Welding Bottle Types

[bmxdad]

I bought two 330 cu/ft bottles at an auction, then resold them for a good profit. The guy I sold them too took them in to get refills. The weld supplier he went to says they are rental bottles and probably stolen, but their not the supplier as shown on a sticker that's on the bottle.

Auction house buys out estate sales, so I'm thinking they belonged to someone that passed away ... or there business.

Sent a note to auction house, but nothing yet. Going to call the tank supplier and see whats up.

Anyone been in this situation??

 

[rlitman]

The sticker doesn't mean anything. What sizes are rented is a regional thing, but those larger bottles commonly are rented.

What you need to know is what is stamped on the neck ring.

 

[RogueFab]

They are stamped "privately owned" or have a separate color band. Like a gray tank with a yellow or purple raised ring around the neck. Hard to tell when it's just the colored raised ring. When you buy one, take it to the place you get them filled and exchange money there. They always know!

 

[gorilla]

Most welding suppliers won't fill a bottle unless you have proof that you bought the bottle from a welding supplier. Rental bottles often become "lost"when a shop closes and are sold off with the equipment. The auction house shouldn't have sold them, you shouldn't have bought them or sold them.

 

[Buckgnarly]

This type of questioning gets such varied responses the only thing you can do is call your local supply houses. My place takes any tank on exchange, regardless of what sticker or is cast into the neck. There is no standard response that covers every location.

 

[gungatim]

This type of questioning gets such varied responses the only thing you can do is call your local supply houses. My place takes any tank on exchange, regardless of what sticker or is cast into the neck. There is no standard response that covers every location.

I agree. all depends. best bet is to keep your receipt and find a place that will fill or exchange. exchange is best, and what I like to do when I get used cylinders, then you have a trail and documentation with the supplier.

Once you find a LWS that wants to sell gas, instead of one that just wants to make money renting tanks, even if you have to drive a ways, stick with them...

 

[texasranger]

My local Matheson and Roberts won't sell you a bottle lager than a certain size...thinking it's 80 cu ft or so. Larger sizes they will only rent. However I did come across an old set or oxy/acy torches with the larger tanks about 5 feet tall, maybe 14" diameter. They were purchased outright by the seller's father who passed away. They are stamped with the supplier around the neck and they will gladly exchange them, although that shop is about an hour away from me.

Around my parent's house it is similar, one supplier will only touch bottles stamped with their name, another will exchange anything you bring them.

 

[Warrenator]

I have an older oxygen bottle that came with the house..... stamped U.S.AIR FORCE on the neck. Cool. Apparently my local welding supply (LWS) doesn't care about that stamp and will fill it, but I looked into it anyway, here's what I found out:

If it is a company that is still in business, you might be able to get it filled by them, or if they do an exchange see if uou can't get an unmarked "owner bottle" instead. They may just say "that's ours" and try to confiscate it. If the company on the stamped neck ring is no longer in business, whoever bought them may now own the bottle, as they took over the inventory. If the company is just gone, nobody cares and you can just get it filled or exchange it.



Although Airgas dealers can be persnickity about whose bottles they fill, and give you a lot of grief about owner paperwork, and prove you own this bottle, etc. If you go to a mom and pop LWS rather than a corporate dealer you will do better. It helps if you buy some welding rods and supplies at the same time.

Not that I would ever do such a thing, but a little careful work with a grinder, putty and paint on the neck ring would remove the raised lettering and remove any ownership questions. Don't paint over or remove the sticker that says "argon" or "oxygen," that causes problems with exchanging the cylinder.

In my local area, nobody fills tanks anymore, they all do an exchange. So I will have to give up my Air Force oxygen tank when I want it filled. I may just paint it up to be pretty and keep it as a memento. Hats off to the mechanics of the USAF!

 

[koditten]

My local Air Gas doesn't seem to care. I've returned many bottles with different supplier names.

I think it helps if you do use enough gas for them to know your face.

 

[M_George]

I picked this 20 pound bottle at a yard sale for $5. The seller said he used it for CO2 on his beer miser. It is way heaver than most CO2 bottles I have seed and the metal is 5/16in thick at the neck. Should I be able to exchange it or have it filled with argon?

 

[Alchymist]

I picked this 20 pound bottle at a yard sale for $5. The seller said he used it for CO2 on his beer miser. It is way heaver than most CO2 bottles I have seed and the metal is 5/16in thick at the neck. Should I be able to exchange it or have it filled with argon?

Most likely will need a hydro test, and that will tell the tale. Info should be stamped in the bottle.

 

[M_George]

Most likely will need a hydro test, and that will tell the tale. Info should be stamped in the bottle.

What should I look for on the bottle? It has a bunch of stamps on it. If you know of a link where I can learn what I need to know, that would be great as well.

 

[laser3kw]

Airgas got to be Airgas by buying ever mom and pop LWS. Most the time, they don't even know what is "theirs" and what is not.
The Airgas around here has bought 6 small and medium size local welding supplies in this area alone. I can take in about anything and say " I bought this from XYZ welding supply 20 years ago." and they will honor it.

 

[brownbagg]

My local Air Gas doesn't seem to care. I've returned many bottles with different supplier names.

I think it helps if you do use enough gas for them to know your face.

same here. I have no paperwork on my owner/airgas bottles, they just want to sell gas at a high price.

 

[Alchymist]

http://www.airspeedpress.com/oxyread.html

More than you ever wanted to know:

https://trainex.org/osc2012/uploads/516/40_Sec 5 - Cylinder Identification 2.pdf

 

[bmxdad]

Talked to the gas supplier and they told me this ...

People buying rental tanks happens all the time. Old guy dies, and he had several bottles that have been passed down for awhile. Wife is old, so has an estate sell and some guy looking for a deal buys the bottle ... but he's screwed when the need to be refilled. They did take the bottles in though. So all is good.

Seems that the rented bottles have a big deep stamp on the neck, with the name of the company that is renting them.

Example in picture

 

[BD1]

I picked this 20 pound bottle at a yard sale for $5. The seller said he used it for CO2 on his beer miser. It is way heaver than most CO2 bottles I have seed and the metal is 5/16in thick at the neck. Should I be able to exchange it or have it filled with argon?

It would be best to check with multiple suppliers. Personally a tank that small I would cut the bottom off and use it for a gong or windchime . By the time you you pay for recertification and get it filled a current larger tank would really be more economical. A larger tank say a 80 would only cost maybe $10 more for four times the gas.

 

[MJD1]

A co2 tank generally can't be used for anything other than co2. Co2 is liquid and lower pressure than argon or oxygen. Also co2 uses a different valve.

 

[clubairth]

Lots of places want to scare you and I have been told it's illegal to even own a welding gas bottle!!!

Pure ********! Go somewhere else and spread the word to avoid that welding supply shop. I trade in my owned bottles (No receipt as I have had them over 20 years). If they want a receipt just print something up.

A hydo test is required every 10 years and that can be extra cost but again I just trade my empty bottles for full ones and they take care of any hydo testing needed.

Call around.
.
.
.

 

[Cope]

Most welding suppliers won't fill a bottle unless you have proof that you bought the bottle from a welding supplier. Rental bottles often become "lost"when a shop closes and are sold off with the equipment. The auction house shouldn't have sold them, you shouldn't have bought them or sold them.

Had a friend who was an attorney. He bought a big O/A set at a government auction. Took the bottles to a LWS and they told him the bottles were stolen. He produced his receipt and they swapped them out.

 

[BigMike782]

I bought two 330 cu/ft bottles at an auction, then resold them for a good profit. The guy I sold them too took them in to get refills. The weld supplier he went to says they are rental bottles and probably stolen , but their not the supplier as shown on a sticker that's on the bottle.
Ask the gas supplier to prove that statement.

Auction house buys out estate sales, so I'm thinking they belonged to someone that passed away ... or there business.

Sent a note to auction house, but nothing yet. Going to call the tank supplier and see whats up.

Anyone been in this situation??

Possesion is 9/10 law. They may not exchange, but confiscate?.....better have proof!

Yes, every week day.

 

[BigMike782]

I bought two 330 cu/ft bottles at an auction, then resold them for a good profit. The guy I sold them too took them in to get refills. The weld supplier he went to says they are rental bottles and probably stolen , but their not the supplier as shown on a sticker that's on the bottle.
Ask the gas supplier to prove that statement.

Auction house buys out estate sales, so I'm thinking they belonged to someone that passed away ... or there business.

Sent a note to auction house, but nothing yet. Going to call the tank supplier and see whats up.

Anyone been in this situation??

Possession is 9/10 law. They may not exchange, but confiscate?.....better have proof!

Anyone been in this situation?
Yes, every week day.

 

[Thumper68]

Possession is 9/10 law. They may not exchange, but confiscate?.....better have proof!

Anyone been in this situation?
Yes, every week day.

If they tried this with me I would be on my phone to the police and my atty right then.

But then again the LWS I use is more then happy to exchange any bottle I bring them, and will even change gas types for the same size cylinder.

 

[t100]

My local family owned LWS doesn't care, also gives me 10% cash discount.

I bought an old Linde 120 Nitrogen tank at auction with the hydro expired 20 years ago.

They swapped it out an Argon tank.

 

[pcmeiners]

Not saying all gas supplier are scam artist but learned a lot lately.

All the suppliers in my area want you to buy small tanks, the refills cost 3x the amount of a 250-330 cf.

On Staten Island they do not want to fill "owner" tanks, I would have to fill in NJ.
At the same time they would be happy to take an owner tank, and exchange it for one of their marked tanks. Wow this would be real fun if I move, and have to use another supplier, new suppler will not take the Staten Island suppliers tanks. Well I could go with a nation gas supplier, but no guarantee they will have a branch close to where I move and I am really stuck if they raise future prices beyond reasonable.
The gas suppliers have rigged the system.