Welding gas bottle, buy or lease?

[Oldpath05]

I guess Amazon does sell welding gas bottles, might want to read the fine thow 125 cu/ft 75% Argon 25% CO2 Welding Tank CGA 58 - FULL - - Amazon.com
I was thinking of giving Tractor Supply a price check just because they have good hrs. My acetylene/oxy 3 year contract runs out this July so I might still check with TS and see if they deal with those kinds of bottles.

 

[Rustyiron]

I have had gas supply places change hands (or close) and not honor a "customer owned" tank for re fill or replacement.
It's a "racket" throughout the industry.

 

[ovrszd]

I have had gas supply places change hands (or close) and not honor a "customer owned" tank for re fill or replacement.
It's a "racket" throughout the industry.

Yep. I'm glad in my case Airgas is a very large company. I don't have any documentation to prove ownership of any of my tanks. I bought them all at farm sales.

 

[Dftodd]

Airgas is the company serving my area. I own six tanks. When I refill it's just a swap of tanks. The MIG welder large tank I have now had never been used when I got it. Airgas keeps all the tanks current and inspected.

Lease or buy the tanks? That was the same company that tried billing me for a lease on the tanks a few months after I had purchased them. Got to a point where there manager wasn't allowed on our work property. And after the third time he tried sneaking a lease bill through to corporate we raised holy H#ll with there corporate office about shady business practices.

 

[ovrszd]

Lease or buy the tanks? That was the same company that tried billing me for a lease on the tanks a few months after I had purchased them. Got to a point where there manager wasn't allowed on our work property. And after the third time he tried sneaking a lease bill through to corporate we raised holy H#ll with there corporate office about shady business practices.

I can't offer a solution. I only offer what is working for me. I don't lease any tanks.

 

[Rustyiron]

That may be a branch by branch management variable. :confused3:
I bought an Airgas argon bottle for the spool gun when I bought my Miller but have not tried to fill it yet........ it's been about 15 years, and I'll be damned if I can "get" aluminum welding :laughing:

 

[ch47dpilot]

I guess Amazon does sell welding gas bottles, might want to read the fine thow 125 cu/ft 75% Argon 25% CO2 Welding Tank CGA 58 - FULL - - Amazon.com
I was thinking of giving Tractor Supply a price check just because they have good hrs. My acetylene/oxy 3 year contract runs out this July so I might still check with TS and see if they deal with those kinds of bottles.

Read all the description, did I miss something it gets good reviews

 

[LD1]

There used to be two welding supply dealers in the town 10 miles away.

The one we always went to We leased tanks and it was like $40 +/- a year. Don't know what it cost to fill.....wasnt much....maybe $50-$75 ballpark, which was exchange. Price really didnt matter because a tank lasts a year give or take, and when you need it you need it.

We leased the largest cylinder. Type T I think, 335-340 cu ft.

Never bought a cylinder because was concerned about ownership. Certifications, proof of ownership, and obviously the ~$400 pricetag.

Well that company sold out to a large manufacture for their private in-house use and no longer services public. All their general public accounts went transfered to the other dealer in town.

Next time we went in to get a new bottle....they were offering all the transfered customers the opportunity to just buy the bottle outright.....for something stupid low like $100....so thats what we did.

My fears of tank certifications and all that....no worries. Its treated just like a lease....where tanks are just exchanged.

 

[ovrszd]

Yep. I've never had to prove ownership.

 

[Oldpath05]

Read all the description, did I miss something it gets good reviews

Yes good reviews, but in Amazons product descriptions makes me wonder if they can be refilled by any welding gas suppliers in or around the area a person lives. It sounds to me like you buy a bottle from Amazon and if you didn't or did call, your nearest weld gas supplier he could say no we wont dont refill no ones bottle but the ones we sell, so if you call after you buy, now what? I'm thinking Rustyiron right, "It's a "racket" throughout the industry."

"Product description
Please contact local gas supplier(s) in your area before purchase to verify their policy on customer owned cylinders. No Return on Full or Empty cylinders due to DOT regulations associated with the transport of the cylinders. In cases where damage occurs during transit, Weldfabulous will do our best to correct the issue. Please contact us for any questions or concerns. Shipping only available to Continental US (Lower 48 States).All HP cylinders come with a 10 year hydrotest date stamped. All HP cylinders are within 2 years of stamped date. Meets DOT and/or ISO regulations. DOT number is stamped on the tank."