The shops are realizing that they have a captive audience with less than a dozen commercial fill options here in the state, even with 3 of them clustered in Portland.
My LDS is at $7 and from what I hear the 2 local competitors are no less. With a 25 fill card I think I'm at $5.25 which is still small money. That's any size/any pressure. At least on shop has grumbled about a premium for HP but I haven't been near those whips in years.
Mixed gasses aren't really on the radar screen here. A few dabble in it but not in what I'd call a commercial scale.
As for owning a compressor you need to have the right circumstances to make it anything other than a hobby indulgence.
1) Long travel distance to a fiil source
2) Exorbidant fill charges
3) A total inability to get an even remotely good fill.
4) Intent to blend
In my case I work in the neighboring city and have invested in enough cylinders that leaving them to cool for a top-off rarely laves me short. It does mean that I am paying to maintain a few cylinders more than I would otherwise.
As much as I am a gear and tool junkie I can't make a rational decision to own a compressor. In some cases depending on usage and brand the cost of maintaining filters nearly equals the price of fills. It takes a long time, if ever to pay back the capital, maintenance and utilities if a competent shop is logistically reasonable. Nevertheless it is the ultimate ticket to diving independence.
Pete
---------- Post Merged at 05:04 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 05:00 PM ----------
I hate filling HP cylinders. I am not 100% but I would assume the higher pressures cause more wear and tear on the compressor.
Not really, the air runs up the stages either way. The banks fill slower towards the high end but that's just Boyles law. Depending on how they manage their banks it can make them run the compressor more frequently to maintain the top end. You can consider additional starts as some extra wear.
Pete
