You’re scrolling TopmaQ late at night.
See a plasma cutter.
Price looks sharp.
Specs say 50 amp. Maybe pilot arc. Maybe not.
You think:
“Yeah that’ll do. I’m not building a ship.” Few days later a courier drops a big box at your place.
You drag it into the shed.
Plug it in.
Pull the trigger.
Yeeeah alright — it cuts.
Fast forward a couple of jobs.
Tip’s cooked.
Arc starts acting weird.
Cut looks rough.
Now you’re trying to work out what consumables this thing actually uses.
And that’s where it gets interesting.
TopmaQ sells hundreds of tools.
Generators.
Log splitters.
Hoists.
Compressors.
Shelving.
Plasma cutters.
They import container loads of gear and move stock.
They’re not plasma cutting specialists explaining torch families on every listing.
So when it comes time to replace consumables…
You’ve got to figure that part out yourself.
The Name on the Case Doesn’t Help
TopmaQ doesn’t manufacture plasma cutters.
They source them.
Which means the same machine might exist under different colours and slightly different listings.
The badge doesn’t decide what parts fit.
The torch does.
If you don’t identify the torch first, you’re guessing.
And guessing fills drawers with useless consumables.
Most TopmaQ Plasma Cutters Fall Into Two Torch Families
From what I see around NZ sheds, most 40–50 amp Chinese-built machines land in one of these:
● PT31 / LG40 (scratch-start)
● AG60 (pilot-arc)
Not every single one.
But most.
Once you know which one is bolted to your lead, buying parts gets simple.
If The Tip Pushes In → PT31 / LG40
Take the front cap off.
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.
This setup is common on many TopmaQ plasma cutters.
Different sticker.
Same torch.
Standard vs Extended – Easy Way To Ruin Your Day
PT31 / LG40 consumables come in:
● Standard length
● Extended length
Both fit the same torch body.
But they must match.
Standard electrode → standard tips
Extended electrode → extended tips Mix them and the arc becomes unpredictable.
Hard starts.
Rough cuts.
Tips wearing out too fast.
What “Scratch-Start” Actually Means
Scratch-start means the torch must touch the metal to begin.
Pull trigger.
Tip touches steel.
Lift slightly.
Arc starts.
Simple ignition system.
Common on online rebranded machines sold by retailers like TopmaQ.
If The Electrode Screws In → AG60
If instead you see:
● Electrode screws into the torch
● Tip screws in
● Electrode isn’t double-ended You’ve got an AG60 pilot-arc torch.
Some TopmaQ models use this setup.
Usually slightly higher spec units.
What Pilot-Arc Actually Does
Pilot-arc starts the arc inside the torch before it transfers to the steel.
You don’t need to touch the metal.
Handy when cutting:
● Rusty farm gear in Ashburton
● Painted brackets in Hamilton
● Trailer repairs in Timaru
● Scrap steel in Gore
Different internal setup.
So the consumables are different too.
Don’t Rely on the Product Page
If you go back to the TopmaQ listing, it’ll probably mention:
● 50A output
● Inverter tech
● Clean cut thickness
But it won’t clearly spell out the torch family.
Because TopmaQ moves tools at scale.
They’re not diving into consumable breakdowns.
So if you’re sitting in your shed in Christchurch, Dunedin, or Rotorua trying to order parts from a spec sheet…
Look at the torch instead.
Struggling To Cut? It Might Not Be The Consumables
If your TopmaQ machine feels weak, it’s not always a parts issue.
Sometimes it’s:
● Amps set wrong
● Steel too thick
● Technique off
I covered this properly here:
👉 Why Is My Plasma Cutter Struggling to Cut Thick Steel?
Read that before blaming the torch.
What Consumables Fit?
Push-in tip + double-ended electrode → PT31 / LG40 consumables
Screw-in electrode + screw-in tip → AG60 consumables
That covers the majority of TopmaQ plasma cutters in NZ.
Not all.
But most.
We Stock More Than Just PT31 & AG60
Those two families are common on TopmaQ machines.
But they’re not the only torch types out there.
If your machine has something different, or the torch has been swapped, there are other replacement torch options available.
Identify what you’ve got first.
Then buy parts to match.
The Big Takeaway
TopmaQ sells a lot of gear.
They’re not plasma specialists.
The logo won’t tell you what fits.
The torch will.
Pull it apart.
Check the tip.
Check the electrode.
Match the family.
Then buy consumables.