Buying oxygen/acetylene tanks

[Doug19]

I'd like to buy a set of tanks for heating, cutting and possilby welding. Buying new seems to be out of my budget leaving craigslist as my other option. How do I protect myself when buying these? On a $300-$500 purchase Im not willing to just take the owners word that they own the tanks. Any advice?

Also what is the rule of thumb for the size oxygen tank compared to acetylene.

 

[Buckgnarly]

Oxygen is usually about double in size. Make sure LWS will exchange owner tanks first. Ebay can actually have some decent deals on tanks.

 

[kd3pc]

I have the receipt for my tanks, and keep them in the tool box for refills. I have been asked for it once and a while, but not on a regular basis.

Be careful with CL, especially if they tanks have a local contractor name stencilled on it, or if the price is "too" good to be true.

 

[usa#1]

Check with local national gas suppliers for prices and also to see if they will swap the tanks out for refilled ones. Have them tell you about the date code stuff so you will know if you have to pay for a hydro test before they will swap them out for you. Also check with places like NAPA as the sell tanks as well as swap out for refills; sometimes they are cheaper than the national guys.

 

[lilredex]

A 1:2 ratio is about right for average welding, brazing or a small amount of cutting. Cutting is hungry on the 02, so go bigger if you expect to do a lot.

Get a receipt from a company, not something hand scrawled by the seller, for your tanks. That is about the only sure way of proving where they came from and who owns them.

Check your local regulations. Find out what tanks you can own and check to see that they can be filled. Here in Ontario, the supplier maintains the acetylene tank, the other is up to you and needs to be recertified every ten years.

I bought mine in 1981 and that vendor is long gone, but I always have my receipt to prove where they came from. Back then, a home owner could only purchase a "B" acetylene and an 80 CF. oxygen tank......so those are what I have and it has worked out OK for my needs.

I saved this list from a TSC flyer a few years back.....the info may or may not be relevant to your needs.

 

[Strouty]

You can usually get five year leases, I think I pay like $60 a piece for five years. You can swap a bottle out for any size or gas at anytime you want and all you pay for is the fuel/gas. I also own 1 bottle and it is a royal pain in the ****, they have to send it out to be filled and it can take a week or more to get it back. They went over it with a fine tooth comb but could not prove I didn't own it. I had a receipt, but private sale. Sometimes they stamp sold into the tanks.

As a tank owner, you will be responsible for certifications. I can't remember the interval, but it was about $50 to certify my tank.

I also own the small ones, which they still exchange, but I do not pay for a lease. It is much more expensive to fill a smaller bottle.

 

[Thumper68]

I own all my bottles 6 right now, I have bought them all from the gas supplier no question who owns them if you have a account, give them the phone number and they pull it up.

Just talked to them the other day about trading in my CO2 siphion tank on a straight argon tank for my future tig welder.

I use both Airgas and Praxair at both those places they just swap out my tank for a full one no waiting at all, unless there is a line.

 

[Strouty]

In my neck of the woods, we have all independents and they will not swap a customer owned bottle into stock. At one point I was going to buy from tractor supply, but they stopped selling and swapping bottles all together, so I am glad I didn't.

 

[zkling]

Learn how to read the neck stampings. The true owners name will be embossed on the neck ring right below where the cap screws on. Call them and see what their policy is on tanks over 80cf. Ask if they lease or let homeowners own tanks that large. Will they test a out of date tank for you? Do they only lease?

 

[fordbroncodave]

I bought a smith cutting torch set on craigslist with a harper cart and cylinders. I paid $550 at the time which I felt was steep considering the acetylene was empty and that alone to be exchanged almost made me cry.

my set of tanks consists of a Medium size acetylene and an S tank oxygen. My oxygen said praxair on it and the acetylene did not have a brand on it.

I did not have any issue exchanging them for the first time. I just acted like I knew the system and went along with what they were doing and nobody bat an eye.

I suggest getting one on craigslist as close to what you need as possible all the way down to the torch handle.

a good cart is probably $150-250, a torch handle and head is probably $200-300 for somewhat decent, a set of regulators, hose....

 

[zkling]

On the size ratio. It depends if you are mostly cutting or welding, and how you plan on transporting the cylinder. IMHO the most handy size is a 125-150cf bottle. Easy enough for a reasonably fit guy to pick up and it will fit into most cars without much issue. Plus it gets you into a larger tank that becomes more economical to fill. A 2:1 oxy/acetylene tank size is pretty common for general torch use. I switched over to propane a few years back due to acetylene prices and it seems the propane goes alot further, about twice that of the acetylene.

 

[cludwin]

I use airgas because they will just swap tanks for me (e.g. no waiting).
When I was searching CL I found a set of tanks from a guy who used airgas to fill them.

Sure enough when I went to look at them they had an airgas stamp on them.

When I went to get them filled I got no questions asked they just swapped out the empty tanks and gave me full ones for the price of the gas.

Good luck

 

[BD1]

In my area most owner tanks are 125/150. No issues exchanging them.
Check with local suppliers on exchanging any cylinders you buy on Craig's list. I would get prices from local suppliers too. Some sellers on Craig's list want as much as a welding supply house.
If considering buying new, get a package deal price for CASH !

 

[Kevin54]

I own my tanks. I have two each of oxy and acety. One set I bought from a neighbor down the road, and the other set I got from my dad. The place where dad had them filled, they knew he owned them but went out of business a few years back. The set I bought off of the neighbor, he is no longer around. Hopefully I won't have a problem. I'd really like to get dads set filled and use as they are the medium sized bottles.

Now for the 25/75 for my MIG, it cost $8.00/month to rent.

 

[zkling]

For the guys that say they get their owned tanks "filled" do you actually get the same tank filled each time or do you just exchange for a different filled tank and "own" a bottle only on paper? I've seen shops do it both ways, primarily the latter.

 

[slip knot]

My LWS just trades me out tanks. Mine are owner units that I've had for 30 years. They've gone thru 3 different companies since I bought mine. Praxxair currently.

 

[Thumper68]

Mine are owned and the LWS just swaps them out.