I use an Al13/3000psi with AIR....our local ARGON fills run about $1.00cf....I use AIR instead because of cost/ARGON avlb. and I persl. don't notice much thermo improvement with ARGON.....so its AIR for me most of the fills.
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Nobody boosts argon... phoooy
Here's a pic of my home booster:
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And another
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Built it myself from a double acting hydraulic cylinder and some hoses and check valves. Its driven by a AL80 but you can also drive them off a hydraulic jack. Both Masterline and Haskels can boost argon just fine too, although those commercial boosters are way more expensive. The unit above cost me about $175 or so.
15yr thread revival!RJack would you be willing to share this design in more detail, I am interested in building my own argon booster.
Seriously, spend your money on suit heat not a home brew argon booster of yesteryear. Argon is not a budget gas to buy, is marginally effective, only serves to keep a tiny extra fraction of heat in vs modern suit heat which actively warms you.RJack would you be willing to share this design in more detail, I am interested in building my own argon booster.
I have free argon at workSeriously, spend your money on suit heat not a home brew argon booster of yesteryear. Argon is not a budget gas to buy, is marginally effective, only serves to keep a tiny extra fraction of heat in vs modern suit heat which actively warms you.
Hydraulic cylinder based boosters are not useful for breathing gas types of volumes. They use high pressure air to boost argon in single digit cf type volumes. In theory you could use a 15+cfm air compressor to drive a homemade booster. In reality that is a losing proposition compared to buying a USUN booster.