Welding Tips and Tricks

I got a Craftsman 110V MIG, just got and Everlast 200A multi, TIG,Stick,plasma. So far so good. With the MIG using flux core and haven't used the TIG yet. My problem is what is the best route to go on gasses, plan on a CO for MIG and AR for TIG. Not sure how much welding I'll be doing, hope a bunch, and rather than get my spending advise from the seller, figured I'd ask you all here.
Currently hobbiest, with dreams. Some practice required to raise my proffiency esp. TIG.. been a few years. Need to know whats a good size to have on hand, figure at least 80CF min. big question though, own, rent, or lease. And maybe some average prices. I know it all depends on where you are located, and who you deal with, but some ball park #'s could be handy..

Thanx

You can negotiate on rental with Airgas. I get 5 year bottle rental for $50 each, but I have many bottles for our shop. $65 a year is retail here. 100% AR fill price for my 300 tanks is $45 but again volume speaks. Good luck!

I bought a 125CF bottle for my tig. I hink in the long run it would be cheaper than paying the yearly rental fee's as well as the gas refile.

At most places, the cost to refill a larger bottle is not much more than a smaller one.

I'm a hobbiest as wll and wanted something I could lift and carry myself. IIRC the bottle was round $180 and the refills are around $45.

IMHO the 125CF is about perfect for the home hobbiest.

I have looked around my area and the largest customer owned bottle I can get refilled/swapped is an 80cf and that's at ONE place. If that company goes under I am stuck with this bottle. I decided to go with a 150cf from airgas. $50 lease ~ $50 fill. I haven't gone to get it yet, as I don't even have my garage finish wired yet! basically you have to call up your local stores and figure out what makes the most sense for your area. also, you have to think about the time you are going to be welding and how often you want to refill. divide the size of the tank by the approximate CFH you run your regulator at to get an absolute MAX theoretical weld time. my 150cf tank will most likely get me 10hrs or less of lit torch.

I own my 130 (75/25 (Ar/CO2)) and 250 (100% AR) for my MIG welder because they don't get a lot of use and I didn't need to open an account when I bought them. Ultra Pure Helium isn't available in a customer bottle so I had to open an account and rent it. It turned out to be a good thing and I probably won't buy a bottle again.

I own all of mine. Two oxygen, two acetylene, 3 nitrogen, 1 argon/co2, and 1 argon. The price to buy 330cf bottles of both c25 and straight argon here from airgas is $350 filled. But airgas wants $120 for a refill. The independent shop here wants $400 to buy new filled, but $65 for a refill. So I buy the bottles from airgas and exchange them at the independent shop for half the price as airgas. I hate dealing with airgas and their attitudes.
The 330cf bottles are a pain to load and unload, but they do last me awhile.

The other bonus to renting is that they do the re-certs for the bottles. What are you planning to TIG? I only run 15 cfh on aluminum.

Rugar... Where are you? If you happen to be in my district or maybe even if you are not, I might be able to fix the Airgas attitude issue? Let me know...

Sarge wrote:Rugar... Where are you? If you happen to be in my district or maybe even if you are not, I might be able to fix the Airgas attitude issue? Let me know...

So Cal
Its not just here. There is a long thread over at Welding Web with a lot of others complaining about Airgas as well. Seems as if you don't spend big bucks with them all the time, they don't really care if they get your business or not. The small shop I usually deal with treats me with respect no matter how much I spend with them, and last week even shortened a O/A hose for me for free.

Wow,

Thanx for all the advice so far, I was thinking of buying my own bottles, but not much on craigslist in my local, Colo Springs, CO area. Any other resources where I may find bottles. I know about hydrostatic test dates. Also ball parks on prices and sizes, after seeing the above posts I will most likey look for 125cf bottles. One for 100% and one for 25/75, see how they run and buy more if there are to many runs to the "gas station". Looks like a good idea to see if I can find an independent in the general area also, I don't do well with butt heads so will try to avoid airgas. Rather see the small biz get the $$ anyways, help keep America strong.

BikerBeej

I must have one of the "exceptions to the rule." Everyone at my local Airgas have been great to deal with. I have both a Praxair and Airgas close by (Praxair is closer) but I seemed to have a more warm welcome from the people at Airgas.

I say swing in and feel them out. Should learn real quick what kind of treatment your gonna get.

Good idea, should not judge a book...eh.

Bikerbeej1, Try Mike at Colorado compressed gas in Co. Springs. He is a great guy...

[quote="WILD BILL"]I must have one of the "exceptions to the rule." Everyone at my local Airgas have been great to deal with. I have both a Praxair and Airgas close by (Praxair is closer) but I seemed to have a more warm welcome from the people at Airgas.


That make two of us.

My local airgas dealer is -awesome-. He's always givin me a competitive price well below list, and he'll sit there and BS with me too. All the same, if I could find a local guy that would give me a good price, I'd much rather use him.