If someone gives you a gas cylinder (acetylene), and no stickers are on it showing where it comes from such as a LWS only a stamp showing it was last tested in 1968, can you just take that cylinder in to your LWS and ask for a refill or exchange and just see what they say? I own several bottles of O2, acty, and argon. just wondering if a swap can be made or will there be a hassel.
rs
If it's an owner bottle, and you are a business, they will swap it without batting an eye in every welding supply I've ever dealt with across the country.
If it's an owner bottle and you are a hobby type welder, they will apply a different set of rules, because they know business' use bottles and return them quickly, homeowners may keep the bottle for a looooooong time before returning it.
If it's NOT an owner bottle, they'll tell you it's stolen and either keep it or tell you to hit the road.
If you explain the situation you have a decent (?) chance of talking to a decent (?) employee at the welding supply, if not ask if the manager is there and talk to him.
Despite common belief, there ARE good guys working in welding supply store, you just have to look to find them ; )
We've hauled in all sorts of stray bottles of all sizes and flavors, I've never had any trouble but I am a business and have a long term relationship with my welding supplies. I've even bought, and brought in, rental bottles and they swap me for owner bottles. If they don't know you they will treat you differently, they know I'm not a crack head trying to swap a bottle I stole.
JTMcC.
Well, I hauled it in to my LWS and told them who I bought it from. They knew the guy and said we'll just swap it for you.
I do a resonable amount of business with them, just not bottles. This supplier (Lampton Welding Supply) is only in north oklahoma and Kansas. I do more work South oklahoma and Texas, so I could never swap out bottles with any one else. Airgas seems to be at every corner. But like you pointed out, relationships with suppliers, that was key.
thanks for your replies,
rs
stkwldr,
Glad to hear it worked out well for you.
jrw159 :-)
stkwldr,
You could take it in and "see what they say" but I would suggest that you take it in and have them verify that it is an up to date and "good" cylinder. It appears that you are not out any cash on the deal, so your safety and the safety of those that may be subjected to this cylinder is well worth the no cost effort of making sure.
Best case scenerio is you have a cylinder that you can be sure is safe and refillable anywhere you may need to take it.
Worst case scenerio is you have something you can make a bell out of (follow safe practices) or a big paperweight. :-)
I don't know if they might give you something for the old bottle or not, but it would not be much, im sure.
jrw159
Like was said & said well, a lot depends on how well the LWS knows you & what kind of business you do with them. Here, for example, there's only one place in town that's independent. There's Airgas besides them & they will NOT refill your own private cylinder, not here, in Lansing MI. The independent LWS will & these guys will for anyone. I do get a better price than most, but again, I have been doing business with them for 10+ years & I have an LLC as well. They Hydrotest & recertify cylinders for me for $12 a piece. I have probably close to 15-20 cylinders from every imaginable place known & I get them all filled there. Their only policy is that in most cases, you have to leave them. They usually won't exchange unless they sold it to you. Again, I can get a loaner if I was real hard up.
Good luck with it. S.W.
thanks. on older gentelmen who I have done welding work for had this bottle outside of his shop and asked if I wanted it. He now uses only propane and let me have it. the first thing I looked at was the last test date and it was 68. All my bottles I own and they are from airgas. I am going to run over there tomorrow and see what they say. I will also try my local welding supply first. Airgas is 30 miles away.
The best you can do is try. Every place is a little different & a lot depends on just plain how well they know you & what kind of business you do with them. Good luck. S.
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