Thread: co2 for mig welding

I was planning on trying CO2 shielding when I buy a big kickass welder... good to hear youve had success with it. I spend most of my time welding thicker material so I sounds like it should work quite well for me.

Where did you get your regulator and the cylinder from? I was going to ask some other questions but I just googled them and found the answers in an earlier thread.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f160/c...welding-96965/

I concur with Graeme.

We used to use C02 with 1.6mm flux cored on heavy plates. It was a reasonable finish, but the spatter was usually big globules that usually needed grinding off rather than a quick scrape. The arc was not really a spray, but a transfer of globules. This is what makes it unsuited to light work as well.

When the company changed to Argon blends of gases, the finish and general workability of the same wire improved greatly. The spatter usually only needed a scrape to remove. The arc had become a spray transfer, hence better control and finish.

It may be worth noting that different gases give different characteristics to the welds and welding and in some cases may create some undesirable results. ie. brittleness and porosity and lack of fusion and/or general tensile strength. Even in Argon blends, different gases suit different conditions.

It may be of little consequence in some minor handyman items, but when it comes to critical items like towing hooks and lifting points, etc then it becomes a different ballgame.

We speak from a trade background where specific rules and standards apply to us, as any tradesman has to work to. There are always different ways to do things, but it doesn't necessarily make it right and/or practical.

I'll get off my soap box now......