Running out of gas, better wire feed, and sourcing steel

[James Stanley]

Hello,

I bought a Wolf Mig 140 on eBay. I've since read on this forum that perhaps a Clarke machine would be better, but never mind.

I've had a play with the welder today, and am actually quite pleased with the results. My welds aren't good, but I was able to lay a few beads quite quickly. I was expecting to generate nothing but spatter for quite a while.

Gas:

I've already used up one of my gas bottles! I was only out there for about an hour. It's an 86%-14% Argon-CO2 mix.

1.) I screwed the regulator on last night and left it that way, possibly the regulator doesn't seal as well as the bottle does, and it leaks past it?
2.) I didn't know how much gas was required so screwed it out until it started hissing then about another turn, is this too much?
3.) Maybe these small bottles just don't last very long? I find this hard to believe, I had laid down substantially less than 1 metre of weld before it ran out.

Wire feed:

The wire feed was not "birds nesting" (well it did once), but my main problem was the wire getting caught on itself in the spool? It's hard to describe, and I can't find any pictures of it online, but the end of the wire, that goes out of the spool into the rollers, was stuck "underneath" some more wire that was still on the spool, preventing the wire from feeding properly. I had to get somewhat physical to unstick it and allow it to continue feeding. What's going on here?

Steel:

I bought some steel from B&Q, but the range is super limited and only comes in 1m lengths. They have racks and racks of wood in 2.4m lengths, in a wide variety of dimensions. Is there anywhere that supplies steel in the same manner that B&Q supplies wood? (i.e. just turn up and browse, then walk away with several 2.4m lengths of whatever steel you need). I'm near Bristol (Longwell Green specifically), in case that helps.

Thanks all!
James

 

[rtbcomp]

Welcome to the forum.

By small bottle do you mean those disposables you get from Machine Mart and the like? If so they're a waste of money. You need a proper regulator and at least a pub-sized bottle.

Is the wire spilling off the reel and getting caught? If so you should be able to put a bit of tension on the reel to prevent this.

 

[James Stanley]

Thanks both.

Why do those little gas bottles exist if they only last 10 minutes? Why even bother selling them?
They are 1L bottles, and cost me £10 each. The next size up seems to be a 10L bottle for £80, which doesn't seem much better? Am I looking in the wrong places? Where do others buy gas from?

I used the reel of wire that came with the welder. It wanted to spill off the reel while I was putting it in, but after I had fed it through the rollers it seemed happy to stay still, until it got caught up on itself while in use. I also have a much bigger Sealey reel of wire that I bought separately, so I'll try that next time.

http://www.avonsteel.co.uk/ this place is about 30 mins from me so I'll try there next time I buy some steel.

 

[Norm]

Hi James, welcome along, have a look at the Volkszone deal for gas, just do a search on here for it, a lot more cost effective than the disposable bottles. enjoy your welding

 

[rtbcomp]

Have a good read through the "Shielding Gas & Regulators" section, there's loads of info on various offers. You may consider using straight CO2, it's stored as a liquid, unlike the mix which is stored as a gas, so you get much more in a bottle.

Some people approach pub landlords, but if you do, make sure you get pure CO2 and not a CO2 - nitrogen mix

 

[cliff366]

I use the sealey bottles there £12 return still not cheap as you can get it other places but dam sight better than disposable ones I don't use enough to rent a bottle and seems there's nowhere close to go up to a bigger rent free bottle

 

[cumbriasteve]

'Why do those little gas bottles exist if they only last 10 minutes? Why even bother selling them?'

Basically they sell them because people will buy them.

There is also the fact they can be handy for that one off job, for example a couple of bottles costing £20 would probably manage to provide the gas for a car repair that a garage may charge £200.

Have a drive around the local industrial estates, I did and found there was an independent gas supplier with an excellent deal.

 

[ukracer]

Have a look around for @MattH on the forum . I think he could get you sorted out with some steel.

The other lads have explained about the gas. Get a larger bottle ASAP.

 

[Kent]

Buy from a local fabricators with cash or scrap dealers larger quantities steel stockist

Bq? I bet it's ten times the price

 

[mike 109444]

James there is the BOC Volkzone deal (see the shielding gas section of forum) or you could go to to the CO2 only only route (as I use for car restoring) There is a beer and wine cellar supplies place round corner for the Lidl
http://www.192.com/atoz/business/br.../5ebb3aa8016632df1dd51cf238b806d727b6ea04/ml/
bout £20 for bottle and £20 for gas, then it's just the gas price each time you need a refill.
You will also need a suitable regulator for which ever type of bottle you go for. See ebay for an ideal of what you need "mig gas regulator"

 

[mike 109444]

For steel try Manor scrap in Feeder road unless you want a large sheet then its down to Radstock. Think you will find that Avon steel supply mainly mesh for building/concrete work.

 

[MattH]

Have a look around for @MattH on the forum . I think he could get you sorted out with some steel.

I might be able