Stick with aluminium and your there. 1 bottle for mig/tig.If somebody could provide a gas that was good for both TIG and MIG there would be a lot of people interested, myself included.
I've a nice TIG machine and am itching to have a go with it, but shelling out for a second cylinder lacks appeal with me too.
At 30 quid a kg for inconel wire he'd be better off with 2 bottles surely.The nearest you could get to a universal gas is if you use Nickel Alloy (625 or 82) for welding mild, stainless, low alloy etc etc. You can use Argon to MIG and TIG. Its expensive wire though
Bill I don't think al was actually suggesting that inconel was a serious option. it was a good point made that it's one of not many fillers that can be used in both processes to join ferrous materials with the same gas.Well, you've pointed out that there is a 'one gas' solution...
The fact the sheer cost must make it useless for almost everybody, unless they have a TIG which does nearly everything, and want the MIG for running two inches of weld every couple of years so wouldn't notice the wire cost...
Out of curiosity, what exactly is Nickel alloy wire made for?
625 can weld every ferrous metal, steel, stainless, cast iron, alloy steel. As Richard says its also used a lot in the oil industry to clad pipes and to join pipes made from high strength steel (625 also has high strength).
I guess if your jobs are that varied its a viable proposition but for general day to day stuff I doubt if its worth the outlay. I dont really know what the cost and rental costs are for gas (Ive always been supplied free of charge but thats another story).
Ive also seen 625 on ebay for very little so you may drop lucky.
Other than that if you want to use one gas use Aluminium.......but not on steel
Just a thought..........anyone ever tried Argon / Hydrogen on MIG???
Can you TIG with it?There is a gas mix specifically for MIG welding 625 that has argon and hydrogen in it, also has helium and 0.05% CO2
625 can weld every ferrous metal, steel, stainless, cast iron, alloy steel. As Richard says its also used a lot in the oil industry to clad pipes and to join pipes made from high strength steel (625 also has high strength).
I guess if your jobs are that varied its a viable proposition but for general day to day stuff I doubt if its worth the outlay. I dont really know what the cost and rental costs are for gas (Ive always been supplied free of charge but thats another story).
Ive also seen 625 on ebay for very little so you may drop lucky.
Other than that if you want to use one gas use Aluminium.......but not on steel
Just a thought..........anyone ever tried Argon / Hydrogen on MIG???
Would it be worth keeping a few 625 (TIG)rods for those jobs where you are unsure of the particular flavour of stainless, mild steel, cast iron etc, that you are welding up?
Is a 625 rod a way of 'being on the safe side' of most situations like this?
Yes........it will produce a sound weld in all those materials...........maybe free cutters would cause a few problems but they do with anything
when I get round to trying TIG. If I like it, then I'll add a Y Argon bottle to my Volkzone deal.
Aye, aye...gerra bottle a argon ya tight jock git ya
Can you TIG with it?