mail order welding gas tank?

 Looking for a 40lb tank of Ar CO2 sheilding gas. Heard a few stories of buying empty tanks on line only to find that the local supply house won't fill them. Either A, "we only fill our own tanks. you can buy one for $200". Or B "that tank isn't certified, we won't touch it."

Thoughts?

I bought airgas tanks for my torches from some guy in a plain white van in the home depot parking lot off Craigslist.  Have you checked that?  Otherwise when i need a cylinder for a new machine i suck it up and buy one at airgas, after the original pain of buying the cylinder the subsequent exchanges aren’t bad.

A word of warning… I bought a used MIG welder last year that came with a perfectly good unbranded tank, that the PO had bought from Tractor Supply when he got the welder.  Sadly TSC is no longer doing tank swaps.

So I went to all the local welding places… I couldn’t find ANYONE willing to swap or fill that unbranded tank.  Wound up having to buy another tank that’s branded to a particular company.  The perfectly good empty tank is still chillin in my garage…

Basically, the exact same story you've been hearing i guess.

Just establish a relationship with a welding shop..  it's a good thing.

Way too much liability to risk filling an unknown tank.  If you yank it off the welder, bust the head off the valve and die, (which we all know won't happen) the place that filled that tank has a lot of 'splainin to do, Lucy.

Fueled by Caffeine said:

Just establish a relationship with a welding shop..  it's a good thing.

I'd do this.  If you're going to be welding you need a local source for gas, wire, and other supplies, and if you're a regular customer they may be able to give you a better deal.  It will be a pain to have to rely on waiting for things to arrive in the mail.

Check your local welding supply places... I have a local place where you put a deposit on the tank and pay for the gas.  When it's empty they refill or exchange it.  When you are done with it just take it back and get your deposit back.  My deposit on an 80CF tank was $100.

Years ago I used to drop off CO2 bottles to be refilled.  I had no problem then, but the bottles had to be within certification date.  If not, they would inspect, test and then refill.  

When I bought my MIG welder, they sold me a complete setup that included the bottle.  First time I went to get it refilled, they just swapped it out.  

It depends on who you know, what mood who you're talking to is in, the phase of the moon, what time the Doomsday Clock is at, how much change you have in your pocket, and how long it's been since you cut your toenails.

Really in my, and family members' experience, it makes no sense who will or won't exchange who's bottles and when.  To save yourself the headache, pick a welding supplier and stick with them.

No one fills bottles here, they're all exchanged.

We've got 2 options really, 3 if you drive to Little Rock, but it's either Airgas or a regional chain, Welsco. 

I've got Welsco bottles, they're closer, but one of my best friends is a salesman for Airgas.

I had my friend get some used Oxy/Acetylene bottles from one of his customers for SWMBO's uncle.  The uncle also uses Welsco, has been a long time customer, but he had a hard time exchanging Airgas bottles at Welsco.  Welsco eventually caved and took the bottles, but not without SWMBO's uncle jumping down some throats, and I'd guess threatening to put some feet in asses.

I took an old Welsco Ar/CO2 bottle I dug out of my late grandpa's shop, to Welsco, I had no proof it was mine, no receipt, and had no record of ever doing business with Welsco.  They took their bottle, exchanged it, and even though it was way out of date for its certification, they didn't charge me to re-cert it, since it was their bottle.  I went in expecting a fight, and it was easy-peasy.

I've got an acetylene bottle from another supplier, Welsco told me not to bother bringing it to them, haven't asked Airgas, so it's just taking up room in the corner of my garage.

YMMV

I had and oxygen tank from TSC that was thoroughbred branded, they took my old one in on exchange but not without a little hassle.  I used propane in place of acetylene so I just used grill tanks from the gas station.  I'm probably going to go to the local welding gas supply to get my argon tanks for my welder once I get setup for tig and mig.