question for welders

i need to use my mig today , and just discovered i'm out of gas..it's 75% argon annd 25% co2.....can i use 100% argon from my tig?

 

nope!

Gas Metal Arc Welding

Gas metal arc welding uses an arc between a continuous filler metal (consumable) electrode and the weld pool. Shielding is provided by an externally supplied shielding gas. This process is also known as MIG welding or MAG welding. MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding means the use of an inert (i.e. non active) gas. MAG (Metal Active Gas) welding requires the use of an active gas (i.e. carbon dioxide and oxygen). CO2 is a more commonly used shortening of MAG welding gas.

The process consists of a DC arc burning between a thin bare metal wire electrode and the workpiece. The arc and weld area are enveloped in a protective gas shield. The wire electrode is fed from a spool, through a welding torch which is connected to the positive terminal into the weld zone. MIG/MAG welding is the most widely used process in the world today. It is a versatile method which offers a lot of advantages. The technique is easy to use and there is no need for slag-cleaning. Another advantage is the extremely high productivity that MIG/MAG welding makes possible.

MIG/MAG welding is used on all thicknesses of steels, aluminium, nickel, stainless steels etc. The MAG process is suitable both for steel and unalloyed, low-alloy and high-alloy based materials. The MIG process, on the other hand, is used for welding aluminium and copper materials.

 

might as well go get yer tank filled or buy some flux core wire.
HAHA i just realized its sunday... HAHAHA oops

got any friends with a mig?

 

If I were you, I would just wait to fill the tank and not even bother with buying flux core wire. To each his own, but I'm not a fan of flux core.

 

thanks for the info. i just called a friend who is a REAL good welder and he said NO. he is out of gas too. sucks when you don't plan ahead

 

Don't feel bad, it seems every time I go out to the garage to weld something, I'm out of gas....or I'm down to my last 4 feet of wire. Never fails. I'll get REAL motivated to work on something, then I find I'm out of one or the other. Its right after that I loose all my steam to work on my projects.

I've just learned to stockpile gas and wire so I'm never out.

 

Nope, you cannot. lol

What are you welding? Something cosmetic, or something structural?

 

You can use CO2 though.

 

Go to the local Dairy Queen and (borrow) one of their CO2 bottles from the soda jerk

 

Are you guys sure that you can't use straight Argon instead of an Argon Mix gas?

I thought you could, but it was just needlessly expensive.

But I could be totally wrong about that...

 

Metalshapes is right....Yes, you can use 100% Argon. And it's a must if you are mig welding Alum.

The 75/25 mix is just less expensive.

I've done it numerous times..

 

Well yes, theoreticaly, you can but you won't get the penetration or appearance of a mix. The co2 component gives the "bite" to the weld and the argon shields the weld. For best penetration straight co2 is best, but it splatters a lot. Many weld shops use straight co2 on weldments that don't need to have a good appearance(structual) as it is a little cheaper. In the shop I work we use a 90/10 mix with the 10% being oxy. It gives good penetration with very little splatter and requires little clean up. This, of course, applies to welding mild steel.

 

i used 100% ,it worked ok on heavy stuff but it doesnt work as good on thin stuff ie body&floor.

 

haha, man i'm in the same boat! dammit. i realized when i got to work friday night i forgot to bring my tank with me to exchange on my way to work. planned on it being a productive weekend, but everything i have to work on right now needs mig welding!

 

there is a diverance between mig (inert) and mag (active) welding
100% argon is an inert gas and can only be used for wirefeed-welding aluminum.
this is called MIG welding

for steel (all kind) u need an active gas like Co2 or a mix based on argon.
this is called MAG welding.

 

Gee guys, I really feel for you. I happen to have about 6-336 cf mixed gas cylinders and 6-130cf mixed gas cylinders and 2 mixed gas 20cf cylinders in my shop, but then, I'm a gas subdealer. I think all together I have about 40 cylinders here, I never run out of gas. If'n you wanted to make the trip to Freeport, I'd be happy to sell you some....I'd even open tomorrow for a little extra cash.... Hahahahahaha.Gene

 

MIG and MAG are deprecated. The new term (well, about 20 years old now), is GMAW. Gas Metal Arc Welding.

TIG and Heli-arc are also deprecated for GTAW. Gas Tungsten Arc Welding.

Then there's also Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)--stick welders,
and OAW for oxy-acetylene welding and OHW for oxy-hydrogen welding.

Have I bored anyone yet?

 

i have used stright argon on my mig. worked ok. i was in the same boat! can't remember what i was welding but it worked ok.