Gas Or A Mask?

[Richie-XR2]

Hi, I'm going to Machine Mart in Glasgow tomorrow to pick up a Clarke 151en as my first welder. I plan to build a rollover jig and then use it for bodywork repairs and other general car related tasks (after lots of practice of course). I have £300 to spend and was wondering whether I should buy all the kit to run disposable gas bottles or an auto darken mask?

I do currently have a semi decent hands free mask but it's not an auto darken one.

Do you guys recommend the small gas bottles? I would get a big bottle but don't want to pay rent for one and not sure if any of my local pubs would get me one as I don't tend to frequent them often.

Thanks

 

[BrokenBiker]

i would avoid disposable bottles at all costs considering what you want to build. Each bottle will give around 20 mins welding, which ks including time to set up too! Go rent free of check out the volkzone deal.

auto dark mask is up to you really, if you can weld well with the mask you have then its not am urgent requirement but they do make things easier IMO

 

[Richie-XR2]

Ah I knew they didn't last long but I thought you'd get more than that out of them. Yeah I saw the volkzone deal but when I went to the VW forum the poster from BOC said it was over so just closed the page, I'll have a proper look in a minute.

I can't actually weld but my brother can so he will be giving me tips. I guess I can use the flux wire for practice just now and sort gas in a week or two.

Thanks for the help!

 

[BrokenBiker]

we had a thread on here a few days ago confirming from boc that it is still on, for us atleast lol.

 

[Richie-XR2]

Must have missed that then, certainly seems much cheaper than Air Liquide's ALbee stuff...£180 for the 11l bottle and gas then £48 for a refill of the argon mix.

 

[Wallace]

Gas over a mask given the choice but NOT disposables. You don't have to use an auto darken mask, it's an advantage but not a necessity to start off with. The money would be better spent on getting set up with gas and a decent regulator from the outset as it will save you money using Argoshield Light on the Volkzone deal in comparison to the disposables.

 

[cumbriasteve]

Gas and an auto darkening mask.

Don't think you have to spend big money on a mask, get one from ebay for around £24, it will make life a lot easier, especially in the learning stages.

Often the forum members get the vat free offer at MM and kindly pass them on to other members, that would more than cover the mask cost.

Perhaps worth a post asking if anyone has one going spare.

 

[Richie-XR2]

Looks like I'll be going with a gas set up and get a mask from ebay then. I'll phone Machine Mart and find out what regulator and hose I'll need, there are far to many different ones.

Cumbriasteve, that's a good idea regarding the vat free offer, I've just asked my brother to check his emails and he had a code but it expired on 27th January which is annoying as we spent quite a bit of money in January and never used it!.

 

[cumbriasteve]

MM can be a strange place with their discounts, I know a telephone call can often work wonders.

Perhaps a call and mention you had a voucher you intended to use but circumstances prevented you getting there, is it possible to extend the period, it's a low sales period of the year and managers have a lot of lee way to meet targets, suggesting you can't afford the purchase without the voucher they may decide a discounted sale is better than no sale...worth a try.

 

[Richie-XR2]

Funny you should mention that Steve as I did think of that and if I'm honest I really do need a code to afford it all if I'm going to get a bottle of argoshield too.

I will let you know how I get on!

 

[Richie-XR2]

I was basically told no chance when I asked mt local store about extending the offer, I'll give Gary Dyson at BOC a phone as see what price a gas bottle is.

 

[cumbriasteve]

I was basically told no chance when I asked mt local store about extending the offer, I'll give Gary Dyson at BOC a phone as see what price a gas bottle is.

Was worth a try...can you hang on a couple of weeks and see if any of us get a VAT free voucher, if I do you can certainly have mine and will give you a shout if you have not gone ahead and purchased by then.

 

[jasongtr]

i sorted mine and a mates volkszone argoshield Y size bottle deal out about 2/3 weeks ago, set it all up no bother, its about £70/75 iirc, gas refills less than half that, mines on a cash pay as you go account so no DD required. Gary sorted it out, passed it on to the new accounts team, go to the local BOC place for you, they phone the new accounts team and set it up while you wait, 20 mins later you walk out with a bottle. You dont even pay BOC's extra admin charges with this deal, the guy at my local BOC couldn't believe the deal we both got.

 

[Richie-XR2]

Steve, it was definitely worth a try and thanks very much for the offer but I picked up a Mig151en and some .6mm tips today, I'll pick up some .6mm Sip wire from Halfords tomorrow.

Jason, yeah that's what I've done too, the new accounts team have emailed me paperwork to print out, sign and send back via email or fax. Will pick up a regulator and hose from them too as Machine Mart said they couldn't supply me with one for the Argoshield light bottle.