big step backwards

[christofloffer]

right, i am ordering the necessary parts in today. got the tips, shrouds and new liner sorted and i'm just looking at the regulators. i have got my eye on a pack with a two stage regulator with a pea shooter type flowmeter. my only concern is about the entry point. do i need to get one that matches the bottle (e.g side outlet on the bottle) or will any regulator work regardless of position?
if it does need to match up, does anyone know what type of outlet the argoshield light bottles are, side or vertical?

bill, good point about the light version, the mig is best off with thin stuff anyway. i can use the stick welder for any thicker sections anyway.

 

[Jan]

The gauges don't care which way is 'up' and will work as accurately in any orientation. Unlike CO2 there's no liquid phase in an argon bottle so you can even lay the bottle on its side if it's more convenient. The only thing to look out for is that the thread forms/sizes are correct for the bottle being used. If they're sold as argon/Argoshield gauges then they should fit like a glove. Don't forget to buy a proper gauge spanner so that you won't be buggering up the gauge nuts or the square valve control. They're only a couple of quid so it's not worth the 'saving' by not having one.

 

[christofloffer]

ok, all ordered. now i have just got to get some gas and some normal wire. thanks for the advice and info, hopefully once i have the gas i can start getting some decent results.
just one more thing, i see that most of the wire is copper coated for the gas stuff. is that right or is there plain wire that i should be tracking down?

i was chatting to a chap earlier about it and he said that the gasless wire uses a lot of the amps to burn, hence the difficulty and heat, he said it may work better on a professional machine but on a hobby mig like mine (clarke 151en) a big chunk of the power will be used in the wire rather than the work. when i explained that i was getting gas at last he said the machine would be much nicer and more predictable to use. it makes a lot of sense to be honest. is that about the crux of it?
he also called the clarke wire and the super6 rods i have "sparklers" which had me laughing.

 

[Bill Edwards]

It's normal for MIG wire to have a copper coating, don't worry about trying to get anything else.

I've managed to avoid using gasless wire, but from everything I've heard about it you could say it's rubbish compared to the proper gas stuff. There are some industrial applications for it, but then they're different things and not really applicable to DIY.

I've used CO2 gas then went to the proper argon mix and the difference is enough to convince me that it's well worth the cost.

In my view (having used 'proper' MIG machines as well as cheap ones) cheap MIG's are rubbish. However, with the right gas and a little patience it is still possible to achieve OK results, and I think it'll be many times better for you than gasless.

 

[christofloffer]

well, i will upgrade to a professional machine as and when the call for it arises. the ones i am looking at are £600 upwards so i will need to able to warrant that. i split the cost of this welder with my brother so it only cost me £100, so i am getting a lot out of it for the outlay. if it takes me up to the point of needing a better machine then it just saves an expensive bit of kit the wear and tear of learning.
i had been told about the Co2 pub gas, but i would only go on to a mix later so i may as well get used to it now.
the kit i have is doing me well in showing me what i actually want from future equipment.

i want to be able to give someone something i have made and not have to say "its stronger than it looks". if i had bought something with the welds that i have been producing lately then i would send it back. i want to be able to look at something i have made and be proud to put my name to it. i have had enough of making the best of "close enough" stuff, hence investing in better stuff.