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RJKeith 08-17-2012 04:44:33 74.217.37.85 Report to Moderator	Just purchased a Hobart MIG welder and now need to get a gas cylinder. I will mostly do occasional minor repairs with it of things like tractor fenders, brakets, etc. Any suggestions on the cylinder size? Not too big but don't want to get a refil every other time I use it either. Thanks. [Reply]   [No Email]
George Marsh 08-18-2012 09:34:24 50.104.200.175 Report to Moderator	Re: Need Advise on MIG welder. in reply to RJKeith, 08-17-2012 04:44:33   I think the boys in town told me I could buy a tank, but I can only tank is an 80 cubic tank. The bigger tanks I have to rent. I'm lucky to use 80 ft in 3 years. I do have a an old acetylene tank that can't be refilled because it has metal on the bottom of the tank. George   [Reply]  [No Email]
Stick welding 08-17-2012 09:45:57 96.53.210.246 Report to Moderator	Re: Need Advise on MIG welder. in reply to RJKeith, 08-17-2012 04:44:33   A 122 cu.ft. would be a good size. Don't get anything smaller than an 80 cu.ft. though. The smaller cylinders cost almost as much for a refill as the larger ones because it is the same labor to hook them up to fill them. Even the difference between an 80 and a 122 isn't very much.   [Reply]  [No Email]
RJKeith 08-17-2012 05:58:11 74.217.37.83 Report to Moderator	Re: Need Advise on MIG welder. in reply to RJKeith, 08-17-2012 04:44:33   Thanks Guys!   [Reply]  [No Email]
NCWayne 08-17-2012 05:48:26 69.40.232.132 Report to Moderator	Re: Need Advise on MIG welder. in reply to RJKeith, 08-17-2012 04:44:33   The typical owner size tanks are in the 140 to 160 cu ft range. That's what I've got on my Hobart MIG and I do alot of welding with it. This last one lasted through a massive build, most of a 44 lb roll of .035 wire, and still has several hundred psi left in it. If you'll keep an eye on Craigs List, at least around here, there is always somebody selling one or more tanks for alot less than buying one from the welding supply house. About a year back I bought both an oxygen and acetelyne, full, for $100 each. I believe there is another full acetylyne tank on there right now for $125. Too, just recently, a guy had 4 bottles listed together. I can't remember the individual price, but as a lot he only wanted something like $250. That said when looking for a used tank don't limit yourself to just the mixed gas tanks. Most supply houses will swap out tanks from one gas with a comparable tank of another with no problems. In fact I swapped out an old Argon tank a buddy gave me for another oxygen tank. With the high frequency on my TIG machine down I didn't see the need for the Argon and needed an extra oxygen for an upcoming job, so it was a real benefit to be able to do this. One thing to watch out for when buying used is that there are some gases where the bottle sizes that are customer owned aren't the same as when they are filled with 'welding' gasses. I looked at a couple awhile back that a guy had listed for a really cheap price. Called my local supply house and told them what the guy had and they told me to stay away from them. Turns out that with that particular gas in them (CO2 I believe it was) that they were lease only bottles, not customer owned bottles, and that if brought in for exchange they couldn't do anything with them. In other words it pays to check with your local supplier before you do anything. I've had a relationship with the two I used for going on 14 years now and have never had any of the horror story problems I see on here where someone can't swap out a tank without a bill of sale for it, etc, etc, etc....but that doesn't mean that all suppliers are created equal or that they treat the occasional, walk in customer the same as a long established, commercial customer. That said, since you own the bottles all you pay for when getting them filled is the cost of the gas, plus a little extra for their trouble filling them, keeping the bottles current on their testing, etc. Yesterday I paid $12 each for the two oxygen bottles and $18 for a 75/25 mixed gas for my MIG. Acetylene is a bit higher, but still not off the charts, since the whole factory blowing up deal has finally passed. Hope this helps you out a little bit. Good luck, and enjoy your new machine.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Mike (WA) 08-17-2012 14:52:30 75.172.121.12 Report to Moderator	Re: Need Advise on MIG welder. in reply to NCWayne, 08-17-2012 05:48:26   Yeah, be careful of garage sale and Craigslist stuff- I got a CO2 bottle at a garage sale, took it in to get it filled- the guy at the gas place took it and looked it over, then showed me on the bottom where it said "Property of L & E Bottling" (the local Pepsi outfit). He said "They never sell them, so if someone has one, it was stolen from them at some point. We sell them all their gases, and have a deal with them- If one of their bottles comes in, we either get it voluntarily from the customer and give it back to L & E, or if the customer insists, we give it back but get your license number and call the cops. Its your call." So I went home with no tank, no gas, and the garage sale guy still has my 10 bucks.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Playtoe 08-17-2012 05:09:15 64.223.85.158 Report to Moderator	Re: Need Advise on MIG welder. in reply to RJKeith, 08-17-2012 04:44:33   For a reasonable price I just purchased a 20 and a 40 lb mix for something over 200 at welding supply dot come. they came full and new. I'm sure I can exchange either anywhere in town (probably for seemingly as much as what they cost new and full) That way I have "the other" on hand full to swap out and continue.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Stick welding 08-17-2012 20:36:10 96.53.210.246 Report to Moderator	Re: Need Advise on MIG welder. in reply to Playtoe, 08-17-2012 05:09:15   If you have the receipt you can probably get your cylinders filled but you'll probably have to wait while your cylinders are sent to the filling plant. Unless the welding supply sells cylinders themselves, most wont exchange their leased cylinders with customer owned cylinders. The exception is for small cylinders under 3 ft. because most cylinders that size are sold at most welding supplies.   [Reply]  [No Email]
730d se 08-17-2012 05:07:47 68.189.186.53 Report to Moderator	Re: Need Advise on MIG welder. in reply to RJKeith, 08-17-2012 04:44:33   I have a Lincoln PRO-MIG 135 with a 7 inch diameter, 4 foot tall tank. I bought it 6 years ago and use it around the farm similar to what you described. I still have gas in the tank, glad this stuff does not go bad.   [Reply]  [No Email]