What size gas bottle for Migging a whole car?

[DreamZproject]

I will be Migging up my whole car at some point relatively soon, and I'd like to get an idea of which size bottle

i should get. I'd obviously be going for Argoshield light or the similar equivalent.

I also really dislike the idea of having to pay for bottle rental, especially considering how in the future I'll only be

using the bottle very sparingly...

I realise there are a few places around VIC that you can buy bottles, but which is the best/ cheapest, and which

size should i be buying from them?

 

(I will also be doing a fair amount of practicing before i get to the car as i have never welded before!)

[Six_Shooter]

It's hard to say how much will be needed, because the amount of welding needed on each car is different.

 

To run my TIG welder I own the largest tank I can without renting a bottle. I would own a larger bottle if I could. IIRC it's a Q size, I don't know if the sizing designations are the same in Australia.

 

Even if you get a smaller bottle than you would like, you can exchange them or get them refilled (here it's an exchange), when you run out.

[PB260Z]

Gidday

 

How much gas will you need, how long is a piece of string ?

 

I didn't like the idea of paying bottle rental either so purchased a bottle outright from Gasweld.

I chose the E size bottle as it represented the best value for money.

 

Yes it will last me a long long long time 

[DreamZproject]

Yeah i know its a little vague, but considering a complete rotiss jobbie I'm sure you guys could estimate better than me.

I think Aus sizes are a little different, unless you have some sort of ungodly huge bottle :/

How many liters of gas is there in a E bottle and/or a D bottle?

I think from the research that i could gather a D or E bottle would be best...

 

Oh and are we are supposed to use around 15l/m right? (I may use a little more being outside) I'm assuming around 300L

would be idea to give me just over 3 hours of continuous welding???

[PB260Z]

Gidday

 

As Gav would say, make Google your friend 

 

E size is 4.0 cubic metres

D size is 1.7 cubic metres.

 

So for me E - more than twice gas for about 25% more cost.

 

 

[Retro Z]

I have used two 4.3m3 big bottles from Supagas. The one that sits waist high to do my whole car. Floors, dog legs, roof skin, hatch, guards and a few other small areas. Plus another bottle to do my exhaust and strut sectioning.

[DreamZproject]

Ok, well i might go down to Supagas and have a little look around, shame that there aren't any within an hours drive of me

 

Thanks guys

[DreamZproject]

Does anyone know of any other suppliers that will sell the gas cylinders cheaply?

[Scoota G]

You must be doing this yourself. Cheap + Restoration = Fail. You save $50,000 on labour on an average resto. The time you spend chasing better prices would be better off spent working on the project.

[Retro Z]

Just hire a bottle and be done. Most places won't fill your supplied bottles anyway as its a safety thing.

 

I just hire the big bottles (4.3m3) for when i know i will use it fast then downsize to the 1.5m3 bottles which only works out to be like $14 a month rental. Also as part of the rental costs you get free drop off and pickups and no upfront payment as they make you an account. Its better value to get the larger bottles. Im using Argo07 from supagas.

 

Other items you will need before you begin can also add up in $$. Good mask, gloves, wire, regulator, tips etc can quickly cost you more than the welder itself. If i had my time over i would have just given my car to Scoota to do..but in saying that its good for you to learn.

 

Have you considered flux cored ( gasless) harder to learn but will be a little cheaper for you.

[C.A.R.]

Robbe, just get a E2 bottle from BOC. Rent is cheaper & they are easier to handle.

[DreamZproject]

Done

[gav240z]

Hey Fellas,

 

Thread revival! Sorry, but for some reason I thought my MIG was gasless, then went to have a play around with it last night and discovered it has a regulator and is indeed a gas based MIG so I need (NOS! I mean GAS! in Paul Walker Voice).

 

I heard some talk about Bunnings offering a better scheme than renting bottles - buy it outright or something? But I can't recall the details now and if that applied to Oxy/Acetylene or if it also included Argonshield Light (mmm sounds like a beer!).

 

Anyway a quick Googles and I found that BOC is based in Mascot (closest store to me in Sydney). Do you guys know if they will deliver the bottles to me? I understand you have to be careful transporting this stuff and the bottle must be kept upright or instant darwinism can occur.

 

Sadly I have no tow ball on my Suzuki yet so no trailer can be hitched. What's a ma options? Perhaps I should give them a tinker bell?

 

 

[gav240z]

Ok so to answer my own questions I called them. Going to head down tomorrow morning and see what I can organise. Will probably need to set up an account etc..

[adam]

You can transport argon (or mixed) bottles laying in your back seat. I got given the all clear when I hired a bottle from supagas.

 

As for how much gas is needed all depends on how much rust there is and whether you are welding outdoors (more gas).

 

I had the usual rust in dog legs, tail light region, hatch, fenders, doors, roof, and I managed to repair it all with an E size bottle. It included practice, Coilovers conversions and other random jobs. More than enough.

[skipz]

Gav,

If you're looking to avoid the rental charge of BOC, I use Speedgas - where you buy the bottle and then only pay for refills.  So if your bottle is sitting there for months unused, you aren't getting charged.  They also take care of the inspection of the bottles.  You swap the bottle you bought each time you refill, but you can keep that bottle indefinitely if you choose (like 'swap and go' bbq bottles).

http://www.speedgas.com.au/product/argon/

 

They can deliver too (usually within a day or two or requesting) if needed.

[PB260Z]

Gav,

If you're looking to avoid the rental charge of BOC, I use Speedgas - where you buy the bottle and then only pay for refills.  So if your bottle is sitting there for months unused, you aren't getting charged.  They also take care of the inspection of the bottles.  You swap the bottle you bought each time you refill, but you can keep that bottle indefinitely if you choose (like 'swap and go' bbq bottles).

http://www.speedgas.com.au/product/argon/

 

They can deliver too (usually within a day or two or requesting) if needed.

+ 1 on this

I purchased my bottle from Gasweld in Taren Point, I just wasn't prepared to pay rent given it could take me years to empty the bottle.

 

 

[gav240z]

What does buying the bottle outright cost on average? I know size matters but compared to rental costs what is the difference roughly?

[skipz]

From memory (and this was a few years ago now) it was in the $350 range for the bottle, and it costs about $140 per refill.  (I can't recall if the original $350 included the gas or was only the bottle).  E size cylinder. 

Gasweld seems to be the retail outlet for Speedgas.

I think it all depends on how long you're going to have the bottle, and how often you're going to use it.

[mossy]

Hey gav are you  talking about the cig weld 135 twin turbo you bought off me?

[gav240z]

Hey gav are you  talking about the cig weld 135 twin turbo you bought off me?

 

Yep.

[mossy]

the twin turbo is gas or gasless Gav, you need to use gasless wire, I used gasless at the start but switched to gas as it was much better

 

http://www.statewidefastener.com.au/images/uploads/MC710003.JPG

[gav240z]

Thanks mate, I think I'll go gas based welding as opposed to gas-less - from what I've read and you say gas is much better in terms of the quality of the weld.

[Retro Z]

I only pay $18.50 a month for the 4.3m bottle (up to your chest in height. I think its a E size) with free delivery or pickup/changover. Refill of Argon07 is $90 from Supagas.

 

So going by 'skipz' quote of $350 for outright purchase it would only be worthwhile after 20 months or more and he pays more for refills than i do too.

[Retro Z]

I used 2 whole 4.3m³ bottles. For full length ladder frame chassis rail, dog legs, sills, floorpans, roof skin, rear quarter, full 3 inch exhaust, coilovers,hatch slam panel, door skin, small areas and some for practice. Also used about 3-4x5kg spools of wire (some wasted due to jams)