Scored a free argon bottle. Questions on stamping?

[Gamble]

Got this from a local guy on a car forum for free. It's empty though
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/pportuese/2c1167de.jpg

What do all the stampings mean? From when it was made to rectified. And what does the star mean?

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/pportuese/e0e5f3b9.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/pportuese/5d8c417b.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/pportuese/16125e04.jpg

[Ron Padilla]

The last cert was dome in 04 and the star means it is good till 2014 so you have 2 more years to use it before it needs another hydro test. Out here in our neck of the woods we pay 17.50 for recertifing a tank.

[turk]

unfortunately it looks to be owned by industrial welding supply.

[WookieWelding]

looks like a leased bottle IIRC COMPANY OWNED unless that company that has there stamp on that neck ring is out of business then it "could" be a owner bottle
The majority of Owner bottles have a smooth neck ring

[k45]

looks like a leased bottle IIRC COMPANY OWNED unless that company that has there stamp on that neck ring is out of business then it "could" be a owner bottle
The majority of Owner bottles have a smooth neck ring

I know that's the way it's supposed to be but the LWS here has their name on bottles that they SELL :(

Ken

[DSW]

The last cert was dome in 04 and the star means it is good till 2014 so you have 2 more years to use it before it needs another hydro test.

Correct. My guess is the REE -249 is the identifier for the place that did that hydro.

The DOT 3-AA 2400 at the top tells the test shop what the cylinder test specs are for the hydro test. It's a steel 2400 psi cylinder.


It's hard to say the size from the pict, but I'd agree chances are high it's a lease/rental cylinder some one "creatively" acquired. You may or may not have any luck getting it filled ( hence the reason the last owner was so "generous") Your best bet would be to determine the local supplier and open a a basic account with them. Generally as long as you have an account, most places don't bat an eye on exchanging cylinders.

[DanD78]

Take it to your LWS and ask if they will exchange it. If they won't they will probably tell yo who's bottle it is and what you could do. Do not let them keep the bottle just because they say it's theirs. From what I have seen around here the name on the collar does not mean a lot. It's more about he bar code sticker on the bottle.

Dan

[Gamble]

I usually go to terrace auto supply and their bottles are stamped, however I do have quite a few different options and if I have to get this filed elsewhere it's not a big deal because the bottle is huge and will last a long time.
I'm going to actually call HTP right now and see what they say. This thing is a beast compared to my 130cf tank.

[rlitman]

I know that's the way it's supposed to be but the LWS here has their name on bottles that they SELL

Yep. The DOT codes are easy to decipher. Whether or not the tank is leased or owned; that's not so simple, and varies regionally. I'd just ask at the LWS. This is the sort of thing they'd be familiar with.

Some companies only sold tanks. If the neck ring has their name, then you own it.
Some companies only leased tanks. If the neck ring has their name, then you don't own it.
The hard part, is that companies change names, but the neck rings don't, so you've got to track down the history of that particular marking.

[Gamble]

Terrace will only fill their own tanks.
HTP says 300 is the largest they have and they have them filled at airgas so I'm waiting on a call back from airgas. They said they are only allowed to fill certain places tanks because of regulations. This would be nice if they can because I think they deliver and they are close to the house. Also fitting this 5ft tank in a 4dr sedan is no fun and I don't want to drive to the city just to replace it.

[DSW]

Also fitting this 5ft tank in a 4dr sedan is no fun and I don't want to drive to the city just to replace it.

That's why they offer a sun roof... :laugh: :waving:

[Gamble]

Yep good thing I have one :)
I put it on the scale, 138 lbs EMPTY. Sheesh.

[Gamble]

Called WISCO (welding industrial supply company) and they do get it from airgas. They are about 30+ miles away and in chicago and I hate going to the city. They will exchange the tank for $62.97 for argon or $75 for c25 and delivery is $32. So that might not be a bad way to go.

Airgas called back and said he is guessing at prices, but 100 to fill, 25 for delivery each way and said it would be about 175 and told me that Wisco gets different pricing so just go with them.

[Silicon-based]

Wisco is a good outfit. I work in Chicago often and they're my LWS when I'm there.

[Gamble]

Ah crap, they won't deliver to residential. :(

[k45]

Ah crap, they won't deliver to residential. :(

How about "Joe's Welding Service" located in your garage????:D

Ken

[Gamble]

Haha I tried that. I said we can pretend it's a business. He said sorry no.

[astaindsoul5446]

I've gotten bottles from suppliers with other. Ames all the time, and I own all my bottles but my oxygen bottle.... They don't care lol

[Gamble]

Called a place named Maccarb and they charge $50 a year for a lease, (any size tank)
Fills are
$60 for argon - 300cf
$37.85 -> 150cf argon
$25.75 -> 150cf c25 (why is this cheaper, I don't know)
And they said they can do a 98/2 mix for mig which I've always wanted to try.

[Renagade]

Mr Gamble 98/2 is what we use at work running .045 solid wire - Works fine for us
but has a week lead time to get

[weldbead]

when i started playing with oa and argon, i went to local techair who convinced me rental was wonderful..they insisted they would not fill privately owned tanks..the local airgas told me they would..i bought some tanks off craigslist and when i went to return the rental tanks to techair, they said, sure we'll fill your tanks...

[Spar-X]

I also acquired a 300cf argon cylinder from a local shop that done away with welding all together, the neck ring says union carbide and are no longer in business. I called airgas (airgas sticker was on bottle) to see if they would fill it and they declined but said that they would gladly take their bottle back...?... then I declined. I did a little looking around and found out that airgas had bought up some of union carbides bottles but PraxAir absorbed most of them with some sort of merger (I could be getting some of this wrong) long story short PraxAir said they would switch it out as long as its a union carbide bottle, essentially its theirs also besides I get all my gas from PraxAir as they are the CHEAPEST in the aria hands down.

[iced1124]

.....Grinder and paint.......no more problems.....

[rabidchimp]

Nice score. Hope it works out for you. Wish I had a 300 for my machine. The 150 will have to do for now.
-Aaron

[k45]

There has been a local CL add for a 300# 25/75 "owned" bottle, full for $300. But I have to wonder what kind of hassle would it be to get it filled since most places don't sell 300# bottles, only rent them.

[farmall]

I don't pay that much for any cylinder. Mine have not been more than 100 tops and now that I have all I need I only buy 'em if they are like thirty bucks.

[SundownIII]

Gamble,

Don't understand WHY you'd want to try a 98%Argon/2%O2 mix since you don't list a mig welder capable of running it.

The 98%Argon/2%O2 mix is a "hot spray arc" mix, not at all suitable for short arc welding.

98%Argon/2%CO2 is also a useless mix for short arc welding.