Jonny's Progression Thread

**Loki Glass** · 10-20-2012, 06:13 AM

I told them I would gladly rent two or three tanks to get my price down and the guy just wouldn't have it. He said the best he could offer me was to rent as much as I could for a year and then their regional office would review what I've bought and maybe adjust the price down "slightly". I've asked some of the other glassblowers around and everybody just says get used to it, or adjust my prices accordingly. I know a guy who gets 3 tanks at a time and still has to pay 60$ a tank and he's been with them for over 5 years! I heard the Airgas in Middleboro might be a little cheaper but not cheap enough to substantiate the drive.

But yeah, either way I think a concentrator and homefill are in my near future.

**Lever2stackS** · 10-20-2012, 07:10 AM

Wow bro that is insane, Damn right a homefill is in your future you'd go broke quick with prices like that. I got 2 T tanks filled for 25 bucks yesterday I'm sure the dude gave me one for free he does it all the time it is usually $52 for 2 T tanks but I'm there once a week if not more. At first I was getting them @ $45 a tank which was killing me @ 90 bucks every visit. After I kept coming back every week the price started dropping lower and lower. It helps to make good with the dude at the front desk too. I would tell them to beat feet with 75 bucks a K tank that is outrageous damn gas pirates.

**ROGUE** · 10-20-2012, 07:49 AM

Originally Posted by Jonny B

I was under the impression that 25mil was sort of the beginner standard?

My personal reason for going with it at this point is price and I figure it would take more time working the glass to a molten state with my little midrange using up a lot more oxygen. From what I gather they absolutely rape me at airgas on the cost of oxy here. After the fees and taxes I'm paying 75$ for a k tank. In the spring when the cash flow goes up again I'm planning on both a better torch (either CC or a phantom, preferably phantom) and a homefill. Until then I'll just keep working on the basics. Trying to convince the wife that a concentrator would be a very economical christmas present, lol.

Holy shit man, I get 3 1500 from Airgas for $10 a piece. I wouldn't switch over to a bigger torch until you have your o2 figured out. You're gonna be paying more for your gas than you can make(yes, I'm being slightly sarcastic, but with a CC you would run out a k tank in a day easy).

Also, for the tubing, for us beginners thicker and bigger is better. I'm working on some heavy 32 right now and things are so much easier it's incredible. My suggestion is to get a case of mixed tubing if possible. If you buy a bunch of stuff you don't like you are stuck with it until you sell it. Experiment and find out what's best for you.

**Loki Glass** · 10-20-2012, 07:56 AM

Yeah man. The guy who runs it is always at the front desk. His name's Jean and we're already on a first name basis with each other and we always chat and shoot the shit for awhile while I'm there. I suppose I haven't burned through all that much gas yet, I believe I'm on my 5'th k tank in about 2 months. Once I have a homefill I see myself spending a whole lot more time on the torch, once it isn't so cost prohibitive. I've seen a couple people from eastern MA and I think Low Tide glass is from the cape. I should ask him what he does for Oxy, or if he has any suggestions.

I certainly understand this isn't a cheap hobby and I was well aware of that getting into it, but I can't wait to have "unlimited" oxygen at my disposal!

Rogue, I would be blowing glass all day long if I could score some Oxy for that kind of price. I still have some of the Wale and Sundance heavy wall mixed tubes. But they seem to never give you anything bigger than an inch or so. I have a bunch of small tube now though, so it inspired me to do a little work on my welds and try using blowtubes over points for a change.

**ROGUE** · 10-20-2012, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by Jonny B

Yeah man. The guy who runs it is always at the front desk. His name's Jean and we're already on a first name basis with each other and we always chat and shoot the shit for awhile while I'm there. I suppose I haven't burned through all that much gas yet, I believe I'm on my 5'th k tank in about 2 months. Once I have a homefill I see myself spending a whole lot more time on the torch, once it isn't so cost prohibitive. I've seen a couple people from eastern MA and I think Low Tide glass is from the cape. I should ask him what he does for Oxy, or if he has any suggestions.

I certainly understand this isn't a cheap hobby and I was well aware of that getting into it, but I can't wait to have "unlimited" oxygen at my disposal!

Rogue, I would be blowing glass all day long if I could score some Oxy for that kind of price. I still have some of the Wale and Sundance heavy wall mixed tubes. But they seem to never give you anything bigger than an inch or so. I have a bunch of small tube now though, so it inspired me to do a little work on my welds and try using blowtubes over points for a change.

Great idea man. My simple theory is this... every piece of glass was made for a reason. With that in mind everything you have in your shop should be usable. Just figure it out.

Your oxy situation is baffling. I can't believe you pay that much. And now for the real brain teaser, 5 tanks in 2 months???!!! Maybe I don't know how big a K tank is. I thought it was the big 1500 pounder. Me and my roomate go through one of those everyday. If you're only draining 2 1/2 tanks a month I guess you're ok for now, but if you're doing tank runs once a week or more you're gonna be hating life. Airgas is only 5 minutes down the road from me, but going there twice a week sucks. Every monday and friday yuck!

**Loki Glass** · 10-21-2012, 08:46 AM

hmmm. I thought the K tanks were the 2500 lb ones? That's what I've been getting anyways. I believe airgas calls them 300's. And no I haven't spent all that much time on the torch, but partially because of the thought of having to come up with another 75$ for a fill is always on my mind. I've probably spent 3x as much on oxy as I have on glass so far.

I'm wondering how well a oxycon will work for my midrange? I was thinking I'll probably go with the 15, so I'm getting the most I can out of them and then when I do get the homefill the fill will be quicker.

**Lever2stackS** · 10-21-2012, 04:14 PM

The 300's are a T tank.

**ROGUE** · 10-22-2012, 07:03 AM

Originally Posted by L3V3R2ooo

The 300's are a T tank.

I guess I need to get with it and figure out the names and capacities. I get the biggest one that Airgas carries on the lot. I've never even had them ask me which one I want... huum. $75 though, how do they get away with that!!!???

**Loki Glass** · 10-22-2012, 09:13 AM

yeah I get the biggest as well, it's about 5ft tall and a foot wide. Sorry for the confusion earlier. He told me it would be 60 for the fill at first, but then after all the fees and taxes it comes up to 75$

**Lucius Emanuel** · 10-22-2012, 09:34 AM

Wow, $75 is steeeeeeep. $24 including taxes and hazmat fees is what I pay here in town.

**Jim OShea** · 10-22-2012, 11:22 AM

have you tried asking for a better deal? At first i was paying 60 dollars to exchange my k tank at praxair. I paid that price for like a month until i finally just asked them if i could get a better deal and told them i couldnt afford to work at those prices. they dropped the price from 60 dollars to 25 dollars.

**Loki Glass** · 10-22-2012, 01:56 PM

I have, they just told me after a year they would review what I've bought and give me a slight discount if I go through enough oxygen. I'm hoping to come up with something else before that year is up.

**Chad S** · 10-22-2012, 02:08 PM

Why don't you just get LOX? So much cheaper in the long run.

**Loki Glass** · 10-22-2012, 04:20 PM

$2,500 deposit for one reason.

I inquired about it, but when I heard that, I realized I could get a pretty nice complete homefill setup for the same price.

**Loki Glass** · 10-22-2012, 04:21 PM

double post, sorry.

**bildo** · 10-22-2012, 04:34 PM

What town are you in? I fucking cant believe that oxygen is that much in Mass. When you start making inside outs and using a bunch of oxygen the drive to save that money will be no problem, that airgas guy is taking you for a ride, you should call there regional office and find out what the fuck gives.

**Chad S** · 10-22-2012, 05:03 PM

What company told you that? Sounds like somebody is trying to butt rape you. $2,500 deposit, that's total BS, is that for a lifetime lease or what? I highly doubt anybody pays that much to lease LOX, when you can almost buy a dewar yourself at that price. Most places charge $1.00 - $2.00 per day to lease a dewar FYI.

I pay $1.50 a day to lease my LOX dewar. The dewar I get is 5,000 cubic feet and cost about $115 to get refilled after delivery charges, tax & haz-mat fees. One "K" tank is about 250 cubic feet, which means my dewar has 20 K tanks in it. At first I got compressed air, from the same supplier I now get my LOX from. I would get a 250 cubic feet cylinder (what most ppl call K tanks) of compressed air for $30. $30 for a K tank may sound like a good deal to you but IMO its still overpriced. 20 of those tanks at $30 would cost me $600. Do the math, that is why I decided to go with LOX. Plus I could burn through a K in a day or two, pain in the ass to get refilled all the time, since my supplier delivers to me on Thursdays only. This way I save time (time is money) from the hassel of refilling so often and also saves gas since I now get the LOX delivered for free on Thursday. LOX isn't for everyone though, you have to be able to keep up with it to prevent venting, otherwise you'll be wasting O2.

**Loki Glass** · 10-23-2012, 07:53 AM

It was Airgas Hyannis, on Cape Cod.

I just contacted Corp Brothers in hyannis and their base price on a 300 is $79, the cost of their liquid oxy is a $400 lease for the year and $700 a fill!!!

Lol, looks like a Homefill is really gonna be my only option...

**ROGUE** · 10-23-2012, 08:06 AM

Airgas in Clearwater Fl charges $2500 for a deposit without a credit account so I'm guessing that's accurate. This if for the account that I get $7.50 exchange tanks too so I don't think he is getting personally effed, I think Airgas is fucking everybody that is just starting.

**p.j.** · 10-23-2012, 08:08 AM

find a small ma and pa type gas supply place....new bedford is close to you, try to get tanks from the city...you'll probably pay between 20 and 30 a tank