The recent thread on gas bottles prompts this question...
I have a bottle of CO2 and another of Argon. And a bottle of O2 for that matter. If I wanted to try blends is there a mixing device made? Or, has somebody built their own? From what I've read this would mostly benefit MIG welding.
Karl
Do some searches on Sci.engr.joining.welding. Ernie has posted info on the mixer he put together from parts. Mixing would also help TIG, but you would need to invest in a Helium bottle. Ernie likes to add some helium to the argon when welding thick aluminum.
=20 Dan
I believe Ernie has posted about gas mixers before on sci.engr.joining.welding and I think there may be something about it on his stagesmith site.
The welder who does alot of my work has a commercial manifold/mixer on his TIG setup, with Argon, Helium, and Nitrogen coming in, and lines running to his TIG torch and two more outlets for back-gassing various parts. All you really need is a regulator and flow gauge for every tank, some piping, and a way to purge everything as needed. Since you're doing everything at low pressure (the regulator goes right on the tank), you can use standard pipe parts.
If I built one of these, I'd spend a little extra money and buy new regulators that all had identical shapes and markings, to reduce the chance of making a mistake when setting up the mixture.
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