For 20 years I've been leasing a 75/25 welding gas bottle and most of those years it was $50.00/year, Feb-Feb and every year I'd say to myself that it might be better to just buy the bottle. Then I go out to the weld supply store in February with money in short supply, the store owner always seem to scare me with a price of somewhere over $300.00 for a 4' tall bottle and the $50.00/year lease always wins out,,,,,,,,,,,until this year in March.
The welding store place I was going to for the past 25 years was 25 mi away, so last August on a Friday after the Dentist, I stopped in and first thing I notice on the door is No Saturday hrs. and Sat is usually when I go there, I walk in and ask him what's with no Sat, he says just cutting back some hrs, then I look around and noticed some shelves were empty-ish, a little chit chat, got what I wanted, went home. then last October my son needed some .030 welding wire, he went out during the work week and pulled in and there was a new sign on the door, Closed, he looked in the window and the place was empty. Come to find out by a letter in the mail back in November, the owner that I been buying weld supplies off from for 25 years sold out to an Auto parts stor and retired. I liked the guy so it would've been nice to get a handshake.
Now that an Auto parts store, (Soules in Chelsea Me.) 15 miles further away has taken over they finally sent my lease bill due notice last week and this year I finally made up my mind to buy and not lease for another $50.00/year. So's for to get a reference point of price and hours option, I first call MaineOxy last Sat, and for my 4' bottle size of 75/25 they wanted $420.00 to own, $166.00/year, $188.00/3 years, $68.00/refill, aprox 35mi away, open weekdays & Sat 9-12.
Next I call Soules in Chelsea last Sat, a place I never been to and yeah sounded friendly, the sales guy said the person to call about buying bottles was not here this Sat, but next Monday-Saturday, ok I call Monday after I get home, he gave me the price of $280.00 something, $48.00 refill, $50.00/year and he said if I call during week they deliver to my house, I'm 35-40 mi away, in afternoon or next morning for extra $3.00 hazmat fee, $10.00 delivery fee which might be worth it at times. So last Monday night gave CC number and email address and ask if they email me the receipt, yup yup and ok. So before I run out of ink on my laptop, after a couple more phone calls Tuesday, last night I check my online CC statement and they did charged my CC $395.00,,,,, and so now am I a proud owner of a 75/25, 4' high welding gas bottle from Soules Auto Parts store?
But as of tonight, no email receipt, I dont know about businesses that say they will and dont, I'll call again this Saturday for an email receipt, I just like something for a receipt that says what I own, what it is, the price I paid, and when I bought it, I'm funny that way.
The welding store place I was going to for the past 25 years was 25 mi away, so last August on a Friday after the Dentist, I stopped in and first thing I notice on the door is No Saturday hrs. and Sat is usually when I go there, I walk in and ask him what's with no Sat, he says just cutting back some hrs, then I look around and noticed some shelves were empty-ish, a little chit chat, got what I wanted, went home. then last October my son needed some .030 welding wire, he went out during the work week and pulled in and there was a new sign on the door, Closed, he looked in the window and the place was empty. Come to find out by a letter in the mail back in November, the owner that I been buying weld supplies off from for 25 years sold out to an Auto parts stor and retired. I liked the guy so it would've been nice to get a handshake.
Now that an Auto parts store, (Soules in Chelsea Me.) 15 miles further away has taken over they finally sent my lease bill due notice last week and this year I finally made up my mind to buy and not lease for another $50.00/year. So's for to get a reference point of price and hours option, I first call MaineOxy last Sat, and for my 4' bottle size of 75/25 they wanted $420.00 to own, $166.00/year, $188.00/3 years, $68.00/refill, aprox 35mi away, open weekdays & Sat 9-12.
Next I call Soules in Chelsea last Sat, a place I never been to and yeah sounded friendly, the sales guy said the person to call about buying bottles was not here this Sat, but next Monday-Saturday, ok I call Monday after I get home, he gave me the price of $280.00 something, $48.00 refill, $50.00/year and he said if I call during week they deliver to my house, I'm 35-40 mi away, in afternoon or next morning for extra $3.00 hazmat fee, $10.00 delivery fee which might be worth it at times. So last Monday night gave CC number and email address and ask if they email me the receipt, yup yup and ok. So before I run out of ink on my laptop, after a couple more phone calls Tuesday, last night I check my online CC statement and they did charged my CC $395.00,,,,, and so now am I a proud owner of a 75/25, 4' high welding gas bottle from Soules Auto Parts store?
But as of tonight, no email receipt, I dont know about businesses that say they will and dont, I'll call again this Saturday for an email receipt, I just like something for a receipt that says what I own, what it is, the price I paid, and when I bought it, I'm funny that way.
