Going rate for refills

[J. Marti]

Was just given a torch set and the 2 oxygen tanks need refilling. The 2 gas tanks still show pressure.

What is the going rate to have tanks refilled? And does anybody live in the north metro area of the twin cities that can suggest a place to have it done - I called around and nobody wants to touch personal tanks.

thanks,
Jon

[Frank Douglas]

Jon, I just swapped a clyinder at Tractor Supply Co. with no questions asked. Don't know if you have TSC stores in your neck of the woods or not. Just a suggestion.

Frank

[Byron Roberts]

Around here it is Weiler Welding..10 yr, contract is about $300 bucks..As far as tractor supply are you sure it was not propane??..Byron

[MoRo]

Tractor Supply Company (TSC) does indeed handle oxygen and aceteline. I'd check the prices agains a welding supply outfit, though. It works just the same as the Blue Rhino propane bottle exchange.
I'd look in the Yellow Pages under welding supply houses. I'm almost thinking that there could be a Praxaire in your area, but I can't say for sure.
If nothing else, stop by a muffler shop and ask where they get their stuff. They weld and cut, so they use all the gasses you have.
Hope this helps

[K D Redd]

Here in Southwest MO, you take your MT tank in. They give you a full one. You then pay the man. You go home and start welding.

Kent

[Rick Strobel]

In "The Big Sky," you can own your own tanks but they won't refill them. We sign a lease agreement and then swap tanks when refill is needed. I believe it's the hydrostatic test requirement every so often. Refill price is dependent on the size of the tank you are using.

One tank of Oxygen usually will last through two tanks of Acetylene.

Regards,
RickinMt.

[Ken Majeski]

I used to lease tanks from Mississippi Welding.... They used to have a Lifetime lease but that didn't make them enough money so the quit offering it. The 10 year was almost what the tanks cost and the 5 year not much better and that 5 or 10 years is Gone before you know it

So I bought tanks from our local auto parts (Behrens) out of Red Wing Minn... Never a problem in over 20 years. But they do keep track of numbers...

If I remember right the ones I have are in the 20 to 30$ range to trade for a full one...

[Nick]

My cousin works for BOC Gas so I get him to swap my empties. Just did that yesterday and it was ~$75 for both tanks.

[partcat37]

Hello , I was leasing a tank for $75.00 a year from Keen gas and paying 27 for each exchange. I have since started using a local scrap yard who only requires a refundable deposit of 100 and each exchange is 18. Everytime I get low on funds I take my bottle back. And when I have funds I get another. I would suggest you check with your local scrap yard. when you get an exchange always have them crack the valve to make sure its full or atleast sounds full. I have from different places received empty bottles . Good luck .James

[Randy Hart]

I just filled my smaller set Thursday and the Acetylene was 36.20 and the Oxygen was 16.00 , Not a hand carry size but the smaller shop size you dolly around on a hand truck cart.. Randy Hart Ohio

[Joe Bische]

If you own your tanks and want them refilled they need to have a current code date stamped on them (first thing they check). To get them pressure tested take to a Fire Extinguisher refiller. They will be good for 5 years then.
Joe

[Craig A]

We are a vendor for Airgas (who recently bought out the supplier we used practically FOREVER) and exchange a 125 cubic ft. Oxygen @ $15.95; 251 cubic ft. Oxy @ $23.70 and a #4 Acetylene @ $37.90 (plus sales TAX of course... )
I was told there are now only 2 plants in the US producing acetylene........the 3rd blew up and there were no plans to rebuild.

[J. Marti]

Craig

I wish you were closer to where I lived. I am running into dead ends around here. I am go to trying to slide them through where I work when they get theirs filled.

Jon

[Byron Roberts]

Craig:; what do you know about WaterWelding... http://www.AquaGas.co.nz/ ..B,

[Craig A]

Originally Posted by Byron Roberts

Craig:; what do you know about WaterWelding...

Byron...............WATER is for making COFFEE and flushing toilets.............. ..............

[Byron Roberts]

So Craig :: do you flush Before your breakfast Coffee,,,,B,loL

[Franz©]

Before Craig gets in trouble with the bosses around here, I better bail his butt out.

Over the last few years, with higher prices of petroleum, a lot of old scams have returned.
Water Welding, A/K/a Browns Gas welding and at least a dozen other names are being touted all over the web as a solution to high acetylene prices.

Essentially, it's an oxy/Hydrogen process, with an electrolytic seperator breaking down water into it's atomic components. Some of the newer entrys into the market even atomize a stream of water into the flame, claiming additional heat.
While this process is still used by jewlers, in a very mineaturized process, mostly due to insurance problems, the pconcept of large scale use of Oxy/Hydrogen really hasn't been used, or even cost effective, since the early days of WW-II.
OH is certainly a viable process, in fact, it was heavily used early in the war, due to the limited supply of acetylene being rationed to shipbuilding. O/H remains in limited use today in the specific area of welding lead. Welding lead with O/A is a nightmare, due to carbon impartation.
O/H is a cleaner flame, with no carbon available to carbonize the molten pool. The flame quality lent itself well to welding aluminum prior to the arrival of Heliarc® and the developement of that process.

Smith still manufactures O/H torches, and may be the sole remaining manufacturer, other than jewlry torches.
The O/H process seems to be gaining a lot of popularity in Australia and New Zeland, and that seems primarily to be because of the cost of compressed gasses there, along with government regulation of cylinders in private posession. I base that on the comments I've seen from weldors living in both countrys.

A rough estimate of the cost of operating any of the machines currently being offered to the US market seems to be that the operation will cost 7 to 9 times the cost of running O/A, and doesn't factor in repair costs.

Stand by, I'm sure the goobers selling Compressed Natural Gas welding & cutting equipment will be returning to the market soon.

[J. Marti]

Where would I find the last inspection date stamped on the tanks?

Jon

[Franz©]

The last date appearing on the valve end.
Usually, inspection dates are stamped going down the bottle from the valve.

[John Tozzi]

I pay $45 a year per cylinder lease. $19 for a 240CF oxygen, $73 for a 300CF Argon, $75 for a 300CF 75/25, $11 for a 20# Propane, and $50 to fill my 30# MAPP tank that I own.