Advice from welders in Phoenix

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Hey everyone,  Before somebody says it, I did use the search for about 2 hours (I get sidetracked easily reading everyone's posts and responses...LOL).   I'm in the west valley in Phoenix and was hoping for suggestions from you guys and gals for a quality LWS.  I've stopped by one and I'll just say I less than thrilled with the customer service and selection and searching with Google had way too many suggestions.  I've been lurking on here quite a while so I knew there are few people from my area and they would know.  I'm gonna take my C-25 tank down and get it filled or exchanged.  i was hoping to find a place to exchange and go up a size or two.  I called one national chain place and to exchange my tank (an 80) to a 150 it was almost $300 and that seemed a little on the pricey side to me.  I was also looking far a new helmet butif that the price for gas it's gonna be a long time for the helmet... HaHa.  Thanks in advance for suggestions for a good LWS!
Reply:Greetings from Avondale. Did you try Vern Lewis? I only go there because its so close to me. Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkLincoln Pro Mig 180HF Stick/Tig Inverter WelderLincoln AC225s
Reply:Funny you suggest them, they were one of two places I was gonna check out today.  I have missed them twice now, last Saturday By an hour (apparently I can't read when looking at there hours online...LOL) and one night during the week I was five minutes late. From looking in the yard they look like they can definitely handle a tank exchange, are there prices pretty good?  I also was gonna hit Phoenix Welding Supply in Glendale. You are almost as far west as I am, I'm in Litchfield Park.  I find when I tell people in downtown Phoenix or Scottsdale area where I live they react like it halfway to California.
Reply:Vern lewis is likely your best bet. They are marginally higher than Phx Welding, but not much. Keep an eye on CL for bigger bottles, they are much cheaper there.
Reply:Not sure about the pricing but yea they should be able to take care of you. Ive only gone a few times to buy equipment. Those times that I have gone , the register guy is watching me as if I was gonna steal something. Making me feel a bit uncomfortable but I understand. Yea I agree how east phx folk think that way.  Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkLincoln Pro Mig 180HF Stick/Tig Inverter WelderLincoln AC225s
Reply:Yeah, I've been checking on Craigslist here in Phoenix. The only thing that I found recently is this:http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/bfd/4396460084.htmlaccording to her to dimensions this is a screaming deal. At 56 inches tall to the top of the cap &  10 inches diameter I figure it's around a 250, but then she has it at 40 pounds which is closer to a 40 cf tank. And then it gets even shadier, I do a search of the phone number and she's posting items on other sites using two different names. All that and she never answers the phone only text. I  think I'll pass on the above deal...  Lol.  but normally you are correct, I got my last 80 cf tank on a craigslist deal. I pick up the tank ,  welder and a cart for $250. the welder was a Lincoln 135 MIGon a harbor Freight cart. I kept the bottle that was half full, re posted the welder and card for 300 and sold it for 260. Not bad I ended up making 10 bucks and a half full 80CF tank of C25...
Reply:Okay, I'm gonna go ahead and update this real quick.?  I hate it when I searched threads and find the subject I want and then it just stops with no conclusion. So I am definitely going to check out Vern Lewis because they are a lot closer to me. I stopped in Phoenix Welding Supply this afternoon with my 80cf C-25 bottle. And I left with a 300cf C-25 tank and I paid just under $150. And I asked a few other questions. First off yes I do own the bottle and can do whatever I want or take it to any gas supply company I like. And when I use all this ( and that's gonna take me forever... lol ) they will refill it for me for $58 out the door.  So I am extremely happy with that, especially after that call to national chain gas supply earlier.  I really hope no one ever goes to that place and gets over charged like that. Thank you to everybody for the suggestions and I really look forward to future interactions on this forum. I am a member of some other forums and I think you get the best advice and deals on equipment as well as meeting really cool people with similar interests on forums. Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
Reply:Pretty good price. Gonna check them out one of these days. Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkLincoln Pro Mig 180HF Stick/Tig Inverter WelderLincoln AC225s
Reply:I don't live anywhere near Phoenix but I love your profile picture!GravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:Haha... I didn't even see that till you mentioned it.  I had just downloaded the Tapatalk app on my phone as I was leaving the LWS.  I was trying to load the second picture that goes with the yellow FJ Cruiser "before" with the stock front bumper.  It was supposed to be of the Yellow FJ with the bumper I built.  I was fighting with Google drive (and apparently losing) and put up the pic of Kris instead.  I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess the pic of Kris is better than yet another picture of a custom front bumper.
Reply:Originally Posted by PsychoCowboy  I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess the pic of Kris is better than yet another picture of a custom front bumper.
Reply:Originally Posted by walkerweldQuite right!  The contours on Kris are much better than the angles of any bumper!
Reply:The rear is stock butt very nice. The front however is definitely aftermarket and larger with nice shapes...
Reply:Damn I'm having a hell of a time with pics...  Here is a front angle.
Reply:Originally Posted by PsychoCowboyDamn I'm having a hell of a time with pics...  Here is a front angle.
Reply:you should def give this guy a shot. Been great to me doing all the same stuff you are needing done. Eldon BuchananMatheson Trigas951 s country club drMesa az 85210480-834-8450
Reply:I saw them and totally agree with you.  I used the one on Grant down in Tucson but Mesa is a bit of a hike for me...LOL.  I had already planned on stopping by when I am visiting a friend out there sometime.  But a solid LWS like that just on this side of town is exactly what I was asking about.... before we go a bit sidetracked with this thread.
Reply:Vern Lewis gets my recommendation. I go to the one at 18th Ave and DeerValley Rd but of course they have stores in several places throughout the valley. They've always had very good prices on gas. Stuff like pliers, wire, clamps etc are sometimes less expensive there at VL than for the crappier stuff at HF. Tillman jackets are less expensive at VL than on Amazon.Sgt Lumpy
Reply:I'm on the N side, and I've used Vern Lewis and Phoenix Welding, happy with both.  When I was often further south I really liked the downtown Phx Welding.  The one on the N side off I17 is just a tiny satellite with limited supply.
Reply:Originally Posted by GravelI don't live anywhere near Phoenix but I love your profile picture!
Reply:Originally Posted by BD1Yea, those John Deere's are awesome. I like the big a$$ tire.            OK, try my local supplier in Wisconsin for a hood. http://www.weldersupply.com/C/32/Helmets