Tig regulator

[MrFluffy]

Ok, Ive gone mad and treated myself for xmas and bought a 3 phase BOC adr300 tig, ac/dc foot switch, pulsed start, watercooled torch the lot, however its turned up and apart from being as portable as a dead elephant and up to my chest in height (suits me, I dont want it so someone can walk off with it easy) its also sans regulator/argon bottle which I did know about, I presume they had a BOC cylinder on rental or something which as Im in central france would have been no use to me anyway.
Now I've finally got one, I'm looking at it and am concious that I have only ever used a TIG when someone else set it all up first, and that was about 15 years ago. So deep end time again...

Anything special I have to keep a eye on regarding regulators/flow rates etc when Im sourcing one?? And just plain argon in the cylinder? It will mostly be welding aluminium and 4130 steel and the like...
Also any of you used one of these specifically? and if so any tips?

 

[malcolm]

I don't think there is anything special in a TIG regulator compared to a MIG one. If anything the recommended flow rates seem a little lower (see the MIG and TIG calculators on http://www.millerwelds.com/education/library.html ). Definately get one with a flow measuring gauge, and avoid the hardcore industrial ones like the one on my TIG that expects you to be welding battle tanks all the time and don't really sensitivity at 10 litres per minute.

The TIG manual in the link above is a good read, and be sure to get all the right tips and practice on thickish metal. I tried thin stuff with the wrong tips and was quite put off by the experience. It'll be good to hear how you get on.