that seemingly innocent gun all hell breaks loose once the trigger is pulled!
For me at my shop the only downside with a plasma was it needing a sufficient air supply. Mine tended to use more air than I was expecting but then again my air supply wasn't a huge one.
That's a very interesting comparison. I've not used a carbon gouger before and to see the comparison shown is great. I do think that carbon will remain your favourite though as it suits your workload perfectly. It might be 'old school' technology but if it works keep it.
Good and educational video, and it just goes to show that practice makes perfect ( or as near as ) .
Thanks for your video time here too, Isaac.
I’ll admit, I haven’t seen every one of your videos, but I do think that is one of the first times I’ve seen you use a chipping hammer rather than your trusty gerber. Great video as always!
Excellent demonstration, putting aside the new process to you.
Great work and video, thanks for sharing.
Great video. Very enjoyable and informative especially to me who has never welded or worked with metal. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it
Carbon Arc for me all the way, usually i blow up the mig and the plasma arc the first day.. lol So I just stick with the arc welder Carbon arc and a cutting torch, they always work. good vid!!
Very cool side by side run Isaac! My first thought was "Holy cow, that's way quieter than carbon arc....." but then I realized the plasma gouger doesn't have to shoot air to the end of the rod where the job work is being done.......I may not be quick but I'll get there eventually haha! I've never tried carbon arc and only have used plasma a few times but I don't think one will ever replace the other
Just like every tool they have they're own application. Interesting new tool.
Ive used torches to gouge and plasma and im proficient with either however I have never had the opprunity to use an arc gouger. BUt earlier this week the rail dropped off a 994 rock bucket that I get to retro-fit and upgrade...never done that before either so I guess this next project after the d375 blade is done will be that. I have a hypertherm 125 at my disposale and the miller trailblazer for gouging and I plan on using both to determine what my preference will be.
I watch a lot of the jobs that you do and you're very good at it and you are a very funny man
Hey Isaac, all the way from Portugal. Im a mobile welder, i will be doing some air arc gouging in the future, but i still have to purchase an air compressor, what compressor size do you recommend, 150 200 Ltr compressor is it enough? ( 650 ) ltr per minute intake , think might be enough?, my problem is space ( closed van) and plasma is too expensive for to buy.
Great videos, love them! I learn a lot !
I started with a 13cfm @90psi unit but I now have a 22cfm @100psi. Anywhere in that range will work.
@@ICWeld thank you so much for you response and help! Continue the good work 👏 🙏 👍 cheers
Thank you for the video. A lot of good information and a quality camera setup.
First and foremost, GREAT video as always!!! You're always so humble despite the video evidence that PROVES your mastery of the metal you work with.
Secondly, given all of your 'experience' with carbon gouging versus your 'first time' use of plasma gouging, I would completely EXPECT your carbon gouging to come out better.
Lastly, my 'totally inexperienced at anything more complicated than breathing in and out' opinion is that the plasma gouging seemed far less able to show a nice. clean. separation line. It was almost as if it was attempting to weld the two parts back together. Perhaps if it had an increased airflow, it would have achieved a better jobs of 'blowing' the puddle away from the separation line? (For example. if the air nozzles in the head had a rotating disc behind them that (sequentially) concentrated the majority of the airflow out of only 1 or 2 of the nozzles?)
plasma gouging is a nice option when there is nothing else. And as with anything, it takes practice. it worked good for what it is.
That machine is awesome like you Isaac. I’m always armed with my Leatherman also .
Carbon arc is by far the best when in the field or just in general on material over an inch.
That's what she said.
Agreed. each have their definite pluses and minuses.
@@ICWeld I appreciated that surgical plasma gouge on that T weld. That was really nice to watch.
@@ICWeld Just finished the entire video. You demonstrated the differences very well. I can certainly see applications for the plasma gouge. A person also has to keep in mind the significant difference in power. 45 amps vs 200 is significant. Appreciate taking the time to show us. I had no idea this product existed. This guy might learn a few more tricks yet!
Whoever invented carbon arc gouging is the man, I love it.
I see places for each. Overall, it seems to me that the arc gouging manages the slag better. Gets it out of the way, while the plasma puddles it ahead of the work.
Though I wonder what the max removal plasma gouging head would have done
I thank you for showing the plasma gouging but I think I’m gonna stick with a carbon arc gouge I’ve already got used to it but please keep these videos flowing
Very informative video, always wondered how the two methods would compare to each other. For my purposes probably the Hypertherm would work a little better but really admire your skill with the carbon gouge.
That plasma gouging is pretty precise. Nice!
I agree with you, they both have their places in the trade. I never much liked plasma cutters for the fact that they have their limitations for cutting thick material. Definetly really shines for cutting 5/16" and down, anything thicker the plasma arc becomes "lazy". I guess my expectations are too high maybe? Lol i always go for the oxy acety to do my cutting and CAG.
That's awesome thanks!,Always I always learn something from your video. Very cool