Gas regulation for newbs

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Hey all, ive been playing around with tig lately and it is my first time working with a gas bottle so i have a few questions.I have 3 regulators and they are all beat up.. but ive mixed and matched some parts and got what seemed like a leak free system.I welded for about ~30 minutes over the course of 2 days and my 60cf tank now reads 1100psi from ~2000 originally.. I am assuming i have a leak somewhere..-Will lightly sanding the brass fittings help if there is a slight leak?-How much torque should i use when tightening the fittings?-It took 12 minutes for the regulator to go from 1100 to 0 once i shut off the bottle.. is that bad or very bad?-what length of tig bead can one make with a 60cf argon bottle?-is 30$ to refill a 60cf bottle a decent price?Thanks
Reply:Theres alot that could be happening. If your flow rate is set at 20 cfh or higher then 1 1/2 hours of weld time can equal that loss easy just thru use.The fact your line bleeds down does tend to suggest a leak somewhere. My can stay several days and still read pressure in the system with the tank valve shut. Mixing and matching parts is a bad way to try and rebuild a reg, especially if they are not all the exact same reg. I'd be careful about messing with the parts anymore, you'll probably make it worse rather than better.To check for leaks, first pressurize the system. Then use Snoop or some dish soap and water and cover any place that could leak. Since it sounds like you tore the reg down, I'd paint the whole reg and all the fittings. Any bubbles shows a leak at that point. I have gotten tanks where the valve will leak at the hand wheel stem when on or that has a bad seat and the reg doesn't seal all that good. For the seat, I usually tighten the reg as tight as I reasonably can. Thats not Mega tight with a 3' wrench, just very snug with my standard wrench. As far as the valve stem, sometimes they will leak if you only partially open the valve. Some valves will seal the stem better with the valve wide open.If the reg leaks, I'd just go buy a new reg. A badly leaking reg will cost you more than that price in gas loss over time..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:A few thing to add to DWS post.  1- Sanding  fitting will not work unless you put the part in some type of lathe or drill press. Even that does not work sometimes.2- Before you close the cylinder valve, back the adjusting screw out so there is no tension.  Close the cylinder valve and remove the hose from the regulator and see if the regulator still leaks.  If it does, you have a leak on the high pressure side of the regulator, if not the leak is on the low pressure side of the regulator.  Hope this helps!OAdoctorwww.regulatortorchrepair.com
Reply:I don't read anything in your post that suggests your using a FLOWMETER, only a regulator. If, by chance, your using a regulator instead of a flowmeter, there's no way to tell how much volume of gas your using in a given time period. If you are using a flowmeter, what do you have it set at? Should be around 20CFH, which should give about 3 hrs of weld time off a 60 cubic foot bottle.I just paid $68 to fill a 250 cube (K) bottle, but it's always cheaper, the more you buy.Miller Thunderbolt AC/DC (Sold)Miller Dialarc 250HFMiller MM251Miller MM200 (Sold)Miller MM130Miller Spot WelderVictor O/A rigMiller Spoolmatic 1 (Sold)
Reply:You are working with high pressure, if something goes wrong, it could be fatial.  I would scrap the regulator that you patched together!   A new one is cheaper than a missing finger, hand,etc.Checking with a water, soap solution works very well.   You mite want to rince with just watter, soap residue will collect dust, dirt.I paid $90 for a 350cf argon refill.keith The older the boys, the more expensive the TOYS!!Previous owned;Linde 300 Amp welderMiller Gas drv welder, Tumbstone,Dayton Miller ac to dc converter,High frequency unitLongevity LS60PCurrrently owned;Longevity WeldAll 200PI