Newbie welding gas buying question.

[Rockinar]

Newbie here,

Looking to buy my first welder. Stupid question, but I don't seem to see the answer on the interweb anywhere.

What does one need to do to get a bottle of gas? I'll be using it a home, don't have a truck to pick up a bottle. Can you "rent a bottle as you go"? do you have to sign a contract or anything, etc etc. Do they normally deliver to residential houses? It will be used for general farting around in my garage, so I don't need a new 120 tank every week or anything. Probably just start with an 80 and go from there.

There's a welder supply/Praxair not far from my house. I could go in an ask them all these questions, I just did not want to sound like 100% idiot and at least have a general understanding of how it normally works when I go in to get my first bottle.

Thanks.

[H80N]

Newbie here,

Looking to buy my first welder. Stupid question, but I don't seem to see the answer on the interweb anywhere.

What does one need to do to get a bottle of gas? I'll be using it a home, don't have a truck to pick up a bottle. Can you "rent a bottle as you go"? do you have to sign a contract or anything, etc etc. Do they normally deliver to residential houses? It will be used for general farting around in my garage, so I don't need a new 120 tank every week or anything. Probably just start with an 80 and go from there.

There's a welder supply/Praxair not far from my house. I could go in an ask them all these questions, I just did not want to sound like 100% idiot and at least have a general understanding of how it normally works when I go in to get my first bottle.

Thanks.

Yes you can rent a bottle... that is generally done one year at a time...

they come in several sizes depending on your needs.. and are designated by their cubic foot capacity and physical size..

here is a chart

http://www.praxairdirect.com/Industrial-Gas-and-Welding-Information-Center/Cylinder-Cryo-and-Gas-System-Information/Cylinder-Size-Information.html

TIG or MIG welder??

TIG will want pure Argon to begin with.. sometimes Argon Helium mixes are used to up the heat on heavier sections with an underpowered welder.. but start with Argon..

MIG.. the most popular gas mix for ferrous metals is 75/25 Argon/CO2

[WillieB]

I own tanks, and lease others. Gas is staggeringly expensive. Before we start to move to the discussion of least offensive cost, we need a big tank. A cubic foot of argon in a little tank costs a lot more than in a big tank. Where I live, no one sells a big tank, no one fills a big tank if you don't lease. For me, 4 -300 CF tanks a year it costs less to lease. I own little tanks cause sometimes I need to carry to hard to get to locations. I can get by a while if my big tanks are empty.

[USMCPOP]

I rent a couple tanks, about $60. each per year now. Don't use much gas so I would probably be better off buying an 80 CF (the limit at my LWS) and paying a bit more per CF for a refill. But I do have an account (via the credit card), so I have a name there. Got a $3 hazmat fee waived the other day, LOL.

Disclaimer: I'm old. So if I die, they can come and get their rusty tanks and save me the trouble of taking them back.

[mbramble]

I was given a tank of argon and one of 75/25 (80 cf each) when I bought my Multimatic 200 from my local LWS. In May I will have had it 2 years. I have yet to need to have either tank refilled (though I am getting low on 75/25). I don't weld every day (obviously) and I like to stick weld so use that more often than MIG/TIG while building implements for my tractor.

In this area, 80 cf tanks are as big as you can buy from the LWSs. If you have a larger tank that you bought from an individual, or have had longer than that policy has been around, you can only get it filled at the company whose name is stamped on it.

I would recommend that you visit your local supplier and see what they charge for leasing vs. buying, larger vs. smaller tanks, etc. I'm sure they will have a solution for getting the tank to your house, as well. If they charge too much for that service, you probably have a buddy with a truck who could go with you to pick up the tank and drive it to your house. It's not something you will need to do every day.....

[BD1]

what is your location ?? Here's where I bought my tanks from and exchange them.

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/tld/4808415550.html

You could buy 125 tanks on craigs list, but check with suppliers on their policies. If buying tanks from private sellers verify test dates too .

[Brian Oatway]

Also be sure that your LWS will fill the larger privately owned tanks. Mine will not fill a privately owned tank larger than 80cf, you are forced to lease the bigger tanks AND my LWS will not lease to an individual you have to be a business.

I bought a used TIG that came with an enormous 330cf tank. I figured I'd fill in once and be set for years. Not only wouldn't the LWS fill the tank they would not take it as trade for an 80cf and would not even take it to dispose of it for me. It even had their stamp on in (or at least the stamp of someone they bought out a few years previously). It was an incredible P!TA