Welding gas bottles

[dom14]

Hey Guys,

Can you give me some advice regarding argon & co2 gas bottles?
It is for TIG and MIG, and sizes I'm thinking about atm are either D or E sizes.
I think size C is too small and may run out quickly depending on the hobby activity.

I am not sure whether the renting bottles is a viable option for a hobby welder like myself(unless I can get a good deal on rent).
Typical rent is about $30 a month afaik, so can get expensive when I have a full bottle and don't get it used up much and go for a year or two or more.

What/where should I go for the best deal? Any advice would be great.
I'm ok with travelling a bit far to get a good deal.

I'm in Melbourne Outer East.

I'm ok with renting if the deal is not a rip off.

Thanx in advance for any advice, tips etc.


P.S. Is there a way that i can get away with a single bottle for both MIG and TIG?
I mean is it possible to use argon on MIG? Or does it has to be CO2/argon mix?
For MIG, I'm looking at mild steel welding at this stage. Nothing else.

[GQtdauto]

You can get away with one gas only such as argon , if your only using occasionally I'd go to Bunnings or similar and buy outright .

[dom14]

You can get away with one gas only such as argon , if your only using occasionally I'd go to Bunnings or similar and buy outright .

Yeah, I checked with Bunnings. Their D size bottle refill is $100 as oppose to Gasweld Dandenong where the price is $70.
But, Bunnings $200 for the bottle is a deposit which you get back when return it.
I'm not sure the $250 Gasweld charge for the same size bottle is a deposit or I get to own it whether I like it or not.
I need to check it with Gasweld, but they are closed now & won't open till Monday.
I guess I'm gonna have to wait to find out. But, I think it's bottle buy, not a deposit.

[dom14]

http://www.gasweld.com.au/speed-gas-...as-argon-d-kit

https://www.bunnings.com.au/coregas-...n-gas_p5910384

[dom14]

You can get away with one gas only such as argon , if your only using occasionally I'd go to Bunnings or similar and buy outright .

It's to finish off the ugly looking stick welding on the trailer cage I did.
From distance it looks pretty aesthetic 'cos of the the shape I came up with,
but from close-up it looks pretty below amateur.
Besides, as you mentioned, I need to do those weld tacks again to improve the overall strength.
I wish you live close-by.

[dom14]

You can get away with one gas only such as argon , if your only using occasionally I'd go to Bunnings or similar and buy outright .

It's to finish off the ugly looking stick welding on the trailer cage I did.
From distance it looks pretty aesthetic 'cos of the the shape I came up with,
but from close-up it looks pretty below amateur.
Besides, as you mentioned, I need to do those weld tacks again to improve the overall strength.
I wish you live close-by.

@GQtdauto, any chance you can give me a rough idea how long a D size argon bottle would last mate?
I mean when it come to making a typical 8 x 5 cage trailer?
I'm referring to MIG welding, of course.

[GQtdauto]

That's the way mate there's heaps of company's and just as many prices to get your head around , gasweld were among the first to offer this system along with Linde , I changed the TAFE college from BOC to Linde and saved the TAFE a fortune in rental .
The refills were dearer but one large gas bottle of Co2 we had for 13 years and from memory our special rental rate at that time was $113 per annum but the gas was worth about $20 again a special Govt price .

[dom14]

That's the way mate there's heaps of company's and just as many prices to get your head around , gasweld were among the first to offer this system along with Linde , I changed the TAFE college from BOC to Linde and saved the TAFE a fortune in rental .
The refills were dearer but one large gas bottle of Co2 we had for 13 years and from memory our special rental rate at that time was $113 per annum but the gas was worth about $20 again a special Govt price .

Gasless MIG unit is an absolute PITA to use mate. I tend to think they are not good(or at least the Ozito one that I've got).
Weld tacks don't tend to be particularly weak, but they tend to form as chunks. It has high/low setting and 1-10 feed line speed setting.
I don't seem to be able to get good looking weld tacks by playing with those settings. Or there is still a possibility that I'm crappy at it.

[GQtdauto]

It's to finish off the ugly looking stick welding on the trailer cage I did.
From distance it looks pretty aesthetic 'cos of the the shape I came up with,
but from close-up it looks pretty below amateur.
Besides, as you mentioned, I need to do those weld tacks again to improve the overall strength.
I wish you live close-by.

@GQtdauto, any chance you can give me a rough idea how long a D size argon bottle would last mate?
I mean when it come to making a typical 8 x 5 cage trailer?
I'm referring to MIG welding, of course.

You will use around 11 litres per minute depending on where you're welding and how windy it is but just as a rough guide go 11 litres , how long a bottle lasts if you can work out litres in a bottle and divide by 11 you get a guesstimate.

[GQtdauto]

Gasless MIG unit is an absolute PITA to use mate. I tend to think they are not good(or at least the Ozito one that I've got).
Weld tacks don't particularly weak, but they tend to form as chunks. It has high/low setting and 1-10 feed line speed setting.
I don't seem to be able to get good looking weld tacks by playing with those settings. Or there is still a possibility that I'm crappy at it.

Believe it or not but gasless mig actually works so much better using Co2 gas , that's why we had the bottle at TAFE but only used it as a demonstration , students never actually used it they used Argo shield .