welding gas bottles

DLMKA · May 2, 2016

ouch. Buying new is prohibitively expensive to buy new for as little as I predict I'll need them. Back to the auctions unless someone has a better idea on procuring oxygen and acetylene bottles.

rustyfarmall · May 2, 2016

I picked up a "K" size acetylene tank at an auction. It was nearly full. Paid $50. Should have bought a lottery ticket the same day. I've seen those welding bottles sell at auction for more than they would cost from a jobber.

Once you own an oxy/acetylene rig, you'll never want to be without it. Even if you use it just once or twice per year.

Duane WI · May 2, 2016

What size bottles are you wanting to get? I just got the 80 cubic foot size. The full bottles where about $200 each. The oxygen bottle was a little more but cost less to fill so in the end each bottle cost about the same. These bottles are about 30 inches tall. Will last me a long time. The place I buy my gas from just exchanges them.

I bought my torch and cart from Craig's List. It seemed that all of the used ones with bottles cost about $400 more than without bottles. My torch with 3 cutting tips and 3 welding tips, hoses, regulators and cart cost me $150. I got a really nice old heavy duty torch and regulators. They work perfect.

jacks · May 2, 2016

Most of the gas companies are only leasing larger size oxygen and
acetylene cylinders nowadays. Just be aware that if you purchase
smaller size cylinders, you can only withdraw 1/7th of the volume of
gas in the acetylene cylinder per hour. You will be limited on using
a large welding tip, or cutting tip. If acetylene is withdrawn at too
fast of a rate for a long enough time, liquid acetone can enter your
regulator and cause an unsafe condition and/or damage.

da.bees · May 2, 2016

Before you buy used bottles,(A)Make sure you know what "slick neck" means and (B)That your local gas supplier will fill/exchange them. Praxair and Air-Gas bought out almost every supply house within 50 miles of me in Tx. Both are being real a-holes about filling/exchanging unless bottle was origionally bought from them. I use oxy-propane for 90% of cutting and heating. A 20 pound grill tank will last longer than a big ol tall hard to transport acetylene cylinder. You can't weld nor braze with propane and tips are different. My regulators were built to handle both. No restrictions on withdrawal rate that Jacks mentioned about acetylene. A huge tip might drop tank pressure in cold weather but doesn't harm regulator. I just switch to a second bottle while first one warm's up and build's pressure. It's double important to use flashbacks with propane in case pressure get's low.

Geo-TH,In · May 3, 2016

Same thing in Terre Haute, you can own bottles about 3 ft tall. The rest you lease.
I've seen a few use propane.

Bill in IL · May 3, 2016

Its has been 6-7 years since I have bought cylinders on a sale. Oxygen/welding gas cylinders were about 100-150 each acetylene bottles were cheap at about 50 bucks. Last one I got off craigslist.

A note to you on the local market take whatever cylinder you get to Praxair. Airgas is higher on fill prices and charges to swap cylinders of different gas types. None of the suppliers will swap acetylene cylinders with other gasses but any of the oxidizers/inert gasses they will swap between so you don't need to buy just oxygen bottles. I even swapped a helium for an oxygen one time at praxair. I think in this area we are very lucky swapping cylinders vs what the reports from other areas of the country.

dr sportster · May 3, 2016

I leased since 1983. Thousands od dollars over the years if you add it up. But gotta have them . Argon , Oxy/ acet, the little CO bottle on the MIG I own.

DLMKA · May 3, 2016

A note to you on the local market take whatever cylinder you get to Praxair. Airgas is higher on fill prices and charges to swap cylinders of different gas types. None of the suppliers will swap acetylene cylinders with other gasses but any of the oxidizers/inert gasses they will swap between so you don't need to buy just oxygen bottles. I even swapped a helium for an oxygen one time at praxair. I think in this area we are very lucky swapping cylinders vs what the reports from other areas of the country.

Jarvis in Canton will sell tanks and refill and certify any of them. Same sale I got the torch set from had a set of bottles on a cart. Sold for $150 and I waffled too long. Now that I know what they sell for new I have a basis to go off for the future.

super99 · May 3, 2016

Better check and see if they need a title before they will fill it if you buy used tanks. Chris

rustyfarmall · May 4, 2016

(quoted from post at 15:00:09 05/03/16) Better check and see if they need a title before they will fill it if you buy used tanks. Chris

When I bought my first two bottles maybe 30 years ago, I got the titles to both of them. No one ever asked to see those titles when I exchanged them for full bottles, and the two bottles I bought just a few years ago did not come with titles. I didn't ask.

welding gas bottles

DLMKA

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rustyfarmall

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Duane WI

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jacks

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da.bees

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Geo-TH,In

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Bill in IL

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dr sportster

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DLMKA

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super99

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rustyfarmall

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