Argon Welding Gas Cylinders
This guide will explain all about Argon gas cylinders and which one is best for you. You will need to use a different type of Argon gas cylinder depending on your welding process. If you’re TIG welding, you’ll typically use 100% Argon. If you’re MIG welding, you’ll typically use an Argon/CO2 mixture.
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Best Argon Gas Cylinders for MIG Welding
1. Argon 75%/CO2 25% 80CF
Best gas for MIG
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80CF is a great choice for hobbyists as you get a good amount of weld time and they’re still pretty portable. Argon/CO2 mix is also our preferred gas for MIG as you get much cleaner welds than CO2 and it’s still great value for money. These cylinders are all 10 year date stamped, and you’ll get yours within 2 years of the stamp date, So you’ll get at least 8 years of welding out of a cylinder before you need to replace it. If you order this cylinder, note that the DOT stamp will read 3AA 2015. 2015 is not the date stamp on the cylinder, it refers to the pressure specification, which is 2015 PSI.
2. Argon 75%/CO2 25% 125CF
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If you want a bit more weld time than 80CF you can purchase a 125CF cylinder. These will have around 6 hours weld time compared to 4 hours from a 80CF (at around 20CFH). The downside is they’re also bigger and heavier, so you won’t be able to store or transport them as easily. They’re 9 inches taller and 15lbs heavier than the 80CF cylinder. These cylinders are DOT stamped within 2 years, so you’ll get at least 8 years of usage from it. The cylinders arrive full at your door at 2250 psi, once you’ve used up the gas, you can simply take it down to a local gas supplier and get a refill.
3. Argon 75%/CO2 25% 40CF
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Our third favorite MIG gas cylinder is the 75%/25% Argon/CO2 40CF mixture. This cylinder is perfect for hobbyists who only weld rarely and have a small workshop. These bottles are lightweight, portable, and don’t take up much room at all in your workspace. The main downside is that you don’t get much welding time from them, so if you’re welding a bit more regularly you’ll want to go a size or two up. The cylinders arrive full at 2015 psi and meet all DOT/and or ISO regulations.
Best Argon Gas Cylinders for TIG Welding
1. Argon 100% 80CF
Best gas for TIG
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You won’t be able to use your Argon/CO2 MIG gas mixture for TIG welding, you’ll need a separate 100% Argon mixture. 100% Argon 80CF is our top pick because it’s portable and you still get a good amount of weld time out of the tank. This Argon gas cylinder weighs just 35lbs, is around 32″ tall, and you’ll get approximately 4 hours weld time at 20CFH. These cylinders you also get at least 8 years left on the date stamp before it needs to be replaced. Please note that the DOT stamp reads 3AA 2015. 2015 refers to 2015 PSI, the pressure specification.
2. Argon 100% 125CF
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If you want more than 80CF, this 125CF tank is perfect and will come shipped full of gas to your door at a great price. Cylinders are 10 year date stamped and the cylinder you receive will have less than 2 years used up. This is great because the cylinder will last a long time and you won’t have to pay to lease a tank and pay for exchanges. You can simply get it refilled at a local gas supplier. The tank is DOT stamped and is 41 1/2″ inches tall weighing 50lbs.
3. Argon 100% 40CF
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Finally, our third pick for TIG is the 100% Argon 40CF cylinder. The 40CF cylinder is best suited for hobby welders who don’t weld very often or have a small workshop and don’t want the cylinder to take up much room. The 40CF tank is lightweight and portable at just 17lbs and 16 inches tall. It’s a pretty cool little bottle that has fast shipping and arrives DOT stamped full of gas. The weld time is only around 2 hours at 20CFU, which is OK, but you might need a bigger tank if you’re welding more frequently. You might be OK if you have a gas supply very nearby.
Argon Gas Cylinder FAQS
The most common welding gases used in MIG welding are Argon/CO2 mixture and pure CO2.
Argon/CO2 mixture is our preference for MIG welding steel because the arc is at its most stable and there is less spatter. Different percentages of Carbon can be added to Argon to improve the shape of the arc stream. The more Carbon that is added, the wider the arc stream becomes. The most common mixture is 75% Argon and 25% Carbon.
A mixture of Argon and CO2 gives a more suitably sized arc stream
Pure CO2 is used as a low-cost alternative, so is used when low material costs are essential. CO2 provides more penetration but creates arc instability and much more spatter. CO2 can also help when welding rusty or dirty steel.
When MIG welding aluminum or another non-ferrous metal, then pure Argon is the most suitable gas. Pure Argon is not suitable for MIG welding steel.
Gas cylinder safety tips
You must read and follow all of the instructions from the manufacturer on practicing safety with your gas cylinder. Safety is a priority when using gas cylinders, follow all the guidelines issued by the supplier. We have some tips on staying safe but this does not constitute official advice and should not be used to replace instructions in the operating manual.
