Another forge tank question

Roger

Well-Known Member
I've heard talk of using old oxygen and propane tanks for forge's. I also have a big old fire extinguisher 8" dia. and thick walled like an oxy bottle. What's the safe way to make them ready to cut up?
 
FWIW

ER Doc buddy of mine TRIED to save a fellow who cut up a 55 gal. drum.
Not much of his head was left intact.

He now recommends filling completely with water before cutting.

Not an alarmist, just passing it along.
 
FWIW

ER Doc buddy of mine TRIED to save a fellow who cut up a 55 gal. drum.
Not much of his head was left intact.

He now recommends filling completely with water before cutting.

Not an alarmist, just passing it along.

I always chisel the tops from 55 gal. drums. The propane bottle is a perfect size/shape and that's the one I'm most concerned with.
 
Unscrew the valve and fill it with water and let it set for a few days at a minimum. Maybe contact a local welding supply and get a cylinder thats out of date and has been purged if possible. 30 years in EMS, 25 as a paramedic. Seen a few fellows cut up "empty" drums and cylinders. It aint pretty. Skin grafts hurt like all thunder and caskets aint cheap. JMHO, YMMV.
 
An 8" diameter bottle will have less than 4" interior diameter once it is lined with two layers of 1" thick ceramic insulating matting and a coating to seal it. That's lesss than 4" across and high at the greatest width and depth. Build up a floor and you'll have the steel right up into the flame from the burner. I'd look for something with a 10" interior diameter. I had a friend in the Navy who saw what happened to another man who was cutting into a cylinder with a torch. Let's just say it was a close casket funeral.

Doug Lester
 
Thanks to all. I've given up on using anything that might ever have contained anything flammable at any temperature.
 
Thanks to all. I've given up on using anything that might ever have contained anything flammable at any temperature.

If you do the valve removal and water purge, it is safe.
There are lots of those cylinder available for free


You can find similar sized cylinders that did contain freon, or other refrigerants, but the new refrigerants may be flammable and I would use the same precautions on them as well.
 
Thanks to all. I've given up on using anything that might ever have contained anything flammable at any temperature.

it's not JUST the prior contents of the tank that you need to worry about.

there is a possibility that unburned gasses from a cutting torch can pool in the container being cut and lead to ignition. that's a BAD thing

seriously consider finding a shop with a big enough bandsaw to cut it for you. or maybe just get them to roll you some 10ga mild, it's not THAT expensive and it's a good deal safer (and you can get the exact size and length that you want)
 
Just go to the scrap yard or the local steel yard and find a piece of pipe 1012" diameter to be on the safe side
 
I used a 5 gallon air tank bought for $20 from Harbor Freight. It has legs and a handle
and comes with a pressure gauge that will fit your regulator saving you 10 or 12 bucks.
Works out to almost free and does the job nicely.

David
 
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