MIG welding gas supplies

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grewth

Active Member
Posts
150
Where are the welders amongst us getting their MIG shield gas from ?
I don't mean the ridiculous little disposable bottles they sell at Halfords, but proper half size and full size bottles wot you need a set of gauges/regulator for.
Once upon a time I had an Air Liquide account - a bad mistake on my part I think - rip off rental and other charges.
So now I've found a few places that do rental free bottles, you pay a hefty deposit, but they don't charge rental, and you get the deposit back when you don't need the bottle any longer.
I'm just wondering if they're loading the gas prices to compensate.
About £85 for 20L x 200 Bar, or £120 for 50L x 200 Bar.
I've really no idea if this is competitive or a total rip off, it's been so long since I actually bought the stuff.
Any comparison from other people who weld regularly would be most welcome.
 
Thank you both.
Looked up SGS.
Prices are competitive, but the 50L size I fancy is only available at certain distributors.
And the distributors near me all seem to be motor factors, so I'm guessing they'll only stock the smaller sizes.
I'll have to enquire.
Apparently Adams gas has a distributor only one mile from my house, but I'm pretty sure the guy died a few years ago.
Again worth enquiring about.
 
We got ours from a local auto factors.
I will check the size but it was bigger than I thought it was going to be, it's pretty heavy that's for sure.
 
SGS or Hobbyweld.
We use SGS at work, from a local motor factor, mig gas, oxy and acetylene.

I have hobbyweld at home, I have the 20 litre bottle (middle one in the pic) bloody heavy to hump around, seems to last for ages, I think first bottle did around 7 or 8 5kg reels of 1.0mm wire.

Screenshot 2024-11-29 at 18.05.16.png
 
lynall said:
SGS or Hobbyweld.
We use SGS at work, from a local motor factor, mig gas, oxy and acetylene.

I have hobbyweld at home, I have the 20 litre bottle (middle one in the pic) bloody heavy to hump around, seems to last for ages, I think first bottle did around 7 or 8 5kg reels of 1.0mm wire.

View attachment 330950
Click to expand...

I use hobby weld, my bottle 2 weeks ago was 40 sovs.
 
lynall said:
I think last time I changed mine (2yrs ago ish) it was 80 quid?
Click to expand...

I found a boc bottle in the yard & so sent it back the lad said aye thats been out for 8 years its owed over a grand in rent
for the bottle oh really I found that bottle mate we dont want it filled 🤣 🤣
 
I had a neighbour once who used to fill his hobby sized bottles at work from his employers full size bottles.
Obviously with upto 200 Bar of pressure, this was a VERY risky thing to do.
However, he never seemed to have a problem.
Unfortunately the guy has died now (from natural causes, not a gas explosion), and his exact technique remains unknown to me
 
grewth said:
I had a neighbour once who used to fill his hobby sized bottles at work from his employers full size bottles.
Obviously with upto 200 Bar of pressure, this was a VERY risky thing to do.
However, he never seemed to have a problem.
Unfortunately the guy has died now (from natural causes, not a gas explosion), and his exact technique remains unknown to me
Click to expand...
When I was the boy one of the blokes used to bring in his mates very very small bottles (thermos flask size) the instructions were connect them to the big bottle and turn the tap on, count to ten and that was it, I saw him do it several times.
 
lynall said:
When I was the boy one of the blokes used to bring in his mates very very small bottles (thermos flask size) the instructions were connect them to the big bottle and turn the tap on, count to ten and that was it, I saw him do it several times.
Click to expand...
Let us assume that my neighbour was such a good worker that his boss allowed him to take the gas FOC, as a sort of bonus for his excellent workmanship.
Even so I think that the health and safety people would have completely freaked out if they'd known about it.
Is Argon a gas or a liquid at 200 Bar ?
I can't really remember myself.
If it turns to a liquid you'd need the full bottle suspended upside down to do the job properly.
Maybe it's still a compressed gas at that pressure.
In either case I couldn't see my employers allowing me to do that, even if I offered to pay for the gas.
Too many Chiefs, not enough Indians, and they've all got their heads stuffed up their own backsides.
Jobsworths to a man, and there are cameras everywhere.
So unless I change employers it looks like I'll be buying from Adams, or SGS, just like everyone else.
 
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