Argon/CO2 welding tank questions

[Jeep450r]

Im thinking about picking up a 75/25 Argon/CO2 tank. Either 100cf or 125cf. The ad says it is full and in date, but I dont know how much longer it will be in date for. What happens when they go out of date?

I know with paintball gun HPA tanks, you send them in to get pressure tested and then they give you a date extension. Is there a similar deal with these tanks? Or are they useless when expired?

 

[blondejoncherokee]

i bet they have to get pressure tested. i get my HPA tanks for my paintball gear tested every 5 years i think.

 

[blenny]

They will have a number on them that looks like. 05$10. which means it was last hydro tested in may of 2010, the $ will be a manufacture symbol that can be a triangle or letters. Tanks need to be tested every 5 years UNLESS there is a star next to the date, then it is 10 years. When they retest they will stamp a new date. It runs between 30-40 for scuba and paintball tanks, dunno about bigger bottles.

 

[playwithit]

Make sure it is not a rental bottle. Some places will only fill there own bottle. There was a guy selling the 100cf bottle on craigslist for 100 and then 130 bucks, he was a flake.

 

[Jeep450r]

Make sure it is not a rental bottle. Some places will only fill there own bottle. There was a guy selling the 100cf bottle on craigslist for 100 and then 130 bucks, he was a flake.

how was he a flake? Its probably the same guy Im hoping to buy from.

 

[playwithit]

how was he a flake? Its probably the same guy Im hoping to buy from.

I asked for details and availability and he stated it was sold. The he reposted it for a higher price. He left me with the feeling that I should stay away. If I recall, it was filled with 100% Argon.

I bought my bottle and fill at Tractor Supply. The were on clearance for 50% off.

 

[Jeep450r]

Ado you mind me asking how much that set you back? What size?

 

[playwithit]

Ado you mind me asking how much that set you back? What size?

125cf, about $275 filled, I believe. Not cheap, but no hassles.

 

[fyrfytr1717]

If you buy from an industrial gas place (say AirGas or Praxair for example) when you buy the cylinder it comes filled. After using it up, you bring it back in to them. Rather than fill "your" cylinder, they exchange it for another full cylinder of the same size and just charge you for the gas. They take care of the hydrostatic testing for you on their end. Easiest way IMHO.

 

[Jeep450r]

Thanks for the info guys. I ended up going to a welding shop nearby and picking their brains. He told me that I could go out and buy any type of tank but oxygen, and they will throw the correct regulator on it. So I'm on the look out for some sort of helieum/argon/co2 tank now.

 

[Letterman]

If you buy from an industrial gas place (say AirGas or Praxair for example) when you buy the cylinder it comes filled. After using it up, you bring it back in to them. Rather than fill "your" cylinder, they exchange it for another full cylinder of the same size and just charge you for the gas. They take care of the hydrostatic testing for you on their end. Easiest way IMHO.

That is what I do. Very easy.

 

[EricsXJ]

If you buy from an industrial gas place (say AirGas or Praxair for example) when you buy the cylinder it comes filled. After using it up, you bring it back in to them. Rather than fill "your" cylinder, they exchange it for another full cylinder of the same size and just charge you for the gas. They take care of the hydrostatic testing for you on their end. Easiest way IMHO.

I did that too but my mistake was buying a small bottle. The cost to exchange (fill) the cylinders is the same regardless of the tank size so in the long run I would have saved money by going with a bigger bottle. Maybe thats why I do more fluxcore than gas too.

 

[rysam]

I go to Airgas for the 75/25 swap too. If I need co2 I grab the spare bottle from the Pepsi machine at my wifeys restaurant... I dont go to Airgas much lol.

 

[XJ_ranger]

If you buy from an industrial gas place (say AirGas or Praxair for example) when you buy the cylinder it comes filled. After using it up, you bring it back in to them. Rather than fill "your" cylinder, they exchange it for another full cylinder of the same size and just charge you for the gas. They take care of the hydrostatic testing for you on their end. Easiest way IMHO.

I have this same setup for:
Argon 75 / CO2 25
Acetalyne
Oxygen
CO2
N2

It works out pretty sweet - except my CO2 tank is a 20lb HUGE mother...

A lot of upfront cost, but its pretty cheap to swap them out. And I think most all of them are full right now because I emptied them during my most recent build... so it should be quite some time before I need to fill them again.