They charge testing on rental tanks??Shenion, SHUT UP! cause everything you are talking about is irrelevant here in the UK!!
weldequip
So can you still buy ARGOMISERS
I'm pursuing the diving fraternity as a cheaper source of argon gas.
A dive shop can supply a 3lt bottle, rated at 200bar. This suggests to me ~600lt of atmospheric Ar can be stored. Bottle costs £70 to buy; certification costs £20 per 2.5yr = £8pa (can regard this as rent); refill £5. This comes out at £0.14 per litre, per year if rent is continuous.
A disposable Ar bottle holds about 60lt, at £20 a bottle (eg eBay). This comes to £0.33 per litre.
Regulator for diving bottle is about £60; disposables £30.
The diving option is evidently cheaper. For continuity I'd prefer the diving bottle route too; I just so hate the idea of disposing of the depleted disposable bottles as they represent so much wasted metal and a perfectly-made pressure vessel.
teddykan
Full size Industrial he says Gasman... watch out, the French are coming!
(I pay twice that from BOC & go through dozens a month!)
weldequip
Wasting your breath Gasman! I've spent over 15 years offering good advice/service/competetive prices on gas, but if they can save a quid filling it themselves, getting a local fabrication shop to top it up from one of their full size cylinders, or switching to an inferior (CO2) gas they will. Safety never seems to even be a consideration! You'll be the first person in line if one of your cylinders causes an accident (through their miss-use) though!!
weldequip