Angle for Mig welding tank

[R6 Racer]

Does a mig welding tank need to be completely vertical or can I mount it on an angle? I am thinking about incorporating my welder & tank into my upcoming welding table project (still gathering materials) & it would be great if I could mount my gas bottle at an angle (45 degrees or even more).
I know acetylene tanks need to be vertical, what about mig gas?
I just have no clue weather or not thats OK or not.

Steve

 

[PAToyota]

No problem with shielding gases. The issue with acetylene is that it is disolved in acetone and you don't want to **** out the acetone. Also, something like liquid oxygen or liquid nitrogen (or LP, for that matter) you again want it upright so that the gas vaporizes properly and you don't **** out liquid either.

 

[R6 Racer]

Thanks PAToyota. Much appreciated.

Steve

 

[Steevo]

Now that you know you can lean that shielding gas tank over a ways, hold on a sec.
Are you sure you want your Mig welder to be sitting under your welding table, and subjected to all that grinding debris, etc?
Every welding table I have ever seen was caked with old welding debris on the shelf or bracing underneath it.

 

[R6 Racer]

Wouldn't it being under the table keep stuff from falling on it?

Steve

 

[lametec]

Pure CO2 you'll need to keep rather upright as well.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

Wouldn't it being under the table keep stuff from falling on it?

Steve

Underneath every workbench or table I've ever seen in a working garage is filty, usually has cobwebs, debris and usually a missing tool or two...

 

[dragginbalz]

Pure CO2 you'll need to keep rather upright as well.

I was just going to post that! Good catch!

If you are using an argon/CO2 mix, it is filled and mixed into a compressed gas and is ok at any angle.

If you are using straight CO2, it is filled as a liquid and any extreme angles you can start to pull liquid from the cylinder and freeze your regulator or the valve. Plumbers do this to freeze pipes or use siphon cylinders to pull liquid from the bottom rather than gas from the top.

Since you did not mention the shielding gas you are using, you should be aware of it.

 

[R6 Racer]

I use an argon/co2 mix with my mig so I will be OK. But now I am second guessing putting my welder under there.

From Steevo Are you sure you want your Mig welder to be sitting under your welding table, and subjected to all that grinding debris, etc?
Every welding table I have ever seen was caked with old welding debris on the shelf or bracing underneath it.
From RbrtAWhyt Underneath every workbench or table I've ever seen in a working garage is filty, usually has cobwebs, debris

I want to, I have small enough A/O tanks that they will fit & now I know that my mig bottle will go in there... I am planing on getting a tig someday so I was hoping to have all my welding stuff together & under my table. Is it really a big deal, am I going to cause damage to anything? I guess I could build doors or drawers to hold everything & keep it clean. Should I not worry about it & just blow it off regularly? Or should I make a welding cart as well as my table? I don't really like that last one because it means more floor space is taken up & that is at a premium!

Steve

Ever notice how 1 question always seems to lead to more?

 

[Steevo]

Don't forget portability, too. Most wire welders are on carts for a reason. When you need to drag it out the garage door to weld that hitch on the trailer, or some other project that doesn't easily make it into your shop and onto your table, you will have to either dis-assemble your welder from the table, or drag the entire table to your work.

I have a 25' cord for my wire welder because it does not stay in one place. It moves around the shop to where I need it.

 

[tdkkart]

Unless you've got baby bottles you're not gonna want to handle them very much, upright is the easiest way to handle big bottles. When you get around to getting a TIG they use alot of gas and you'll want the biggest bottle you can get otherwise you'll be running to fill the bottle more than you're welding.

 

[wanderlust64]

When you get around to getting a TIG they use alot of gas and you'll want the biggest bottle you can get otherwise you'll be running to fill the bottle more than you're welding.

How high are you running the gas flow? In an industrial production setting, I can run a bottle from anywhere to a week to 4 weeks...