Which welder

[Andy Dingley]

What do you think the "I" in MIG stands for? If you're using CO2, it's by definition not MIG and just MAGS (and so works rather differently).

[Ozie]

Well following advice on the welding forum i bought a Clark Pro90 today it came with a Co2 bottle and i bought an Argon/Co2 mix bottle. I will practice with both of these before i decide which large size bottle to buy as there is such a large difference in price. On the way home i was passing the local fire station which was having an open day, they were cutting the roof of an old Astra, so i managed to get the roof and bonnet to take home for welding practice. Thanks for everyone?s comments, although their still seems to be a Co2- Argon/o2 divide if anyones interested i will report back how the Novice managed.

[Jim K]

strewth... but you do agree you can weld steel together using CO2 as gas in what's commonly known as a "MIG welding machine"??

K

[Sla#s]

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I agree - that's exactly what I did and used the kit at home for many years without any problems. I always used my home address when getting new cylinders and BOC never queried it. I re-silled and A-panelled a Mini with it - including using lead filler - a great learning experience :-)

However the main problem could be your home insurance - welding cylinders within a certain distance will invalidate it! If your garage is attached don't risk it but if it is at the other end of your garden check the distance.

Slatts

[Adrian]

"Sla#s" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Presumably MIG cylinders are perfectly acceptable?

[Jim K]

yer pays yer money etc -

NB check the link I gave earlier - on that webpage is another (referenced) link to a practical test/comparison of CO2 vs argonmix gases on steel using MIG welders. Lots of notes and pics.

Good luck and have fun!!!

pics always welcome ;>)

Jim K

[Jim K]

yer pays yer money etc -

NB check the link I gave earlier - on that webpage is another (referenced) link to a practical test/comparison of CO2 vs argonmix gases on steel using MIG welders. Lots of notes and pics.

Good luck and have fun!!!

pics always welcome ;>)

Jim K

[Harry Bloomfield]

on 23/07/2010, Fredxx supposed :

That is interesting, I have a mig which is designed for gas and the reason I don't make much use of it is the gas. Gasless would be handy if it would be able to use it - how do the gasless ones make contact with the wire though the coating?

[Harry Bloomfield]

Ozie explained on 24/07/2010 :

I managed to weld car structure and body panels quite well using just CO2.

[Jim K]

what coating? :>)

Jim K

[Harry Bloomfield]

Jim K brought next idea :

I assumed the gas was produced from some sort of coating on the wire, which I further assumed would not be conductive. Have I misunderstood how it works, I have never seen any?

[Duncan Wood]

That looks like it was welded with the gas turned off

That's inherent in the description, it's not inert. But then neither's argoshield

It's not that difficult though.

Especially if you're learning.

[Cicero]

[e-mail]...

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It's flux *cored* like electrical solder.

Cic.

[Harry Bloomfield]

Thanks. Next time I see some, I buy it and see how it goes.

I had thought of the 'flux core', but discounted it as impossible to produce with steel.

[Andy Dingley]

There's no distinction drawn.

Which is a bit odd really, because acetylene is a vastly more serious hazard than shield gas, propane or even oxygen.

[Andy Dingley]

I believe it's a coating on thin strip, which is then rolled up and drawn into wire. As far as the finished wire goes, the flux is pretty much internal.

[Andy Dingley]

By what process though? You can't do spray transfer with CO2, so that's a bunch of useful welding excluded. It also makes it more difficult to do dip transfer. Most industrial welders don't use it, even on thin sheet, unless they have a pulsed transfer machine.

Whilst most mixed shielding gases (apart from aluminium and stainless) include a little CO2, this is a minor component that provides free carbon monoxide, thus a little extra energy for polishing the edges of the weld bead. In terms of its bulk properties, particularly thermal conductivity, it's far more like pure argon than pure CO2 and so it handles like it.

afterwards or do a nick-break test, is worthless.

[Cicero]

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I was never really aware of this danger, probably because home welding (gas) was rare in the 1970s. I did most of my welding outside or in a rented workshop. Storing and using CO2 is a different matter especially as CO2 is far less hazardous and is actually used in fire extinguishers.

Cic.

[Jim K]

er.....which for the OP means what exactly????????

did you copynpaste that from somewhere? it reads wrong...try it........

FFS welding a camper van is not Sellafield - my CO2 railings etc show no signs of failure - what degree of *can't use CO2* are you still defending???

Cheers Jim K

[Jim K]

indeed my deoderant has propane, butane and someat else hugely

*flamable* as amjor constituents - if I bulk buy am I uninsured?? what a load of bollox ;>)

Cheers Jim K