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Author: Subject: Best current argon source for DIY
coyoteboy

posted on 5/6/19 at 12:00 PM Reply With Quote
Best current argon source for DIY

So I'm now kitted out with a TIG setup and want to get back to practicing. However I'm trying to assess the argon cost landscape. Looks like for a DIY is more sense for deposit style cyls due to low use rate, but who do you guys use and what's the average price you're paying?






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rusty nuts

posted on 5/6/19 at 01:48 PM Reply With Quote
Ask your local motorfactors they may be able to help.? I have a rent free bottle of argon from Adams gas but I now don’t have a local Adams gas agent. My CO /argon bottle came from my local m/f
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Slimy38

posted on 5/6/19 at 02:06 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
Ask your local motorfactors they may be able to help.? I have a rent free bottle of argon from Adams gas but I now don’t have a local Adams gas agent. My CO /argon bottle came from my local m/f


I go with Adam's gas too, but they do go through agents at a fair pace. I've had three different ones so far, and my nearest one is 10 miles away. Having said that, paying a deposit and then a bottle full really works for me, I'd be paying ten times the amounts if I had been renting.

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big_wasa

posted on 5/6/19 at 02:07 PM Reply With Quote
for me

There is a local guy that does hobby weld.
+ He is local and he does it on the side so is very handy and will do an exchange evenings and week ends.
- The small bottles aren’t cheap and don’t go far with a Tig. But they are now doing a bigger bottle with out the built in reg that will work out cheaper. Not only is the bottle bigger but it’s at a higher pressure.

The welding shop where I bought my mig does there own scheme.

+ Much bigger bottles making each litre cheaper than the small hobby weld. Deposited wasn’t much differant.
- They are only open 9-5 mon to fri and are in the centre of a small city / large town so I never seem to be able to get there in a hurry.

The large one on the mig has lasted me coming up four years. It’s used often but for small jobs.
The small argon in the Tig disappears fast. I think my last small argon exchange was around £60

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coyoteboy

posted on 5/6/19 at 02:41 PM Reply With Quote
I'd certainly never considered a local motor factors, good point! Looking down the Adams gas dealers a lot seem to be MFs.

I'll have a look into hobbyweld - I think there's a Glasgow dealer I could speak to. A large bottle with higher pressure seems ideal, really just don't want to be floating hundreds in deposits but I guess the reality is the refund is pretty quick anyway.






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nick205

posted on 5/6/19 at 04:10 PM Reply With Quote
I have a rent free bottle of gas from a local welding supplier who can refill it when it's run out. Aside from that a couple of local motor factors offer a welding gas service. Might sound daft, but garden centre's who do patio gas may also offer access to welding gas.
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DanP

posted on 5/6/19 at 04:31 PM Reply With Quote
another vote for hobby weld, I pay about 40-50 quid for a 130L (in a 10L bottle) refill, and the bottle deposit was about 70 quid.

Some motor factors are stockists of Hobby Weld, but I use my local welding supplier.

[Edited on 5/6/19 by DanP]

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JC

posted on 5/6/19 at 06:48 PM Reply With Quote
Hmmm - I’ve lost my Hobby Weld deposit receipt......less than ideal!
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JC

posted on 5/6/19 at 06:48 PM Reply With Quote
Hmmm - I’ve lost my Hobby Weld deposit receipt......less than ideal!
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perksy

posted on 5/6/19 at 07:29 PM Reply With Quote
I use Adams gas and the retailer is approx 12 miles away

Depends how quickly you get through it with regards travelling etc

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coyoteboy

posted on 5/6/19 at 08:46 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by DanP
another vote for hobby weld, I pay about 40-50 quid for a 130L (in a 10L bottle) refill, and the bottle deposit was about 70 quid.

Some motor factors are stockists of Hobby Weld, but I use my local welding supplier.

[Edited on 5/6/19 by DanP]


1300l? 10l @137bar?

I'll call a couple of the locals to see what they offer, there's Adams and hobby weld local. Prices seem reasonable!






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DanP

posted on 5/6/19 at 08:58 PM Reply With Quote
Sorry yes I missed a zero.
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coyoteboy

posted on 5/6/19 at 09:21 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by DanP
Sorry yes I missed a zero.


Phew. Thought I'd miscalculated how expensive this was going to be!






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ianhurley20

posted on 6/6/19 at 07:23 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by JC
Hmmm - I’ve lost my Hobby Weld deposit receipt......less than ideal!


My local supplier says no problem as the system has been computerised and they will be able to find your deposit in it






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trextr7monkey

posted on 6/6/19 at 09:28 AM Reply With Quote
We changed to Hobbygas from BOC and saved a fortune we hired 2 cylinders so always have gas although supplies are only 10 minutes up the road full price list if you search Thomas-Graham welding gas





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JonBowden

posted on 6/6/19 at 10:46 AM Reply With Quote
I use BOC, partially as there is no other supplier near. Annual rent for a size Y (big) bottle is about £56 and about the same for each refill. I think the bottle holds about 30l





Jon

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coyoteboy

posted on 6/6/19 at 11:26 AM Reply With Quote
Jon, those numbers seem very cheap - I looked at the BOC website and it looked like annual rental would be ~150 min for a small bottle. Plus they won't deliver to residential addresses - do you have a business account?

https://www.boconline.co.uk/en/imag es/Industrial-and-Special-Gas-UK-Rental-Price-List-exVAT_tcm410-537978.pdf

[Edited on 6/6/19 by coyoteboy]






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Andy S

posted on 6/6/19 at 07:05 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
Jon, those numbers seem very cheap - I looked at the BOC website and it looked like annual rental would be ~150 min for a small bottle. Plus they won't deliver to residential addresses - do you have a business account?

https://www.boconline.co.uk/en/imag es/Industrial-and-Special-Gas-UK-Rental-Price-List-exVAT_tcm410-537978.pdf

[Edited on 6/6/19 by coyoteboy]


Those are the hobby account prices - I think it used to be called the Volksworld/zone deal or some such but you need to speak with them or your local stockist when setting up the account.

The Y bottle is 5.0m3 - If you are going through 2-3 bottles a year it can work out quite economical but not if you have one bottle every 5 years.

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big_wasa

posted on 6/6/19 at 07:10 PM Reply With Quote
I thought they closed that years ago ? I enquired and got no reply .
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coyoteboy

posted on 7/6/19 at 03:46 PM Reply With Quote
OK, confirmed BOC will offer hobby rates and have just signed me up for an account for Y size bottles, as above. Looks like £14 admin fee at first bottle collection. Thanks for your help folks, I'll be tiggifying soon I hope.






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Uphill Racer

posted on 10/7/19 at 10:49 PM Reply With Quote
I'm lucky as I have this company close, best deal and free delivery.

https://chorleybottlegas.co.uk/shop/welding-gas/pure-argon-50-litres/

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