What size and type tanks and electrodes?

[John.A.]

Hi all. Just took the plunge and ordered a 250LX. Guess I'd better get the shop cleaned out and ready for the new arrival. Any advice on the 250LX will be appreciated. Like how large an Argon tank should I get?? Cheers, John

[JJW]

Hello John,
For me, a 125 cu/ft bottle of argon is enough gas to last me awhile, yet it's small enough to be easy to haul around and get refilled.
Good luck,
John

[John.A.]

Hi JJW. Tnx for the recommendation to get a 125 CF tank. Seems like a good size to start with. John

[everlastsupport]

With TIG you can use Argon on steel and aluminum. On MIG you want to use C25 for steel.

Performance will have more information on the subject when he gets in.

[performance]

Yes,
I would be glad to weigh in.

Using a C25 mixture for Mig is a good general mix for most types of carbon steel. Ar with 2% O2 is generally used for stainless and a pure argon is used when migging aluminum. Also a good mixture is a 85/15 for smooth welding on carbon steel. Pure CO2 is quite violent and produces lots of spatter and slightly oxidized welds. Its cheap, but not the best.

However, on Tig, only use Argon for all metals. On aluminum, Helium may be used, but it isn't necessary and due to the high expense of Helium, isn't usually used anymore. A mixture of Ar/Co2 isn't recommended.

As a side note, welcome to the board and congratulations on your purchase.

Did you buy the EX or LX? For the money the EX is my choice for 250 Amps.

[John.A.]

Hi Performance. Bought the LX due to budget and won't ever have 3 phase in my shop.

OK on Ar for TIG.

Looking forward to getting the welder on line and learning TIG; always wanted to learn it but just never had an opportunity that Everlast is making possible with it's equipment offerings.

What do you all recommend for initial TIG electrodes...which type of tungsten using pure Ar??

[everlastsupport]

On the tank size, maybe rent one until you find the size you will need. As 125CF to start

A 20CF tank will last about 1 hour plus (at 15-20 cfh) for TIG. If you do not plan using it a lot, this will be easy to move around, but more expensive to refill.

I think bigger is better, more cost up front but refills are less.

It really depends on the hours you plan to weld. Figure 20CFh for TIG, that is a 20CF tank = 1 hour. 40CF = 2 hours, etc.

The 125CF is a good starting point. Not to big to take in for a swap, last a fair amount of time.

Make sure your hoses are tight and also you turn the bottle off when you are done welding. It will save you money in the long run.

[John.A.]

Hi Mike, I'm new to TIG. I see conflicting recommendations as to 25% CO2. What will be the practical aspect of using the CO2/Argon mix over straight Argon when welding steel?