A water table requires a smaller initial investment, has lower maintenance, and effectively eliminates most of the smoke and noise associated with plasma cutting. The downside is that it doesn’t take long for the water to become filled with dirt and metal debris. If proper care is not taken, the water can contaminate the torch and disrupt the gas flow in the consumables, resulting in a loss of cut quality.
Downdraft tables are more expensive due to the cost of the air handler and filtration systems and the need to regularly replace as many as six filters. However, since they avoid the problems associated with water tables previously discussed, they contribute to optimum cut quality and are preferred for high-density plasma cutting.
