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joel_bc

Gas prices (for reimbursement to Oxy-A teacher)

joel_bc
18 years ago

Can anybody tell me how to offer reimbursement for the cost of oxygen and aceltylene to a neighbor who has offered to teach me gas welding, brazing, and cutting techniques?

(By the way, my neighbor says I should also study a book on the basics so as not to pick up any bad habits he has inadvertently adopted.)

Thanks.

Joel

Comments (8)

  • joel_bc
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Maybe it would help if I say that I realize that gas prices may vary from one region to another - and if you quote me costs from some region of the U.S., I will immediately convert that into Canadian dollars (since I'm in B.C.).

    But any bit of info will help, so that I won't be totally in the dark. Thanks.

    J.

  • Pooh Bear
    18 years ago

    How about buying him a refill on his tanks.

    Pooh Bear

  • joel_bc
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Bear - At what point do you refill, though? I mean, if I do a half hour of welding here, five minutes of cutting there, then 20 minutes of brazing - do you refill the tanks at that point? Even if he spends five minutes here and there showing me some technique or other.

    I know the gases are expensive (particularly the acetylene) and I want to be fair. I need a bit of a rule of thumb, so to speak.

    Give me a clue, guys.

    J.

  • Pooh Bear
    18 years ago

    Can you tell him the next fill up is on you?

    I don't know that the gasses are all that much.
    Been a while since I got an oxy tank filled but I think it was $20 or so.
    I had a brochure here from TSC that listed prices but I can't find it.

    Pooh Bear

  • joel_bc
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    So, translating into higher Canadian prices, maybe that would be $25. Acetylene would be more, maybe?

    But maybe if I offered him, say, $8 or $10 per lesson for the gas - plus a bit for his time, if he wants - that should do?

    J.

  • gooseberry_guy
    18 years ago

    Joel,

    I found a page that will give you an idea of gas usage for basic welding and brazing, and also for cutting.

    If your friend is a good teacher, it's likely you'll spend only an hour or two with the torch, learning the basics and practicing on steel.

    Most gas welding is only good up to about 1/8 inch, so a torch set up for that size will flow about 8 to 18 cubic feet per hour.

    Cutting operations use quite a bit more oxygen than acetylene. A torch set up for 1/4 inch stock, will flow about 35 cubic feet of oxygen and 5 cubic feet of acetylene per hour. These numbers are for production cutting, so small scale practice cuts will use a lot less oxygen. You'll probably cut only a couple feet or so to learn the basics, and that won't use much gas.

    You didn't say what he's charging for these lessons, if anything. If I was doing the same for a friend or neighbor, I probably wouldn't charge anything since it would only be enough to teach the basics, but if anything was offered by you, 20-40 bucks or so wouldn't seem out of line for instruction and gas included.

    GG

    Here is a link that might be useful: welding gas chart

  • joel_bc
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thanks, GG.

    J.

  • DirtyEd
    18 years ago

    Good neighbors are hard enough to find, so it pays to keep them if you already have them. Was this a business transaction or a neighbors offer to help you out?
    I'm not sure your learning very much if you don't seem to know what equipment he has (tank size, oxy, acytl). You can always call your local welding supply/dealer and ask for the costs of filling a or both tanks, you might even get some insight from the dealer, he may know your neighbor. That would give you a better idea of what costs are, then you can figure out what his efforts are worth to you.

    Most people appreciate just about anything, a thank you sure goes a long way, especially if followed up with an invite to dinner, a bottle of there favorite drink, an offer to watch the kids, walk the dog or any manner of helping them with something they have problems with.

    Whatever you do or say to him just make sure your sincere, it has to come from your heart to be meaningful.

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