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140A Mig Welder: 1/8" aluminum plate Pure Argon ?

I recently got my first welder. I have formed a couple of fenders for a trailer I'm refurbishing and need to weld a "half moon" shaped piece into the curve. Reading the manual, it says to use .030 aluminum wire with pure argon gas, so my question is:

Do I HAVE to use pure argon gas ? It seems that it is only used for aluminum and this is probably the only aluminum welding I'll attempt.. the problem being that I don't have a cylinder yet and for the smaller one, to buy, filled with argon, they want nearly $ 300.00

What would happen if I tried to weld the fenders WITHOUT ANY gas ? I dont care how "pretty" the results would be..the weld will be on the "inside" of the fender, mainly behind the wheel/tire.

OR, what about using the normal available AR 80% CO2 20% (or whatever they have) for regular steel MIG welding ?

Just trying to avoid having to get TWO bottles.

Reply to
Rudy
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I do not know where you are, but you ought to check with some other welding suppliers. That price seems high to me. Plus you should be able to pay for the gas and a months rental on a tank. Way back they used to give you 30 days use of the tank free with purchase of the gas. And you paid rent on any time over thirty days.

=20 Dan

Reply to
dcaster

I do not know where you are, but you ought to check with some other welding suppliers. That price seems high to me.

-I did call Air Liquide up the street- same price, within $ 5

About 2-3 years back, they quoted me $ 150 for the smaller 55 tank . They only rent/lease the big "89" tanks. Now the price of the 55 is $ 220..I asked about : A near 50% increase !!??

-His reply was "steel" has gone way up.

Plus you should be able to pay for the gas and a months rental on a tank. Way back they used to give you 30 days use of the tank free with purchase of the gas. And you paid rent on any time over thirty days.

-An argon tank fill is near $ 50 at one place, 60 at the other, then I'd have to pay the $ 7.00/mo rental and lose the price/gas when I returned the cylinder.

-I guess I'd be just as well off taking the fenders, "ready to weld" to a local shop for 10-20 minutes of aluminum welding...sigh

BTW, this is in Canada..the only things cheaper up here are maple syrup, beaver tails and wheat crackers. Also, we're now providing most of the US oil imports right now but still, gasoline up here is about a dollar+ more per gallon..

Reply to
Rudy

"Rudy" wrote

Also, we're now providing most of the US

Crikey. It's hitting three here. But the libs and tree huggers see no reason to drill for the oil under our own property. Might get their hands dirty or break a nail.

Steve

Reply to
SteveB

"SteveB" wrote in sci.engr.joining.welding:

When you can catch a treehugger actually hugging a tree, nail his hands to the trunk.

Reply to
Your name

I had one spike my Redwoods. I wanted to hunt him down for damaging trees and endangering county or forestry sawer's that might have to cut a tall redwood down in a fire. I was able to get some out, but one never knows if all were gone. Now pro sawer's have magnetic wands looking for wire and yes railroad spikes or long galvanized gutter nails.

Suffered for days when "Earth First" a radical group blew up a high tension tower. It knocked out the county. Only part on top of the mountain that got feeds from the other side had power.

Mart> "SteveB" wrote in sci.engr.joining.welding:

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

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