# Forum Home Renovation Tools & Products  Welding gas bottle - buy outright or rent?

## ChocDog

Guys, I know there are a few on here that weld so thought you might have some useful insight.  
So, I am sick of paying BOC a $200 a year to rent a cylinder. Last time I filled it was probably 4 years ago. I just dont do much welding. 
I hear a lot of people these days are moving away from renting a cylinder and swapping to a buy outright scenario. But then it seems like you are locked in with a certain supplier (like Supagas, Speedgas, etc). I think Total Tools is linked in with one of them. Also Bunnings do something similar (give them a $200 deposit for the bottle, when finished using the bottle, return it and the $200 is refunded). 
I'm keen to look into this and swap over to a buy outright scenario. 
I use MIG (GMAW…) so need a mixed argon gas. Currently using D size (small) but would considering  going smaller but it seems C size is pretty rare in this buy outright scenario. 
Anyone got any recommendations or insights? Ie:  Recommended supplier (I'm in inner north Melb if that helps)?Are you responsible for pressure testing the cylinder to keep it in service?What happens if the supplier you are hooked up with goes out of business?  
Cheers.

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## PhilT2

I have mig and oxy through Bunnings just because when i dumped boc they were the only option at the time. I think boc are offering better deals now but I've been screwed by them for so long that I'm never going back. A total tools opened up locally a while back but the few times I've been in there they have had none in stock.
 I did check prices of a few different suppliers and there wasn't enough difference to make it worthwhile changing; i've stuck with bunnies for the convenience of their opening hours and knowing they will be there if i want to hand the bottles back. I've never had an issue with testing but i swap a few times a year.

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## ChocDog

Thanks Phil. Do you know their system re getting a refund when you choose to return the cylinder and get your $200 deposit money back? Do you need to hold onto the receipt (this is what I had heard elsewhere) and provide it? This seems painful as pretty easy to misplace it... Or do they have a better system in place (customer/bottle on record, etc)?

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## PhilT2

Neighbour took his back without receipts; no problem. Receipts generally fade anyway so would be useless after a year or so. Bunnies keep no records that i know of; I have never had to provide ID to buy or swap. Also they never check how you transport the bottle which could be an issue with acetylene.

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## cyclic

Was discussed here last year along with some prices. https://www.renovateforum.com/f249/b...ke-own-119345/

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## ChocDog

Nice one cyclic, that was  the thread that I learnt you no longer needed to rent. Could not find it though. Good info you put in there - greatly appreciated. As much as I hate to say it, sounds like bunnings might be the way to go. 
Thanks for that Phil, great to know I don't need to keep paperwork stored safely for years.  
====

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## Marc

> I hear a lot of people these days are moving away from renting a cylinder and swapping to a buy outright scenario. But then it seems like you are locked in with a certain supplier (like Supagas, Speedgas, etc). I think Total Tools is linked in with one of them. Also Bunnings do something similar (give them a $200 deposit for the bottle, when finished using the bottle, return it and the $200 is refunded). 
> I'm keen to look into this and swap over to a buy outright scenario. 
> I use MIG (GMAW…) so need a mixed argon gas. Currently using D size (small) but would considering  going smaller but it seems C size is pretty rare in this buy outright scenario. 
> Anyone got any recommendations or insights? Ie:  Recommended supplier (I'm in inner north Melb if that helps)?Are you responsible for pressure testing the cylinder to keep it in service?What happens if the supplier you are hooked up with goes out of business?  
> Cheers.

  Whatever you do, rent or buy you are depending from a supplier. When you buy a cylinder you don't really buy it. You are in charge of it so to speak, and the supplier will swap for a full one or refund you what you paid for the cylinder if you don't want it anymore. You don't own the cylinder so you don't need to test it. That is the supplier's responsibility.
So you are always 'locked in' with someone. Does it matter? If speedgas goes belly up, someone will offer to refill their cylinders. Or may be not. Then again we may have a nuclear war ... who knows.
If you weld, go to a welding supplier. They will most likely offer you Speedgas or some other gas company. I would stay away from amateurs that came on board at the 11th hour like Total Tools or Bunnings. A welding supplier will have a choice of argon mix, the others have just one. You will pay $100 at Bunnings for a D size when you can have an E size that is more than double for $120 with Speedgas or some other mob. 
Then again if you weld only occasionally, why not use flux wire and be done with gas cylinders? There is nothing wrong with flux core wire, in fact you get better penetration and you can work outdoors with no issues with the wind. Sure a bit more spatter. You learn to live with that.

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## ChocDog

Ok, job done. Ended up going with BOC again. 
But… In response to the Bunnings/Total Tools competition they now offer a “D-Plan”: $108/yr which includes a D-bottle rental + 1 free gas fill per year (I think its 2 fills in the 1st year though). 
Much better than the $210 I was paying for rental per year + gas fills. They are not telling people about it (why would you when you can continue to grab double the amount out of their pocket). You only find out when you go in to cancel your account and they offer you this new deal! 
Anyway, thought the info might be handy for some of you.

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## Bros

I have a friend who has a medium size engineering workshop and used to have a couple of E cylinder sets from BOC.  
He retired and still does work or himself and his friend go down and use his gear from time to time so he returned all but one set of bottles. 
After a while BOC sent him a bill for "no activity" so he told them to stick it and returned the last bottles.

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## METRIX

> Ok, job done. Ended up going with BOC again. 
> But… In response to the Bunnings/Total Tools competition they now offer a “D-Plan”: $108/yr which includes a D-bottle rental + 1 free gas fill per year (I think its 2 fills in the 1st year though). 
> Much better than the $210 I was paying for rental per year + gas fills. They are not telling people about it (why would you when you can continue to grab double the amount out of their pocket). You only find out when you go in to cancel your account and they offer you this new deal! 
> Anyway, thought the info might be handy for some of you.

  
So the Bunnings Coregas plan is still better, pay your refundable $199, then $99 per swap, for the convenience of being able to turn up at any Bunnings 7 days a week up to 9.0pm weekdays and get a swap.
I would forgo the BOC offering of possibly two tank for the first year for the convenience, I couldn't find any reference to this first time 2 free refill one off thing. 
Also if you are a small consumer of Gas, say an occasional welder the Bunnings plan will work out cheaper because there is no yearly fee, the quality of gas is the same at BOC or Bunnings, both 99.997% pure.

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## ChocDog

All fair points Metrix. I decided just to go with BOC for the moment so I didnt have a $200 deposit sitting with Bunnings and I have a BOC not far from me so not much of a concern. In a couple of years I might look into it again.

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