F R O M H O B BY
TO HOLLYWOOD
Everyone’s ride needs plasma
Written by Kris Scherm & Betsy Van Duyne
The days of slow, painful and messy auto retrofits are over.
The hot new thing in the world of custom auto shops these days
is plasma – and we’re not talking about a sweet new
plasma TV. We’re talking about plasma metal cutting.
Many of your favorite custom shops use plasma just
about every day because it’s faster and easier – not
to mention more versatile – than any other metal
cutting method out there. And thanks to advances in
plasma cutting technology, just about anyone can
own and cut with plasma using regular household
power and an air compressor.
Bring the Style
Even the movie industry has gone crazy with
plasma cutting. Hollywood stunt and set car
designer Eddie Paul knows all about plasma cutting.
“I own three Powermax systems now, one of which is hooked
up to a cool computer controlled setup that can cut out any
shape I want in just a few minutes. Compared to other cutting
technologies, it didn’t cost me a lot of money, so I’ve changed
a lot of my designs to metal instead of other materials because of
the speed at which I can design and cut with my plasma cutters.”
I’ve changed a lot of my
designs to metal instead of
other materials because
of the speed at which I
can design and cut with
my plasma cutters.”
– Eddie Paul, Shark Shop
Whether at home, in a custom shop, or on a set, you can
have the power to:
• Create custom handles
• Cut fender flares
• Cut door hinges
• Chop tops
• Lower your vehicle
• Replace bumpers
• Cut holes
The list is almost
endless. If it’s metal
(which most of your
truck is), plasma
cutting makes that
custom mod easier
and is a must-have
tool for anyone
doing customs.
• Modify frames
• Remove brackets
• Repair exhausts
• Replace or repair floors
• Fabricate panels
• Do detailed custom intricate metalwork
• Cut contoured metals
Bring the Power
Brian Doyen at HOT Motorsports uses his Powermax
handheld plasma cutter on a wide variety of custom
applications. “We do some sick one-off
customizations that require some
intricate metal cutting. Nothing
beats my Hypertherm Powermax30
system; it can do everything from
door panel mods on 24 gauge steel
to bracket customizations on 1/2"
material. We even do some interior
work with it. It is a really cool tool that
can help save you a lot of time and
help you cut metal safely.” HOT
Motorsports uses a Hypertherm
Powermax30 that can run on 110
or 220 volt power.
While most custom auto shops find a
handheld system like the Powermax linemore than meets their
needs, some custom auto fabricators are using larger
mechanized plasma systems.
Joe Riley and Travis Eiler researched all types of high end
metal cutting processes when they started Rize Industries.
After flying all over the country, looking at various pieces of
equipment, they decided on Hypertherm’s HyPce HPR130
plasma system. “Our HPR computer controlled plasma cutting
system cuts out all of our lift kits. It’s an awesome unit that
even does one inch material! It has allowed us to bring some
really cool lift designs to hard core truck enthusiasts.”
Rize Industries’ HPR130
system is meant for some
serious production. It’s a
precision machine that can
handle hours of cutting
every day while delivering
the quality that Rize’s
customers demand.
Bring it Home
Plasma can help you achieve
the same results at home or
at work. All you need is:
All the top shops
know that cutting
with plasma means
• Versatility: You can cut any metal,
just about anywhere, from gauge
to over 1" thick!
• Flexibility: You can cut aluminum
and stainless steel, whether it’s
painted, unpainted, or even
rusted, as well as expanded
metal or grating.
• Compressed air – about 90
psi with as little as 3.5 cubic • Performance: Plasma cutters
are fast and accurate with a
feet per minute (cfm) for the
very small heat affected zone
garage guy.
• Power – any power you have
available! From 110 V to
600 V, there’s a plasma
cutter that can do the job. In
fact, all of Hypertherm’s
Powermax systems have
auto-voltage sensing for the
ranges they are designed
for, so you don’t have to
worry about plugging it into
the wrong power.
• Eye
protection, gloves, and
flame retardant clothing.
so you can quickly handle
whatever it is you’re cutting.