Welding Gas

Well my idea of having one welding gas on hand just got blown out of the water. As I've stated in the past I use a tri-mix cover gas, 75%HE 24%AR 1%O2, for Mig and Tig welding.

I went to Tig weld a tank and I wasn't getting good cover gas. The cylinder is about 1/2 full, So I'm thinking I have a hose leak and sucking air. Pressure checked my hose and no leaks.

So off to the welding supply company for a new cylinder of gas. There I'm told after years of the cylinder of setting up right, 13yrs now, the Tri-mix gas has seperated back into three seperate gases. I used up the O2, next the AR and now I'm working on the HE or some of each gas as I'm sure there's some still mixed. Hmmm, I never thought of that.

I looked up the specific gravity of the three gases and yep there it was. Any event It's still a good Mig gas but doesn't work worth a dam for Tig.

Second problem is when the gas Supplier looked at the cylinder and said he couldn't fill that cylinder as it was a rental cylinder, Liquid Aire thats out of business. I own that cylinder. This was a new gas supplier as my old supplier was filling there own cylinders and was suppling bad gas. So I wanted someone new.

I take the cylinder back to where I bought it and bam, they say; I can't fill that cylinder as I no longer rent from Liquid Aire and have gone to owner owned cylinders and do not rent cylinders. But I own this cylinder I say. Oh no you don't! I pay rent on that cylinder they say. So whats it going to cost me to correct this problem? $275 filled with AR gas. They never mention that Liquid Aire is out of business!

I was quoted about the same cost from the new supplier or rent that requires $150 deposit and $55 for AR plus $5.10/mth cylinder rent.

Now it's clear to me why they were filling there own cylinders. Liquid Aire went out of business leaving them with a bunch of rental cylinders that they could not get filled. What I paid up front was there rental fee to Liquid Aire, not a owner fee. I would think any additional rental fee came with a higher gas price when the cylinder was refilled as there gas prices were awful high when comparred to others.

Over the years they rolled out of the rental cylinders to there new gas supplier cylinders and quit filling the old rental cylinders which is highly illeagle to begin with.

I just checked my other cylinders and guess what the new name is, "Aire Liquid Corp". Amazing!

Needless to say I'm extreamly torqued. Receipts ? What receipts as this was 13yrs ago! Ya I got them but WHERE?

My solution is to buy another cylinder of 100% AR this time making sure I own the cylinder.

T_Bone

There was a C&W instrumental many years ago that might help the separation problem: "Forty Miles of Bad Road." Like a previous poster said, take it for a ride in your truck before you use it.

BTW, thanks again for the info in an earlier post about arc welding lens shades and auto-darkening shields.

You have a wonderful day. Best wishes. Deas Plant.

I'll keep trying and maybe I'll luck out.

If your torch set will adapt to propane, a solution may be to get a propane cylinder, gas grill size, and forget about the acetylene. Just my opinion and worth about 2 aluminum cents.

You know that really gets under my skin when that happens. I'm the kind of person that a mans word is his bond. For a person to look you in the eye and just flat lie to you and then smile about it while there doing it. How does a person ever sleep doing that?

This just comes at a time in my life that I didn't want to spend tight money on something I already own.

Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord, but GOD help them if he asks me to make out the "List" LOL

T_Bone

Bill

The cylinder uses a center dip tube so the gas is drawn off the bottom. o2 is heavier than AR or HE. Depending on the base material, o2 with the Argon that helps with undercutting and adding penetration for Mig welding. Adding more than 5% o2 would cause porosity with-in the weldment.

This tri-mix works very well on SS and mild steel.

T_Bone

Bill