Shield gas prices

This was at a PRAXAIR distributor. I HAVE a couple of tanks that are Airgas and I'm REALLY scared to get them filled. This was a tank that I bought that I think they called C Q or something like that. I'm about to put up with the splatter and go co2. Geez.
 
Compressed gas in general was projected to go up 40% from last year. Lack of production facilities and mini monopolies combined with the new DOT requirements and Hazmat fees have made compressed gasses a pink elephant for industry. Large users who have on site production facilities like steel mills and ship yards will do somewhat better, ut the average Joe with a couple of bottles of this and that is going to take it in the shorts. The new safety requirements and tank filling procedures are time consuming and generate a lot of mixed flush residue that now must be disposed of and documented. Acetylene was the first to hit the rocket ride to the moon followed immediately by welding grade helium (99.9995%). Argon and O2 are next with 75/25 following up and dragging good ole CO2 in it's wake. Tank inspections are going to be charged to the customers from now on whether you own or rent as well as mileage and delivery fees are going up too. Welding is taking it in the shorts this year, maybe if we stopped welding politicians cars together so well they would get the hint? Oh yeah, forgot that the filler market has forecast another year of meteoric rises especially in flux core and exotics like titanium and specialty aluminum. That little "It will only take 5 minutes" job is gonna cost you 15 bucks in materials and gas to do soon.
Bob
 
jbltwin1 said:
This was at a PRAXAIR distributor. I HAVE a couple of tanks that are Airgas and I'm REALLY scared to get them filled. This was a tank that I bought that I think they called C Q or something like that. I'm about to put up with the splatter and go co2. Geez.
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shop around... see if there is a Weldrite or Weld Rite near you.. This is where I went and they treated me far better than airgas...


I hear differing opinions of lws', seems a lot of them like to cater to business's more so than individuals.

I have also heard their will be a size limit on bottle leased to individuals in the future..
 
Problem is, the tanks are branded with their name on them and nobody else will fill them. I OWN the small tanks for one set of oxy/acet and I own the tank for my mig. Will the guys at tractor supply(thoroughbred, I think) fill the tanks if they are yours?
 
There are two welding supply places here, both told me that if I have the papers on my tanks they will exchange them, regardless of what brand they are. In fact, my acetylene tank was purchased from one, yet has the other ones' name on it.:thinking:
 
Tractor Supply has gotten kinda crappy lately. They charge a 39 dollar fee to exchange a bottle that isnt there blue color. If it is a rental size bottle they will not touch it at my local TSC, some do some dont. I have used Thoroughbred for a couple of years on my mig and O2, but have other bottles for fuel and Tig. Unfortunately the most signifigant cost associated with the compressed gasses is transportation. The current price jumps are because of the regulatory requirements for special back ground investigations into the drivers to insure they aren't going to detonate the truck in front of a federal building or school. I paid the state 100.00 to do mine and had to submit all kinds of personal info to keep it. I am personally opposed to big brother knowing that much about my business, but if I wanted to haul Hazmat and earn that extra money then submit I would. Worse thing is that now there is no premium for having that endorsement and no extra pay for the driver even though he is risking life and limb to provide a service to us. Good luck with TSC, they vary so much that it is nearly impossible to predict what they will or will not do from day to day.
Bob

jbltwin1 said:
Problem is, the tanks are branded with their name on them and nobody else will fill them. I OWN the small tanks for one set of oxy/acet and I own the tank for my mig. Will the guys at tractor supply(thoroughbred, I think) fill the tanks if they are yours?
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Our local AirGas is charging a $7.50 per bottle Hazmat fee. Fortunately we have more reasonable suppliers.
 
I had used my MIG almost exclusively for YEARS and hadn't even plugged my stck welder IN for probably ten years. It goes to show you how spoiled you can get. After seeing the price of gas, I fired the mutha up and ran a few passes to make sure the old girl was still in there. Welded like a charm, of course. There's no substitute for old quality. I see rods are up too though. $30 for 10lbs of 3/32 6013's(pretty much all I used back in the day). Guess NOTHING'S cheap anymore. I've got a bunch of the odd stuff in small quantities (stainless, cast, low hyd) but for the junk I work on, 6013 is just fine. I guess it's time to burn up some of what I've got first! Geez, haven't chipped slag in years! Mike.
 
Re: Shield gas prices & Hazmat

Already gave up on buying gas for my mig. Don't do enough to spend the high prices. So back to stick and flux core wire.

As far as hazmat goes, my wife has a CDL license with passenger & air brake indorsement. She got it to drive the big blood mobile bus when she worked for the blood bank. Went to renue her license in Fl. and they wanted $100.00 extra and another test for hazmat. Guess they figure she would go roage and blow up the blood mobile. A dirty bus bomb using blood.
 
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