gas for mig welding (1 Viewer)

[erfworm]

So I've got a 175amp Clarke wire welder, that I,ve been using for about 10 years without the gas. This welder has the hook for a gas bottle, what my question is: What kind of gas for different metals and best set up/manufacture for the Clarke? Thanks guys, I'm sick of slag. :G

 

[toddslater]

erfworm,
I use CO2/Argon gas when welding black steel. When welding stainless and aluminum I use straight Argon. I have a Lincoln 175 and to weld aluminum I have to put a plastic (teflon I think) liner in the gun back to the spool....the soft aluminum wire won't feed up thru the metal liner.

 

[denis]

ditto what Todd said.

Ar/CO2 80/20 or 75/25 is said to be the best for mild steel... at least it works fine for me...

I'm welding steel (solid wire) with the plastic liner, and it seems to work OK for me...

 

[brian]

when dealing with blk steel you could use the argon/co2 mix,straight co2 or straight argon, when using solid(bare) wire.

when using gas shielded flux core ss or blk co2 is the way to go.

straight co2 will give you a hotter arc but more splatter.

straight argon will control splatter better.

can you quess what happens when you mix the two?

ss you can use straight argon or an argon helium mix and i think there's a helium/argon/co2(it might be nitrogen instead of co2) mix. MIGing ss you're better off with the argon/helium mix. for best results with stainless steel always try to drag the puddle down hill.

aluminum, i try not to mig when ever possible.