How to transition to MIG?

[BigBlue1]

In deference to Rob the OP here. You will LOVE MIG. Get gas, weld indoors if you can and enjoy!

Yep, getting all set up. And it will be getting warmer in MN soon so I'll be able to get out to the shed and spend some time practicing.

Thanks,
Rob

 

[ArlyA]

Here is some of the welders I use. I don't own them.

 

[coxhaus]

It's going to be 80 this afternoon here in Texas. As soon as I finish my turning plow I need to find a welding project. I built a woodrack last year this time.

 

[yomax4]

It's going to be 80 this afternoon here in Texas. As soon as I finish my turning plow I need to find a welding project. I built a woodrack last year this time.

I like the rack. I wish I would have built a small one before I filled my wall space with everything but. I have steel sticks and drops piled all over. I keep everything down to 1"

 

[Big Barn]

What I remember is it costs about the same to fill a 125 or an 80 bottle. So I bought the 125 bottle. They are getting heavier as I get older. But I am getting more creative on having to move them.

Here are two single bottle carts I made for transport and supplying gas for suitcase welders.
The entire bottle and cart can be strapped down as necessary on a truck bed.

 

[coxhaus]

Nice carts Big Barn. I guess with a cart I could roll my 125 cylinder up a set of ramps. My old 3/4 ton Ford diesel is pretty high off the ground and now has a camper shell on it. It still might work with a camper shell if I can stand on the ground and push the cart up the ramps. I don't know if it would be too steep.

I heard Texas welding has a truck which comes to my small town once a month on Fridays. They said they will deliver and pick up if I want. I was going to talk to them about delivery some more.

 

[Big Barn]

Nice carts Big Barn. I guess with a cart I could roll my 125 cylinder up a set of ramps. My old 3/4 ton Ford diesel is pretty high off the ground and now has a camper shell on it. It still might work with a camper shell if I can stand on the ground and push the cart up the ramps. I don't know if it would be too steep.

I heard Texas welding has a truck which comes to my small town once a month on Fridays. They said they will deliver and pick up if I want. I was going to talk to them about delivery some more.

For 125 cf cylinders I would see about the delivery. Air Liquide used to deliver O/A to the farm years ago but I very much doubt they would service such a small account these days.

I don’t go through much welding gas and I no longer have a pickup truck so it’s fortunate I can probably toss the 80 cf bottles in the back of my daughters Jeep. LOL

 

[BigBlue1]

Or just bring a friend along to the gas supplier. The tanks aren't that heavy and I'd suspect two people could easily deal with any that you might use.

Rob

 

[Big Barn]

Gotta make a few friends first.

 

[coxhaus]

Yea I may not use enough gas for delivery. I am in town so it would not be much out of their way.

I do have a friend right now which helps load the 125 cylinder in my truck. It is not real often so he doesn't mind. Once I get to the LWS supply they unload and load it back so I don't need help while I am there. Then when my friend comes into town for groceries or whatever he swings by and we unload it. I am working on a lift. I bought a used lift off a small service truck. It is an old cummins lift. I have an old boat trailer that I am thinking about cutting down to be pulled by my garden tractor which is 1100 pounds.

But I almost bought a used old tractor with a front end loader. Then I could use the front end loader. In which case I would want to mount my small crane, lift on my tandem axle trailer so I could lift stuff onto the trailer. So I am undecided right now but leaning back toward the boat trailer idea.

In my young days I would load the 125 cylinder by my self. It is only in the last couple of years that I have slowed down.