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There is a ring around the top of the tank just below the threads. There should be nothing on this ring. If it is stamped with a company name or the painfully obvious "rental", do not buy it. (this excludes the really small 20-40 CU. tanks) The next thing to look for is a stamp below that ring that shows the date it was last certified. No one will fill a tank that is out of date. A tank is good for 5 years from the date on the tank, a "+" on the tank also means 5 years, a "+" and a "Star image" equals 10 years from the date. If it is out of certification you will have to pay to have it certified before you refill it. I suggest an 80 CU. or larger tank.

Something else you need to think about, these tanks are full of a compressed gas. When not in use there is a steel screw on cap that protects the valve from being accidentally sheared/broken off. This is not a joke. For this same reason your tank should always be chained/strapped so that it can not fall over. This is a rental.

 A sheared valve will release massive pressure quickly and you will have a large metal torpedo on your hands. If you think this is an urban myth check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejEJGNLTo84

Before you start to weld you will need a few more things. A wire cutting pliers to trim the excess wire from the gun, a good source of light for the work area, a wire brush to clean splatter, and something to prep the metal before you begin to weld. Only clean shiny metal welds well. Rust, paint, oil etc. will all react to the welding process and cause weak ugly welds. I like to use the 90 deg. air tool with an appropriate disk to get to clean bare metal. If you don't have that luxury a wire brush, sandpaper etc. will do the job.

 In the helpfull but not required catagory are anti-splatter sprays and nozzle dip. These keep the slag from sticking to the nozzle of the welding gun and promote smooth flow of the shielding gasses. I use nozzle dip because it's easy, and cuts way down on time spent cleaning. Stick the nozzle in the jar and get to it. I'm told the spray works well & in a pinch a cooking spray like PAM can help as well. Another consideration is that welding causes sparks. many hot sparks. They can damage paint and even window glass not to mentions start a fire. I'm on a shoestring budget so what I did was buy a couple of dollar store shower liners, zip tie them to an overhead beam, and when not in use they are rolled up and tied with wire to the beam. Sure at some point they are going to burn thru, but I'll spend another buck or two and replace them. Far cheaper than paint, glass or garage fire. 

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