Alternative To Renting Gas Cylinders

Maybe you could find some good second hand tanks and buy them.....?...or alternatively rent or borrow when needed....maybe do some welding for small jobs on the side to pay overhead....create a product you can manufacture on a small scale to pay for overhead...

In the US we can buy or rent tanks.

I would ask the company you rent from if they offer tanks for sale.

Don't know about Australia, but I own mine.

It depends on your local regulations and the businesses you deal with. Demurrage fees can be a real pain for the convenience of having them available once in a while!!

Here in Canada (Ontario) the welding companies will sell the smaller size of tanks but not the big ones. That's fine for someone that just wants to use them occasionally as they are also easier to store and move around. I have a small O/A set, a CO2 for my MIG and a couple of argons for the TIG. Anytime I need more I just rent them and take them back when I'm done.

Two things to note- here they have to be retested and certified after a certain period (and Australia is one of the few places that seem to outdo us on the OSHA!!), and welding companies prefer to deal with their own cylinders. If you buy from and stick with one company that's been around for a long time, here they will just take your cylinders and swap them for new, filled ones. No worries about keeping up with the hydrotest etc., and you don't have to wait four weeks for them to send out your oddball cylinder to be filled and returned (which happens with my CO2 as it came from someone I don't usually deal with). For the costs and hassle, I wouldn't touch second hand ones unless they were given to me.

I bought some old cylinders in good condition in a American War Surplus house.

Modified the valves to the contents. Had these tested with a water pressure system and certified. Use these already 25 years now. The tricky one is the acethylene. It contains carbon inside. I had like 15 cylinders, most oxygen and MIG/TIG mixtures.

I have put the name of our company and a number in it. Retesting happens every 5 years and costs 40 euro per cylinder. I just pay for the content. The cylinders are all 10 m3 types.

When you don't need a lot of gas, you also can buy a small 2 cylinder set.

Most industrial supply houses sell those type cylinders. Also most welding supply shops will sell you tanks. You may be limited by the size they carry on hand.

You might have some luck negotiating with the guys you have paid $3,600 AUD in rent to over the last 6 years. Perhaps they will show a little bit of mercy and apply some of that towards their outright purchase. (You have probably paid for them three times already!)

Renting industrial gas cylinders is a low percentage deal, IMHO.

renting smaller cylinders may be an option if you only use them rarely, as I do, however if when you do use them you need high gas flow you will need the larger cylinders.

One other alternative is to rent a complete oxy kit only when you need it from 'hire it' or your local equivalent.

In Western Australia the main suppliers keep track of ALL cylinders. I was in store when a customer was arrested for bringing in an old, stolen cylinder. He proclaimed loudly that he bought them off Gumtree and thought it was all legit'. The sales person explained that no one can own cylinders, they are all hired.

Since that day I haven't even entertained the idea of getting some cylinders through the second hand market but I do admit I haven't asked either supplier if they have a purchase option.

Jim

Jim,

As far as I am aware there is no purchase option across Australia. They only rent them so that all of them get cycled through and tested periodically.

Thanks for your comments

I have investigated eBay and there are companies that sell MIG gas in disposable cylinders and also a small refillable cylinder to purchase and return for refill, but nothing for Oxygen or Acetylene.

Tony

Are you thinking about these little cyls... Bernzomatic?

https://www.masters.com.au/product/900001620/bernzomatic-disposible-oxygen-cylinder-40g.jsp;jsessionid=keVjjL1Qd2B0VGOyQ5z7RQ__.ncdlmorasp1202?bmUID=kt7QxkP

What is done quite often around here is for a person to find a friendly company (X) that uses gas. Find a set of bottles that match the brand and size the company uses. When the bottles need refilling, take the to the gas retailer and say that you borrowed them from X and have to refill them before taking them back, and will pay for the refill. Make a previous arrangement with the purchaser for X, just in case they call. As long as the bottles are the same size as X has the contract for, there is no problem. I know about a half dozen people who do this. The gas company gets their pay and it costs X nothing. A occasional dozen brown soldiers to the purchaser doesn't hurt.

If you have not consumed one cylinder in 6 years then what is use of storing cylinders? You have already paid $3,600/- as rent. I would suggest that you should get your jobs done in local workshop if possible.

Try using arc-welders.

Depending on what your usage is there are small cylinders used for carrying. O₂ is a small one and the acetylene is a "B" tanks. The "B" tanks are usually used with an acetylene/air torch for soldering copper tubing or brazing steel and others. They are light enough to be carried by one person with one hand.

Another alternative that I use is to purchase a set of cylinders from my dealer. They are the ones that he had in circulation so they were good. When I moved I took them to another dealer and he refilled them for the cost of the gas only. Only disadvantage is that I have to pay to have them hydrostatically tested periodically. The dealer takes care of it but charges me for it. Nice though since he "loans" me another set while the testing is being done. Also the hydro testing is much cheaper than the rental.

Another alternative, if useable with the materials you are working with, is an oxygen/gasoline cutting torch. Not quite as hot as the oxy/acetylene but hot enough to cut steel just like it. It is called a Petrogen torch or an Exothermic torch. They were developed for their light weight and compact volume for rescue work.

http://www.petrogen.com/

http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/print/volume-156/issue-12/departments/tools-of-the-trade/gasoline-oxygen-cutting-torch.html

Take a look at them. Each is cheaper than $50/month after only a few months.

Good Luck, Old Salt