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.

 

[ultrarunner]

I cascade fill my small Oxygen cylinder from my large cylinder... so only the large one goes in to get filled... so far it has saved a ton of money... my small tanks are all 1800 lbs so I can fill to capacity.

The neck ring on my big tanks says customer owned... when I was using a lot, I would drop one off and then pick up my full one after PoxCo shutdown... they were a producer and retailer so it was one stop... didn't hurt that my neighbor and friend was plant superintendent!

I would come across tanks and he would check them out for me and certify for a nominal cost... employee discount which was about half price.

Lots of the car guys would have small tanks and we did just fine... I still carry a MC set in my service truck... have not used it in years but handy when needed.

For my 16th birthday my Grandmother surprised me with a new Acetylene Tank... I was driving home after work and I saw her and my neighbors wife wheeling it down the road with a wheelbarrow to surprise me... still have it and hope I always will.

At work I have come across Oxygen Tanks dating to WWI and still in service 100 years later.

 

[flingwing1969]

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.

Yes, I had that happen too. I bought my Acy/Oxy set from a friend whose father had died and left it to him for 8 years. Needless to say, both bottles were way out of date, both were large and both were full. I used them for years myself - I don't need them too often really, mostly cutting heavy stuff and some rosebud work - I rarely weld with A/O. Anyway, when my Acy ran out, I took it in and they swapped it for another with no issues. It was an owner bottle but the Oxy was a company rental from a company long out of business and no rents paid for a decade or more - they swapped it out as well and I've never paid a penny of rent on any bottles.

 

[flingwing1969]

My 75/25 bottle and my 100% Argon bottles are all owner bottles. I bought the Argon bottle full and new on Craigslist for $250.

 

[texasranger556]

Yes, I had that happen too. I bought my Acy/Oxy set from a friend whose father had died and left it to him for 8 years. Needless to say, both bottles were way out of date, both were large and both were full. I used them for years myself - I don't need them too often really, mostly cutting heavy stuff and some rosebud work - I rarely weld with A/O. Anyway, when my Acy ran out, I took it in and they swapped it for another with no issues. It was an owner bottle but the Oxy was a company rental from a company long out of business and no rents paid for a decade or more - they swapped it out as well and I've never paid a penny of rent on any bottles.

Similar how I got mine. The father owned them for decades, died, sat in storage for 10 years then I bought them off the son. The acy still had some in it but I went ahead and exchanged to mark sure the dealer wouldn't give me a hassle. It was fine.

The oxy bottle is still half full, and since I picked up a plasma cutter the torch only gets used to cut things too big for the plasma, or heat things that are stuck. It may be another 3-5 years before it gets exchanged.

 

[Silvic]

Last time I was in my LWS we got to talking about the age of tanks.
They had one tank that came from the WWII era. Only thing was not from our side but the German side of the war. In the neck of the bottle there were the **** symbols of the Third Reich. Interesting piece of history.

 

[ultrarunner]

^^^ Yep... I still see those in the oxygen banks at the Hospital... if those Linde cylinders could talk!

Here is one dated 1917... that came through rotation last summer.

 

[Texasmark]

Since TSC started handling gas, having bottles that I had previously purchased, I just swap. Much easier, no 5 year inspection nuisance and cost, and gasses are priced right.

Doing similar with the little 20# LP tanks I use for the grill and portable shop heat. WW has the best prices on that swap.

 

[Peter 315]

Since TSC started handling gas, having bottles that I had previously purchased, I just swap. Much easier, no 5 year inspection nuisance and cost, and gasses are priced right.

Doing similar with the little 20# LP tanks I use for the grill and portable shop heat. WW has the best prices on that swap.

TSC stopped selling gas and tanks at the store near me.

 

[jaxs]

LWS has always meant privately owned stores. Reading through all these testimonials,it isn't clear whether good service and easy trades are taking place at mom and pop dealers or corporate owned places. I bring this up because where I'm at near Dallas Tx,trading/re-filling bottles was never a problem until Airgas and Praxair bought out small dealers. Airgas counter people and managers go out of their way to discourage hobby customers coming in.

 

[ultrarunner]

I have limited experience but found similar when AirGas took over.

The last time I went to the store to buy wire the service was non existent... that is until I mentioned I order about 80 AirGas Cylinders a month for work... not a big user but very consistent and local...

When the change came they said their would be no changes and then they charged Cylinder Demurrage or rent... I pulled out my contract with explicitly said no cylinder rent... the sales person said that is no longer valid... I said great... PraxAir has been after my business for a long time... end of discussion.

Like with most things... if your account is profitable... you have leverage.