Disposable Argonsheild bottles

[shakes]

has any one used them? did they end up cheaper than hire from BOC?

I seriously maybe do a few hundred mm of welding a year, the couple of mates who's bottle's I normally poach are currently in use full time. so I'm looking at options of my best way to always have a bottle on hand with the least out of pocket expenses.

cheers

Simon

[grinch2]

they are expensive in terms of how much gas you get, about $30 each, compared to about $70 for the boc refill, but the $150 a year rent is a killer with the boc bottles, if your only doing small welds, the disposibles would be cheaper, but if your doing big projects i wouldn't bother.

[mhgill]

I dont understand why people winge about $150 a year.

Most of us would spend that down the pub in one night.

The hassle of having to chase up a bottle every time you want to weld is just not worth it.

[shakes]

I dont understand why people winge about $150 a year.

Most of us would spend that down the pub in one night.

The hassle of having to chase up a bottle every time you want to weld is just not worth it.

If i whinge about 4 lots of $150. that equates to a couple of weeks travelling and camping down the coast with my family and enjoying life. I'm also on a very tight budget at the moment due to a few different things.

I'm trying to decide if the disposable bottles are the way for me to go to keep gas on hand, seeing as I could almost pay someone that $150 to do what I need done each as well as the $100 or so a fill and not need to store a welder either.

[6.5 rangie]

out of interest, how much welding do you get out of a dispossable cylinder?

[shakes]

out of interest, how much welding do you get out of a dispossable cylinder?

I just got a refil and it made me think of this thread.

Refills are about $35 from total tools, and the reg was around the same.

The valve on my first bottle is average at best and you need to use the gas within a few weeks of buying it. In the last 12 months this is the second time I've needed it so am just ahead of hiring a bottle.

The first bottle I patched the rust in floor in my car, so about 4 x 150mm square patchs. and made a couple of steel planter box stands. next time I went to use the bottle it was empty from seepage.

Second bottle I've made a set of half doors... So around 2 - 2.5m of slow speed tacks and still have 1/4 or so of the bottle left. My biggest issue is the reg is by feel only, no visual gauge to see what pressure the gas is coming out at, so I wind the pressure out until I start getting porisity and then in qtr to half a turn depending on what suits.

If i was going to be doing something that required alot of welding or something that required a strong structual weld where knowing the gas pressure is more important ie. Chassis mods/ute chop/barwork/engine conversion etc I'd hire a bottle. But for random small home jobs that don't come up often and dont require fine tuning the disposable is the way to go for me.

Hope that helps someone

[GaryP]

Why don't you just use gas less mig wire. If you are only doing a small amount of welding it should be fine.

[shakes]

I gave it a go. No matter what settings I used (yes i changed the polarity) I couldnt get a nice smooth weld with good peno... Gas I can get it every time.

[moose2367]

I've used the disposable SIP bottles, they only last about 5-10 mins. Not worth the expense at all. There is a mob somewhere, that sell the bottles outright and then you just pay for refills, Speed Gas comes to mind.

Cheers

[Mick.]

I've used the disposable SIP bottles, they only last about 5-10 mins. Not worth the expense at all. There is a mob somewhere, that sell the bottles outright and then you just pay for refills, Speed Gas comes to mind.

Cheers

Thats the one mate. I'm going to look into this tomorrow for home and work.
http://www.speedgas.com.au/home.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cheers Mick.

[shakes]

no good to me in melbourne

havent found anyone down here that does bottle sales, hire only.

[pcman]

the hire is a ripoff tho welding with gasless is terrible

ya just need a dodgy mate that gets them from the back of a truck LOL

[Mick.]

I've used the disposable SIP bottles, they only last about 5-10 mins. Not worth the expense at all. There is a mob somewhere, that sell the bottles outright and then you just pay for refills, Speed Gas comes to mind.

Cheers

Thats the one mate. I'm going to look into this tomorrow for home and work.
http://www.speedgas.com.au/home.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cheers Mick.

I just got some prices back for anyone who is interested. For a D size bottle (about 3.5 foot high) it's about $350 and that comes full and refills are about $100.

The G size bottle ( about 5 foot high) is about $450 and thats full and about $150 pre refill.

Cheers Mick.

[shakes]

while we're slightly on topic. is there any cheap online places to buy a roll of wire?

And am I liable to notice a good brand over a cheap brand? I'm only doing basic panel work (half doors and virtual lift/gaurd chop) wont ever do anything structual

[scuba steve 22]

ive used "bob the welder" on ebay
ok prices and a large assortment of parts/tools for welding

cheers steve