can i use co2 to weld stainless steel ?

[kiffer38]

just ran out of argon gas while welding my exhaust up, does any1 know if it would be ok to use co2 to weld stainless, i know it welds, but will it affect the finish of the weld ?
sorry, forgot to mention, its a mig welder

[dude]

think u need pure argon, i had had to do a bodge job once and used ordinary wire and argosheild to put a temporary weld on stainless it did it ok but the weld rusts ,dude

[kiffer38]

hmmm, thats a downer, got plenty of co2, just no argon, only got 1 small run left to do, but its where its going to show, so its gotta be right, i am using stainless wire, got 2 reels from b&q for £3 :D

[johnr]

you can get the small disposable hobby welder bottles of argon from b+q for a few quid. handy if youve only a bit to do.

[ChopperFXR]

BOC have started adding something to the CO2 gas bottles just to stop pub landlords making a few quid on the side. (This is what I was told by a guy that works at BOC Gas and Gear centre.

Apparently the added gas contaminates the weld. May make it weaker. You are better off getting proper Argon, especially if it is something safety related you are welding. If you cannot get a proper cylinder, then why not use one of the small disposable ones just to finish the job?

I have an account so its not a problem for me getting Argon, I used to use CO2 and it worked ok on mild steel. Not sure if it would be ok on st/st though. Sorry if I have rained on your parade.

Chopper.

[johnr]

boc would be on dodgy ground adding something unspecified to a gas used to pressurise beer. i would recon that they would have to declare what it is. i dont use boc for co2 anyhow, i use up old out of ticket co2 fire extinguishers !!

[ChopperFXR]

boc would be on dodgy ground adding something unspecified to a gas used to pressurise beer. i would recon that they would have to declare what it is. i dont use boc for co2 anyhow, i use up old out of ticket co2 fire extinguishers !!


Only repeating what I was told John. No idea if it does make any difference.

I sort of believed it as I know BOC are as tight as a ducks arse in a thunderstorm. I get a letter every few months telling me what a wonderful job they are doing ....OH! and by the way, we have just put our prices up to keep pace with inflation. (The fact that inflation has not been around 10% for a long time makes no difference to them).

The bit that really makes my **** itch is the "Handling charge". Can't remember how much it is now but it is a bloody rip off. Even if you take your cylinder to the depot you get charged for changing it, charged for rental of the bottle and then you pay for the gas plus the VAT on all of it. Robbing bastards.

Chopper.

[ratwing]

Air Products - who I use - have a similar 'handling charge' so when my contract came up for renewal I enquired about BOC's charges, their cylinder rental was something like 34p a day :eek: . So I stayed with AP...

[critch]

I always use linde gas ,still expensive but in my experience theyre more human than boc and charge a little less

plus they let me have a gurt big cylinder of Nitrous :D

[johnr]

co2 fire extinguishers have to be x-ray tested every 5 years , but the test costs more than a new extinguisher, so every year, the firm i work for emptys the gas from a nd scraps about 200 or so extinguishers, each with 5kg or sometimes 10kg of gas in them. as the threaded connectios are the same as my co2 gauges, i use the extinguishers with the trigger taped down, and when empty they go back to work into the scrap. ive not bought co2 for 9 years now!!!! :D

[kitkatman]

boc would be on dodgy ground adding something unspecified to a gas used to pressurise beer. i would recon that they would have to declare what it is. i dont use boc for co2 anyhow, i use up old out of ticket co2 fire extinguishers !!
i think they call it the 60/40 mix.....apparently something to do with the cold beers!, i always thought they run them through 3 flash coolers instead of 1

[Dougie]

It's a nitrogen/co2 mix,which is why CAMRA call stuff like John Smith's Extra Smooth "nitrokeg".Personally I'd call it tasteless pisswater........... :rolleyes: