Testing Gas Supply

[hammerofthor]

Although I was involved in the certification side of welding years ago I have never struck up an arc myself, until today.

I just got me a Sealey Supermig 130 to add to my increasing collection of Land Rover tools

Today I got the wire feeding continuously and put some weld down on a bit of 2mm mild steel. The thing I would like to double check is the gas flow. The instructions for the wee disposable bottles says 1/2 open for 2l/min ans fully open for 4l/min.

How can I tell if I am getting anything/min ?

The welds are going down like pancakes, see the last one I did on the left.
What can I do to remedy this ?

Reverse side

Settings

 

[octo0072000]

just open it fully disposables is a very dear way of welding though
as for the flow try one of these


http://www.weldequip.com/gas-flow-tester.htm

 

[hammerofthor]

Further investigation has revealed that there's no gas flow from the regulator. I have tried it on two different bottles

I suppose I need some conversion kit to go up to proper bottles.

 

[Robotstar5]

I suppose I need some conversion kit to go up to proper bottles.

A regulator and one of these...

 

[hammerofthor]

Going to have a look at converting soon, in the meantime I have further developments.
Mucking about with the reg I found that I could get a feed of gas, not by the normal unscrewing of the nob but by unscrewing the regulator !
When you attach it you have to screw past an initial release of gas from a pinhole at the base of the regulator. If I then carefully start to loosen again I get a gas flow through the normal route, but I CANNOT stop this with the screw nob only by re tightening the regulator ! A bit of a faff but I have a controllable flow.

I can now see why we need the shielding gas, same settings as yesterday so no gas one to right, with gas to the left.

Going down to the big city tomorrow, Inverness , so will look at BIG gas suppliers.

 

[octo0072000]

gas

gas supplies some here any good

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/wiki/Gas_Suppliers#Scotland

 

[hammerofthor]

gas supplies some here any good

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/wiki/Gas_Suppliers#Scotland

Nah man, they are all a wee bit far away. There's a local one called air products but I don't think they deal with the public

 

[octo0072000]

Nah man, they are all a wee bit far away. There's a local one called air products but I don't think they deal with the public

air products do deal with the public

if you are using C02 only try a fire extinguisher place lot of people use them
some remove the dip tube other just invert them

 

[hammerofthor]

air products do deal with the public
/QUOTE]

OK. I see they do Ferromax 15, but don't seem to advertise Cougar. My mate on the farm uses Cougar I think. Looked at the table and see AP bottles at £159 up front. I will call in but if it's where I think it is then the place is a dump