You welding types out there...

[ManDownUnder]

Just got me a MIG... very happy camper right now!

I have a couple of gas questions though.

When do I use CO2
When Argon
When Argoshield (12% CO2 88% Argon)?

Also - bottles... where is the best place to buy a DX? What price would I expect?

I have a CO2 Regulator coming with the MIG, do I need a different reg for Argon/Argoshield? If so - what's the difference?

Why are they phasing out refilling privately owned bottles? Is it cornering the market, or is there a law they are simply following?

Anything else I should know/you can think of?
Cheers
MDU

[Colapop]

I don't consider I know anything about welding but my mate has a MIG and uses Soda Stream bottles of CO2 (the small ones). They're cheap as chips for refills ($12 ish) and great for small to medium jobs. I noticed the other day that Farmers also has a larger size bottle available - 10kg I think.

[Eurodave]

Hell yeah!, my MIG was one of the best things Ive ever bought:2thumbsup , it opens up a whole new world compared to my arc welder. Im using flux cored wire & the unit has paid for itself many times over already! ABSOROOTINTOOTLY BRILLIANT worth every cent!! To top it all off,I also got me one of those solar powered helmets that go dark the instant I start welding ,now its almost TOO EASY!!

[ManDownUnder]

Hell yeah!, my MIG was one of the best things Ive ever bought:2thumbsup , it opens up a whole new world compared to my arc welder. Im using flux cored wire & the unit has paid for itself many times over already! ABSOROOTINTOOTLY BRILLIANT worth every cent!!

Flux cored sounds like a good option.

Any shortcomings re price or versatility?

[ManDownUnder]

I don't consider I know anything about welding but my mate has a MIG and uses Soda Stream bottles of CO2 (the small ones). They're cheap as chips for refills ($12 ish) and great for small to medium jobs. I noticed the other day that Farmers also has a larger size bottle available - 10kg I think.

10kg soda stream bottle - or MIG bottle?

[Eurodave]

Flux cored sounds like a good option.

Any shortcomings re price or versatility?


Price wise, a little dearer ,versatility wise, you need shelter, ie I weld inside the garage [with the door open] works for me!

[Teflon]

Just got me a MIG... very happy camper right now!

I have a couple of gas questions though.

When do I use CO2
When Argon
When Argoshield (12% CO2 88% Argon)?

Also - bottles... where is the best place to buy a DX? What price would I expect?

I have a CO2 Regulator coming with the MIG, do I need a different reg for Argon/Argoshield? If so - what's the difference?

Why are they phasing out refilling privately owned bottles? Is it cornering the market, or is there a law they are simply following?

Anything else I should know/you can think of?
Cheers
MDU

CO2 is your cheapest option.

Depends what your welding aswell.

[Teflon]

What wire you using solid or flux core?

[ManDownUnder]

What wire you using solid or flux core?

Looking at solid - I prefer the clean weld afterwards, and the knowledge there are no inclusions if I do something slightly daft...

[Motu]

CO2 is a cheap option if you are welding good clean mild steel,but away from the ideal you need argoshield,full argon for stainless and alloy.You will need another liner in your hose for alloy,so I run 2 handpieces....but I don't do alloy or stainless these days.For alloy depending on the machine you need wire feed at max,that wire really flies through,so a low friction liner is neccessary.MIG welding is fun and you will be surprised at the good welds you can do in no time....''like,was that me?!'' A couple of pointers - the weld is very very hot close to the weld and retains that heat,much much more than gas or arc - so be careful picking up work,use gloves.Be careful of your penetration,your weld may look nice - but it may be just stuck on top,hit a few pieces with a hammer...I like to ''work'' the weld like gas or arc,stitching and playing with the ''puddle''.

AND DON"T LOOK AT THE GUN WHEN FEEDING THE WIRE,AND DON"T PUT YOUR FINGER THERE TO FEEL IT COME THROUGH! That wire comes out FAST and will go through a finger or eye no worries.

I'll tell you about a freak accident John Anderson had,he builds some beautiful sidecars and is a very good and experianced welder.I think his handpiece fell off the bench,hit the floor and activated the trigger - the wire shot out and pierced a full can of racing fuel and his shop went up in flames,giving him very severe burns.Doesn't matter how experianced you are - shit still happens.

[Eurodave]

Just as a footnote, Im only welding mild steel. As Motu has correctly pointed out youll need a more complex setup if youre welding anything else

[ManDownUnder]

CO2 is a cheap option if you are welding good clean mild steel,but away from the ideal you need argoshield,full argon for stainless and alloy.You will need another liner in your hose for alloy,so I run 2 handpieces....but I don't do alloy or stainless these days.For alloy depending on the machine you need wire feed at max,that wire really flies through,so a low friction liner is neccessary.MIG welding is fun and you will be surprised at the good welds you can do in no time....''like,was that me?!'' A couple of pointers - the weld is very very hot close to the weld and retains that heat,much much more than gas or arc - so be careful picking up work,use gloves.Be careful of your penetration,your weld may look nice - but it may be just stuck on top,hit a few pieces with a hammer...I like to ''work'' the weld like gas or arc,stitching and playing with the ''puddle''.

AND DON"T LOOK AT THE GUN WHEN FEEDING THE WIRE,AND DON"T PUT YOUR FINGER THERE TO FEEL IT COME THROUGH! That wire comes out FAST and will go through a finger or eye no worries.

I'll tell you about a freak accident John Anderson had,he builds some beautiful sidecars and is a very good and experianced welder.I think his handpiece fell off the bench,hit the floor and activated the trigger - the wire shot out and pierced a full can of racing fuel and his shop went up in flames,giving him very severe burns.Doesn't matter how experianced you are - shit still happens.

Cheers.

Re penetrations I'm a fan of playing with scrap for a bit and destructive testing that before doing anything my life will depend on. That was with the old Stick wleder anyways... now I got me a MIG!

Did I mention my new MIG???

[Eurodave]

Cheers.

Re penetrations I'm a fan of playing with scrap for a bit and destructive testing that before doing anything my life will depend on. That was with the old Stick wleder anyways... now I got me a MIG!

Did I mention my new MIG???


As I already mentioned, get yourself one of those auto darkening helmets, I got mine brand new off TardMe for a mere $150 ,again ,worth every cent:2thumbsup

[ManDownUnder]

As I already mentioned, get yourself one of those auto darkening helmets, I got mine brand new off TardMe for a mere $150 ,again ,worth every cent:2thumbsup

I might give one a go... I'm happy enough with my flip lid at the mo - it's "what I grew up on"...

[Teflon]

For alli you really need a proper hand peice, which has rollers that pull the wire

[ManDownUnder]

For alli you really need a proper hand peice, which has rollers that pull the wire

Cool ta.

I'm welding up Mild steel and possibly a little stainless later on... but just MS for the foreseeable

[Motu]

Did I mention my new MIG???

Oh,got a new MIG did ya? Well tell us what it is,what output etc...and a picture please.

Another plug for the auto helmet,shit they are good.In the dim and distant past learning to arc weld,after get the rod stuck on the job countless times and finally getting an arc going - I'd have to wander all over the place looking for what I was supposed to be welding,leaving a black spotty trail all over.So good being able to place the metal with one hand and then stick it with the other.

[ManDownUnder]

Oh,got a new MIG did ya? Well tell us what it is,what output etc...and a picture please.

Another plug for the auto helmet,shit they are good.In the dim and distant past learning to arc weld,after get the rod stuck on the job countless times and finally getting an arc going - I'd have to wander all over the place looking for what I was supposed to be welding,leaving a black spotty trail all over.So good being able to place the metal with one hand and then stick it with the other.

Cebora 180 (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Business-farming-industry/Industrial/Machining-welding/photos/a-42303591/p-15563959.htm) - yet to be delivered but it MINE - ALL MINE.

ok ok - about the helmets... I'll take a look at one...

[Motu]

Good welder,good price - well done! You got a standard handpiece,so you can get another handpiece...like one you like better,or one set up for different metals...and change with a twist,no cheap Repco crap there.

[Colapop]

10kg soda stream bottle - or MIG bottle?
10kg Soda Stream bottle. Has the same reg fitting on top I think. It'd pay to check that first of course. I'd say compare the two bottles (large and small)in the shop if you can get ahold of a spare one - small prob easier to get ahold of.

[froggyfrenchman]

As an engineer... i say always use argoshield in a mig! co2 creats crap weak welds and pure argon is a waste for mig, only needed for tig.

Have heaps of fun with the new toy, and if you dont know much bout welding, get some lessons off a mate. With a mig, its realy easy to make something that looks like a weld but is really really weak. If you have any more qns, just pm me and ill do the best i can to answer.

Oh yeah, some here might disagree... but i would NEVER use gasless wire or weld stainless/alloy with anything but a tig.

Happy fizzing!

(you know you can weld when you can weld wood handles to crystal bowls : )

[Jeff da maori]

if your welding in your garage I would suggest using argoshield too. flux core is good if your welding outside in a wind but expect to get heaps of weld splater all over your work not to mention burns on your fore arms and neck. I maybe wrong but looking at your welder you dont have AC so you cant weld alloy even with a pull unit on the hand pice.
as for the helmet. the electronic ones are ok if your doing a little bit of back yard work but be awear that when you strick an arc the take a split second to react and if you do heaps of stop starts it is very hard on your eyes. tip, close your eyes when you start the weld.

[Teflon]

As an engineer... i say always use argoshield in a mig! co2 creats crap weak welds


We use CO2. We have no problem passing welding tickets, Xrays etc.

[Teflon]

AC so you cant weld alloy even with a pull unit on the hand pice.

Use AC for tigging

[Sensei]

If ya using Mig you use Agronsheild heavy . Co2 is for Flux cored wire / Dualsheild .09 wire will be your best beat . You need Highfreq to weld Alloy .

[TLDV8]

Its all been said...Most of the mixs are Co2/Argon,straight Argon will give a crap weld ( i tried it once on a weekend)..Co2 is fine,better with a heater maybe .... Flux core will spatter when the volts are high but there are adjustment limitations with small machines unlike something like a LN25 feeder,but they can be ghetto adjusted with stick out...any Co2 or Argon regulator should be fine,some people just go silly with high flow rates thinking it will give a better weld.I havn't owned a M.I.G unit for some time,but get by with a 175 Top and a Lincoln Invertec V200T for pipe and dairy tube.M.I.G machines in general run fine as long as the liners,head and drive gear are kept clean.As far as bottles i have had a argon 4.50 for ages from Air Liquide but they are trying to get rid of folk who only go through minimal exchanges a year,rental is $8 something a month i think.If you ever want a hand just say the word.

[Madmax]

Co2 just pisses me off (bloody freezing and shit) but was doing some special
work at the time we ran manifold gas, some really strange welding shit as well too.
Co2 gives of carbon monoxide and other nasty shit as well as ozone
with no breather it gets you in days,
I spent three in hospital after breaking a breather hose:doh:
Mig
alloy, argon mix
mild steel, Co2 (but not in inclosed spaces)
mild steel, flux core (bloody good in windy places just do not breath it in)
Tig
only Argon mix
if you are going to try alloy
use a high frec injector to break up the oxide on the alloy
(watch out for mag based alloys buy the time you have broken through the oxide the sucker is molten, real bad!!!)
for what its worth
:slap:

[ManDownUnder]

Cheers all - thread posted and stuck to the shed wall.

For the record - I did my time in Fitting Turning and Machining, and learned Sticka nd gas welding as part of that. I had a few MIG lessons and was lucky enough to work for Mark Lagore (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=4849&highlight=lagore) as a school kid for a couple of summers... so I got to see a real welder in action...

Now my time is coming - anyone got something they want hot gluied together... with REALLY HOT glue?

Did I mention I bought a MIG?

[The_Dover]

Did I mention I bought a MIG?

Does it look like this one?

[ManDownUnder]

Does it look like this one?

Sure does, and Aunty Helen's pissed because she's outgunned now...

[The_Dover]

MDU - "New Zealand's New Air Force - The eye in the sky, the pervert protector!"

"Hey ladies, wanna see my MIG?:blip:"

I can just picture it....

[Eurodave]

Does it look like this one?


The Dover ,I thought this may be more your style;

[The_Dover]

Who dat mistah urohdafe?

[Eurodave]

Who dat mistah urohdafe?


Dont you recognise Mig from the INXS lead singer contest on TV?

[The_Dover]

Errm, I may be dodgier than your average Manurewa used car sales man but reality TV is one perversion that I'm not into. In fact TV, full stop, is something I can live without, until the rugby season.