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View Full Version : MIG ARGON or CO2??



ptrott
1st Feb 2006, 05:09 PM
I am considering changing from Argoshield to CO2 to try to make welding a bit cheaper. I know that I need to buy a heater (about $270 eeek!!) but I have also been told that my Argon regulator won't do the job and the CO2 reg is another $240.
That makes it a very expensive changeover for me.
I can not see any obvious reason that my reg won't work with CO2, but then I don't really know so I ask the question here just in case someone has done it or knows the score.
Thanks,
Phill.

Tankstand
1st Feb 2006, 05:26 PM
Howdy,

We've been using Argoshield light.

Don't know the cost difference though.

Maybe worth checking out?

Grahame Collins
1st Feb 2006, 06:34 PM
Co2 is highly reactive with the welding arc. It makes the arc penetrate deeply into the parent metal.

It is used in very heavy fabrication and then only in the flat position.
Forget welding on sheet below 5 mm thickness as it will likely build up enough heat to burn through.Run it through a normal reg and you will likely damage the reg.the heater is requiured to heat the gas which would otherwise freeze to regulator. I think the logic is flawed- Spend $280 to save ??? $280 buys quite a bit of Argoshield 51 gas.

If industry could use it in other cirumstances they would, but they can't .

If things are tight- get a stick welder- cheap to run!

Grahame
ex Tafe metalfab instructor

Dan_574
1st Feb 2006, 07:07 PM
Im using argoshield light as well I paid 60 odd dollars to fill size e and then ongoing $10 a month rental, I ve had it for a while. I hardly notice $120 a year.

ptrott
1st Feb 2006, 08:07 PM
Thanks men. That answers my question as to can I save a quid by using CO2.

Next question is, what is Argoshield Lite?
The one I have been using is Argoshield 54. (Argon + Oxygen)
It is $90 a bottle now in the West.
Graham, I have a stick welder also, but I much prefer to use the MIG. I recon with the price of rods theses days it would not be cheaper to run really.

homersimpson
28th May 2009, 12:38 AM
G'day,
I've been using CO2 from old 3.5kg fire extinguishers (expired:need pressure test) which I vent into a largeish LPG bottle. Not sure what the volume of the LPG bottle is but it is the standard size one used in remote locations for cooking/heating where you would normally see between 1 and 3 hooked up out the back of the house. It's about 380mm x 1m tall - maybe 50 litres.

If you start with an empty LPG cylinder (I actually pulled a fairly high vacuum on it the first few times to get rid of any moisture/O2) and expel the entire 3.5kg of CO2 into it, you end up with a very frosty LPG cylinder with about 150psi of gas (180psi after it returns to room temp'). This allows me to use a standard air regulator to do mild steel welding and it works a treat.

martrix
28th May 2009, 05:35 PM
If you start with an empty LPG cylinder......

hmmm, chk chk boom.

spooled
31st May 2009, 11:44 PM
hmmm, chk chk boom.

lol

mrandrei
18th Jun 2009, 02:42 PM
Argon is the way to go. Co2 has a very real chilling effect and will lead to many problems. FYI.

Turpy
18th Jun 2009, 09:19 PM
I used to rent a Co2 bottle but now own my own to save a few $$.

Never had a problem with Co2 and mild steel. I use a standard reg, and have never had problems with freezing while welding up to 10mm, even after an hours welding.

As for blowing holes, no problems. Never needed to weld less than 3mm, and my machine has no problems with this, though it is an inverter type with digital volt/amp readout.

I was talking to guy at BOC the other day, and he said most fabrication joints use Co2 these days as well.