If you had a choice what to put in a large bottle?

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I bought an old 200 cu oxy tank today. All my other tanks are 125 CU so this is my first big boy. Its a customer owned tank that can be filled (needs cert). I know I can get it filled at my gas supplier but here is my question. I am close to buying my first tig welder. I hear they use up a lot of argon. Would it be better to see if they will swap it out for an argon tank? I also hear Oxy Propane is thirsty on Oxy. I am setting up a torch as well (still need the propane tips). That said, I mostly use it to get steel hot and bend once in a while. Just dont know how long oxy last with oxy propane. I dont want to keep running to the welding shop because I ran out of gas. In a nutshell what would you do? I have enough tanks to keep a backup 125 argon if need be. Since my mig has a spool gun, my original plan was to keep it there and just get another one filled for the tig cart.  Just wondering what would be better to run in the big tank if they would swap it out for something else. Will also be getting a helium tank filled. that would be bottle #2 on the tig cart. I plan on doing a lot of Tig practicing (when time permits). What I have now:Mig - 125 C25 and 125 100% argon for spool gun on cartOxy Acet set each 125sI have an empty C125 and Oxy that I was going to get filled with Helium and 100% argon for the tig cart (2 bottle cart)Empty 200 OxyLast edited by mikeb9550; 12-28-2011 at 09:19 PM.Reason: 200 cu instead of 300 got the size wrong
Reply:Well, it depends on what you will be using more.  How much TIG will you be doing?  Can you fit a larger bottle on your cart or is your TIG stationary.  If you are just going to be heating with the torch, you will use much more fuel compared to a cutting setup.  Equally sized bottles seem to run out about the same time in a heating setup, with Acetylene anyway.  I haven't used an Oxy/Propane setup in a long time and can't remember the usage amounts.You mention you just need new tips for the propane fueled torch.  Do you already have the new regulator and hoses then? Originally Posted by SundownIIIDon't get me wrong.  They are just as ill informed about politics as they are about welding, they just post more on that subject.
Reply:If you want to keep this as a customer owned cylinder and use something other than O2, You will have to get the valve changed out as well as have it retested. I have a feeling if you swap it, the new cylinder will not be marked as customer owned and there may be issues down the line possibly.Check with your supplier also about what he's willing to do. be sure to get any agreement in writing and save it. The old counter guy at my LWS  let me slip in a few customer owned cylinders I had that I couldn't get filled any more. Now I have cylinders with that companies markings on them instead, and for all practical purposes they are "rental" cylinders even though they don't show up on my account listing. I can swap them as needed between O2 and mig gas or argon. All in all I really didn't loose anything by turning those cylinders in, they were useless to me at this point anyways.As far as size... Generally I go thru more O2 than anything else, but that's changed a bit in the last year or so. I usually go thru 1 330cf O2 to a 75 cf acet if I'm cutting. Heating is closer to 1 to 1. I haven't rigged up yet for propane. I know I pay pretty much the same to fill my 100cf O2 as my 330cf ones, so it was a no brainer in that regard. If I used my tig more, I'd think about a larger argon, same with my mig. Gas wise, I use pretty much the same amount of gas when I mig as when I tig in terms of CF. If anything my tig is set to a lower CFH than the tig is, since I run a gas lens most times and weld inside where there is no breeze, compared to the mig where I usually have to crank up the gas flow a bit higher because I usually mig outside..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Thanks guys. I noticed that from the guy I bought if from. It was an extra one. He got the other one filled at airgas. They gave him one back with their ring on the top. My gas supplier is pretty cool and I dont see me going anywhere else since nobody else will even touch bottles other than their own over 125 cu. Paid 100 bucks for it. Im sure they will fill this tank up if that's what I want. The old tank it pretty cool. It spent some time in the armed forces (army and navy stamps). If it could only talk.I bought a 25' T hose. I have read a ton on regulators. From what I get out of it, if they are rated for acetylene, LP should be good. I need to build a little enclosure for my Oxy/Acet/Propane since I keep the stuff in my shed which is way way in the back. I dont like storing fuel in the garage since my sons room is above it. But then again, there is 50 gallons of gas in the cars (in the garage).As far as how much tig will I be doing, I plan to keep laying beads on scrap until I get good. Knowing me, it will be a while. I just have heard folks complain about tig using a lot of gas. Originally, I thought I had a 300 CF tank. but now it looks like a 200 based on my measurements.
Reply:I just traded it for an new oxy. Turns out is was a 282 CF tank. It was a good trip. Only 4 dollars more from a 125 cu to get filled. Also found out that the little welding shop on the way to work is the areas regulator and torch rebuilder. I wondered how he stayed in business since his retail section is like 6 x 8 feet. Kinda went over the whole oxy/LP differences (basically same stuff discussed here) and said I was good to go. Nice guy and he will get my business if I need anything like this.