Bottles - owning & sizes

[GeorgeG]

My question for you more experienced guys is as follows:
If I buy some 80 cuft OA bottles here in NY, will I have trouble exchanging them for full ones if I move south some day? If so, maybe I should rent.
The Airgas guy says that they will exchange anyone else's bottles if they are 80 or smaller. Is that generally the case for LWS (not Airgas) in most areas of the country? The deal I got from Airgas is $287 incl gas for 80 OX and 75 Acet. How does that sound in this day and age of inflated steel and fuel prices?

[cell]

I paid about $280 for the same sized bottles about 6 months ago.

[cell]

oh, and I live in texas, but I haven't exchanged them anywhere but the LWS yet, so I don't know if other shops will have issues taking them. I suppose worst case scenario is that you have to drop them off and wait for them to be filled, rather than just exchanging them.

[MAC702]

The rules are different almost everywhere. You would have no trouble exchanging them in Las Vegas, for example, but you'll need to talk to the LWSs or other guys in the exact area where you might be moving.

[hankj]

George,

As Mac said, it seems to vary so much across the country that I'd do a yeelow pages search for welding suppliers where you intend to wind up and make some calls first.

80's are small, IMHO. I'm guessing, but from what I see on most carts, 150 ft³ oxygen and 145 ft³ acetylene jugs are pretty common for hobby/shade tree/garage type guys. Around here, you can buy that size, and pretty much exchange them at any gas supplier.

Here, you can't buy the 300+ sizes. They are lease-only, and suppliers won't exchange an empty for a full one unless you sign a lease deal.

Hank

[Bob Warner]

I have been exchanging large tanks at different supply places here in Dallas with no problem. The ONLY place I had issues was a place I considered buying a tank from and he insisted that I could only fill it at their place. I said thanks but no thanks.

I have a 330 C25 and an Oxy/Acety setup and never have issues around here.

Just ask them and if they say no, tell them that someone else will so you will give your cash to people that know the customer is running the show when they are paying.

Make them write Customer Owned on the receipt, just in case.

[GeorgeG]

George,

As Mac said, it seems to vary so much across the country that I'd do a yeelow pages search for welding suppliers where you intend to wind up and make some calls first.

80's are small, IMHO. I'm guessing, but from what I see on most carts, 150 ft³ oxygen and 145 ft³ acetylene jugs are pretty common for hobby/shade tree/garage type guys. Around here, you can buy that size, and pretty much exchange them at any gas supplier.

Here, you can't buy the 300+ sizes. They are lease-only, and suppliers won't exchange an empty for a full one unless you sign a lease deal.

Hank

I'd like to go bigger, but I don't have a truck to haul them - just a minivan. By the way, does anyone know the ballpark flowrate out a medium sized welding tip in cuft/hr for a neutral flame? If I knew that I could figure how many hours different sized tanks would last (approximately).

[crawler]

Just ask them and if they say no, tell them that someone else will so you will give your cash to people that know the customer is running the show when they are paying.


Nicely put.

[smyrna5]

I'd like to go bigger, but I don't have a truck to haul them - just a minivan. By the way, does anyone know the ballpark flowrate out a medium sized welding tip in cuft/hr for a neutral flame? If I knew that I could figure how many hours different sized tanks would last (approximately).

Hauling acetylene in an enclosed space like a mini van is a definite no no. If you do a search for acetylene explosions in cars you will see some very ugly pictures like these:

http://www.wmur.com/news/11143499/detail.html


Many responsible gas suppliers will try their darndest to talk you out of it, if not downright refuse to load them for you.

I had the same problem, since all I own is a mid sized van (no truck). I didn't even have a trailer hitch, but I corrected that a few months ago. Small trailers and hitch carriers are cheap ($50-$150), and would be much safer than putting those things inside your van.

By the way, my AirGas dealer says he will swap out anything less than 200CF, unless it is clearly not something you own.

[hankj]

.... By the way, does anyone know the ballpark flowrate out a medium sized welding tip in cuft/hr for a neutral flame?.......

It's minimal. Cutting tips are the big time users.

Here's a link to a decent tip chart: http://www.hoopersupply.com/tipchart.html

Hank

[oldtimer]

In this area the LWS guys won't touch another dealer's bottles.

[whateg0]

If you tell us where you intend to move, maybe somebody from that area can chime in. As far as varying levels of support, not only does it vary by area, but it even varies from one store to another in the same city, so it pays to call around ahead of time. You can goto http://yp.yahoo.com and find welding suppliers in the area you'll end up.

Almost forgot... DON'T HAUL THAT IN YOUR MINIVAN!!! I've never had a need to, but you might check with your LWS and see if they work with any in the other area. Or if you're with a big brand like Airgas, maybe they'll transfer credit to a local branch for you, so you wouldn't have to transport any bottles at all.

Dave

[GeorgeG]

Hauling acetylene in an enclosed space like a mini van is a definite no no. If you do a search for acetylene explosions in cars you will see some very ugly pictures like these:

http://www.wmur.com/news/11143499/detail.html


Many responsible gas suppliers will try their darndest to talk you out of it, if not downright refuse to load them for you.



You make a good point, but I don't have more than 5 minutes drive and I can keep the windows down.
I don't plan on leaving them in the van.
I'm more worried about keeping them in the garage.

[whateg0]

[QUOTE=GeorgeG;323307]... I don't have more than 5 minutes drive ...QUOTE]

Thought you mentioned moving down south. How are you going to get the bottles down there?

Dave

[Zippymbr]

If you tell us where you intend to move, maybe somebody from that area can chime in. As far as varying levels of support, not only does it vary by area, but it even varies from one store to another in the same city, so it pays to call around ahead of time. You can goto http://yp.yahoo.com and find welding suppliers in the area you'll end up.

Almost forgot... DON'T HAUL THAT IN YOUR MINIVAN!!! I've never had a need to, but you might check with your LWS and see if they work with any in the other area. Or if you're with a big brand like Airgas, maybe they'll transfer credit to a local branch for you, so you wouldn't have to transport any bottles at all.

Dave

Will most dealers deliver? I was about to do just that with my Odyssey since I do not own a truck. I am frantically searching craigslist here for used bottles that I would cart home in the van.

[MAC702]

Where's that pic of the O/A bottles in a little rack in the receiver hitch? I was just thinking about that, NOT that I recommend it!

[aametalmaster]

I bought a small set at a flea market in Georiga cheap and my LWS has no problem filling them, but i am responsible for the tests when they come due...Bob

[GeorgeG]

Will most dealers deliver? I was about to do just that with my Odyssey since I do not own a truck. I am frantically searching craigslist here for used bottles that I would cart home in the van.

Right now my problem is getting them home from the Airgas dealer. I don't have a truck and they won't deliver to a residence.
I'm not sure how widespread that restriction is, but if you're willing to sign a paper that they said don't do it, they will let you take 'em home yourself.
If I move south, maybe I'll just sell them back to the Airgas folks or arrange for credit as was suggested earlier. Makes sense.

[garfish]

Got mine from my local family owned LWS and had to pay a bit more. I had to wait a week or so for them to have an business delivery of cylinders near my house and they swung in and dropped them off. Airgas and those guys have lots of company policies. At first I stored them outside, then it is funny how things seem less dangerous over time (that is how marriage happens I think), and I moved them into the garage. Now I never think about them, but I pull the regs off every time and tighten down those valves. Do I run out of gas and it is inconvenient until the truck comes? Yes. A pick up is less likely in my future
with gas at $4/gal.

[GeorgeG]

Garfish, why do you pull off the regs? Does that make it safer? Is there any chance that a leak could develop if nobody messed with it? I mean if it's just standing there collecting dust?

[Hotfoot]

Truck?? Pickup?? You don't need no stinkin' truck or pickup!!:p

http://i30.tinypic.com/5vy99y.jpg

[GeorgeG]

Truck?? Pickup?? You don't need no stinkin' truck or pickup!!:p

http://i30.tinypic.com/5vy99y.jpg

Very funny! Thanks for the laugh. By the way, what country was this?

[dsw]

Thats the propane powered model with the extended range, quad fuel tank option. Either that or it gets MPGs like my new truck and he's going down the block to the store.

[whateg0]

Ya know, it actually kinda reminded me of back when I was in the Navy and we spent time in the Caribbean doing counter-drug ops. We'd catch these little cigarette boats running from one place to the next and they'd have several bales of drugs and then 4-6 55 gallon drums of gasoline. Probably not the place to be smoking. ;)

Dave