Contaminated Argon Again

[Eelspike]

So a few weeks back I got a bottle of straight Argon from the AirGas store about a 1/2 hour up the line from me and it was contaminated. I bought it back and they said I could swap it but I would have to pay for the gas then they would send it to be tested and refund me. Okay they had me over a barrel so I paid and was still struggling to get a decent puddle but it was much better I though okay I will just keep practicing. In the meantime I was blaming the machine. To back up I have an old Dialarc but haven't done much Tig work with it in a long time I got a new inverter so I was thinking it's just learning curve. Before I went AirGas I called because what I really wanted to do was exchange my old full size agron bottle and pay the hydro fee but they wouldn't do it so I bought a 125cf bottle from them for 400$ + 56 bucks for the gas when I brought it back they didn't have another 125 that wasn't the same lot so I took an 80 the gas on the 80 was 53 bucks. At that point I was already like this sucks. I went and got my old tank which I believe is a 250 and took it back 70 miles to where it was last exchanged and paid for the hydro and they just exchanged it across the dock no problem. I hooked it up and did some spool gun aluminum work with it and setup my old Dialarc and practiced some aluminum tig no problem running fine. So I hooked it up to the new inverter and it was fine I really like the balance control and the hertz work fine I'm still rusty but it completely workable. I said ok let me run out the 80 then go back to AirGas and swap it for a 75/25 mix for mig. I the 80 up to the Tig which is now pretty dialed in and no **** it was the gas so I switched back and forth with the same regulator same setup to make these test welds side by side the AirGas crap is bad enough to mess up the cleaning and won't establish a consistent shiny puddle. I was careful to just change the one parameter the gas. I bought the bottle back to AirGas and now want my money back they told me the test on the first bad gas isn't back and this will have to be tested. I show the gym the rest plates and even gave him one to hold on to. I am an old welder I am setting up to do some of my own project work as I wind down a career as a union ironworker do structural steel welding. The move valuable thing to my is time I wasted a lot of time or really AirGas wasted my time. I should be pretty clear that these hobby size bottles are being neglected and some step in quality control is missing. Now I will probably wait weeks with of hear anything. I will follow up with a letter to corporate I'm not mad at the guys in the store but I'm pretty disappointed.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vY2uX6Zo44bY8BtM6

[psacustomcreations]

That sucks. Airgas is terrible here.

Can you use the place that swapped out the 250 to trade or fill the smaller bottles you have?

[52 Ford]

Where'd the good gas come from?

What's the reason for stepping down from a 250 to a 125?

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[52 Ford]

That sucks. Airgas is terrible here.

Can you use the place that swapped out the 250 to trade or fill the smaller bottles you have?

Says you're in Fredericksburg. Are you dealing with Arc3 or Airgas (same company - right?)

I haven't even been NEAR an Airgas or Arc3 probably 5 or 6 years. Closest one to me is in Ashland or maybe Richmond. The Richmond Airgas is by a steel supplier, so I'd probably end up heading to that one.

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[psacustomcreations]

Says you're in Fredericksburg. Are you dealing with Arc3 or Airgas (same company - right?)

I haven't even been NEAR an Airgas or Arc3 probably 5 or 6 years. Closest one to me is in Ashland or maybe Richmond. The Richmond Airgas is by a steel supplier, so I'd probably end up heading to that one.

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I have a personal account with Arc3 in Fredericksburg. Since we also have an account there for my regular job, it helps. I have not had any issues with Arc3.


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[52 Ford]

I have a personal account with Arc3 in Fredericksburg. Since we also have an account there for my regular job, it helps. I have not had any issues with Arc3.


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Gotcha. I'm going to need to get some cylinders for the MIG and oxy-fuel torch, soon. Might just go to Ashland.

Apparently they actually do hydro testing in Chesterfield.

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[52 Ford]

So a few weeks back I got a bottle of straight Argon from the AirGas store about a 1/2 hour up the line from me and it was contaminated. I bought it back and they said I could swap it but I would have to pay for the gas then they would send it to be tested and refund me. Okay they had me over a barrel so I paid and was still struggling to get a decent puddle but it was much better I though okay I will just keep practicing. In the meantime I was blaming the machine. To back up I have an old Dialarc but haven't done much Tig work with it in a long time I got a new inverter so I was thinking it's just learning curve. Before I went AirGas I called because what I really wanted to do was exchange my old full size agron bottle and pay the hydro fee but they wouldn't do it so I bought a 125cf bottle from them for 400$ + 56 bucks for the gas when I brought it back they didn't have another 125 that wasn't the same lot so I took an 80 the gas on the 80 was 53 bucks. At that point I was already like this sucks. I went and got my old tank which I believe is a 250 and took it back 70 miles to where it was last exchanged and paid for the hydro and they just exchanged it across the dock no problem. I hooked it up and did some spool gun aluminum work with it and setup my old Dialarc and practiced some aluminum tig no problem running fine. So I hooked it up to the new inverter and it was fine I really like the balance control and the hertz work fine I'm still rusty but it completely workable. I said ok let me run out the 80 then go back to AirGas and swap it for a 75/25 mix for mig. I the 80 up to the Tig which is now pretty dialed in and no **** it was the gas so I switched back and forth with the same regulator same setup to make these test welds side by side the AirGas crap is bad enough to mess up the cleaning and won't establish a consistent shiny puddle. I was careful to just change the one parameter the gas. I bought the bottle back to AirGas and now want my money back they told me the test on the first bad gas isn't back and this will have to be tested. I show the gym the rest plates and even gave him one to hold on to. I am an old welder I am setting up to do some of my own project work as I wind down a career as a union ironworker do structural steel welding. The move valuable thing to my is time I wasted a lot of time or really AirGas wasted my time. I should be pretty clear that these hobby size bottles are being neglected and some step in quality control is missing. Now I will probably wait weeks with of hear anything. I will follow up with a letter to corporate I'm not mad at the guys in the store but I'm pretty disappointed.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vY2uX6Zo44bY8BtM6

You said you paid 400 for the 125cf cylinder and 56 to have it filled with argon.

https://primeweld.com/products/argon...4aAl2BEALw_wcB

Not sure about shipping but here's a FILLED 125CF argon cylinder from prime weld for $370

Edit: free shipping!
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[Eelspike]

Yeah i asked if they could exchange my old empty 250-cf but they said no so that big bottle was 70-mile away at my old family garage and i want to get on with testing the new inverter welder and said ok and bought the 125 which would be convenient because i planned to set up in the basement, i used to carry bottles on my shoulder up and down stairs but that old history. I also new the old bottle was out of hydro and that people around NYC were having hassles exchanging tanks. Bought my bottles outright inn the mid 80s and i would just exchange them at a welding shop it cost a little more but we worked together he threw me aluminum work. i just never expected 2 bad bottles in a row in 35 years i had one bottle that was somewhat crappy. ithink they don't do the quality control on hobby bottles. I do not think i will get any small bottles again, i ran through the new welder from welding from 1/16 to 1/2 aluminum with the good gas and had no issue. I never thought this was a common issue.

[StandarDyne]

With all the horror stories you hear on here, it's hard to believe Airgas is still in business.

[scsmith42]

Says you're in Fredericksburg. Are you dealing with Arc3 or Airgas (same company - right?)

I haven't even been NEAR an Airgas or Arc3 probably 5 or 6 years. Closest one to me is in Ashland or maybe Richmond. The Richmond Airgas is by a steel supplier, so I'd probably end up heading to that one.

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Down here Arc3 and Airgas are two different companies.

My Arc3 is great. They used to be a locally owned company - Machine and Welding. They merged into Arc3 a few years ago but all of the people stayed the same. No complaints here from me in several years of business.

[52 Ford]

Down here Arc3 and Airgas are two different companies.

My Arc3 is great. They used to be a locally owned company - Machine and Welding. They merged into Arc3 a few years ago but all of the people stayed the same. No complaints here from me in several years of business.

Yeah I just looked and they are different companies. I was getting them confused up with something else.



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[52 Ford]

Yeah i asked if they could exchange my old empty 250-cf but they said no so that big bottle was 70-mile away at my old family garage and i want to get on with testing the new inverter welder and said ok and bought the 125 which would be convenient because i planned to set up in the basement, i used to carry bottles on my shoulder up and down stairs but that old history. I also new the old bottle was out of hydro and that people around NYC were having hassles exchanging tanks. Bought my bottles outright inn the mid 80s and i would just exchange them at a welding shop it cost a little more but we worked together he threw me aluminum work. i just never expected 2 bad bottles in a row in 35 years i had one bottle that was somewhat crappy. ithink they don't do the quality control on hobby bottles. I do not think i will get any small bottles again, i ran through the new welder from welding from 1/16 to 1/2 aluminum with the good gas and had no issue. I never thought this was a common issue.

Halfway joking about this - get one of those stairlifts, take the chair off, and put a rack for a pair of big gas cylinders. Put the bottles on at the top of the stairs, let the lift take them down, you unload them, then fold the rack up so it isn't in the way.

Ya gotta admit that'd be pretty nice.

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