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Welding consumables pricing

ckessel

ckessel

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I needed to get a 120cf exchange steel mix tank. I checked with Airgas, 20 minutes away from me, and was quoted $175.00 plus tax/fees. My last two argon tanks I exchanged at a welding supply outfit in Santa Maria which is an hour drive. When I got my last one, it was roughly half the cost of Airgas. Check out the receipt for today from Santa Maria for the steel mix. Airgas is the only supplier in our county and make the assumption no one will shop around. I've found similar with metal suppliers between the two counties. Local supplier is about $20.00 more for a sheet of 20ga cold rolled and charge $65.00 per cut. It pays to shop around!

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ckessel said:
I needed to get a 120cf exchange steel mix tank. I checked with Airgas, 20 minutes away from me, and was quoted $175.00 plus tax/fees. My last two argon tanks I exchanged at a welding supply outfit in Santa Maria which is an hour drive. When I got my last one, it was roughly half the cost of Airgas. Check out the receipt for today from Santa Maria for the steel mix. Airgas is the only supplier in our county and make the assumption no one will shop around. I've found similar with metal suppliers between the two counties. Local supplier is about $20.00 more for a sheet of 20ga cold rolled and charge $65.00 per cut. It pays to shop around!

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In these times I always shop around before a purchase anymore. The web is our friend
 
ckessel said:
I needed to get a 120cf exchange steel mix tank. I checked with Airgas, 20 minutes away from me, and was quoted $175.00 plus tax/fees. My last two argon tanks I exchanged at a welding supply outfit in Santa Maria which is an hour drive. When I got my last one, it was roughly half the cost of Airgas. Check out the receipt for today from Santa Maria for the steel mix. Airgas is the only supplier in our county and make the assumption no one will shop around. I've found similar with metal suppliers between the two counties. Local supplier is about $20.00 more for a sheet of 20ga cold rolled and charge $65.00 per cut. It pays to shop around!

View attachment 1756139
Click to expand...
It is what is and the price depends on how bad do you want or need the item. In another lifetime, I did steel purchasing, both carbon and stainless steels. With stainless steels, both plate, sheet, welded and seamless pipe, the price were based on a the nickel content plus a commodity surcharge for the nickel percentage plus the cost of manufacture....even something simple like SA312W-TP304/304 pipe or SA240-304H 3/8" plate with material certifications and traceability documents required for ASME Section VIII construction. The price for identical material could vary between weeks. It depends on if you need the material and how much you are willing to pay for it.....or negotiate the price. I use to use a company called Jackson Welding in Pgh for welding supplies.....wire, flux core wire and TIG filler material.....again depending on nickel content of the wire........you've got to look around and NEGOTIATE the price.....it never hurts to ask.....just my opinion......
BOB RENTON
BOB RENTON
 
Last edited:
Pretty similar to what I just paid from a local welding shop. Some places are high!
 
You have no choice but shop around now a days, everyone is screwing the little guy.
 
Airgas here in Jackson, Michigan is about double the price of baker gas, haven't been to Airgas for several years.
 
That sounds like "we don't really want your business pricing." Probably much more competitive for the big accounts.
 
I was shocked to find the local Airgas was actually quite a bit cheaper than Matheson for 75/25. It was still $105 for 80cf. At least I only had to drive four miles to Airgas instead of battling the traffic for fifteen or twenty miles to go to Matheson. Yes, there are no deals to be had in this overpriced town.
 
Since Santa Maria is an hour away, I usually tie other needs onto the trip. I need another tank of Argon as it's very low. Luckily, a friend of mine is bringing some projects for me to do. Needs me to make an aluminum fan shroud. It's for a radiator he bought for his engine swap, Subaru 2.2, into a VW Thing. Need material for that plus he's dropping off a Hudson for me to put a Jag IFS into plus the Jag IRS. He wants to use an LS with a 6spd. Need to make mounts. Most likely will need to do another fan shroud for that. So, I need steel along with aluminum. The metal supply place I use is down there too. I'll get my tank of gas on that run.
 
Matthew J said:
That sounds like "we don't really want your business pricing." Probably much more competitive for the big accounts.
Click to expand...
Exactly but they don't want to mess with the walk in guy. They are geared to loading a truck up with full tanks and delivering to shops on a regular basis. To those places, they pay for the service and convenience and it is just a cost of doing business. I have been on both sides of that fence.
 
Yes, the prices are ridiculous. When my son wanted a tank, I found it was less expensive to buy a tank that was already filled on Amazon and delivered was less expensive than filling a bottle.
 
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