Buying an argon cylinder

[Arc weld]

Definitely if you have the receipt for buying a cylinder that wasn't supposed to be sold, they should give you a full refund. On the other hand it shouldn't be your problem. For them to have a few free lifetime leases because they sold cylinders they weren't supposed to, isn't going to affect them very much at all. They have no way to prove the original cylinder you bought wasn't a COP(customer owned property) cylinder.

 

[jim_wilson]

I was at the local Airgas outlet last week and asked about cylinders - the guy there said they would sell 40cu ft and 60 cu ft cylinders - but no 80 cu. ft. I currently own a couple of 40's and have been looking into getting something bigger so I don't have to refill as often. I would rather own than lease - because I can go years sometimes on bottle - and then use up a few refills in space of a month or two. For me - I think owning is just easier - I don't have to worry about somebody else's leased bottle sitting there.

So then I was checking Cyberweld just the other day - and they sell FILLED 80 cu ft bottles and ship them right to you. I don't have to use Airgas to fill my bottles (they said I might not get MY bottle back - they would just swap it out) - but reading this thread has me wondering - if I get some 80 cu ft bottles - am I treading in dangerous territory where somebody might claim I shouldn't have them?

 

[jim_wilson]

You don't see these very often.

Now that's sort of cool.

A year or so I had to get one of my bottles recertified - the guy running the (small) shop told me that he has had bottles thru there that were originally made in the 1910's - and they're still good. I had no idea that a well maintained bottle would still be in circulation for that long.

 

[IslandTractor]

I was at the local Airgas outlet last week and asked about cylinders - the guy there said they would sell 40cu ft and 60 cu ft cylinders - but no 80 cu. ft. I currently own a couple of 40's and have been looking into getting something bigger so I don't have to refill as often. I would rather own than lease - because I can go years sometimes on bottle - and then use up a few refills in space of a month or two. For me - I think owning is just easier - I don't have to worry about somebody else's leased bottle sitting there.

So then I was checking Cyberweld just the other day - and they sell FILLED 80 cu ft bottles and ship them right to you. I don't have to use Airgas to fill my bottles (they said I might not get MY bottle back - they would just swap it out) - but reading this thread has me wondering - if I get some 80 cu ft bottles - am I treading in dangerous territory where somebody might claim I shouldn't have them?

Just keep your Cyberweld receipt. I haven't had trouble with these small cylinders.

 

[joshuabardwell]

So then I was checking Cyberweld just the other day - and they sell FILLED 80 cu ft bottles and ship them right to you. I don't have to use Airgas to fill my bottles (they said I might not get MY bottle back - they would just swap it out) - but reading this thread has me wondering - if I get some 80 cu ft bottles - am I treading in dangerous territory where somebody might claim I shouldn't have them?

It sounds like it's different all over, but around here, up to 80 cf there isn't really any question, and Praxair sells 125. You're the first I've ever heard of someone living somewhere where they only sell 60. The problem, as you've identified, is that if your gas supplier doesn't carry private-owned bottles in your size, then you either can't do an exchange, or you have to exchange for a bottle with their stamp on it. Around here, I could exchange an 80 cf all day long, because everybody carries private-owned in that size (although they were out of stock when I went in to buy one, so ... oops).

 

[CNC Dan]

where i am, at my LWS, i get my 80cf bottle filled while i wait. But i would be warry of getting it filled some place else. Any place that doesn't fill on-site would concern me.
I think we can all see they are trying to get us to pay a lease.

 

[joshuabardwell]

where i am, at my LWS, i get my 80cf bottle filled while i wait. But i would be warry of getting it filled some place else. Any place that doesn't fill on-site would concern me.

At my Airgas, they don't fill on site. They would have to send it out.

I think we can all see they are trying to get us to pay a lease.

Indeed.

 

[ultrarunner]

It sure was a loss when the local gas plant closed...

They would fill most of the gases while you wait if the cylinder was up to date.

Acetylene would be overnight because of the slow fill rate.

1941 is oldest of the cylinders I have right now in the gas room.

Many of the names on the cylinders are companies that no longer exist.

Before the plant closed... the superintendent set me up with hose and fittings to fill or "Cascade" my small tanks from the larger one.

The only ones I take in are the big ones... except for acetylene.

All the small ones I fill myself...

 

[CNC Dan]

....
Before the plant closed... the superintendent set me up with hose and fittings to fill or "Cascade" my small tanks from the larger one.

The only ones I take in are the big ones... except for acetylene.

All the small ones I fill myself...

Thats how my LWS used to do it too. Now he has a compressor. I think he can mix gasses too. I want to try some H20 on my next fill up.

 

[mikehaugen]

When I bought my tig welder used, I got a 125 argon tank with it. It was a Linde tank, but they were bought out by airgas. I talked to my local airgas and they would not fill it. I took it to another airgas that is the distance from my house, but the other direction from where I usually spend my time and they exchanged it without a question. World of difference between the attitudes of the two places also, as some have stated here, the one seems very arrogant and unhelpful unless you are spending a butt-load of money.

I also don't like really like going into airgas because I can't get genuine weldcraft parts, only the radnor knock-off parts... unless I order them (which I could do myself).