craigslist deal?

[midnightbrwr]

So I picked up a 250 CF argon bottle hydro 10-05 and the ring says "Customer Owned" around it.

I also got a 125cf Oxygen and a 145cf acetylene tank and cart. I think both of them are out of hydro. There are no company markings on the acetylene tank that I see. I am worried about the oxygen tank because it says "East Bay Welding Supply Rental" on the neck. I paid $80 for all of it. so as long as I can get the argon tank swapped for c25 I will be happy.

I was thinking I should take them all to the LWS tomorrow and find out if they will fill them up or not. What I wonder is if I should take just the acetylene and argon tanks in and deal with the oxygen another time?

[sunpeople]

You don't need to worry about hydro on the acetylene tank, its a low pressure tank (only goes up to 300 PSI) so it does not get a hydro test but the oxygen tank is high pressure and will need one if it is out of hydro date.

The oxygen tank that you said has a name on the ring under the valve most likely is a rental tank and your not going to be able to exchange it for another tank, but even if you cant exchange it you still made out great since you only paid 80 dollars for everything. One more thing if that tank is a rental you don't have to pay for the hydro test on it now.

[Hotfoot]

A post or two in the past has said that if you take that "Rental" tank into the shop, they may seize it (like a bank takes your counterfeit money away from you).

I'd take a picture of the neck, take the picture in, and ask if "you should buy this tank from a guy that has it for sale". You'll get their reaction. If they say "sure, we'll take it", you are in!

If not...they make beautiful sounding Gongs...or, as with my latest project-to-be (or not to-be), a Submarine grill.:)

[midnightbrwr]

I went to my LWS and they exchanged the 250 CF argon cylinder for C25 no problems. I was worried because some people were saying they were only allowed to own 80CF or less. That was not an issue here.

Apparently the 145 CF acetylene tank was a rental. The guy at the shop pulled off the label and under it was some markings for a company but he still exchanged it, but made me take one of their rentals.

Due to Hotfoot's advice, I left the oxygen cylinder in the back of my Xterra and asked about it. The guy at the loading dock said they couldn't take it. The way I see it I paid $20 for each of the 4 items, so at worst I am out $20 for the oxygen tank. Maybe I will make a gong for the tree house my dad is going to build the grand kids.

Funny thing is it cost more to fill them up than to buy them $114 after tax.

[Roger]

Name of company that owns your Acetylene tank could be stamped on shoulder of tank along with original hydro date, tare weight....

[ptsideshow]

Depending on who your LWS is an Indy,Airgas or Praxair

My local gas passer is Airgas they have 25 or more single spaced typed sheets of bottle names they own. By buying the companies out, or other absorbing methods. if they took the acetylene tank but not the oxy that is strange with out looking at the owners name unless it was painted differently than the cylinders the exchange. Somebody in your area owns more than likely.

[midnightbrwr]

Update:

So I called the guy back because he had a couple more cylinders to sell. I went and paid him another $60 and gave him back the oxygen cylinder for a bunch of welding rod, a 204, and 250 CF tank. I made sure the tanks I got had no company name on the ring.

So for $120 I got:

2x 250 cf argon cylinder
1 200 CF argon cylinder
1 145 CF acetylene
~20 Lbs of welding rod (I don't have an arc welder, but it was cheap)
1 oxy-acetylene cart made for mid size tanks

I called a welding shop for a quote on a 250CF tank and they said $300 so I think I did pretty good. Now I am going to try and trade one of the argon cylinders for an oxygen one and keep the other in case I ever want to try aluminum welding. Has anyone tried changing an argon tank for an oxygen one?

[sunpeople]

To answer your question if you can switch one type of tank for another,Most of the time a welding supply will let you switch one type of gas tank for another as long as they both have the same type of valves and i think both the argon and oxygen use the same type of valve but you can always call first and ask the welding supply store before you go it might save you a trip.

[Roger]

O2 and Argon use different CGA fittings.

http://www.concoa.com/cgachart.html