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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    13

    Default Is there an alternative to renting an argon gas cylinder?

    I do mostly stick welding to repair agricultural equipment on our farm, but have a MIG welder also using flux cored wire
    I'm wanting to occasionally use plain wire with argon gas sheild, but won't really do enough to justify renting a cylinder constantly
    Is it possible to purchase a cylinder and regs, and just pay to get it filled when it's empty?
    That way, once the initial purchase is made, it won't cost me unless I'm using it
    I live in Melbourne

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Liverpool, NSW
    Posts
    44

    Default

    Try Speedgas, they sell argon cylinders. They are Sydney based but they may have agents in Melbourne.

    Speed Gas - Home

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    1,322

    Default

    If you're wanting straight argon for some special application (aluminium?) then you don't have a lot of choice. However if you just want a shielding gas for normal MIG welding of mild steel, you can buy a 6KG CO2 bottle of Ebay - I paid $250 last year and the gas it came with lasted me about 6-7 months of intermittent use on a farm. Also had to cough up about $80 for a CO2 regulator/flow meter. I got it refilled at the local home brew shop for $70.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    13

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by RustyArc View Post
    If you're wanting straight argon for some special application (aluminium?) then you don't have a lot of choice. However if you just want a shielding gas for normal MIG welding of mild steel, you can buy a 6KG CO2 bottle of Ebay - I paid $250 last year and the gas it came with lasted me about 6-7 months of intermittent use on a farm. Also had to cough up about $80 for a CO2 regulator/flow meter. I got it refilled at the local home brew shop for $70.
    Is CO2 OK for MIG? I thought argon was recommended. I only weld steel at this stage. (I guess this question is a whole topic by itself on the forum, and has probably already been answered a hundred times!)

    Great idea with the home brew shop. Do they sell cylinders as well?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Liverpool, NSW
    Posts
    44

    Default

    For steel you need argon/CO2 mix. Speedgas sell this as "SpeedShield 5/2".

    Or you can hire bottles from BOC, Air Liquide, Supagas, etc.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    1,322

    Default

    "MIG Gas" is traditionally an argon/CO2 mix, but CO2 only works fine - it's a fiercer arc and not as good for very thin sections like car panels, but for stuff which is 1mm or thicker it works very well.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    geelong
    Posts
    1

    Default

    you could try miter 10 or All Tools they sell small bottles of various gasses but they are one use only i don't think you can refill them.but for occasional use it might be the way to go

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    1,322

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by carlow View Post
    they sell small bottles of various gasses but they are one use only i don't think you can refill them.but for occasional use it might be the way to go
    I think you need to buy a special regulator to fit them and they're a *very* expensive way to weld.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    canberra
    Posts
    46

    Default

    I just thought People might be interested,
    I discovered that Gasweld sell the disposable SIP bottles for $25.90 each. that's about $15 less than I have seen them for anywhere else!

    https://www.gasweld.com.au/products/580053

    That's the URL to their web store for straight argon (i want it to try out tig welding), but I bought two of them in store, and they were the same price!

    its still more expensive than the big bottles I think, but its a damn site cheaper than anywhere else.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    13

    Default

    From the rather fuzzy label picture it looks like the cylinder volume is 950 cc and gas volume at atmospheric pressure 60 L
    Any idea how long that would last in a MIG welder?

    I still like the idea of the CO2 home brew cylinders

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    canberra
    Posts
    46

    Default

    The co2 is probably a good way to go, you'll probably get a lot more run time from that.

    I think the little bottles can last about an hour tigging (haven't tested it myself yet) . Not sure if mig uses similar flow rate or anything, you might get better run times, as the gas only flows when you are welding.

    Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Lebrina
    Posts
    1,910

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by SimonP View Post
    From the rather fuzzy label picture it looks like the cylinder volume is 950 cc and gas volume at atmospheric pressure 60 L
    Any idea how long that would last in a MIG welder?

    I still like the idea of the CO2 home brew cylinders
    Mig uses 8-10 lpm, so if you have a 60l volume you will get the grand total of less than 6 minutes welding. Not an option IMHO. However you are on the right track using straight CO2 gas.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    canberra
    Posts
    46

    Default

    yea, I can officially say that those bottles don't last long at all.

    I had a play with the tig this morning, and the first bottle lasted about 20 minutes. Thats more than a dollar a minute!

    I thought I'd save the 2nd bottle for another day. I might try to stretch it out a little longer next time.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Liverpool, NSW
    Posts
    44

    Default

    Karl Robbers is 100% correct. Approx 6-8 minutes worth of MIGGING in one of those disposables. I've tried them and it makes no economical sense at all to use those.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    canberra
    Posts
    46

    Default

    I find its crazy they even try selling the tanks. I guess enough people buy them for stores to keep selling them.

    Its a nice idea, they just need to be a lot bigger for the same price to be worth it if you ask me.

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