OTish - MIG Gas

Jul 10, 2006 40 Replies

OK, I've a tame local landlord who I get CO2 from - but whenever I try to get anyone to supply me equally sized bottles of Argon I keep getting told to bog off, need an account, must order zillions at a time or...



... "We can't supply that to the public as it's dangerous" (my reply of "But it's inert you idiot, that's the point of me wanting it" didn't work, either).



I don't want to open an account as I don't have a legit business use for it really and don't like to give HMR&C bods anything to question.



I've a rather large aluminium project on the boil and will be wanting to avoid buying the stupidly expensive little disposable bottles if possible. Ideas anyone?



Scuba divers use it, try dive shops?

Further to my previous post, how about trying this lot?

formatting link

I could get you one on our account, one of the thigh-high jobbies sounds big enough- we pay for the gas delivery and a hire charge on the cylinder, but its not much.

Not forgetting you only need a whiff of it coming out of the torch, a medium bottle should last you a fair time.

Steve

What are the various mixes there for, out of interest

Steve

No idea mush, sorry, I just remembered that Argon is used by divers so did a quick google. I can hardly swim myself!

On or around Mon, 10 Jul 2006 18:13:37 +0100, Mother enlightened us thusly:

I get bottles from air products. do need an account though as they're rented bottles. I've got oxy and acet. for the torch and an ickle PT10 size mig gas mix (COOGAR 5 I think it is) for the mig. which has just run out, so I need to go and hunt a refill soon.

Try going round the back of power tool rental shops and chating to the lads in the work shop rather than the counter staff. Wave afew beer tokens under their noses this will definately help you obtain that holy grail... (thats how I got my last argon co2 mix)

Icky

I use BOC Inductrial

formatting link
I have a small MIG and was fed up with the tiny little throw away gas bottles, so went to BOC and was no hastle to open an account to rent a small Argoshield Light bottle. Think the rental is =A335 year and the bottle has lasted ages, still almost full 4 years later. They didn't ask about who I was or why I wanted it, just filled in the rental agreement and that was it, they put the bottle in the car for me even. If I ever want any other gas, there's now no problem, just go to a depot with my account number and rent whatever I need.

Alan C

Er, no. Scuba divers don't use argon, mixed gas diving is strictly for the professionals and is hugely expensive. Scuby-doos use compressed air or nitrox.

Karen

Cheapest, & most common is compressed air diving - all you need is a good (breathing quality) air compressor capable of pumping clean oil free air at 220 bar or so. Good for diving to 45 metres max. but mostly

Have a quick search for scuba diving and argon, you'll find out they do use it for various things.

Here, make yer mind up woman!

grumble mumble...

Heh it's in the genes ...

But to clarify, it's out of the price range of most amateurs, hence my earlier statement. I used compressed air for suit inflation & an extra layer of woolley bear under the suit.

Karen

Yeah well us blokes are allowed to be grumpy and bad-tempered *all* month so I suppose there has to be some comeback..

Stuff what divers use it for, it's the argon he was after!

Ooo, someone hasn't been taking their medication today :)

Steve did ask what divers use it for, so I answered. Didn't realise we had to stay entirely on topic in this NG these days :O

Karen

Har, I don't think I've posted on-topic for years ;-)

There's no way round it these days - you'll have to open an account :-(

Richard

I _love_ lurkers!

Thanks to 'you know who' from a certain Sheffield academic body who popped one around at lunchtime. I'd not thought to ask you actually, as I'd unremembered what you're doing now, ta muchly, I owe you (yet another) at the Fat Cat on Thursday! :-)

I use Argon for suit inflation in the winter. I get it from Air Products. It's not expensive like helium (squeeky voices gas) but you don't want to blow a diving suit up with a helium rich mixture - it conducts heat so well. Once you've set up a seperate bottle you might as well use argon.

Currently my ebay bought bodge for the P38 air suspension is partly blown up with Argon because that's what I had in the cylinder. As a diver the one thing I do have is lots of compressed gas. 8-)

nigelH

formatting link

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required