Oxy tank Size

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Was looking at getting the medium duty Smith propane torch setup .  I have plenty of propane tanks and no need for gas welding.  Question is Oxy bottle size.  1. Buy a 75-80 for about $1452. Lease the approx. 120 size for $130 for 5 years Leaning towards the small size for storage and carrying around size I won't be using a cart.  Basically just get the stuff out, put it together  and use it when the need arises.  How long will the 80 size last when cutting 1/4 inch thick stuff, cutting up bush hog deck, heating and bending 1/2 inch size rebar and other random stuff like that.  Typical farm use about 5 or 10 times a year.
Reply:Buying a small tank you'll either have to get hydrostat testest every 5 years or buy a new tank every 5 years. The 80 would be large enough for your use. Due you  plan to stop welding after 5 years, if not get a lifetime lease. I started with an 80 or what ever they are and my local dealer let me upgrade to a larger bottle for the price difference. Back then I think it cost me $15. It's been a decade or so since the last time I got a lifetime lease but it wasn't much more than a short term lease. The larger the bottle the less you end up paying for gas per cubic foot. I would get a lifetime lease on the largest O2 bottle that you can afford.Once you get a lifetime lease you're locked agianst price increases of short term leases. Of course if you're putting a bottle inside of a service body on truck then it would make since to get a smaller bottle.
Reply:The small one should last a long time for the type of work you are describing.I Just leased a 180 for $175 for 5 years.  This is the longest lease they had.If you get your small tank "filled" now and then, they just give you another one so you MIGHT not have to pay the hydrostatic test thing.  It depends on your supplier.  I have 8 80 size bottles of various gasses.  It does cost a little more to fill them, but much easier for me to handle.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by David RThe small one should last a long time for the type of work you are describing.I Just leased a 180 for $175 for 5 years.  This is the longest lease they had.If you get your small tank "filled" now and then, they just give you another one so you MIGHT not have to pay the hydrostatic test thing.  It depends on your supplier.  I have 8 80 size bottles of various gasses.  It does cost a little more to fill them, but much easier for me to handle.David
Reply:Every supplier is different.  If I could buy a 99 year lease, I would jump all over it.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by David REvery supplier is different.  If I could buy a 99 year lease, I would jump all over it.David
Reply:We sell our cylinders with a "15 year buyback" and issue a cylinder agreement with every cylinder sold. The 15 year buyback works like this. If you were to purchase an 80 cubic foot oxygen today for $185.00, you own the cylinder, during the 15 year period if you ever decide to sell the cylinder back to us we will give you the $185.00 back, at the end of the 15 year agreement, we'll send a letter out to the person that bought the cylinder asking him if he wants to keep the buyback portion of his original agreement, if he does he just needs to sign the letter, and mail it back, all this does is keep his buyback in effect, if we don't hear from the person that bought the cylinder, he still owns it, we just aren't guaranteeing to buy it back for what he paid for it. If he brings his cylinders back to us to exchange, and if any one of them ever needs a hydrostatic test, we don't charge him for that. The only time we ever charge for a retest, is if the guy brings in a cylinder that does not have our label on it, and it is out of date. We also allow the customer to upgrade to a larger cylinder by just paying the difference between what he originally bought and what he wants to upgrade to.
Reply:I have pretty much the same deal.  I bought my 120cf Argon tank from my gas passer and as long as I have it filled by him I just take it in and pay for the gas and he exchanges the tank for another one.  I never pay for a hydrostat unless I stop using him and go to another gas passer.  Usually the new gas passer would require me to pay for the hydro if my tank has expired (which makes sense).In the long run Its cheaper than paying a lease for 30 years. You only pay for the tank once along with all of your gas refills.  With a lease that is long term you will end up paying for the tank several times over in addition to the gas refills.Michael