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Argon or CO2 for mig gas
- Thread starter 8_YOUR_H2
- Start date
AzzKicker
1/2 ton status
usually its a mixture. Running pure Argon is not recommended for mild steel, it has shallow penetration and bead looks crappy. People usually mix the two. 75/25 % and so one depending on what you like.
camiswelding
1/2 ton status
co2 is the cheaper of the welding gases... its all we use at school... but for my personal welding I like a 75/25 mix... (ar/c02)... and with my powermig in power mode or spray arc it likes 85/15 even better... the mixes are WAY more expensive but do have less spatter and smoke then straight co2
cam
cam
Usually need better than 90% Argon to get spray transfer...we run 92/8 at work. For my home rig I use 75/25 (Millermatic 135) and it runs nice with tolerable spatter if there is such a thing.
Straight Argon is mostly used for aluminum Mig, although I prefer an Argon Helium mix.
Rene
Straight Argon is mostly used for aluminum Mig, although I prefer an Argon Helium mix.
Rene
85mudblazin
1/2 ton status
Straight Co2 burns hotter so it is nice for a small welder, I have a pro mig 135 and run straight Co2, very happy with the weld quality but I dont think it has enough power to weld much over 1/8".
camiswelding
1/2 ton status
thats the nice thing about the new powermig... its much more forgiving on percentages... and the computer makes a good weldor... well.. skill is skill but it really helps produce machine automated looking welds in the manual mode....
Welding thin aluminum before with a spool gun meant super fast speeds and still there was a chance of melt thru,,, now I can weld fairly light guage... 16 lets say... no prob... I have the python push pull gun..which is large.. but Ill rarely weld any aluminum under 1/8,,,, the weld quality and appearance is just flat amazing... miller isnt even in the ball game yet
I still have tig (squarewave 185) for slow intricate welds... I might use it for an exo cage where spatter might be a problem if I didnt want to, or couldnt, cover the area with a welding blanket (you get very little with double pulse)...otherwise its double pulse with the powermig everytime now
Welding thin aluminum before with a spool gun meant super fast speeds and still there was a chance of melt thru,,, now I can weld fairly light guage... 16 lets say... no prob... I have the python push pull gun..which is large.. but Ill rarely weld any aluminum under 1/8,,,, the weld quality and appearance is just flat amazing... miller isnt even in the ball game yet
I still have tig (squarewave 185) for slow intricate welds... I might use it for an exo cage where spatter might be a problem if I didnt want to, or couldnt, cover the area with a welding blanket (you get very little with double pulse)...otherwise its double pulse with the powermig everytime now
For aluminum we use the Miller XR-W Control push-pull feeder with water cooled gooseneck gun coupled with the Optima MIG pulse control programmer. The Coolmate does a fine job of keeping the gun cool. We do aluminum from light guage to 1" thick...although we usually use TIG for the light stuff.
Personally I don't like aluminum, although i'm decent at it.
This is our TIG machine, and is the one I spend the most time using.
http://www.millerwelds.com/products/tig/syncrowave_250_dx/
Rene
Personally I don't like aluminum, although i'm decent at it.
This is our TIG machine, and is the one I spend the most time using.
http://www.millerwelds.com/products/tig/syncrowave_250_dx/
Rene
