whats cheaper

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i was wondering how much it would cost to fill a average welding tank with argon. and would co2 be cheaper, in american $$$?
Reply:It cost me $18 to fill my 40cf bottle with 75%/25% Argon/co2Yes, co2 is cheaper. The bottle is more expensive though, at least where I get gas it is.-Dallas J
Reply:dalls J's right ,I use the same size tank and just to buy it was 90 bucks and 10 to fill it. But there after it will be 20 to fill. Why are those tanks so expensive. I was going to be a big shot and buy a larger one until I saw the price   .Weld-Pak 100 Mig. New to welding and melting anything metal
Reply:I own two tanks - 80 and 122cf, both for my TIG setup.  It costs me $69 to fill the 122 with straight Ar, $49 for the 80 with straight Ar.  80cf of 98% Ar/2% H2 costs me $69.  These prices are all Canadian dollars, so in USD it would be $41 for the 80cf/$58 for the 122cf both with straight Ar and $58 for the 80cf with 98/2 Ar/H2.I don't fill CO2 at all so I can't compare it, but CO2 is generally cheaper per cf than Argon since it's present at much higher atmospheric concentrations and is easily gas mined and/or produced in pilot plants.  Any hydrocarbon combustion in an oxygen atmosphere will give you CO2, and it liquifies/redistills away easily from most other components of a post-combustion mix.  Argon's a pain in the butt due to its trace concentration in the atmosphere and the need to dessicate it after redistillation.MR
Reply:I have several tank sizes, but the cost between sizes for the same gas appears, to large degree, based on the handling costs or rules of thumb and not so much on actual gas prices.  But there is a persistant difference between argon and argon/co2, regardless of size.  For argon, my 80cf tank costs $27US to refill, my 247cf tank costs $37 (as opposed to $22 and $32 for 75/25).  If they were basing the price on actual gas prices per volume, the difference should get larger with larger tanks, but it's not (I think it's a $5 difference for the 40cf tank also)....Go figure...Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:You have a 247cf tank?  Damn, that must be nice.I saw some big ol' tanks on craigslist here a few weeks ago.  I probably should've picked on up.  Not portable at all, but that and a long hose might be nice to have around the shop.-Heath
Reply:it is nice until it needs to be refilled.  My argon supplier actually had larger sizes (like 400-500cf) at practically the same price (tank and refills), but I couldnt pick them up at all.  Being an acedemic has turned me into a weak fat wuss.  The bad thing is that the guy that picks up these tanks and brings them out is like 70 years old.  He can make my tank look pretty portable, but I cant.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:Fortunately, I don't have that problem.  I was blessed with some good ol' boy genetics (~240Lbs) and I try to go rock climbing (in a gym) about twice a week.  I can tote, lift, squeeze, or pull just about anything a normal human could.  The hand-strength is also pretty handy in that I can forego looking for a wrench for most things.  A fellow gave me a water barrel a couple of weeks ago and tried to explain to me how use a couple of screwdrivers to get the bung off without a bung wrench.  I told him that I'd just use my hands.  He explained that would be impossible given that he'd tightened them with a bung wrench.  As he was explaining this to me, I proceeded to open the barrel he'd just tightened.  He was amused, and I got a free water barrel, so we were both happy.However, I am planning a cart that looks like it might be about 300Lbs or more with everything on it.  I'm beginning to wonder if I'll need to build a ramp to get it into the back of my truck.-Heath
Reply:I would have to use a ramp and likely my son (who is probably stonger than I am at age 14).  Trying to pick up 300 lbs would cause my intestines to come out of me like they were spring-loaded.  I used to think I was an athleate, but in reality I was only a baseball pitcher.  Althought I was good enough to play for my college team, I occasionally saw big fat guys that pitched about as well as I did, so I am no longer convinced I was EVER an athleate (or that pitching necessarily qualifies as athletics, for that matter).  Baseball, yes....Pitching...well...maybe, maybe not.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.