Hello Brian, I too share your concerns with using various machines for air arc gouging. Personally the machines that I don't like to air arc with are the power sources designed for GTAW and any of the inverters, as far as CV only machines go, if they are rated properly per amperage output and duty cycle I don't believe you will harm them. If they don't have an output on switch(some will have remote contactor/on output switches) you can wire one in to close the contactor. I don't have a solid basis for these ideas of mine so you can certainly decide for yourself as to the validity of my comments. Best regards, Allan