Welding gas bottle, buy or lease?

[Turbys_1700]

I inherited my fathers acetylene tank. Couple years ago I needed to get it re certified. No problem with the local welding supply company. Probably helped that I had a current account with them for propane used as a back up for my gas logs. Seems like it took several weeks to get the tank back in. They didn't have any to change out. No more than I use owning it is a lower cost option for me.

 

[BukitCase]

I've owned my oxy/acetylene #5 tanks (so I could run a small rosebud without pulling acetone into my hoses) since 1979, and others for 10-15 years - just added it up, and if I'd leased it would've cost OVER $5000 by now - all told the "ownership" has cost me around $1000, and my "semi"-local LWS is the same one I STARTED with in '79.

Wow, all that "savings" - think I'm gonna run out and buy more tools :laughing:

I don't know if the "won't sell big tanks" BS is just an eastern thang, but my LWS could care less. "Bigger tank, little more $$, what size do ya want?" - And since a fill is cheaper per CF with bigger tanks, most of mine are at least type K or type T.

Here's a chart of different tank sizes/types... Steve

 

[texasranger556]

I purchased oxy/acy tanks used, they are 2-3x the size of my argon bottle. They are from an independent shop and will happily exchange them, but it's over an hour away from me.

Matheson and Roberts have bought out all the local shops, and they'd rather make money leasing you bottles than selling the gas it seems.

 

[muddstopper]

I have owned my bottles since the mid 70's. I used to have to pay the local supply a fee to ship the and get the refilled. at that time there where or 4 lws, but none filled their own tanks. Over time, the little shops closed out, retired or owners died. On company bought everybody else and ended up with all kinds of names on their bottles. I made a deal with the owner of the supply house to swap my bottles for his so I wouldnt have to have them send off to be filled every time I needed gas. I paid him something, but dont remember how much. Now, all my bottles have his company name on them, my original bottles who knows where they are. This has worked pretty well for me over the years, I need gas, I just swap for new ones. Last time I needed gas, they charged me for a inspection because one of their bottles had expired while I had it. Kind of pissed me off because it was one of his bottles that had expired. I complained, to no avail, but when you consider I havent had to pay for an inspection in probably 40 years, I cant really complain. I did tell him that the next time he tried to charge me for an inspection on one of his bottles, I could find somewhere else to buy my gas. Probably not a very good threat considering I wont get more than one or two refills per year. I aint exactly his biggest customer. If I do have to swap suppliers, I intend to keep the bottles unless he can give back the ones I traded him. I also kept the receipt showing I paid for an inspection, and from now own will check the expiration date on the bottle they are swappin me. I aint taking another bottle that is close to inspection date.

 

[flingwing1969]

The only drawback to owning a tank is that if you bring it in for a swap, and it's out of date, you will have to pay for the hydro testing before getting the swapped tank. Also, know your usage period and check the hydro date on the tank being swapped to you - too close to your usage period (like once a year to empty with a 10 month to expiration, for instance) get another tank.

 

[dragoneggs]

The only drawback to owning a tank is that if you bring it in for a swap, and it's out of date, you will have to pay for the hydro testing before getting the swapped tank. Also, know your usage period and check the hydro date on the tank being swapped to you - too close to your usage period (like once a year to empty with a 10 month to expiration, for instance) get another tank.

I bought a used filled tank from my LWS for a great price. I have swapped it out twice now for filled used tanks. No questions and it takes the time to load it in my truck and swipe my card. I guess I don't see the issue if you are dealing with a reputable dealer.

 

[Raspy]

The only drawback to owning a tank is that if you bring it in for a swap, and it's out of date, you will have to pay for the hydro testing before getting the swapped tank. Also, know your usage period and check the hydro date on the tank being swapped to you - too close to your usage period (like once a year to empty with a 10 month to expiration, for instance) get another tank.

I have it in writing that this will never happen, either with the local store I got my bottles from or the supplier that they got them from. Not an issue.

 

[texasranger556]

Highly dependent on the dealer. My acy bottle was out of date by several years. They didn't even look at the date when exchanging. Sample size of one though.

 

[ovrszd]

I bought a used filled tank from my LWS for a great price. I have swapped it out twice now for filled used tanks. No questions and it takes the time to load it in my truck and swipe my card. I guess I don't see the issue if you are dealing with a reputable dealer.

I completely agree. My time is spent visiting with the employee and catching up on local gossip. He never looks at the tanks and neither do I. I've never paid for an inspection.

 

[Jeepnford]

The guy I get my tanks from, who is what I guess you'd call an independent agent of Airgas, charged me once for a cert test on an acetylene bottle I bought used but was several years out of date. Considering I only paid 60 bucks for the torch tanks that didn't really hurt. Then I had an Argon/C25 tank that I bought from him expire while in my custody and he didn't charge for it.