Subject: Re: Recommendation: MIG or Oxy-Accetalene ?

From: [email-masked] (Andrew Vida-Szucs)
Date: Mon, 7 Mar 1994 19:25:05 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Mike Palmer) writes:

> I have the need for the occasional weld or braze around the house.  Typically
> its very light weight stuff that needs to be done.  I checked the FAQ, which
> goes into MIG welding in detail, but does not say which is best between
> MIG & Oxy-Accetalene for light use.

	MIG is great, but the welders are not cheap.  MIG welding is very easy 
	to do as well, once you have things set up right (like gas and wire
	rates), which takes a little time to learn.
> 
> My main concern with MIG is the face mask seems so dark that I can't see
> the work, until the arc starts, and even them visibility is limited.  With
> the Oxy-Accetalene, the mask in lighter and I see more.

	If that's your only concern, go MIG.  OA welding is an art that takes
	a lot more experience to do well.  Mig welds are much cleaner and
	are more likely to be sound if made by someone with limited experience.
> 
> Oxy-Accetalene however, seems more expensive.  How much do the 3' high tanks
> cost?

	You should be able to set yourself up for well under $500, including
	tanks and Victor or Smith's torches.  Why you'd want to do gas welding
	in preference to MIG would be a mystery to my, unless its money which
	is at issue.  And why not a plain old unshielded arc welder?  Cheaper
	and easier than gas, not to mention safer.

	-Andy V.

---

From: [email-masked] (Eric Perozziello)
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 94 23:55:05 GMT

[email-masked] (Terry Mayhugh) writes:

>In my area the welding supply houses offer you 2 options on cylinders. One
>is to
>rent. The monthly rental is very low if you frequently refill the
>cylinders. It
>creeps up a few dollars per month if you don't. They are really in the
>business to sell gas not cylinders. The second option is an outright
>purchase. I paid about $225 for one of my 122cuft cylinders under this

That sounds about right.  And the 282 cu ft bottles were in the $275-
$300 range.  This is for JUST the oxygen bottle. (you pay more $ per
cu ft for the little bottles).

I don't recall the price I paid for the acetyline bottle.

Also, filling prices (oxygen, anyway) don't seem to depend on
the size much either.  I guess you're paing more for the labor
to fill it and handle it than for the actual gas.

My last fillup was about $16 or $18 for oxygen and about $40
for the acetyline. (The acetyline lasts a heck of a lot longer
than oxygen if you're cutting a lot.)

-Eric

-- 
Al Gore: "President Clinton is running this country in a way that it 
          hasn't been run in a long time."
Me:      "Yeah, since Nixon." 
                Whitewater can be dangerous. Ask Vince Foster.