QUESTION, Im more of a stick welder. but i bought a Hobart 187 wich can be used with or without gas. i don't want the extra expense of renting the bottle. so i would probably just use flux wire. instead of argon and co2 mixture. my book says you can use 100% co2 as well. thru my work i have access to plain co2 tanks at no cost. the kind that run soda machines, anyway wich is better flux wire or solid wire with the plain co2 for welding in your opinion. im sure the flux wire is more expensive than the plain but is it worth it. not sure if i would ever need to weld aluminum. but is nice to have that option. any help or advice thanks turk
- Thread starter turk1800
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If you can get free CO2,and buy a regulator,it would be far cheaper to run CO2 and solid wire.
You would still have to use flux core if you were welding in the wind.
To weld aluminum you need straight argon or argon and helium and a large welder.
Robert
You would still have to use flux core if you were welding in the wind.
To weld aluminum you need straight argon or argon and helium and a large welder.
Robert
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You should not have to pay rental on argon mix tanks. Few hobby users on this side of the pond do. 75%/25% Ar/CO2 is the most common.
The main cost is buying the bottle. Mine was about $150 for a mid-size bottle. The $40 to $70 to fill (depending on their mood on the discount.)
Aluminum would require pure argon.
CO2 is fine but requires a good, consistent wire feeder as it is more sensitive to wire speed changes. the Hobart should do fine.
A 30lb tank should last you years. You will need a regulator for CO2 as the argon mix tanks and CO2 tanks have different fittings. I filled mine for $28.
As Robert said, flux wire is expensive. Using gas wire is cheaper even if you use Ar/CO2 mix.
The main cost is buying the bottle. Mine was about $150 for a mid-size bottle. The $40 to $70 to fill (depending on their mood on the discount.)
Aluminum would require pure argon.
CO2 is fine but requires a good, consistent wire feeder as it is more sensitive to wire speed changes. the Hobart should do fine.
A 30lb tank should last you years. You will need a regulator for CO2 as the argon mix tanks and CO2 tanks have different fittings. I filled mine for $28.
As Robert said, flux wire is expensive. Using gas wire is cheaper even if you use Ar/CO2 mix.
