Welding Tips and Tricks

Fwiw, Airgas visit in Erie, PA on 5/27.

$19.50 for ~120cf oxygen refill,
$36.63 for a ~120 cf 75/25 Ar/CO2 refill,
$8.50 hazmat shipping,
$6 to the guv’ner and
$40 to recert an O2 tank last hydro'd in ‘76.

I am stunned that they can sand blast, paint and hydro-test a bottle for $40. Is this their public service project? It must be a really efficient process. Has anyone seen that type of production line? Maybe they make so much on the gas that they do the recert at cost in order to keep me coming back?

I thought there was a weld gas price report thread, but I could not find it.

Cheers, Alan

SusKatCas wrote:Fwiw, Airgas visit in Erie, PA on 5/27.

$19.50 for ~120cf oxygen refill,
$36.63 for a ~120 cf 75/25 Ar/CO2 refill,
$8.50 hazmat shipping,
$6 to the guv’ner and
$40 to recert an O2 tank last hydro'd in ‘76.

I am stunned that they can sand blast, paint and hydro-test a bottle for $40. Is this their public service project? It must be a really efficient process. Has anyone seen that type of production line? Maybe they make so much on the gas that they do the recert at cost in order to keep me coming back?

I thought there was a weld gas price report thread, but I could not find it.

Cheers, Alan

Sand blast 15 minutes
Hydro test 30 minutes
Paint 5 minutes

I paid $58 today to exchange a 120 Argon.

Poland308 wrote:
Sand blast 15 minutes
Hydro test 30 minutes
Paint 5 minutes

I agree. Even if you cut that in half, I doubt a big company can fit that into a normal overhead labor rate. Around here, private mechanics have an overhead rate minimum of $80/hr.

I think Louie said he works in Accounting? Am I missing something?

My local welding shop charges me $71.00 for an argon swap on a 330, and that includes delivery. 16.5 Miles away. I pay 151.37/year for rental of 2 tanks.

(edit)
Correction... Rental on 3 tanks.

I'm $160 for a 330 argon exchange. $85 year rent
$62 for a 244 oxy exchange and $80 for rent

Canada, can't believe how cheap some are getting gas for in the US