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Welding bottle question

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CraigStu

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Joined
May 22, 2014
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4,017
Location
Blacksburg, Va
I used to have an 80 for maybe 12 years. One time Roberts O2 was out of them so he gave me a 40 and said I could go back to an 80 next exchange. Well heck, the 40 is just fine for what I do. It would have to be a really large job to run it dry if I start w/ a full one. One weird thing, the 80 I had to carry in the truck. The 40 I get to drive the Stingray w/ the tank strapped into the passenger seat. I am retired and just do hobby stuff, so even the one time an empty tank stopped my work, it was no big deal. Also I watch the tank pressure to get an indication how full it is so there have been 1 or 2 times I traded it in a little early so I would not run out.
 
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Hobby_Man22

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Joined
Nov 16, 2020
Messages
3,581
Location
tx
I used to have an 80 for maybe 12 years. One time Roberts O2 was out of them so he gave me a 40 and said I could go back to an 80 next exchange. Well heck, the 40 is just fine for what I do. It would have to be a really large job to run it dry if I start w/ a full one. One weird thing, the 80 I had to carry in the truck. The 40 I get to drive the Stingray w/ the tank strapped into the passenger seat. I am retired and just do hobby stuff, so even the one time an empty tank stopped my work, it was no big deal. Also I watch the tank pressure to get an indication how full it is so there have been 1 or 2 times I traded it in a little early so I would not run out.
Yeah I wanted an 80 and they gave me a 125 for the 80 price. I guess the 125 is better because I can slide half of it up onto the tailgate of my truck. I bet the 80 would be too short to do that.
 

Jswain

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Joined
Apr 26, 2013
Messages
2,457
Location
Calgary, AB
I don't know if anyone has mentioned it yet but of you feel like you will be doing more 1/8" or thicker rather then sheet metal you could go 100% CO2 as well.

That will give you a little more penetration for the frame work, and a 20lb CO2 tank is(175cuft) so considerably more cuft of shielding gas then an 80cuft c25 tank.

Probably a cheaper bottle and most definitely cheaper/easier to find fills. Do your own research but I believe you just need a CO2/argon adapter and your 140 should have the settings for 100% CO2 on the door chart.

You could also get proficient with fluxcore wire and get even a little more penetration for the framework before deciding on a shielding gas.

Whichever you decide just figure out how to weld first on some cheap scraps, then get some cutoffs the same thickness as what you are welding and lay them out on your bench in the same orientations as what you will be welding and go to town until you have more than satisfactory results.

Weld direction / prep will be key here, do not weld downhill, make the metal nice and clean, bevel all the plates, could preheat the metal as well
 
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