Best option for rent free gas (currently on BOC Rented)

[Rannsachair]

With retiral looming (in 2 weeks) I was thinking I am not being sensible with my gas contract:

I have had one refill in 7 years for an Argoshield light size Y - now paying £81 a year rental.

BOC is handy as there is a depot 2 miles away, though for all the refills i need, a trip to Glasgow every few years is no hardship.

What is likely the best option, I imagine I am not the only one on this situation?

Thanks

 

[marlinspike]

Same here. At the end of our bottle and hardly using any atm. The BOC rental has gone up a crazy amount. Am I right that they refund the balance of the year when you take it back?

 

[sako243]

What options do you have locally? When I was in Surrey Hobbyweld had a few dealers nearby when I started. When I moved down to Wales the nearest was 45 minutes drive. I've got two SGS dealers within 10 minutes so swapped over to those.

 

[Rannsachair]

What options do you have locally? When I was in Surrey Hobbyweld had a few dealers nearby when I started. When I moved down to Wales the nearest was 45 minutes drive. I've got two SGS dealers within 10 minutes so swapped over to those.

According to their websites there are:
Hobbyweld - Inveraray 40 mins away
SGS - Oban - 50 mins away

So could do either of them, assume they are the main supplier options?

Thanks

 

[roofman]

same dilemer here..getting stuffed every month by BOC, there is a SGS dealer in town now so i should visit on monday and report back...been with BOC since 2011 and they do no favours for long term customers.

 

[mr haynes]

Check what is local to your Glasgow haunts and time refills with visits
Premier Welding in Hillington does Hobbyweld if any help.
You can use any agent location of the brand you choose mind

 

[Tangledfeet]

I should really consider the same.... barely weld these days as it is and I still have both MIG and TIG machines. Need to make a decision on which to keep and then ditch BOC, giving SGS a go.

Isn't there a forum member deal with SGS?

 

[decca]

With retiral looming (in 2 weeks) I was thinking I am not being sensible with my gas contract:

I have had one refill in 7 years for an Argoshield light size Y - now paying £81 a year rental.

BOC is handy as there is a depot 2 miles away, though for all the refills i need, a trip to Glasgow every few years is no hardship.

What is likely the best option, I imagine I am not the only one on this situation?

Thanks

Hobbyweld has been great for me. No hastle or rental, just the deposit.

 

[8ob]

Most of the rent free bottle suppliers will deliver, just need to keep an eye on the gauges and make sure the order goes in before you run out.

Bob

 

[roofman]

stupidly ive had a large bottle of oxy here on rent for 2 years and its still almost full use my plasma now for cutting. mig gas almost empty so will be returning both bottles really soon and closing account.

 

[steve t]

I went with sgs a couple of years ago. Got 2 full size bottles and once pain of initial payment is made its a no brainer

 

[TEO]

I should really consider the same.... barely weld these days as it is and I still have both MIG and TIG machines. Need to make a decision on which to keep and then ditch BOC, giving SGS a go.

Isn't there a forum member deal with SGS?

They certainly used to, can't remember how much & as it was I didn't get round to taking advantage but there def used to be a discount for the first bottle.

 

[Jackimus]

There is £20 cashback on a 20L SGS bottle, and I believe £10 on 10L? When I checked recently.

That + them being the cheapest in London made them my choice.

 

[Jackimus]

Yup, £20 back on a 20L or £10 back on a 10L.

Anybody can feel free to PM me for how to get it, just so I don't give it away to every Tom, Dick and Harry off of Google and mess it up for us!

 

[charlysays]

I use adamsgas. £50 lifetime rental on the bottle. BOC are good if you're using a lot I'm sure but not much good for hobbyists or low level users

 

[Bobupndown]

Hobbyweld has been great for me. No hastle or rental, just the deposit.

Likewise. A cylinder lasts me years. Think the deposit on cylinder was £70?

 

[EEEK]

Was in the local suppliers yesterday for wire, asked the price for hobbyweld 5 as I've had a cylinder for a while. A9 litre Hobbyweld 5 £55 for a refill and £70 deposit for a bottle. Mostly I just use pub co2 as its only car repairs and sticking the odd thing together.

 

[RichardM]

I used less than 10l @200 bar (pure argon) last year, current bottle may go a little faster as I want to make a petrol tank over winter.
£50 bottle deposit donkeys years ago and £35 refill collected.

Where do you go most often?

Is your gas requirement " must have it when it runs out"? If not then think where you go most and try to find a distributor there. Travel will probably cost more than the gas then you can kill two birds with one stone. I would certainly look for rent free stockists if I were you.

 

[zzr1200]

I went with sgs a couple of years ago. Got 2 full size bottles and once pain of initial payment is made its a no brainer

Over the past 18+ years my supplier has been Adams Gas, l started with a 20 ltr Co/5% Ar, then a 20ltr 100% Ar.

Then when I moved to my present house with large garage, I added 2 full size bottles a Co/20%Ar and a 100%Ar,

Yes, I now have 4 bottles, 2 full size workshop based and 2 20ltr mobile/spare bottles in case I run out, so no having to take back paid for gas.

If I still had an account with Boc/Linde over the past 18+ years. I would have paid more overall in bottle rental without the gas, then there's the cost of the gas.

I gave up my BOC account because of the costs in about 2000, then borrowed bottles from work...but paid for the gas.

 

[Easywelder]

I use quite a bit of argon so have one big boc cylinder but keep a sgs cylinder as well for the inevitable moment when you run out and have no chance of getting it changed quickly or it’s a weekend. Also use sgs for oxygen. If you don’t use much sgs all the way.