Yes they are that bad.

Don't worry, they screw account holders too.

Anyway though, $11 is pretty cheap for a 5lb box of 6011 no matter where you got it from. I sometimes get lucky on wire or rod at Lowes/HD as it seems like they rarely move any product. I've seen more than once an 8" spools of L-56 marked down by 50% and grab all they have.

 

Yes they are that bad.

x10000000000000000000

I'd quit welding and sell all my machines before I'd ever deal with Airgas again.

I went back to try Airgas again and this time they didn't charge me
haz-mat fees on non-haz mat items. That's a start. I still wish Abco
hadn't sold to Airgas.

Wait until they double or triple your bottle lease fees. Just a matter of time.

 

Our Airgas was a NC/VA regional outfit before Airgas acquired them (National Welders). I went there for the first time a month ago. They didn't have the oddball rods I wanted, but the guy came back to the counter with over 20 pounds of various old rods and gave them to me as "samples". There were six 1-pound plastic (sample?) packs of Lincoln 7018MR and some ESAB stuff. I bought a cheap pair of gloves and a couple lens filters for chump change.

I wonder if Airgas will change attitude now that they have been bought up.

 

I bought at Maine Oxy 50 lbs of 6010 1/8 Lincoln 5P+ for 169.99. I could have ordered it from Home Depot for 159.99 3.40 per pound. Exceptional rod. I think I pay about the same as you for Radnor, or Hobart rod.

I think very highly of local Airgas Employees. I don't like that I can't buy any high quality product except by special order. Prices are high, I expect that. What burns me is HAZ MAT charges on products that aren't hazardous, and delivery fees for tiny items not delivered. I once bought a back cap for a TIG torch. I was billed for the cap; 5.99, haz mat, shipping, and sales tax. It came to 48.00! This item was the size of a toothpaste cap!

An item picked up early in the month is overdue before the statement arrives. Nothing unusual about a snotty note for late payment arriving before the monthly bill.

Willie

 

Yeah they are pretty bad. I think they get the idea they can charge whatever they want from dealing with hospitals and just assume everyone has unlimited money.

 

I agree I have an account with them only because they are the only welding supply in town. Pretty much just get gas from them order everything else on line unless we need it that day.

 

I have driven past them for may years to go to any other LWS, Willie knows the old Merriam Graves in Rutland Vt (probably same jackass salesman after they where bought out by AG) bought a Syncrowave 350 from them and they left me hanging with support, In that area there wasn't much, found Haun Welding, salesman came over trained us on the Syncrowave even though they made no profit on the machine, bought everything else from them till I left the area, now 2 jobs later 2 AG stores, literally on my way to work, and I buy from Maine Oxy (6-8 branches), and Arc Source (2-3 branches).
I did try each of the AG stores I worked near after but was "taken advantage of" and have gone to the LWS since, I don't need the best price on every thing I need consistency and knowledge I don't mind paying for knowledge, its cheaper in the long run.

 

Air gas is the only true welding store with in 50 years. But I do have a farm implement close by that does exchange bottles. I also have a fleet farm, Home Depot, and a menards. I have plenty of options other then airgas.


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Don't forget Airgas is now Air Liquide.

Either way, you're screwed unless you use rail cars of gas monthly.

I have a couple of the good guys left at my local Airgas. They smile and we talk friendly like, but they still have to break it off up in ya before you can walk out the door. I don't take it personal. It's just business.

 

I refuse to shop there, guy at the counter was an @ss and I have never been back since, not sure how many years,

 

I think it depends a lot on the local management and employees. My Airgas takes God care of me. All the retail sales guys know my name and what I buy. The manager asked my opinion about what items to stock. Their "safety " sales girl calls me once or twice a month and will hunt down any obscure tool or filler metal I need. They give me a break on price when they can and have sold me dead stock at cost.

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I am in the same town and have a far different experience with the same store. I was quoted nearly three times what I pay at another place for bottles, in fact none of the "local" places are even close to reasonable IMHO. I have been treated well at Matheson, they bought out the LWS I use. It is a 50 mile drive to their store but, they do deliver and, they are great to deal with.

 

I've only been into their store in my area a couple of times and been treated very well both times. Few months ago I knocked my Hougen drill from the workbench and on this site was given a link to "Airgas" for a replacement motor housing. Their website showed a cost of $97.00+ shipping. I went in there and ordered the part and the cost was $93.00+ $6.00 shipping. Prior to picking up the housing, (which was OEM Hougen) I checked on the price of both Hobart 4049 aluminum mig wire, and Hobart 21B wire and they were over a dollar a pound cheaper on each than most other suppliers so ordered a roll of each. Haven't used either so can't attest to anything except the selling prices.

 

I have a Haun and an Airgas (Air Liquide) equal distance from me, but do most of my business with Airgas. But I try not to use the counter sales and try to order everything through my phone sales rep. It seems strange to me that as long as I call a day ahead I can go to the store and pick up my order with deep discounts. If I run out of something and need it immediately, I'll pay the counter tax. If you have a phone sales rep, I suggest using them for all sales.

 

I have a Haun and an Airgas (Air Liquide) equal distance from me,

Sounds like we are in the same area. I used Dailey for gas for years out of habit but now that I've been going through more I've decided to move to Haun and to lease whatever new bottles I need. Everything I currently have I own. Haun was great on the phone and got me set up with an account easy.

 

The Airgas (only welding supply other than HD or Lowes) has been nothing but good to me. They give me free sh!t all the time and I've only been a customer for 3 months. This girl kelley goes out of her way to make us happy customers every time (no pun intended).

 

In Fredericksburg, VA we have an Arcet (now Arc3) and an Airgas. We usually use Arcet but our purchasing dept wanted us to switch it up for once.
We ordered a bunch of rotary burrs, TIG rods, TIG torch parts and a few other common items. It took 3 months before we received everything and we repeatedly had to call them to check if the items had been delivered to the store. We were told once that some of the parts had been delivered to the store so drove out there and it turned out the parts had not been delivered so we wasted a trip.
One guy at the counter of Arcet named Devin was great to work with but a few years ago they hired a young guy that is lacking in customer service. A year ago or so I went in and Devin was gone and another guy is there. He isn't bad but doesn't seem as friendly as Devin.

 

.
.
welding rod some places charge more for profit in small amounts at Tractor supply 1/8 6011 is often
$20 for 5 lbs ($4/lb)
$30 for 10 lbs
$50 for 25 lbs ($2/lb)

 

I went back to try Airgas again and this time they didn't charge me
haz-mat fees on non-haz mat items. That's a start. I still wish Abco
hadn't sold to Airgas.

 

.
.
my old company made photograph materials for photo kiosk machines
.
we made for
$.05 a picture
but sold for
$.09 a picture
store would charge $.25 to $.50 for a picture
.
8x10
was sold for about $.40 but store often would charge $5. a 8x10....just saying marked up price is up to store

 

tractor supply used to sell welding rod loose by the pound ,but that is long gone(mid 1980") , small lot packaging cost more to handle so yes it cost more to buy.

 

ya, they are "that bad".

 

I've had mixed experiences with them. I've been in looking for whatever, and the counter guy was about as condescending as you could be. Until I figured out he really didn't know wtf he was talking about.
Other times I've been in and prices have been absurd, other times in line with my preferred store.
My preferred store is family owned, and always have good experience there. Only time I go to Airgas is if my preferred store is closed (last time was for acetylene).

Family owned store will fill others cylinders, but Airgas won't take them if they aren't theirs.

 

My local supplier was Rockford welding and then Matheson supposedly bought them out. Great people , reasonable pricing, and not far of a drive. Air gas was two blocks from them in the same industrial park. Well Air gas bought them out before Air gas was bought. I went to Air gas after they closed the Matheson store to get pricing.
They were crazy high on tank exchanges ! I mean like 40% more . That was it for them.
I drive about 40 minutes to ADVANCED WELDING where I have been going to for years now. Great people, pricing, and no issues with tanks. Worth the drive.

 

Airgas is the only welding supply for miles around me so I don't really have a choice but to use them. They bought the only local mom and pop store we had and eventually closed them up leaving only their main corporate store. Their prices are sky-high for sure, but I only get my argon from them, maybe a pair of gloves once in a while, otherwise everything else I order online. Even buying argon can be an adventure, as depending who's at the counter when I go determines what the price is. I did an exchange last week and the guy at the counter (different than previous visits) tried to charge me $10 more than my previous exchange, I called him out on it and boy if looks could kill!

 

My experience is pretty much the same. Use to get good deals, now not so much. Matheson here is even worse. Not much in stock, and everything at straight list price. We've got a couple others, Red Ball welding and Gas Supply. Red Ball is the worst. Counter guy doesn't weld, seems like he never has. Probably the owners kid, LOL. They started as a medical gas supplier, and opened a welding section. Gas supply is the best, but I can still get better prices at HD/Lowes on rod and wire as they give a veteran discount.

 

I don't use airgas for gas refills unless absolutely necessary, they cost 2 to 3 tunes the price of praxair.

 

My buddy owned a welding supply that his father started 40 years ago. He just sold out to Air Gas this last year or so. I know Mike gave me great pricing. I had to get some supplies so went over to Alliance as it was closer. HOLY crap what a bunch of clowns. Prices were outrageous! I went over to Air Gas and the pricing was even worse. I talked to Mike a couple weeks ago about the price structure as he works for them now. He said they are working on bringing the prices more inline, inline with what I don't know. I was after some 1# SB rod. They said they are discontinuing the 1# packs and will only be selling 10# in the future. So,,, Airgas has bad selection and high prices for consumables and gas prices are almost double what I'm used to. At least they were friendly.

 

Support your local welding supply house. Why is it when ever you go in the pricing is whatever the counter man thinks is right? You would think Lowes or Home Depot would step in and make some money. Just give me a stinking price upfront!

 

You would think Lowes or Home Depot would step in and make some money.

I've often wondered about this, too. If HD or Lowes would really "dive in" to welding gear, they could make a killing.