gas bottle for mig

[hernando]

i have a centry 180 mig ,,what should i expect to pay for a new bottle and gas ?? i think the price i was quoted was a 20 cf, ? not sure on that ..but the price was 273,00 for the bottle and 80.00 for gas...i dont think that is right ..it seems really high...i checked a few years ago and it was around 150.00 for bottle and the gas... i my just keep using it as is..thanks for any help....bruce

 

[WTA]

Mine is about 12 dollars I think to refill. It's argon mix in one and co2 in the other. I've never bought a bottle. People give them to me or I find them in junk yards and trade them in. Most places will take any same sized bottle in trade as long as it's still usable.

 

[yomax4]

If you just do repairs you can just use CO2. Argon/CO2 mix makes a little nicer looking weld but costs 3x as much. I have a Pulse Mig Set Up so I use 90/10 ar/co2. In any event your price is way out of line. You should be able to buy a new 40cf for $100 and $25 to fill it. Of course the value comes at 80cf and larger. You can buy 80cf of gas for the same price as 40cf and so it goes all the way up to the 300cf. CO2 is not that bad. It gets shunned a lot but for general welding it works fairly well.
Good Luck.

 

[Chilly807]

Here we have two options: either buy a small bottle for about $175.00, plus fill for $25.00 (my option) or lease the bottle for $30 per year and pay maybe $35 per fill (slightly larger bottle). Yours sounds pretty expensive to me.

Chilly

 

[dcyrilc]

I just looked in a local flyer and the sale prices are as follows: 40cf $115, 92cf $165, 150cf $199, #3 Acet. 75cf $129. Price includes first fill.

 

[hernando]

thanks for the replys i am going to check a few more places around town ...the price i was given is just to high... what yall have told me seems like it is more in line... thanks again bruce

 

[Jim in ICT]

Hernando, the price sounds high to me; shop around. If you plan to keep the welder and cylinder for quite a while, then buy it instead of renting per month or leasing per year. Compare the costs and bite the bullet.
I'd look at a larger cu. ft. cylinder such as the 80 cu. ft mentioned in a previous post. Otherwise, you'll be making lots of trips to exchange the cylinder for a full one. If you use 100% CO2, you'll have better weld penetration, but more spatter to clean up. A 75/25 Argon/CO2 mix (or 80/20, whatever the flavor of the day) will provide a better looking weld with less clean up, but reduced penetration.

 

[Chilly807]

Those are good prices, Cyril, no question.

I own a bottle of Autoweld, which is Praxair's version of Liquidair's Blueshield (75/25 mix), the price was right when I bought the welder.

I lease a bottle for argon for welding aluminum, I don't do enough aluminum to make it worth buying the larger bottle for argon.

Chilly

 

[dcyrilc]

Those are good prices, Cyril, no question.

I own a bottle of Autoweld, which is Praxair's version of Liquidair's Blueshield (75/25 mix), the price was right when I bought the welder.

I lease a bottle for argon for welding aluminum, I don't do enough aluminum to make it worth buying the larger bottle for argon.

Chilly

I thought I was going to buy my mig after I got my tax return, but unfortunately other priorities arose. I did buy a 40cf bottle and put it away while the sale was going though. One piece at a time, it'll come.

On a different note. A friend and I wandered into the local pawn shop the other day and they have a plasma cutter from Snap-on Tools for sale for $500. Too bad money's tight right now. I'll have to check back in a few months after the mortgage is caught up and property taxes are paid.

 

[killdozerd11]

Hernando, the price sounds high to me; shop around. If you plan to keep the welder and cylinder for quite a while, then buy it instead of renting per month or leasing per year. Compare the costs and bite the bullet.
I'd look at a larger cu. ft. cylinder such as the 80 cu. ft mentioned in a previous post. Otherwise, you'll be making lots of trips to exchange the cylinder for a full one. If you use 100% CO2, you'll have better weld penetration, but more spatter to clean up. A 75/25 Argon/CO2 mix (or 80/20, whatever the flavor of the day) will provide a better looking weld with less clean up, but reduced penetration.

You better go back to welding school :confused2:

CO2 DOES NOT give more penetration than argon or argon mix
CO2 puts GMAW in what is called short circuit mode which is for welding thin metal
Argon and argon mix puts GMAW in axle spray mode for welding thick metal
:thumbsup:

MIG = Metal Inert Gas
Designation was changed by the AWS to
GMAW = Gas Metal Arc Welding