Welding Gas Cylinders: To Rent Or To Buy?
Welding gas cylinders are tanks used to store gases (like argon and helium) at high pressure while being attached to welding machines. Welding costs are high and to that end, it is best to examine the options available when deciding what route you are going to choose when it comes to obtaining your welding gas cylinder.
Sourcing Welding Gas Cylinders
When sourcing welding gas cylinders, there are two routes that you can take. The first is to purchase your own welding gas cylinder – which comes with its own set of pros and cons – and the second option is to rent the cylinder, again there are both positives and negatives to this choice. Remember so ensure safe gas cylinder storage regardless of the choice you make.
Owning Your Own Welding Gas Cylinder
If you choose to purchase your own welding gas cylinder, then you will need to buy replacement cylinders for the welder and simply replace the one with the other when the gas runs out - like a gas grill propane tank. The pros to owning your own gas cylinder is obviously the convenience that comes with having it available 24/7, with no rental agreements to deal with. If you weld very often owning a tank makes sense as there are no rental fees adding up every month (these can add up very quickly when you go 6 months without welding, but still pay the fees). However, the downside to owning your own welding gas cylinder is that they are usually limited in size to around 125 cubic feet. That's about half of a full size commercial rental tank.
Rental Welding Gas Cylinders
Commercial size rental welding cylinders are available to rent, meaning you don't own them, but pay a monthly rental fee for the duration that the welding gas cylinder is in your possession. Welding gas cylinders are generally available for monthly or yearly rentals depending on the agreement and can be sourced in larger compressed gas cylinder sizes. If you weld regularly in large amounts, then rental units make sense. No upfront purchase costs and low refill costs are usually cheaper per cubic foot of gas than actually buying a cylinder. According to a recent study published jointly by the American Welding Society (AWS) and the Edison Welding Institute (EWI), most manufacturers lack an understanding of how much they are spending on their welding or why. It is thus very important to analyze your choice between renting and buying to understand which will be the most cost effective for your needs.
Compressed Gas Association
Both rental and owner purchased welding gas cylinders will of course be required to meet the standards stipulated by the Compressed Gas Association, otherwise known as the CGA. Since its inception in 1914, the Compressed Gas Association has focused its efforts on the development of industry standards, the pursuit of uniform government regulations, and on technical and safety matters.
The Association’s divisions and technical committees conduct ongoing safety seminars and video programming in both online and offline formats. The Handbook of Compressed Gases offers comprehensive information on compressed gases as well as equipment specifications, and procedures for the safe handling, storage, transportation, and use of these products. Anybody handling compressed gases in any capacity should be familiar with the guidelines laid out in the manuals to ensure safety.
