Weld Table Rust?

[5030]

Got a Harbor Freight nearby? HF sells a nice line of IGBT welders and also offers a really good guarantee on them pus there are numerous sellers on the net land on here (Everlast is a paid sponsor on this site) that offers IGBT machines for sale.

I went with HF simply because of their guarantee (if it fails, they replace it with a new unit) and their basic warranty is extendable for an additional 3 years (something I did) for an additional minimal cost).

With an IGBT solid state machine, if it fails for any reason, you won't be able to repair it yourself, just because of the complexity of the IGBT devices inside and if it does, the warranty is honored at all HF retail outlets whereas if you buy a unit from say Everlast and it fails, then you play the return it game and then wait for resolution. If I have a machine fail, I need resolution as fast as possible with as minimal of hassle as possible as well, which is why I went with HF for all my welding machines and plasma cutters, which are also IGBT driven.

Because we operate a machine and fab shop, downtime due to equipment failure has to be kept as short as possible.

Having said that, I've not had any failures with the HF machines, the Vulcan or the Titanium machines.

Also keep in mind that 99% of them are made offshore, Everlast machines included. Even domestic brands like Lincoln, Miller and Hobart, their major components are offshore sourced and with them, warranty will require a return of the machine to their authorized repair facility and most likely a prolonged wait for it to be repaired. I cannot do that which is why I went with the HF machines and they are very competitive in cost to the 'domestic' machines as well. Machine failure and then waiting for a repair is not acceptable to me.

In fact, I sold my Lincoln Invertig as well as my Hypertherm Plasma cutters just because of that issue. They were both running fine but I saw the handwriting on the wall and bailed before that happened.

One thing I do like about HF equipment is the much lower cost of consumables, especially for the plasma cutters. I use a lot of plasma consumables, I own a CNC plasma table, consequently, tips and cups I go through a lot of and t he HT tips and cups are 3 times the cost of the HF consumables and equipment and consumable cost adversely impacts my bottom line so lowering the that cost, increases my profit margin and makes me much happier....

 

[gstrom99]

Got a Harbor Freight nearby? HF sells a nice line of IGBT welders

Thanks. I'm between 2 HF stores - each about 45mins away. I'm a long time HF customer, so I'll look into 'em there. I love my Hypetherm plasma cutter and haven't had an issue with it either.

 

[5030]

Thanks. I'm between 2 HF stores - each about 45mins away. I'm a long time HF customer, so I'll look into 'em there. I love my Hypetherm plasma cutter and haven't had an issue with it either.

I don't 'love' any of my machines or tools as they cannot return the affection anyway. They are not animate objects, just tools to be used, nothing more.

Far as my sold HT, I never had an issue with it not my Lincoln Invertig but at least with the HT, the consumables, especially the fine cut consumables got way out of hand price wise whereas the consumables for the Titanium 45 and 65 amp plasma cutters are actually priced sanely.

FYI, HF has the both the Vulcan and the Titanium multi process IGBT welders on sale this moth so long as you are a member of the HF inside buyers club. Been a member a long time and it's saved me a bundle on tools and stuff from HF. I have a Pro-Tig 205 myself but it's not on sale. I did modify it. I installed a water cooled torch which is a requirement for welding aluminum and an Everlast water cooler to cool the torch. My Lincoln also had a water cooled torch and water cooler but those went with the machine.

I put a CK International flex head Series 2 water cooled torch on it with 25 foot leads. That way I can keep the machine in another room and not ingest dust in the works.

Understand, with any multi process machine you will still have to obtain the correct shielding gases. I own all my bottles outright and have them filled and I get my filled bottles (except acetylene) from Weld Fabulous. The4y have the best prices anywhere on filled bottles and free shipping as well and I only buy 120 cubic foot bottles except my oxygen and acetylene. My oxygen bottle is a 200 Cubic foot owned bottle and my Acetylene bottle is 110 Cubic foot, owned again and I have those refilled as well. You cannot today purchase any bottles over 120 cubic foot, why, I don't know, but you cannot.

I don't like exchange bottles, never have actually as I don't want to pay rent on them and every welder the shop owns, runs shielding gas. All my bottles are stenciled with the company name on them.

The Lincoln had a Weld Tech rigid head torch on it.

 

[ultrarunner]

I did not know about cylinder size limitations.

I have small E tanks, 125 cu ft, 244 H and one K

 

[gstrom99]

I don't 'love' any of my machines or tools as they cannot return the affection anyway. They are not animate objects, just tools to be used, nothing more.

Understand, with any multi process machine you will still have to obtain the correct shielding gases. I own all my bottles outright and have them filled and I get my filled bottles (except acetylene) from Weld Fabulous. The4y have the best prices anywhere on filled bottles and free shipping as well and I only buy 120 cubic foot bottles except my oxygen and acetylene. My oxygen bottle is a 200 Cubic foot owned bottle and my Acetylene bottle is 110 Cubic foot, owned again and I have those refilled as well. You cannot today purchase any bottles over 120 cubic foot, why, I don't know, but you cannot.

I don't like exchange bottles, never have actually as I don't want to pay rent on them and every welder the shop owns, runs shielding gas. All my bottles are stenciled with the company name on them.

"Love" my (insert tool brand here), just means it was a good purchase and I'd surely but it again... ha

Which is considered "better" at HF - the Vulcan or Titanium line?

I own my oxy/acel torch and MIG tanks (large CO2/Argon mix and a small pure Argon). I just exchange them. Years ago, the welding supply place I used would fill mine, but never to the pressure the exchanged ones came with. I don't think they fill them anymore there...

What gas is used for TIG? Straight Argon?

This is devolving into a TIG welding how-to thread, so I should prolly stop here.

 

[5030]

Entirely depends on what I'm welding (TIG) actually and it's mostly aluminum so I'm using straight argon. MIG is always tri mix or 75-25.

Far as exchanging tanks (bottles), I don't do that, never have. I prefer owned bottles simply because with exchange bottles you may (or may not) get a serviceable gas outlet or an intact valve knob plus exchange bottles are usually beat up and I like my bottles to be free of scratches and external corrosion.

Never had an issue with underfilled bottles either and easy to check by just attaching the regulator and observing the internal pressure. I don't as a rule but I could very easily at the compressor station. The Air Gas compressor station I deal with are very top notch and they have never charged me for a hydro test either. I reality I don't believe they even check the date stamp. Keep in mond that most retail places that exchange bottles don't have the equipment to refill but instead send them to some place that does. The Air Gas place I deal with is also a compressor station so they have the machinery right there and refill them there as well. Takes very expensive and large equipment to compress and separate gases and refill bottles. The Air Gas place I deal with, their retail showroom is tiny compared to the rest of the facility. I've walked into the compressor area in the past and it's very impressive and of course PPE is a requirement.

When I was a kid, I remember touring a compressor facility in Cleveland, Ohio and I also remember how big the equipment was and how little the compressed product flow was at the end. I also remember their demonstration of putting a rubber ball in a container of liquid oxygen and taking it out and dropping it on the floor and it shattering... Liquified gas is nothing to fool with no matter what it is.

Dissolved Acetylene is interesting as well but for a different reason.

 

[ultrarunner]

My mentor neighbor was super intendant for a gas firm with multiple plant locations.

I went with him a few times and learned a lot… they hydro and repainted cylinders, produced a variety of gases and a fleet to distribute mostly to jobbers and welding shops plus military contracts which required security clearances.

It’s all gone now as the gas industry continues to consolidate and prices rise.

I hold several welding certifications but it has been years since anything but a simple home repair or fab something at the farm.

I keep several sets from tote size up of oxy-acetylene tanks at the ready… all Victor of California that serve me well with the old car hobby.

All of my tanks are out of date except the 250 which I use to cascade fill the smaller size bottles.

My Model Ts still has acetylene headlights… one with generator and one with prestolite tank on the running board.

 

[5030]

One thing to always keep in mind, especially with dissolved acetylene and that is, NEVER use it with the bottle in any position but upright, you can get away with a 30 degree lean but no more and if the bottle is transported in say the back of a pickup truck bed, laying down, you must always upright the bottle and allow it to sit for a while, like an hour or so to allow the product to assimilate back into the medium inside. One thing you never want to have happen is for liquid acetylene to emanate from the valve it always has to be used in it's gaseous form.

All those gas bottles look pretty mundane but in reality, they are all very lethal bombs if not treated with respect. Why my spare bottle stay securely chained up and in a place where the chance of impacting them is nill.

I remember one time not so long ago when a local welding supply place caught on fire and the bottles that were in the fire were being compromised and the valves were melting off and they were taking off like rocket ships and nothing was slowing them down either. Going through walls and going up vertically like rocket ships. Compressed gas at 2000 psi plus is very deadly no matter if it's inert or not. The pressure caused them to turn into lethal objects. I have the utmost respect for compressed gas bottles no matter what they contain.

 

[ultrarunner]

Yep… welding supply had a display cylinder that went through a fire… 1/4 inch steel peeled line a banana.

Industrial fire closed the road we were on as the fire ravaged 55 gallon drums would explode sending drums hundreds of feet in the air.

Fire department asked for help dragging hoses and I spent the afternoon there and never so exhausted in my life and I was 16.

The canvas hoses pulsed and took all your strength to maneuver… some long runs had 4 or 5 of us helping… 5 alarms.

 

[5030]

All of my tanks are out of date except the 250 which I use to cascade fill the smaller size bottles.

One thing I never do is transfer and compressed product into another bottle, with the exception of Propane from a large (20 pound) propane tank into a smaller (torch sized) bottle and the only reason I do that is because of the cost of full small bottles of propane gas. Easier for me to refill the empty ones and the static pressure of stored propane is much less anyway. What I do is I put the empties in the freezer prior to refilling. The colder the empty bottle is, the more propane gets transferred and of course I want liquid propane to transfer, not gaseous so I invert the 20 pound bottle when I transfer so I get liquid propane and not gas. Lots easier with propane to transfer and less expensive as well and I use a lot of propane, not only in the torch bottles but when I anneal my ammunition cases.

Having said that, I would never even attempt a transfer of high pressure welding or shielding gases to another bottle. Besides, I don't need to as I always have full bottles of gas on hand at all times.