Dear Airgas, Please DIAF

[SM Racing]

I have been screwed the last time.

Today I needed to fill MY 300 of Argon. In the past I simple roll into the local Airgas and exchange the cylinder. Last time it was almost $100 for the exchange and the counter jockey today comes back with $130 out the door.

(Before I left the shop I called another local shop and they quoted me $57 for the fill but told me they wouldn't fill my cylinders so that meant a lease. No thanks. I own two 300s and one 120, not counting my Oxy/Acetylene. )

When I get to Airgas, the clown at the counter (who makes me want to punch a baby), tells me he can't do anything about the price and even then, the home office would just laugh at his request. Then goes on to feed me the BS about an Argon shortage. He fed me that last time and I actually went home and did some research. There is not an argon shortage. *******.

I told him I wasn't paying three times the reasonable rate to buy his argon. I left, taking my cylinder with me.

Before I left the shop I called another local shop and they quoted me $57 for the fill but told me they wouldn't fill my cylinders so that meant a lease. No thanks. I own two 300s and one 120, not counting my Oxy/Acetylene.

After I get back to the shop and I calm down a little I call a locally owned mom and pop type welding shop. They said it would be $60 out the door and he can either exchange my cylinder or send it off an have it filled, be back Monday. Needless to say I am got there right before closing, bought some extra TIG gloves, and left with an account app to continue my business with them.

I have been buying from Airgas for the last 10 years, bought my first welder when they were a small local welding shop, etc. No more. I can't afford to shop there and especially can't stand to deal with the clown at the front counter. If I thought someone at corporate would care I might actually call them and give them a piece of my mind.

 

[zkling]

Yep, I try to avoid Airgas at all costs, especially for tanks. Just a heads up, but anything over ~125's are a bit dicey to own, especially if you try jumping companies.

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

Customer service means a lot. I do business with smaller companies that focus on service over price and it saves me money and time overall.

 

[SM Racing]

Yep, I try to avoid Airgas at all costs, especially for tanks. Just a heads up, but anything over ~125's are a bit dicey to own, especially if you try jumping companies.

Thanks to a retarded system put in place by the welding supply companies. I can't stand the bottle lease programs. I can buy a 300 for less than 350, yet it costs me $100+ a year to rent one. No thanks.

 

[dr_clyde]

Airgas and Praxair can **** a ****. I have been screwed in the past by them too.

I am so lucky to deal with an awesome welding supply. I do business with Purity Cylinder Gases out of Grand Rapids. I own all my cylinders. They sold them to me, but will take any that I buy off craigslist and swap em for full ones. I pay less than 40 bux for a 330 CF argon OTD. My salesman delivers supplies and gas to my shop personally, and is happy to do so. Their stores are clean, well stocked and have good prices on supplies.

If you are doing welding in michigan or northern indiana, I highly recommend this company. Absolute top shelf service.

 

[Herod]

Praxair and airgas are not very well liked around here, either. There are a few smaller mom and pop shops here that are good. I like and Barnes Welding supply, too. Not the cheapest, but they know some things.

 

[theknurl]

I'm with dr_clyde;

I couldn't ask for better service from my lws Sims Welding Supply....

never been questioned about a tank, they exchange them on the spot

never paid a hydro charge ever, and at one time I had 19 bottles

I've had 3 counter guys in 59 years

I need a few special rods, they'll open a sealed can and just hand it to me

my TIG machine was acting up, I called the local store......"I'll have our repair guy call you from the main store"

15 min later he did "Noel whats going on?"

30 min later its up and running

"Airgas and Praxair can **** a ****".......they do and like it

 

[nine4gmc]

Good info, I need a bottle for a new-to-me tig I just picked up a while back and the last place I dealt with on my old mig was airgas. The bottle I got looks like it got dropped on the valve, the handle is bent sideways. May not affect anything but it looks like it could be dangerous, I didn't notice until I went to hook it up.

Rookie question of the year here, what type of gas will I need for the tig? Does it use the same gas for steel/aluminum etc or will I need a couple different bottles?

And lastly, anyone know of a good place in Baton Rouge to get it? I only know airgas because I used to live down the road from them.

Thanks for the info and any help you can give on my thread hijacking

 

[EdT]

My LWS was recently acquired by airgas and the prices on Argon have almost doubled. I understand that part of their pricing strategy has to do with how far you would have to go to fill a tank elsewhere. Anyhow, I ran into a couple of guys who used to work at the LWS and they are now working for another welding supplier and they are opening a store nearby next month. So, goodbye Airgas; hello anybody else.

 

[dr_clyde]

Good info, I need a bottle for a new-to-me tig I just picked up a while back and the last place I dealt with on my old mig was airgas. The bottle I got looks like it got dropped on the valve, the handle is bent sideways. May not affect anything but it looks like it could be dangerous, I didn't notice until I went to hook it up.

Rookie question of the year here, what type of gas will I need for the tig? Does it use the same gas for steel/aluminum etc or will I need a couple different bottles?

And lastly, anyone know of a good place in Baton Rouge to get it? I only know airgas because I used to live down the road from them.

Thanks for the info and any help you can give on my thread hijacking

You need pure argon for your TIG. Can't help with the where though. Other side of the country and all.

I would stop by a couple welding or fab shops and ask who they use and if they are happy with the service. The service, not the price. Good prices will come after good service.

 

[SM Racing]

It was mentioned to me today that Tractor Supply has some welding gases. I think this only applies in certain areas. Mine doesn't seem to do welding gas, just propane.

 

[56rpm]

A week ago I bought a 175cf bottle of argon for my tig from Airgas. It was $150 filled.

Bob

 

[RumT]

Besides the two usual suspect lws's mentioned above, I also have a Matheson. They are super reasonable.

 

[Riverside]

Two days ago I paid $53 to swap a 150cf tank, and $40 for a 80cf tank, of Argon. I have two local options at that price, then there are a couple of national companies that charge about twice that. Around here, 150cf is the largest size for a non-rental tank.

 

[zkling]

A week ago I bought a 175cf bottle of argon for my tig from Airgas. It was $150 filled.

Bob

Do you truly own the tank or is it a lease of some sort? Prices for gas vary by location, but that seems pretty cheap if you truly own the tank.

 

[56rpm]

I own the tank.

 

[zkling]

I own the tank.

Does the receipt prove so? IIRC last time I dealt with airgas they wern't doing owned tanks that large anymore. That is just extremely cheap if true.

 

[56rpm]

Yes it was a purchase. I've known the sales guy for several years and also bought a tig with the bottle. But he priced the filled bottle a few weeks earlier when I was considering a used tig on CL. Now I'm afraid to tell you what I paid for the Miller tig

Bob

 

[zkling]

Yes it was a purchase. I've known the sales guy for several years and also bought a tig with the bottle. But he priced the filled bottle a few weeks earlier when I was considering a used tig on CL. Now I'm afraid to tell you what I paid for the Miller tig

Bob

What machine did you get? I'm calling airgas tomorrow out of curiosity. Every time I've dealt with them for bottles it has always been higher and more of a general pain. Especially if it was from a company they absorbed.

It was mentioned to me today that Tractor Supply has some welding gases. I think this only applies in certain areas. Mine doesn't seem to do welding gas, just propane.

From what I've seen they are pretty expensive like Home Depot, but they hinge on convenience to the hobby guy. Best advice is to call around your local area, ask for rent/own rates and sizes as well as fill prices. Some places will get you a bottle cheap and then make it up on the fill price.

Thanks to a retarded system put in place by the welding supply companies. I can't stand the bottle lease programs. I can buy a 300 for less than 350, yet it costs me $100+ a year to rent one. No thanks.

I've found it varies by company drastically. See above advice.

Besides the two usual suspect lws's mentioned above, I also have a Matheson. They are super reasonable.

I used to deal with valley national, before they got absorbed by Matheson, initially it seemed their prices climbed but have since setteled and are very resonable on wire. Just bought a few spools the other day actually. And the counter guy is really sharp with the not so common alloys.

 

[blazentrout]

Airgas and Praxair can **** a ****. I have been screwed in the past by them too.

I am so lucky to deal with an awesome welding supply. I do business with Purity Cylinder Gases out of Grand Rapids. I own all my cylinders. They sold them to me, but will take any that I buy off craigslist and swap em for full ones. I pay less than 40 bux for a 330 CF argon OTD. My salesman delivers supplies and gas to my shop personally, and is happy to do so. Their stores are clean, well stocked and have good prices on supplies.

If you are doing welding in michigan or northern indiana, I highly recommend this company. Absolute top shelf service.

2X on purity, have had a account with them for years and never an issue, i have even sent my wife and friends down to fill my bottles and never had them give any of them any issues about it.

 

[600SL]

Two days ago I paid $53 to swap a 150cf tank, and $40 for a 80cf tank, of Argon. I have two local options at that price, then there are a couple of national companies that charge about twice that. Around here, 150cf is the largest size for a non-rental tank.

Where did you go. I will also be looking for a gas supplier near Greensboro NC.

 

[gungatim]

Airgas and Praxair can **** a ****. I have been screwed in the past by them too.

I am so lucky to deal with an awesome welding supply. I do business with Purity Cylinder Gases out of Grand Rapids. I own all my cylinders. They sold them to me, but will take any that I buy off craigslist and swap em for full ones. I pay less than 40 bux for a 330 CF argon OTD. My salesman delivers supplies and gas to my shop personally, and is happy to do so. Their stores are clean, well stocked and have good prices on supplies.

If you are doing welding in michigan or northern indiana, I highly recommend this company. Absolute top shelf service.

I am S. of GR, and never used them, but always had great service at what is now praxair down on Scribner. Been using them for nearly 30 yrs, way before they became praxair, mettlers, etc. May have to give Purity a try. I own 5 tanks in addition to my oxy acetylene setup, and they have always swapped out or refilled immediately, except for my blue one which I have to take to Muskegon (lake welding, bought the tank used for $3, so it's worth the drive)

 

[fnieto]

I had an account with a local welding distributor for almost 25 years (pima welding). The service was impeccable, the prices where competitive and I would buy all my miller equipment and supplies from them exclusively.
Airgas purchased them and retained the helpful counter staff and delivery drivers. Then I received my bill.....Holy S%$T! It was out of line. Thankfully we have at least four different options when it comes to welding supply distributors.
25 year relationship down the drain. I learned (the hard way) to shop around when it comes to gasses etc.

 

[Zrexxer]

Airgas pissed me off for the last time about 5 years ago. I got tired of calling for a price, then when I get there they mark it up for "fuel charge adjustment." WTF?

Counter monkey says, "Oh, it's to cover the price of getting it to the store, diesel is expensive." No ****, dude... that's part of being a business. Calculate your costs into your pricing structure and stop quoting me one price and then charging me more when I show up!

They would do that to get you in the store, because of course that quote made the price seem lower than anyone else in town who had priced their products correctly and fairly to begin with.

On the plus side, just added "DIAF" to my lexicon. I can't think of a more appropriate term to apply to Airgas. lol.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I picked up a set of O/A tanks from a family member. They are older Airco bottles and I'm not sure who even deals with them around here anymore.



Luckily when it comes time to fill my bottle for the welder, I make the trip to OE Meyer. They've been good so far.

 

[ilovevocs]

Our local supplier was bought by air gas. Good counter guy who previously worked their, the kind of guy that knew you by your name and knew the products he sold inside and out, left shortly after air gas acquisition and their hired some blonde chick that could hardly use the point of sale system let alone have any knowledge of welding supplies.

 

[malibu101]

Airgas pissed me off for the last time about 5 years ago. I got tired of calling for a price, then when I get there they mark it up for "fuel charge adjustment." WTF?

Counter monkey says, "Oh, it's to cover the price of getting it to the store, diesel is expensive." No ****, dude... that's part of being a business. Calculate your costs into your pricing structure and stop quoting me one price and then charging me more when I show up!
.

I do my exchanges at a Praxair location near me.
I pull up to their dock, place my cylinders on the dock and they bring me filled cylinders to the edge of the dock. They can not load my truck due to liability reasons.

YET, I get charged about $10 "hazardous material handling charge" no matter if I exchange 1 or 3 cylinders.
All they did was handle it across their dock.

That said, their prices are still better than the local Airgas location.

 

[waterss]

Problem is airgas no longer cares about the individual consumer. The plant I'm assigned to uses airgas for all their gas needs.

This is one of 20 small trailers of argon. There are also probably 5 or 6 mid sized ones (about 2 1/2 times this size) and 2 or 3 full 18 wheeler trailer sized ones out here.

The small ones get changed about once a week. The others maybe every other week or once a month. Could you imagine what they are making on this one plant. I believe they just don't care if they lose a few walk-ins that may come once a month.

 

[Riverside]

Where did you go. I will also be looking for a gas supplier near Greensboro NC.

Holston Gases in Asheville. They don't have a facility in G'boro, but I'm sure you can find a reasonably-priced supplier there. It is worth calling around. When I called local suppliers a couple years ago, prices ranged from $49 to $93 for the same tank.

 

[BFBOB]

Praxair's been good to me. They bought out my original supplier, a local outfit, but honor that 30-year old lifetime lease to this day. Their prices seem reasonable, but then I'm such a small user I haven't bothered to shop around. I recently took in an acetylene tank that emptied out waaaaay before the oxygen, an unusual event to say the least. Counter man said, yes it could be a leaky valve, tagged it for extra testing, gave me a card, and said I'd get a free tank next time if it tests bad, even if it's two years from now, which it may well be.
I'm at the mercy of their testing, but they've been straight with me all these years.


... of course, there was that one little incident of leveling a city block in St. Louis ...

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I've been a customer at Compressed Gas Inc in Montville & Dover for at least 25 years. They are now part of Welco-CGI , a part of Praxair. Since the merge, it's been almost impossible to get my cylinders swapped out. They don't carry 10# CO2 in Dover and they're only open Mon-Fri, 9-4. I work 8:30-5:30. I tried swapping a CO2 cylinder out at County Welding Supply in Wharton. What a jerk this guy is! He wanted me to fill out an index card so he could "contact me when it's time to pay for the cylinder to be recertified". It's an EXCHANGE. The M/T cylinder becomes HIS problem. That's the whole point in doing an exchange.

I guess some people don't WANT to stay in business...


Tommy

 

[Professur]

Tommy, ask at the local greasy spoon who fills their soda fountain bottles. I'll bet you get better service and price.

 

[Streetbu]

Luckily I have a small local welding shop a mile from my house. Bought my argon/co2 tank online brand new, he fills it or exchanges it for me. Bought my small oxy/act setup WITH tanks at a garage sale. He exchanges my tanks with no issues. I'm fairly certain that they were leased tanks at some point LOL mine now though!

 

[BFBOB]

Trying to decipher DIAF... best I can come up with, could it be Die In Agonizing Flames?

just curious

 

[Bruce4310TX]

I bought 2 tanks from my local tractor supply good price and good price for refills they only exchange there tanks, my other tanks i swap out at our local home depot cheaper than any of the local gas suppliers.

 

[RustnGrease]

Only have two choices around here for an actual welding supply store, Airgas and GTS-Welco(a praxair joint venture). The company i work for deals with airgas for our oxy/propelyne cylinders. But as the guy that picks everything up, I deal with GTS for our electrodes, grinding wheels and such. Fk airgas, 50lb box of 7018, Airgas $140, GTS 100. I've been trying to get them to switch to GTS on the cylinders, mostly because it's on my way to and from work, and they're alot cheaper. When i bought my welder MM211, got it at GTS. I wont give airgas any of my hard earned money.

 

[Tweeker]

Trying to decipher DIAF... best I can come up with, could it be Die In Agonizing Flames?

just curious

DIE IN A FIRE, a pretty messed up thought.

 

[SM Racing]

I almost want to call Airgas and voice my displeasure, but I doubt they would care.

 

[SM Racing]

DIE IN A FIRE, a pretty messed up thought.

Perhaps I should let you visit my local Airgas for an argon refill?

 

[wyo george]

I gave up on airgas, the service is much better from NorCo out here.