The difference in our shop's weld quality after switching to a new gas mix

We used the same old 75/25 argon/CO2 mix for years because it was cheap... but our welds on the big pressure vessel jobs always had a bit of spatter and needed extra cleanup. Last month, the foreman switched us to a 90/10 mix for the TIG work on some stainless fittings. The difference after just two weeks was crazy... the beads are way smoother, almost no spatter, and the color on the stainless is perfect silver, not that blue or straw color. It adds maybe 15 bucks a tank, but it saves at least an hour of grinding per vessel. Has anyone else made a switch like this and seen the same kind of jump in finish quality?

3 comments

3 Comments

maryt622mo ago

Always thought gas was gas, but that kind of result would change my mind too.

fox.derek2mo agoTop Commenter

Didn't @maryt62 see that study about additives?

charlie_ellis2mo ago

My buddy Jake filled his truck with that premium stuff for a whole month last year. He tracked his mileage on a spreadsheet like a total nerd. Ended up getting almost forty extra miles out of every single tank. He was shocked because he always said the same thing, that gas is just gas. Now he won't put anything else in.