Welding gas supply- Where do you get yours

[-Pete-]

Okay, wanted a fresh thread instead of a thread revival, but where is everyone currently getting their argon etc from these days?

I'm in bangor so im not interested in driving across the country to find wee jimmy in the back end of somewhere to save 2 pounds a bottle...

Obviously BOC is a choice being located in sydenham, but anyone else? fyffes?

I'm only after a half bottle size, nothing major. Used to be able to get through previous work place but cant anymore so need a new supply locally to bangor/belfast/ards area.

 

[Nicky]

I use BOC for simplicity. No other supplier fills the bottle as much as they do, and for the sake of £9 a month or whatever the rental is, I don't even notice it. Over 200bar of argonshield in the smallish bottle (Size Y from memory) has lasted me just over year so far, and that has seen me put a new floor in the lorry, make frame for the trailers, cut and join a Vitara and cage it, make a set of railings which had the welder flat out for a few days solid, do numerous sills repairs etc. I have done a lot of welding with that 1 bottle, which was only £79 for a fill...

 

[RoniN]

@lightning at Denis Wilsons,

Stargas welding gas.

Cheers

 

[not2bright]

North Down motor factors do it, Jubilee road in Ards.

 

[-Pete-]

see if i was up around that neck of the woods then fair enough but i think either BOC or north down in ards are maybe my best bet.

@Nicky thats not too bad, like you say, and if it lasts as long as that too. I'm having to do some mobile work coming up so A y size is fine. Couldnt be lugging around a full size.

 

[lightning]

I use BOC for simplicity. No other supplier fills the bottle as much as they do, and for the sake of £9 a month or whatever the rental is, I don't even notice it. Over 200bar of argonshield in the smallish bottle (Size Y from memory) has lasted me just over year so far, and that has seen me put a new floor in the lorry, make frame for the trailers, cut and join a Vitara and cage it, make a set of railings which had the welder flat out for a few days solid, do numerous sills repairs etc. I have done a lot of welding with that 1 bottle, which was only £79 for a fill...

Stargas do 200bar, one of the reasons we went for them over hobbyweld. I'd need to check but I think an argon/co2 mig gas refill is less than £24+vat and no rental. The initial bottle is £60 deposit which you get back if you return it. The bigger bottle is about £48+.

 

[Nicky]

Stargas do 200bar, one of the reasons we went for them over hobbyweld. I'd need to check but I think an argon/co2 mig gas refill is less than £24+vat and no rental. The initial bottle is £60 deposit which you get back if you return it. The bigger bottle is about £48+.

If that's the case, I'll maybe take a bottle when I'm over through the week. Nearly due a bottle as it's down the the last few bar of pressure and I've a brave bit of work planned for it in the next few weeks.

 

[-Pete-]

hmm prices are good for the stargas stuff by the sounds of it. North down are less than ten minutes from me though compared to an hour each way to glenavy so ill see what prices theyre doing etc. might be comparable .

 

[lightning]

hmm prices are good for the stargas stuff by the sounds of it. North down are less than ten minutes from me though compared to an hour each way to glenavy so ill see what prices theyre doing etc. might be comparable .

We've a van up past you once a week

 

[-Pete-]

where? bangor or you mean glenavy? im not up there in glenavy though anymore unfortunately

detour your van to bangor, job done!

 

[lightning]

where? bangor or you mean glenavy? im not up there in glenavy though anymore unfortunately

detour your van to bangor, job done!

Co Down van every Monday which goes thru Bangor. I'm no welding specialist but if your interested I'll chat to ross who looks after the welding stuff and get decent prices.

 

[-Pete-]

yes definitely am as I have a new machine arriving tomorrow so need gas asap! sorry I didnt go through you guys but decided for a thermal arc 3 in 1 machine as a new upgrade for mobile repair work. think I might have to go for pure argon just in case for future tig work but primarily arc and mig will be the bread and butter stuff.

if someone is going through bangor, that would be great

 

[stevieturbo]

It's simple. For higher usage, BOC via Volkzone deal.

For very low usage, look at alternatives whether Hobbyweld, Stargas or whoever.

BOC at full rates is not good at all. If you're mentioning TIG...that can use a lot of gas, so again BOC via Volkzone deal.

 

[cbr600]

I keep Hobbyweld Gas in stock in work, North Down Motor Factors!

A standard bottle of Argon CO2 mix would cost you £96 initially, £36 for the fill of gas and £60 for a deposit on the bottle, after which you return the empty bottle and pay for a fill!

 

[-Pete-]

how much is it for the star gas though? do you guys even do the star gas?

 

[cbr600]

No we only do Hobbeyweld in Ards and BOC in WeldPro in Belfast!

 

[-Pete-]

Just thought it worth updating this since its been a few weeks now. I ended up going with the stargas which is rent free from (@lightning at) denis wilsons and impressed so far. Great service as usual from them and price too. It ended up being the best value option even though its coming from glenavy in lisburn to bangor.
Already onto my second bottle and will be continuing to get from them in the future.
just felt some feedback was helpful for anyone else considering current gas suppliers.

 

[EF Ian]

Time for an Update.

Does anyone know the best place to get Argon Gas from around the Coleraine area? Want a mid size bottle and no rent,

Are the before mentioned options still the best?




Can't see any mention of it on Dennis Wilsons website, do they still do it? @lightning

 

[Antoin]

Have you tried Parts Doc @EF Ian ?
They do mig mix but i am not sure if they do pure argon. Worth a ring.

 

[carmad.]

Time for an Update.

Does anyone know the best place to get Argon Gas from around the Coleraine area? Want a mid size bottle and no rent,

Are the before mentioned options still the best?




Can't see any mention of it on Dennis Wilsons website, do they still do it? @lightning

i have a bottle i would sell ( belfast ) and a place local to me fills them

 

[stevieturbo]

Time for an Update.

Does anyone know the best place to get Argon Gas from around the Coleraine area? Want a mid size bottle and no rent,

Are the before mentioned options still the best?




Can't see any mention of it on Dennis Wilsons website, do they still do it? @lightning

@lightning does Stargas

Or there is Hobbyweld.

Although if you're looking for pure Argon, it must be for TIG....which can use a lot of gas. This can make the non BOC stuff pretty bad value.
BOC's pricing now for DIY, Volkzone or whatever you want to call it now is fairly decent. But yes there is the £60 or so yearly rental. But the gas itself is a lot cheaper.
Looking at BOC's dealer list thingy, Graeme at Paints & Components are listed ?

 

[lightning]

Time for an Update.

Does anyone know the best place to get Argon Gas from around the Coleraine area? Want a mid size bottle and no rent,

Are the before mentioned options still the best?




Can't see any mention of it on Dennis Wilsons website, do they still do it? @lightning

Hi yes we do stargas, keep 10, 20 and 47 litre in most of the gasses. The reason its not on the website is because we can't deliver it.

 

[-Pete-]

@stevieturbo after the £60 what is the prices for a bottle of pure argon? I just finished another bottle yesterday so I either go back to stargas or consider a BOC bottle if the the price is comparable.

@lightning The bottles are meant to be up to 200 bar? correct? the last two I've got have been showing around 150 on my gauge... Also, current bottle gave up the ghost and was still delivering 'gas' but was maybe some air/argon mix as tig welds went to absolute dung during use and nearly ended up destroying the parts. it's starting to make me raise an eyebrow and question it if I'm honest, and I've been an ardent fan of the stargas for a few years now.

 

[-Pete-]

I just looked up BOC and their prices are fair enough but for a DIY or sporadic welder, they're expensive and not close to the prices of stargas.
rental was around 130 a year for a 20litre bottle and thats just for the standard bottles not even their new vipr bottles which are even more expensive.

 

[stevieturbo]

BOC for a size Y is around £60 rental per year, and a fill of gas is about £60.

Stargas's website are quoting 89 euros for a refill of a slightly lesser quantity of gas, and they're quoting 189 euro up front for the bottle. Not sure if that first price includes the gas or is just the deposit ?

So you'd be on your way for about £120 with BOC, and at least 189 euro for Stargas ?

Whatever way you look at it, BOC is cheaper, and the more you use, the better value it is.

Although if you're a very infrequent user, then yes the likes of Stargas would make sense.

I changed my MIG to Hobbyweld a few years back before BOC had dropped their prices ( or before I found out there were deals available ), but the Hobbyweld is actually really **** value. Last refill I got for the MIG was £57, which for about 1/4 the gas of a BOC bottle is just silly. But as I use very little gas...it'll do for now.

Not actually sure if you get the deposit back on the bottle when you return it to them and stop using it. If they did, it would make a move to Stargas tempting.