Welding Gas Bottle Policy? Airgas and others?

[Latinrascalrg1]

Welding suppliers are suppliers, and suppliers have different tiers. Just like NAPA auto parts. The lowest volume pays the highest price. This is where it pays to know people, either behind the counter or in front of it. If you know someone with a business account, ask if you can use it for cash transactions. My dad was a Praxair regional rep, so I learned that trick early.

Just more proof that Its not about what you know so much as it is about WHO you know!

 

[gr8legs]

In my limited experience, if a bottle has a supplier's name cast into the top of the cylinder it is presumed that the tank is leased, not customer owned.

Additionally, some size tanks are always customer owned, but I haven't figured out which are which.

Also, when you purchase a cylinder be sure to keep the sales receipt in a safe place.

The takeaway - when you exchange a bottle be sure the new one you get does not have a supplier's name cast into it - getting one of those often leads to trubble.

Stu

 

[Aaron_W]

With my local supplier I bought one of their tanks (a used one) and just exchange when I get a refill. They said I have the option of keeping a specific tank if I want to but then I have to wait to get filled and become responsible for the cost of testing.

Welding suppliers are suppliers, and suppliers have different tiers. Just like NAPA auto parts. The lowest volume pays the highest price. This is where it pays to know people, either behind the counter or in front of it. If you know someone with a business account, ask if you can use it for cash transactions. My dad was a Praxair regional rep, so I learned that trick early.

I seem to be lucky, both the local metal supply and the welding supply seem friendly towards small scale customers / hobbyists. I know what I spend with them is peanuts compared to their commercial accounts, but they never treat me like I'm a bother, and often give me a discount in one way or another.
The welding shop gave me a sizable student discount on my PPE and basic tools, and I got the welder at the same price as several online dealers. The metal yard is always finding little ways to save me some money, like finding a cut off of about the size I want, giving me a little more material and saving me the cut fee. On scrap they always round down 5 or 10lbs and for little stuff have often just given it to me.

A lot of the guys at both places seem to have their own hobby projects so not sure if it is just helping out another hobbyist or a more calculated. the little guys are more likely to shop at Amazon so make them feel welcome.

Seeing comments from others I've realized I have it pretty good here.

 

[Buffalo21]

My LWS(ers) won’t fill any customer owned tanks, have not for the last 5-6 years, either lease or no gas, the only exceptions are propane and very small Argon/CO2 bottles for small mig welders.

 

[rwm]

 

[Tim9]

The big boys in the gas supply business are running rackets. It’s best to try and find a mom and pop industrial gas supplier. They are always fair. But...big boys are squeezing them out. This has been going on for decades now .

 

[rwm]

I am still dependent on them for Argon. That is unless I build my air liquidification facility...

Robert

 

[Latinrascalrg1]

View attachment 306580

I am still dependent on them for Argon. That is unless I build my air liquidification facility...

Robert

Do you need to fill up a tank or does it produce enough oxygen to run it straight off the tap? I honestly had no idea that would work like that, didn't think it concentrated enough oxygen to feed a torch.

 

[rwm]

I can run it straight off the output. That is a Smith Little Torch so it is small. It is great for high temp soldering/brazing on smaller parts, say 1" diameter or less. That is pretty much what I do. That pic was taken at 2 liters/min. The output will go up to 5 L/min. You could actually calculate the theoretical BTU output based on the O2 consumption if you were smarter that me.
I plan to get a new tip for this torch and probably put a check valve flashback arrestor on the output.
BTW I paid $100 for that generator with less than 5K hours on it!
Robert

 

[Eddyde]

I can run it straight off the output. That is a Smith Little Torch so it is small. It is great for high temp soldering/brazing on smaller parts, say 1" diameter or less. That is pretty much what I do. That pic was taken at 2 liters/min. The output will go up to 5 L/min. You could actually calculate the theoretical BTU output based on the O2 consumption if you were smarter that me.
I plan to get a new tip for this torch and probably put a check valve flashback arrestor on the output.
BTW I paid $100 for that generator with less than 5K hours on it!
Robert

Thanks, I had been wondering about oxygen concentrators for welding, I suppose you could gang them together for increased output.