What to do:Lease or buy gas cylinder.

[aroostookboy]

I want tig weld, not everyday but when I need it. So I'm thinking owning would be better instead of paying for something I'm not using. Also, if I buy a cylinder what size should I get. Remember just casual use. Thanks Bruce.

 

[Jim in ICT]

Compare the cylinder lease vs. purchase price. If the lease is $50.00 per year and the cylinder is $200.00, you may be better off to purchase the cylinder if you think you'll own it for more than four years.
The smaller the cylinder, the smaller the purchase price. The lease price may stay the same rate no matter what size cylinder you use.
If you're using it only occasionally, I'd look at a 80 cu. ft. cylinder (about waist size) to start. Ask your welding distrubutor if you could upsize the cylinder and pay the difference in the future if needed.

 

[arsenix2001]

My dad make the mistake of leasing a large prope cylinder for barn heat vs buying, he could have paid for it twice over by now. I purchased my argon/co mini tank and also my oxy acet tanks. No regrets.

 

[aroostookboy]

Where's a good place to purchase a tank, if I decide to go that way.

 

[CharlieS]

I vote for leasing. Cost where I'm at is about $200 per ten year lease or $20 per year for the pair of oxy/act. bottles.
The argon bottle on my mig runs as i recall $150 on the same 10 year lease.

The other thing with a lease is, bottles have to be inspected and tested periodicilly, which is a responsibility of the company you lease them from.
If you own the bottle(s) and one fails inspection or testing, you'll need to purchase another new one, whereas if its leased it's company responsibility to replace it with a known good bottle.
The other upside is owning them you have to wait on having them filled as opposed to trading the empty for a full one when leased.

 

[Clint S]

I know around here unless you really want to keep "your" cylinder they just trade out even if you own it. That way you don't have to worry about getting them certified. I recouped my cost after the 3rd year. I purchased my 40 cf argon cylinder for less than $100 full from my local welding shop. I don't weld alot and that is enough gas for 6 or so months for me.

 

[arsenix2001]

I vote for leasing. Cost where I'm at is about $200 per ten year lease or $20 per year for the pair of oxy/act. bottles.
The argon bottle on my mig runs as i recall $150 on the same 10 year lease.

The other thing with a lease is, bottles have to be inspected and tested periodicilly, which is a responsibility of the company you lease them from.
If you own the bottle(s) and one fails inspection or testing, you'll need to purchase another new one, whereas if its leased it's company responsibility to replace it with a known good bottle.
The other upside is owning them you have to wait on having them filled as opposed to trading the empty for a full one when leased.

Any place of some size I have ever dealt with for propane and welding/cutting fuels always does a tank exchange regardless of if its leased or owned. Ive never had my tank filled, they charge me for the gas and give me a fresh tank as long as you are returning a non damaged tank with top.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

A lot of companies now will send a "owned" cylinder out for refill. That means you have to wait. Some companies won't sell larger cylinders....period.
IF you own your cylinder, it can be dicey getting another company, one that you did not buy the cylinder from to fill it at all. Every few years also will require it to be pressure tested if you own it...somewhere usually (around here that is) its about $60.00 or they won't fill it. If it fails, YOU pay to have it fixed or buy a new one again. Around here, you get a better price on leased cylinders for gas than for owned ones.

This all depends upon local company policy, and region. Some areas are sticklers, and others can let things slide, even though there are actual laws on some things that regulate all of this. Remember, Just because someone tells you that you can...doesn't mean that it will always be so.

Now with all that said, owning your own, and not getting that yearly dun is nice.

 

[lostcause]

since you are unsure of what size you want to go with, i'd opt for a lease to start. just do a one year lease and pick a medium sized bottle (60-120cf) and see how that size works. if you find you are burning through it really fast, then jump up a size and see how that goes (around here the gas places will let you change bottle sizes during your contract at no cost). if you find you never run out for months, then maybe try moving down a size.

the available sizes vary from region to region from what i can tell by reading posts on here. where i am (and maybe where you are from your name?) there are two major welding gas supply chains across the state. the common bottle sizes i found here were 20, 60, 120, and 250cf (slight variations in capacity based on the gas type). 20 and 60cf bottles are commonly owner purchased and the 120 and 250 are usually leased,

 

[2manyrocks]

You need to do some pricing and some talking with your welding supply and gas suppliers in your area to figure this out. My gas supplier is very flexible about filling my owner tank--but what the others have said about some suppliers being difficult is certainly true in some areas. No way to know what the situation where you are other than to go ask.