Refillable Industrial Gas Bottles - No Rent

[West Aussie Glen]

Hare and Forbes are now offering gas bottles that you purchase and and then just do an exchange for a full bottle with no rental costs only a refill cost.
I haven't gone into the refill costs but it is something I will be thinking about. I guess one will need to investigate bottle life as well.

http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Search?S=&Filters=Category:3101;&AddFilter=Brand&FilterID=1503

[Biggles]

OK.  I don't have oxy so didn't realise they didn't have the same system as propane gas over here where we have had "swap and go" for years.

[StinkyPete]

There certainly needs to be some changes to the monopoly held by BOC for gas bottles.    As a home handyman with one "D"Oxy and one "D"Argoshield, paying $370 per year for bottle rental is pretty steep, and I'm keen to look at any alternatives.   Unfortunately Machinery Warehouse does not have an Adelaide branch.

[Brock]

Propane/lpg cylinders are swap/refill here, but welding gas has always been hire the bottle at $NNN.nn per year and pay for refill/swap. the ability to buy a bottle and swap will work out cheaper in the long run.

[STeveo]

I bought an E size (4 cu me) Argon bottle from local Gasweld shop. Cost $499 for full bottle (never pay those rip off rental bastards again) and a refil is $144. I only use about one bottle a year for both TIG and the MIG (same gas) so next year I will be even with the rental.

[Kev Murphy]

I have a friend here who loaned his 6 month old BBQ to a third person for Xmas... when the gas ran out, this person did a bottle swap at a garage, but the owner discovered that the replacement bottle can no longer be refilled as it is now two months overdue for safety testing, and is over ten years old as opposed to his brand new gas bottle.

Just a touch off topic...

[alans1100]

I have a friend here who loaned his 6 month old BBQ to a third person for Xmas... when the gas ran out, this person did a bottle swap at a garage, but the owner discovered that the replacement bottle can no longer be refilled as it is now two months overdue for safety testing, and is over ten years old as opposed to his brand new gas bottle.

Just a touch off topic...

You mean someone in a service station actually checked the dates on the gas bottle? Wouldn't have happened where I worked: we just gave the key to cage to the customer as we were on our own most of the time and to busy to leave the counter. Delivery driver was supposed to check dates on empties as well but I'd never seen one do it.