This afternoon I paid 81 smackers for one 80 CF argon refill. That included $5.85 hazmat fee and $2.00 'inspection and maintenance fee'.
Past charges for the same refill were: $64.22 $50.88
...in 2004
Is this about the right ballpark for argon?
I found it interesting that I paid sales tax on the surcharges, too.
Ouch!
--Winston
I recently gave up mixed gas on my MIG for CO2 for the same reason. Get used to it, raise your rates, and eliminate "free" jobs. In case you haven't noticed, just about everything at the welding shops has gone up considerably.
Steve
Visit my site at
(...)
Well, OK as long as they don't charge more for products shipped to 'poseur weenie wannabe' weldors.
--Winston
Yeow! Did it come with lube?
I've got the receipt here from my last 80cf Argon fill/swap at my local Airgas branch on 03/12/10 and it was $22.50 and there is no hazmat or inspection fee. Previous fill/swaps have been about the same.
You mean I don't *have* to walk funny?
That is more like it.
I wonder if I can recover and recycle argon.
--Winston
I too find it suspicious that you paid sales tax on the surcharges, too. Sales tax is a state-by-state thing, so whether your surcharges are taxable is a local issue (and no, I have no clue about your state -- I'm from Oregon, sales taxes are just wrong). If you care, check with your state -- chances are high that your supplier was overcharging you.
Know what you mean.
I got a bill for my oxy tank rental - and it had a hasmat fee. Hum - had the bottle for two years - and pay them ? Did it.
Then when to use it last month and wham - empty bottle - Got it swapped and paid second hasmat. Price was ok - $19. Good grief what will we have to do - now look for Lindie or AirGas Argon generation units ?
Mart> This afternoon I paid 81 smackers for one 80 CF
As you say, sales taxes vary state by state. As a data point, New Mexico has a "gross receipts" tax (which we informally refer to as a sales tax). Food is not taxable, but all other goods and services are. So down here you would likely be paying the tax on the surcharges.
I believe you are right.
I just called a competing store about 12 miles away. He quoted about $40 out the door for the same thing.
Arrrgh!
--Winston
Where do I sign up for one?
--Winston
(...)
In my state, sales taxes apply only to 'tangible personal property'.
Nope, still doesn't sound right.
--Winston
All I can say is search industrial sale off sites.
A local wrecking yard has a liquid oxygen generation unit - do they can do lance burning with oxygen. It sits on the back of their property and hoses down to the big item pit with a crane and picker at hand.
Normally a mill pouring of a gear blank that went bad or a cut gear that has a void / wrong cut or just trash. To large for the bucket so the scrapper cuts it in smaller chunks for easy application.
Oh - the gears - have to ship sideways - they are to tall otherwise. They are big industrial gears!
Mart> >> Know what you mean.
There are two points to be learned here, Winston. One is that being assertive with a shop that is charging you at a high rate can be productive. If not, just take your business elsewhere, but be sure to tell them why. Secondly, shopping prices is a very good thing.
I recently got involved in a drama over a large oxygen cylinder. One company wanted to confiscate it, and the second actually told me to grind off the name and bring it in, and they'd exchange it. The cylinder had a name on it of a company that has been out of business for twenty years.
The difference was that one company wanted to get and keep my business, and the other was going to stick to their rules no matter what.
We all have the right to say yes or no. Learning when to do it is the trick.
You get counter geeks who actually laugh at you after you leave if they ream you. Having an account at a supplier helps, but you still need to assert yourself at times to get the best prices, and if you don't get them, and can get it somewhere else cheaper, just walk, but be sure to tell the manager why you're leaving. Sometimes that results in the decapitation of a smart ass counter geek.
Steve
Visit my site at
Lance burning is other-worldly. It makes me think of what we mere humans can actually do with a little thought. Blowing through a foot of steel has to impress anyone.
Steve
Visit my site at
(...)
Heh! It is not really necessary to explain. The customer is either present or he is not.
'Soon as I returned from that shop, I ordered a *bunch* of TIG supplies from an internet vendor.
I'm now trying to figure out how to get my bottles refilled via UPS. It wouldn't be any more expensive than the shop I visited this morning. :)
After having boycotted a local market for few weeks, I noticed that the attitude improved markedly when I did happen to show up for a couple items. The state of the economy sure takes a *long time* to make itself apparent to some folks. :)
Today I bought another argon bottle. I have paperwork on it because I bought it at a real welding shop. It has a 'lease' collar as well. The sales guy told me that refilling won't be an issue because all the local shops are aware that the previous owner is long out of business. We shall see what happens at refill time. I hope I don't run into the same drama you outlined earlier.
I've learned that in most of those situations, the counter geek is just acting on instructions from his boss. In many situations, it is "sociopaths all the way up".
It's all kind of meaningless until we find a way to recycle this expensive gas. At ~30% heavier than air, it should not be too difficult. I'm thinking 'gridded benchtop' that funnels overflow so it can be used as 'fill' or backup gas at the very least.
--Winston
On 6/16/2010 8:22 PM, SteveB wrote: (...)
I haven't done that yet. Sounds like a ton of fun!
--Winston
Watch the 1978 film "Thief" with James Caan. A beautiful scene with a real oxy lance cutting through a vault door. My only faults with the scene, are that there is only one oxygen bottle, and they aren't wearing any kind of respirators.
I would NOT want to do that in a small space. You would run out of air pretty quick.
Still it is great footage. I would love to know who was the consultant on it.
--Winston
Ernie, thanks, I am downloading the movie Thief right now.
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