Shielding gases

Bday · Feb 2, 2013

What gas do you guy's like for steel. I like the bead appearance you get with co2 , but they mention spatter as an issue. We used co2 in school, and I can't recall spatter as an issue. Since I have been in the industry, I have always used 75/25. I use this at my shop also. Thinking about getting a bottle of co2. I have read about different mixes out there. Anyone use something different. Thanks!

puckgrinder85 · Feb 2, 2013

We use CO2, cheap and readily available. Usually if I have spatter issues its because the metal isnt clean or my settings are off, dont have too much issue when all is right it seems. If anything a quick cleanup with a grinder takes it off easily and I usually pass the grinder around the workpiece anyway to deburr edges and such.

Ed of all trades · Feb 2, 2013

I used co2 on the things that looks did not matter as much, but used mix on things that had to look good. This is for mig only, I am told co2 wont work on tig as it will ruin the tungston.

Brad_Blazer · Feb 4, 2013

I use CO2 because it's a lot less expensive and at my skill level I don't really notice much difference in appearance.

carmedic310 · Feb 4, 2013

Stargon gets better penetration than argonco2

kennyd · Feb 4, 2013

I always use 75/25 gas with my MM210.

Shield Arc · Feb 4, 2013

If you really want to turbo charge your welds, go with some C10. Or 98% argon, and 2% oxygen.
This weld was made with C10.

ericher69 · Feb 4, 2013

Bday said:
What gas do you guy's like for steel. I like the bead appearance you get with co2 , but they mention spatter as an issue. We used co2 in school, and I can't recall spatter as an issue. Since I have been in the industry, I have always used 75/25. I use this at my shop also. Thinking about getting a bottle of co2. I have read about different mixes out there. Anyone use something different. Thanks!

What size wire and input power are you using? (110 or 220?)

I personally use CO2 but only do occasional repairs/fabrication.

A med size bottle lasts me years.

SA- that weld was done on spray transfer?

.

Shield Arc · Feb 4, 2013

ericher69 said:
SA- that weld was done on spray transfer?

Yes it was!
Hey did you get my PM about the V350-Pro?

Bday · Feb 4, 2013

Shield Arc said:
If you really want to turbo charge your welds, go with some C10. Or 98% argon, and 2% oxygen.
This weld was made with C10.

Hey shield arc I like the spray transfer. I also like to see some character to the bead. When I was in school they taught us less heat and more technique. I personally like the mig welds that take on a Tig welded appearance. Man we could lay some pretty welds with the 3 phase units at work.

Bday · Feb 4, 2013

ericher69 said:
What size wire and input power are you using? (110 or 220?)

I personally use CO2 but only do occasional repairs/fabrication.

A med size bottle lasts me years.

SA- that weld was done on spray transfer?

.

Hey Ericher, I run .035 hobart wire. When I was welding everyday for a living most all the factories I worked in used 75/25. I'm running a miller 252 I bought last weekend.

Bday · Feb 4, 2013

Hey Shield arc, see you got the boys fired up over at the welding web over your wet 7018's. Like watching a soap opera!

Shield Arc · Feb 4, 2013

Bday said:
Hey shield arc I like the spray transfer. I also like to see some character to the bead. When I was in school they taught us less heat and more technique. I personally like the mig welds that take on a Tig welded appearance. Man we could lay some pretty welds with the 3 phase units at work.

I'm still not convinced of the structural value of that Mig like Tig technique, but it does look

Bday said:
Hey Shield arc, see you got the boys fired up over at the welding web over your wet 7018's. Like watching a soap opera!

Yeah got a little fire storm going there didn't I? I knew Lawson was going to have a fit, we have had words before. After our screaming match on the telephone he finely seen it my way that not everybody works to code. Stickman and I kissed and made up through PMs, that was all a misunderstanding on my part! Come to find out he is a pretty good kid!

Bday · Feb 4, 2013

Shield Arc said:
I'm still not convinced of the structural value of that Mig like Tig technique, but it does look

Yep, technique is everything. Very easy to cold lap! We welded Sch 60 pipe open root in all positions. Etched and bend tested in all positions. Used Co2 for gas. If I remember right, I had a small lack of fusion on one of my downhill coupons. Not enough to fail though!:thumbsup:

Yeah got a little fire storm going there didn't I? I knew Lawson was going to have a fit, we have had words before. After our screaming match on the telephone he finely seen it my way that not everybody works to code. Stickman and I kissed and made up through PMs, that was all a misunderstanding on my part! Come to find out he is a pretty good kid!

Glad it cooled down!

deereman75 · Feb 4, 2013

Shield Arc said:
If you really want to turbo charge your welds, go with some C10. Or 98% argon, and 2% oxygen.
This weld was made with C10.

You forgot to mention the industrial machine needed to even get into spray transfer. From what I recall reading even a 250 class machine (linde and esab exempt) that can get into spray transfer will have such a low duty cycle at that point, that it is almost slower than short circuit mig. So it seems if your serious about spray transfer, you need something like your invertec or a 350 amp+ transformer.

Shield Arc · Feb 4, 2013

Very true!

And it is very hard on equipment. The contact tip on my 200-amp Mig gun was soft and wanted to bend after a few beads.:shocked: If I ever do much spray welding I'll have to use my 400-amp gun.

yomax4 · Feb 4, 2013

Pulse Trumps Spray any day. You do need about 90% argon to get to spray but remember the old 75/22/3 Argon Co2 with 2-3% O2..You could get close to true spray with a smaller machine ( ESAB 250 ) but you suffer from adding Oxides to your welds. Some still believe in it. Praxair called it Stargon. Old School gas.

yomax4 · Feb 4, 2013

C10 is a great gas for Stainless too. 2nd only to 85Ar/13HE/2Co2. <-- gives a sweet straw color to your beads as opposed to blackend/gray beads. The newer equipment out there runs CO2 very well and you can tell the difference but the spatter is nearly gone. Gun possition is a major factor with spatter too.

Shield Arc · Feb 4, 2013

Years ago I ran a lot of stainless steel Mig, we used a tri-gas. I think it was called Blue Shield, seems like it had argon, CO2, and helium, but I don't remember the ratios.:confused3: