Newbie Welding question: gas cylinders (1 Viewer)

[LRIwater]

My wife just bought a mig welder for me as an anniversary gift. How cool is that??!! It's a Lincoln 135. The manual says that you can use pure CO2 as shielding gas, but all of the welding bottles for sale seems to be for Argon/CO2 mix. Does anyone run just CO2? Also, anyone have a good source for used bottles (say 40cf)? Many thanks in advance,
Chuck

 

[zebrabeefj40]

Most folks use the mix as it welds with less splatter. CO2 is perfectly fine, as I understand it also gives better weld penetration then the CO2/Ar mix. This is probably why the manual recommends CO2 vs. the mix.

Sounds like a keeper for a wife too! Nice score on both.

HTH,
Nick

 

[Mark W]

I run straight CO2. It is a little smokier and a little more splatter than a mix. But penetration si good, CO2 is cheaper and I can run my field tank (used for filling tires) in a pinch if the welding tank runs dry on a Sunday night.

Mark...

 

[chet]

the 135 is a 110V welder right? I would use it with flux core for a while. You will get better penetration than using it with gas. CO2 is fine but like said you will get more splatter.

If you are going to be doing thin body work then get the CO2/Argon mix it will give you better welds.

 

[DRTDuck]

the 135 is a 110V welder right? I would use it with flux core for a while. You will get better penetration than using it with gas. CO2 is fine but like said you will get more splatter.

If you are going to be doing thin body work then get the CO2/Argon mix it will give you better welds.

I thought using a gas (Mig) welder penetrated better than non-gas (Flux Core) welder.

 

[haystax]

We were gonna buy a new set of oxy/acy cylinders for the work truck and checked into buying the cylinders to save on ridiculous tank rent fees - ended up with a long term lease kinda thing on new cylinders was actually way cheaper than buying upfront.

I use mix gas on my Miller MIG - always have, don't have any advice on CO2 preference. Just head down to your local welding store and see what you can get out of them, then shop around a bit.

 

[burnttoastburgos]

75%/25%.........Flux core wire will NOT give you better penetration,it'll make your welds look like a hacker and eventually you will get frustrated with the machine. Go with the mix gas as stated above. Bottles are cheap on EBAY.

http://cgi.ebay.com/40-CF-WELDING-C...ryZ67058QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Thats a 110 machine...TIPlug machine into an outlet that is as close to your electrical panel as possible and do NOT use an extension cord narrower than 10 gauge

 

[honk]

75%/25%.........Flux core wire will NOT give you better penetration,it'll make your welds look like a hacker and eventually you will get frustrated with the machine. Go with the mix gas as stated above.

If you look at the chart inside the door of most 110 welders you'll find that they DO give better penetration with fluxcore wire. The Lincoln 135:

http://www.mylincolnelectric.com/Catalog/equipmentdatasheet.asp?p=2515

"Capabilities include welding 24 gauge through 3/16" mild steel with MIG and up to 5/16" with self-shielded flux-cored wire"