Tank roller

Being a casual welder I only use my mig about once a month. Usually by the time half the tank is gone my welds go to crap. I work for a medical device manufacturer an we have gas mixtures that have to be put on a tank roller before we can use them for equipment calibration to ensure the gas is mixed. I thought I could make a home version. A 4 4" skate wheels, some angle stock and a drive motor from a discarded kids ride on toy and presto! I'm at 700psi and still welding great!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8wWD34jElY

Welcome to the forum Ron. What's your theory here? The gasses separate?

I think that the heavier CO2 settles to the bottom over time. Part of the problem I think is that the gasses are not pre-mixed. The argon goes in as a gas but the co2 goes in as a liquid. It's the co2 expanding that builds the final pressure in the tank. So they're not well mixed to begin with. I've been told that pre mix gas won't seperate for a very long time but most places around here do re-fills on my tank cause it's an oddball size.

I would ask if it could be standing up and spinning but with Ron66 saying the Co2 is hevier... I guess that wouldn't work so well. It would be a seperater..

All commercial tank rollers put the tank horizontal to mix.

i find a lot of places just dont mix rite

need like a jumbo thing like they use to mix paint lol

did you know need a fire extinguisher just grab your mig tank upside down and open it lol

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Originally Posted by Rodsmachineshop

need like a jumbo thing like they use to mix paint lol

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I have to see someone try that... Like a youtube video when the tank slips out and shoots off like a missile out of site.

lol me and some friend when in high school in metal shop took a oxygen tank laid it on its side and knocked the valve of with a sledge hammer ended up out in the foot ball field we got suspended from school for a hole week aww the life of a teenager lol I was evil when i was kid lol

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Originally Posted by Rodsmachineshop

lol me and some friend when in high school in metal shop took a oxygen tank laid it on its side and knocked the valve of with a sledge hammer ended up out in the foot ball field we got suspended from school for a hole week aww the life of a teenager lol I was evil when i was kid lol

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New an old timer when the tanks would not meet spec and they were getting scrapped he would fill them one more time and do the same... Send them out over the lake like a torpedo.

Rod, good thing you didn't blow yourselves up! I am sure that was a heck of a show though...

Never heard of using a tank roller, I have the large lease size tanks (~300cf), and have never noticed problems, but I always associate crappy welds to crappy cleaning of the metal being welded...