Welder Advice

Bill from Scotland · Oct 11, 2016

Currently I have a small arc welder bought many years ago but seldom use these days. I bought five years ago a MIG welder with a large CO2 gas tank, works well but gas company keeps putting up the rental on the tank and becoming expensive. I use the welder to do the occassional work or cars (thin metal), tractor tin work and of course the much heavier stuff associated with working on old tractors. What Im wondering, is there another welder type (inverter maybe) that will do the same work as the MIG so that I can do away with the gas tank.Any advice welcome.
Bill

derwen1959 · Oct 11, 2016

hi Bill
I am Ivor from Mid Wales UK and I also have a mig welder which I only use occasionally but I use rent free gas from a local agricultural supplier..it works like this I had to buy cylinder to start as well as gas and when cylinder is empty I take it back and exchange for full cylinder and just pay for gas and if I want to finish with cylinder I will take it back and get refund it works well

derwen1959 · Oct 11, 2016

hi Bill
I am Ivor from Mid Wales UK and I also have a mig welder which I use only occasionally but I use rent free gas and it works like this . first I had to buy cylinder as well as gas and when cylinder is empty i go to store and exchange empty cylinder for full cylinder and pay only for gas and if i want to finish i return cylinder and get refund and it works ok

derwen1959 · Oct 11, 2016

i thought i had made mistake so i sent message again but i was wrong LOL

MarkB_MI · Oct 11, 2016

Here in the US, larger tanks are rented or leased, and smaller tanks are sold outright. Perhaps you can buy your tank if you downsize. Given that CO2 cylinders are widely used for beverage carbonation and other purposes, maybe you can find a different source for them besides your welding supplier.

You should be able to switch your MIG welder over to flux-core wire; that's the simplest way to eliminate the tank requirement.

Inverter welders are usually multi-process (MIG/TIG/stick). TIG still requires gas, typically 100% argon.

Stan in Oly, WA · Oct 12, 2016

Mark covered everything well already. I just have a few observations to make concerning flux core wire. It's significantly more expensive than solid wire on a pound for pound basis, although you will offset some of that with the savings of not having to use shielding gas. Flux core is smoky and dirty, and the flux leaves slag that has to be removed from the weld like the slag from stick welding. This also means that with flux core you can't double back to build up a weld as you would be able to do with MIG, because of the potential of entrapping slag. Also, flux core runs hotter than MIG at the same amperage, which makes it less good for thin sheet metal. It's less apt to burn through than stick, but more so than MIG. Some people like flux core, but a lot of people don't.

Stan

Charles in Aus. · Oct 12, 2016

Try the local pub , they might lend you a bottle of beer gas :wink:

derwen1959 · Oct 12, 2016

I forgot to say there are stockists of rent free gas all over UK

dr sportster · Oct 12, 2016

Have the owners manual? Like Mark said flux core wire in the welder you have now, no gas. Or purchase a small bottle.

Welder Advice

Bill from Scotland

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derwen1959

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derwen1959

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derwen1959

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MarkB_MI

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Stan in Oly, WA

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Charles in Aus.

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derwen1959

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dr sportster

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