Welding Gas bottle rental - Palmy

[iOnic]

Dudes! I know some of you have Migs/Tigs at home so just wondering what you're paying for it and where from? Trying to get a bottle for my new TIG. Would prefer an Argon/Co2 Mix but anything considered.

Rang BOC today to start up a rental and they came back with a half decent monthly rental (sub $15) but wanted $3xx for the fill (not sure what size bottle but it was the only one on offer) Told them where to go...

Just wondering what sorta prices you guys are getting gas for and where from. Only need a small bottle as I won't go through much but not keen on disposables.

[Dell'Orto]

As in $300 odd? Must have been a huge bottle! I have a D size, and it was about $60 or 80 to fill with argoshield.

[iOnic]

Yeah as in $300 I was expecting around $80 a refill. That's what I used to pay in Auckland. I'm sure there's another place in town that does gas but I can't for the life of me remember the name I went there a while ago to get CO2 for the last workshop I was in and it was only like $50-75 for the fill.

[Bling]

Buy a cylinder

I paid a bit over $300 for a 6.8KG cylinder with CO2. Probably not so economical for argoshield, but I 'heard' you can just get a new valve put in the cylinder + retest and use the CO2 cylinder with argoshield.

Not suitable if welding isn't going to be a long term deal for ya though.

[iOnic]

Nah definitely not a short term thing. Used to do it for a living in Auckland but since I moved here, aside from small odd jobs my welder's have just been gathering dust. Got another Tig now though so wanna get gas set up for both the Mig and Tig.

What sorta price are your refills? $300 is very reasonable for an owner bottle in that size. Yeah you can use a Co2 bottle for Argoshield too - *can* use the same regulator too but better off having one for each gas. I'm mostly wanting to rent so I can gauge my usage for say 6-12 months and then see if I'm better off owning my own but I guess if it's cheap enough it's a moot point.

[Distrb]

In wgtn (yeah i know its not palmy but fwiw) i pay $13 a month for rental and $90 a fill for a D size bottle of argon for my tig.

$300 is lunacy, you'd wanna own the bottle at that price.

[Bling]

What sorta price are your refills?

Not sure tbh, have been using it for 11 months, a few times a month on average. Never had it filled myself. Can't be too far away from needing a fill though. The argon guage that came with my welder doesn't have much scale below 5000kpa(?) so one day I guess i'll just get some shit(ier) welds and know its empty.

[iOnic]

Shit that's alright. That's about all the use I'll have I'd imagine. Gonna look into it and do some ringing around.

Thanks heaps for all the replies Much appreciated.

[Truenotch]

I sell 2kg sized cylinders for $59ea in Argon, Argon/co2 and straight Co2 - regulator is $59 too.

Otherwise Techweld are dealing with a Hams based company who will sell you a bottle and refill when required.

[Sideros]

Otherwise Techweld are dealing with a Hams based company who will sell you a bottle and refill when required.

One of the guys at work gets his through Techweld. Seams to be pretty good turn around service for refills.

[NILPSI]

I'm sure there's another place in town that does gas but I can't for the life of me remember the name.

National Gas on Waldegrave St?

[iOnic]

That's the one! Thanks Sam Might go and have a chat to them when I have a spare moment.

Markuu: Are the 2kg bottles refillable or the disposable type?

[touge_ae101]

I sell 2kg sized cylinders for $59ea in Argon, Argon/co2 and straight Co2 - regulator is $59 too.

Otherwise Techweld are dealing with a Hams based company who will sell you a bottle and refill when required.

the gas companies won't let you fill your own bottles anymore, only rent you one. cost me about $70 to fill my little bottle and it lasts a decent amount of welding. (i'm only doing small stuff though) and yeah $15/month rental. best thing is about this is if you know you're not going to have any use for it for a month or two they don't mibnd you dropping it in and picking another one up later so you don't have to pay for the rental.

if you are thinking of the 2kg disposable bottles, i have a regulator sitting round in the garage you can have for fark all. those bottles do run out real quick and the simple regulator makes it hard to judge the flow rate you are using.
if you don't already have a regulator for a normal gas bottle, expect to pay big $$ mine was about $500 all up and it is a basic one.

[Bling]

best thing is about this is if you know you're not going to have any use for it for a month or two they don't mibnd you dropping it in and picking another one up later so you don't have to pay for the rental.

If you drop it back with gas, do they credit you for it?

[touge_ae101]

yup i have been told they do. haven't been keen enough to try it though

[iOnic]

Spoke to National Gas today. For CO2 I'm looking at $295 (ownership) for a 5kg bottle with the first fill included in the price + a new 5 year certification. $35 per refill or they have a $/kg scheme as well if the bottle isn't entirely empty so I only pay for what I use. $35 for another retest for a further 5 years when current one expires.

Seems like a perfect deal. Forgot to ask about the cost for Argon/Mix. Co2 does the job well enough anyway.

[Truenotch]

Co2 won't work for Tig. You need straight argon.

National gas only do Co2 and argon etc can only be bought from BOC, Air Liquide etc...

the gas companies won't let you fill your own bottles anymore, only rent you one.

You can buy bottles from some companies but they aren't cheap. There are groups in Hamilton, Auckland and Waiheke that I can find. Techweld deal directly with one of the companies and it appears to work well for some customers.

[iOnic]

Yeah can't use it on the Tig but I've got a Mig as well and guys at techweld seem to be alright with refilling owner bottles. Might confirm though.

[Truenotch]

Choice. Co2 works mint for mig and national gas are top notch.

[Santa'sBoostinSleigh]

D size at BOC in NP is just shy of $100 to fill with argoshield universal for my MIG, and yeah rental is something like $15/month
I got one for work and when i got the account it was about $60, so guess what account im going to use for mine for home from now on.....

I believe Argon is slightly cheaper