Mad Mike
Well-known member
I just pulled out my old mig, need a bottle and co2. Do anysoppliers post prices online?
Where do you get your welding gas?
- Thread starter Mad Mike
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Brit Biker
Well-known member
Depends on where you bought your bottle. I just went through this last week. Bought my bottle from TSC about 6 years ago. Called around and no one would fill it locally because it wasn't one of theres so I called TSC (now Peve) they told me they diddn't sell me a bottle and they wont fill it. Talked to 2 different staff members and got the same answer. I drove over there with the bottle and asked for the manager. He came out and admmited it was a TSC bottle and exchanged it right away. Got it home hooked up the gauges. NO Pressure. They had sold me an empty tank. Took it all the way back. Sorry. It happens sometimes was the answer they gave me.
DownUnder
Well-known member
Bought my argon bottle from TSC, didn't even realize they changed names, hope I don't get the same runaround...
I just exchanged an argon /CO2 at a supplier on North Queen in Etobicoke. Messer IIRC. They pointed out it wasn't their bottle but swapped it out without any problem, about $100. I don't do much welding had the bottle for a year or two.
Check around because sometimes the distributers have area price wars.
Check around because sometimes the distributers have area price wars.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
I found a few places with $250 bottles, filled. My goto MIG is a Hobart 140, I mostly weld outside so its configured for flux core which doesn't work well with sheet metal. My old SnapOn mig is setup for bodywork, it runs .024 solid, which needs gas.
I started restoring seat pans and steel fenders on a few of my oldies, flux core makes a real mess on anything lighter than 12guage.
I just saw the bill for my refill and it was $111.02 with taxes. I priced a cylinder and gas for aluminum and it was a little over $300 + tax.
Since welding aluminum is just an experiment I'm holding off. My A/CO2 gas is a disaster with aluminum.
I rarely weld heavy stuff so run MIG most of the time. I just did some stainless and it worked well except for my lack of skill set. The bead came out grey so I soaked the part in white vinegar for a day and it brightened up.
I would have preferred the stack of dimes look of a TIG weld but can't justify the cost of another machine. A flap wheel on an angle grinder made the part look one piece. Ugly one piece but uniform in colour.
If you want to drive to emira cedar valley farm supplies has great pricing on welding gas and bottles.
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Mad Mike
Well-known member
You don't want stack-of-dimes on MIG stainless if you require structural integrity or low porosity. To me that's a designer weld, works with TIG but not so good for MIG. I judge my welding on porosity and strength and usually grind them fair. I leave the artsy stuff to folks making live edge coffee table legs and fart-can exhausts for Soobaroos.
Stainless always comes out grey and brown, a wire wheel will clean it up. If you want a shiny surface or the weld to look like the surrounding material, cover a stainless rod with a rag, and attach a 12v+ lead to the work and 12v- to the rod. Dip the cloth end into rust remover and paint/rub the weld -- the brown will disappear, and the grey weld and discolored plate will brighten to match the surrounding metal. Passivation.
minus 12V or "ground" to the rod? I guess it should work either way.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
I think passivation works both ways. It will also work without electricity if the item is small enough to bathe. Set the item in a citric acid (or rust remover) bath for an hour, then dip into a salt brine to form the passive oxide layer.
The stack of dimes with MIG is more like a row of micro volcanos with little cavities in the middle of each blob. Cutsy but stupid unless you're stitching but then you usually grind anyway.
The weld is crap but the grey is gone after 24 hours in white vinegar. No electricity or weird chemicals. Vinegar works well a rust remover as well. Soak the item for while, checking every half day or so and let rip with a pressure washer.
One downside is that the steel is so clean afterwards it gets surface rust stains from the atmosphere if not dried immediately. I wash the item with hot water and then go over it with a heat gun or torch.
phil_si
Well-known member
I used to go to Linde on north queen in Etobicoke. They weren’t the cheapest but very convenient, knowledgeable and it was always a breeze to exchange. Now they’re messer. Hopefully just the name has changed.
Back in the day it was about $200 for a filled little guy bottle of argoshield light and ~$85 to exchange. I think I paid somewhere around $250 for straight argon.
Back in the day it was about $200 for a filled little guy bottle of argoshield light and ~$85 to exchange. I think I paid somewhere around $250 for straight argon.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
That's why you use electricity and acidic passivating chemicals. When doing stainless, the heat of welding frees a iron and removes the oxide layer on the surface of the stainless. Vinegar will get a little of what you can see, but it wont go deep, so when the metal tries to oxidize, the iron goes first and you see red rust.
Wire brushing the weld with a brass wheel will help (steel wheel - no), then dip it in salt water, let it dry to speed up the re-oxidation.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
Thanks. We buy a ton of specialty gasses for our welding cells at work, the gas guys we deal with tossed me a 40lb bottle 80/20 AR/Co2. I'm happy now.
phil_si
Well-known member
Best way to get welding gas lol
Mad Mike
Well-known member
Yup. Normally the freebies are bottles of Glenlivet at Christmas -- I guess this is Christmas in April.
