First plasma cutter I bought from Repco wasn’t for art projects.
It was because my old ute failed a warrant.
Rust.
Exhaust looked like lace.
Couple of crusty brackets hanging on by hope and underseal.
I thought:
“Sweet. I’ll just cut it out and weld fresh steel in.”
Walked into Repco.
Grabbed a plasma cutter.
Didn’t ask a single question about consumables.
Didn’t even know what consumables were.
Just assumed when the tips wore out, I’d grab “some more tips”.
Easy
Fast forward a few weekends later.
I’m under the car.
Grinding rust.
Cutting patches.
Sparks raining down my sleeves.
Tip starts spitting.
Arc goes ugly.
Cut turns into a mess.
Now I’m lying on my back on a cold concrete floor thinking:
“What the hell do I actually buy for this thing?”
Repco sells heaps of automotive gear.
Batteries.
Oil.
Brake pads.
Plasma cutters.
But they’re not breaking down torch families at the counter.
You get the box.
You get cutting.
The rest is on you.
Cutting Thin Car Steel Eats Consumables
When you’re cutting:
● Exhaust tube
● 1–2mm floor pan
● Thin brackets
● Rusty chassis edges
You burn through tips faster than you expect.
Thin automotive steel can be rough on consumables if your setup isn’t right.
So when your Repco plasma cutter starts acting up, first instinct is:
“Must need new tips.”
Maybe.
But before you buy anything, you need to know what torch you’ve actually got.
The Brand Name Doesn’t Tell You
Repco doesn’t manufacture plasma cutters.
They retail them.
Which means the machine inside the box is likely Chinese-built and running a common torch family.
The logo doesn’t decide your consumables.
The torch on the lead does.
If you don’t check that first, you’re guessing.
Do not mix them together.
When I first started, I mixed them without realising.
Hard starts.
Ugly arc.
Tips wearing out way too fast.
Nothing was broken.
It was just the wrong combo.
Most Repco Plasma Cutters Use One Of Two Torch Types
From what I’ve seen around NZ sheds — Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga — most entry-level 40–50 amp machines land in one of two camps:
● PT31 / LG40 (scratch-start)
● AG60 (pilot-arc)
Not all.
But most.
And the difference matters.
If The Tip Pushes In → PT31 / LG40
Take the front cap off the torch.
If the tip:
● Pushes in
● Doesn’t screw in And the electrode:
● Is double-ended
● Can be flipped around
You’re running a PT31 / LG40 scratch-start torch.
Extremely common on entry-level automotive plasma cutters.
Different badge.
Same torch.
If The Electrode Screws In → AG60
If instead:
● The electrode screws into the torch
● The tip screws in
● The electrode isn’t double-ended
You’ve got an AG60 pilot-arc torch.
Some Repco units run this setup.
Usually slightly higher spec models.
Scratch-Start vs Pilot-Arc Under a Car
Scratch-start means you must touch the metal to start the arc.
Pull trigger.
Tip touches steel.
Lift slightly.
Arc starts.
On clean plate? Fine.
On rusty exhaust pipe covered in years of crap? Slightly annoying.
Pilot-arc starts inside the torch first.
Then jumps to the metal.
You don’t need contact.
Better for dirty or painted steel.
Different system.
Different parts.
The Trailer Bracket Lesson
Another time I was cutting brackets off an old trailer.
Galv flaking everywhere.
Rust layered thick.
Using a Repco plasma cutter I’d had for a while.
I’d run the consumables down pretty hard.
Tip was ovalled out but I kept pushing it.
Thought:
“She’ll squeeze one more bracket out.”
Wrong.
Arc started wandering.
Cut edge looked rough.
Instead of stopping, I cranked the amps.
That just made it worse.
Torch got hotter.
Tip got uglier.
By the time I finally stopped and pulled it apart, the electrode was well past its happy place and the tip was flogged.
Nothing wrong with the machine.
Nothing wrong with the torch.
Just worn consumables and me being stubborn.
Fresh PT31 set in.
Back to cutting clean again.
Struggling To Cut? It Might Not Be The Machine
If your Repco plasma cutter feels weak, it’s not always a consumables issue.
Sometimes it’s:
● Amps too high
● Steel thicker than the machine is rated for
● Poor technique
I covered this properly here:
👉 Why Is My Plasma Cutter Struggling to Cut Thick Steel?
Worth reading before blaming the cutter.
What Consumables Do You Really Need?
Push-in tip + double-ended electrode → PT31 / LG40 consumables
Screw-in electrode + screw-in tip → AG60 consumables
That covers the majority of entry-level Repco plasma cutters in NZ.
We Stock More Than Just PT31 & AG60
Those two are common.
But they’re not the only torch types out there.
If your Repco unit has a different torch, or it’s been swapped, there are other replacement torch options available.
Identify what you’ve got first.
Then buy parts to match.
Final Takeaway
Repco is an automotive retailer.
They’re not plasma torch specialists.
The badge won’t tell you what fits.
Your torch will.
Pull it apart.
Check the tip.
Check the electrode.
Match the family.
Then get back under the car and finish the job.