General Purpose Mig Gas

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I like to tinker in my pole barn with my Hobart Beta 200 mig welder and  mild steel. I recently exchanged my empty tank for a bottle of Stargold C-25. This works just fine for me, but I was wondering if there is anything else I might want to try in the future?Perhaps the C-25 is just a general all purpose gas, but just maybe there is something else that is the "bees knees"? Something that is a real pleasure to weld with and gives a beautiful bead? Even for a beginner! Just wondering.
Reply:C25 is pretty much the basic standard when doing short arc mig. It's good for material from 24ga up to 1/2" with no issues. Pure CO2 would be my next choice, but it has some down sides like being a bit hot for thin work and increased spatter. It does increase penetration slightly for smaller machines, and it's inexpensive. Honestly I don't see much advantage of 100% CO2 over C25 for the average user. Higher argon blends like 92/8 can get you up into spray, assuming your machine has the balls to put out the amps to do so. However spray is hot and won't help on thinner projects, only heavier materials. The higher argon content makes it a poor choice for lower end machines in short arc where they have arc stability issues. Other specialized mixes are usually just that, specialized for different purposes like stainless, alum etc. Chances are the average hobbyist doesn't have a need for them..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:DSW, thank you for the in depth reply, that answers that question for me. I'll be sticking with the C-25 then.
Reply:Not sure it is an advantage but CO2 is cheaper * and the bottles are easier to transport relative to their out put in gas compared to cylinder size:20lb co2 bottle will give you 174 cubic feet of shielding gas and in a very small bottle.A 174 cf bottle of C-25 is a lot bigger and around here more $ for a refill/ exchange.CO2 bottles are easier to find on CL here as well since they are used in the beverage industry and home brew set ups.* cheaper really is not that big a deal as it would take a lot of welding to make up the difference to see a real benefit but the size of the cylinder does make them convenient.You could get 2 15lb or 2 20lb and always have a back up- not a bad idea if the drive to the LWS is a good distance and well Murphy always seems to work OT on the weekends so you'd have a back up jug for when he shoes up in the middle of the projectEd Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Where I am, a 20# CO2 cylinder costs $25 to exchange out the door, tax and Haz Fees. included. At 8 cu feet + per pound, you get 160 to 170 cu. ft of gas. C25 is about $50 to exchange a 160 cu. ft. cylinder. With the difference in cost, I use CO2. I also use liberal amounts of weld gel and that keeps the spatter to a minumum. Once you get the hang of it, you can make some nice welds with CO2.If you want a cleaner weld, of course C25 would be better but CO2 is perfect for a hobby setup. It's also widely used in robotic welding automobile welding due to cost.Miller Millermatic 252Miller Syncrowave 200Liincoln AC-DC 225Victor O-A Set
Reply:I have always been more of a c25 guy. We use it for everything except aluminum at school. ...but after reading a couple of these posts I might get a small CO2 bottle for the HH 140. At the least it would be a good back up anyway
Reply:Originally Posted by jamesyarbroughI have always been more of a c25 guy. We use it for everything except aluminum at school. ...but after reading a couple of these posts I might get a small CO2 bottle for the HH 140. At the least it would be a good back up anyway
Reply:Straight c02 makes some ugly mig welds imo
Reply:Originally Posted by justinTStraight c02 makes some ugly mig welds imo