Anybody buy a oxy/acetylene set up lately?

I'm just curious as to what it costs to get an oxy and acetylene bottles. I have a set up, but no bottles. Just wanted to get a ball park figure.

Figure about 150/year rent on the bottles if I go by what I pay for argon and CO2

Unless you need the tanks for just a short time, buy your tanks, don't rent them. The up front cost is high to buy but when the tank is empty you just exchange it for a full one and pay for the gas. If you rent and plan on using the tank for a long time then the rental costs will exceed the cost of an out right purchase. I bought a MIG welder 20+ years ago. If I had rented a tank I would have paid for that tank 4-5 times over. I also have a TIG welder and have had that for 13-14 years. Again I bought the tank and saved money over the long haul.

Based on what I just paid for a 80 CF tank for my new MIG welder. Figure at least $400 or more for the 2 tanks. Always get the next larger tank size for oxygen over the acetylene tank size. You use oxygen faster then acetylene if you do a lot of cutting.

Also shop around. I got a lower price at one supplier and when I went to my regular supplier they matched the price on the tank. Also open an account and use it even if you pay by cash or credit card. It makes a difference when they see that you are coming back to buy from them.

i bought mine from a shady guy in a white van on craigslist. we met in a home depot parking lot. i gave him $200 for full tanks from airgas, a beautiful harris torch, and crappy spliced lines that needed replaced.

Is a #4(or maybe it was 5 cant remember) Acetylene exchange still $100 like it was a few years ago?

My question. Do you own a pickup?

When I lost my job in a machine shop, my first thought was how to replace the TIG and mill and high amperage welders that I had 24/7 access to and I decided I was going to set up an oxy acetylene rig and go old school. Flame cut, weld and braze everything like I was a craftsman living in the 50's. I dug my regulator set, torch and hoses and went down to the welding supply shop and was informed that they would no longer supply acetylene to anyone who transported it in a closed vehicle. Both local supply houses used to just make you sign a waiver but after a local explosion involving a van they put a stop to that. I don't own a pickup and have no desire to and coupled with the cost of the tanks being almost as much as an entry level TIG machine I gave up on the idea.

They have 20 different pictures like this on the notice stating the change in policy

Just food for thought.

In reply to Ditchdigger:

The story I see attached to those pics is usually summarized as "drunken fool attempts to take oxyacetylene filled balloon to party".

Use propane instead or Propylene if you can find it. More stable and propane you can get on a Sunday in just about any town

jimbbski wrote: Unless you need the tanks for just a short time, buy your tanks, don't rent them. The up front cost is high to buy but when the tank is empty you just exchange it for a full one and pay for the gas. If you rent and plan on using the tank for a long time then the rental costs will exceed the cost of an out right purchase. I bought a MIG welder 20+ years ago. If I had rented a tank I would have paid for that tank 4-5 times over. I also have a TIG welder and have had that for 13-14 years. Again I bought the tank and saved money over the long haul. Based on what I just paid for a 80 CF tank for my new MIG welder. Figure at least $400 or more for the 2 tanks. Always get the next larger tank size for oxygen over the acetylene tank size. You use oxygen faster then acetylene if you do a lot of cutting. Also shop around. I got a lower price at one supplier and when I went to my regular supplier they matched the price on the tank. Also open an account and use it even if you pay by cash or credit card. It makes a difference when they see that you are coming back to buy from them.

This is great in theory, but none of the welding supply places play this game. They fill the cylinders they rent and want nothing to do with your old unknown entity cylinders. Except for CO2 most places do not fill the cylinders on site, so having yours filled is not an option.

I bought the cylinder for my MIG welder along with the welder. First trip in for a refill, they take my new cylinder and hand me an old one of theirs that is full.

NOHOME wrote:

jimbbski wrote: Unless you need the tanks for just a short time, buy your tanks, don't rent them. The up front cost is high to buy but when the tank is empty you just exchange it for a full one and pay for the gas. If you rent and plan on using the tank for a long time then the rental costs will exceed the cost of an out right purchase. I bought a MIG welder 20+ years ago. If I had rented a tank I would have paid for that tank 4-5 times over. I also have a TIG welder and have had that for 13-14 years. Again I bought the tank and saved money over the long haul. Based on what I just paid for a 80 CF tank for my new MIG welder. Figure at least $400 or more for the 2 tanks. Always get the next larger tank size for oxygen over the acetylene tank size. You use oxygen faster then acetylene if you do a lot of cutting. Also shop around. I got a lower price at one supplier and when I went to my regular supplier they matched the price on the tank. Also open an account and use it even if you pay by cash or credit card. It makes a difference when they see that you are coming back to buy from them.

This is great in theory, but none of the welding supply places play this game. They fill the cylinders they rent and want nothing to do with your old unknown entity cylinders. Except for CO2 most places do not fill the cylinders on site, so having yours filled is not an option.

Maybe I'm spoiled by living in a major metro area but the gas suppliers I deal with do fill on site. Both locations are in industrial areas. And I EXCHANGE my tanks. While you may own the tank you really don't own the tank. I just drop off my empty and pay for a full one. And yeah, between Praxair and Airgas the main guys in my area are reluctant to fill each others tank. But going back 30 years; did Pepsi fill Coke bottles? I don't think so.

Yeah buying an old tank from someone who got it who knows where can be a problem. For many years I had access to a Ox/Acel torch and tanks thanks to my uncle who worked for a contractor and would drop off a full tank of either Ox. or Acel. whenever the ones we had were empty. When my uncle retired getting the tanks refilled or exchanged was a problem. My nephew who had the torch setup finally got rid of the old tanks and purchased a pair that he could get refilled. This is why I suggested that one sets up an account at what ever supplier one uses. Their more willing to work with you if they know who you are. I was able to just switch suppliers and exchange one tank for another after I did so.

I got the same line about not allowing me to carry a tank in my car from Welsco. Air Gas will still let you sign a waiver and haul it however you see fit. I brought the tank to Welsco in the car, but they wouldn't let me take a filled one home in my car. So they delivered it to my house for me, I'm only about 2 miles away, but still great customer service.

I'll second, or third purchasing the bottles up front, I don't know how a hobbyist could use enough gas to justify a lease?

My Welsco/Air Gas experience has been that neither wants to exchange each others bottles, but when pressed they will. Additionally ancient bottles, if it's one of their bottles, and a purchased bottle, they'll still exchange it. I took an ancient 80 Cf Argon/CO2 bottle that my late, grandpa purchased from Welsco in the early '90s, hadn't been used since ~'94, and was just collecting dust in the corner of his old shop, to Welsco and they exchanged it, no questions. I pointed out it was well past certification based on it's date stamp, but they said it was fine, since grandpa had originally purchased it from them, they'd cover the recertification fee, and they promptly exchanged my bottle.

You might get a little more grief exchanging bottles bought used, but as long as they're not stolen you should be able to get them refilled/exchanged. Exchanging is most common around me.

• Lee

44Dwarf wrote: Use propane instead or Propylene if you can find it. More stable and propane you can get on a Sunday in just about any town

Propane/propylene only works for heating and cutting, though it is cheap. Also requires a different torch for best results IIRC.