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Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goofed

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old

10-20-2006 12:52:42




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We are building a forge and part of it will be made from an old truck gas tank, not diesel. Well I have to cut it up so I hope I did the right thing to get it ready. We opened up the cap and line areas of the tank, then put it on a brush pile and lit the brush pile up. We left it in the pile till we heard it sort of sound like a rocket going off, then left it 10-15 minutes more. We then pulled it out of the fire to let it cool. Now I have to cut out the end and part of one side. Well I hope doing that made it safe. What do you guy think will it be ok to cut into with my tourch??

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dr.sportster

10-21-2006 09:47:10




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 Re: Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goo in reply to old, 10-20-2006 12:52:42  
Use a chisel to open it up first.



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Dan-IA

10-20-2006 21:34:14




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 Re: Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goo in reply to old, 10-20-2006 12:52:42  
Did some braizing on a motorcycle gas tank to fix a leak a few years ago. Fire needs fuel and air, so I closed the valve, filled the tank to the brim with gas, screwed the cap on tight, let it sit so any spillage could dry up and disappear, and then used a propane torch and braizing rod on it. I got away without any incident at all.

Of course, I do some odd-and-dangerous things sometimes. Like pulling trees with a log chain.

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dr.sportster

10-21-2006 09:50:45




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 Re: Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goo in reply to Dan-IA, 10-20-2006 21:34:14  
You did what?



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135 Fan

10-21-2006 01:35:00




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 Re: Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goo in reply to Dan-IA, 10-20-2006 21:34:14  
You got away without any incident is the understatement of the year! You're lucky your not a statistic. Fire needs fuel and air? What about a flame thats a couple thousand degrees? Filling with water would make more sense. You said you had a "few" leaks, what if the heat from fixing the first one, or a venting gas cap, caused fumes to leak? Remember reading a "safetygram" about a guy that was killed when he welded a wheel without taking the tire off. Olds idea to put it in a brush fire is a hundred times better of an idea. Wow! Later Dave

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doogdoog

10-20-2006 22:23:36




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 Re: Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goo in reply to Dan-IA, 10-20-2006 21:34:14  
Aloha, I wonder why the gas didn't expand from the heat and leak out??? I wouldn't do that anymore!

Mahalo,
doogdoog



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Billy NY

10-20-2006 20:47:11




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 Re: Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goo in reply to old, 10-20-2006 12:52:42  
I never thought about foolin with a gas tank until last year, this simplicity 4040, hangin out in my garage needed some work, tank leaked at the tube connections, so I had to drain it, let it dry up, and it still took about 8 white tip matches tossed in to fire off all the residual fumes, each time a nice hard roaring flame, like a rocket engine, came out.

Gasoline fumes are unreal, I used to love and still do on occasion, blowing up the burn barrel with a hint of gas on it to start a fire, from a distance with lit rag on a stick, but actually, it's really dangerous material and should be left alone, one stupid mistake and.....

I'd bet that tank is fried if it was a hot fire, did you find any cracks in it afterward, that thin steel won't like getting too hot, but it don't matter anyways if you make a forge out of it now.

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old

10-20-2006 21:37:51




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 Re: Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goo in reply to Billy NY, 10-20-2006 20:47:11  
No cracks after it fired up like a rocket. It had 3 holes open on it 2 about 1/2 ich in diameter and then the gas fill which was about 2 or 3 inches. This tank was also very old and had been laying in my junk pile for 10 years or so. It was also a tank that came off a 10 wheel gas burning truck so the tank is 3/16s steel so its pretty heavy as far as that goes.

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Easy1

10-20-2006 17:57:13




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 Re: Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goo in reply to old, 10-20-2006 12:52:42  
About 20 years ago, I was driving down 8 mile rd in Detroit. I saw a large cloud of dust sweep across the road, about 2 or 300 yds ahead. Traffic was light, so we didn't slow up much, but I was surprised to see cement blocks in the middle of the road. I drove around them, I was on my way to work. Later that night, I saw a tv report that 2 guys were killed in a garage on 8 mile. Some poor soul hit a supposedly empty gas tank with a arc welder. I think he was putting a hitch on, and hit the tank by mistake. Weird. It leveled the building they were in.

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old

10-20-2006 19:06:42




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 Re: Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goo in reply to Easy1, 10-20-2006 17:57:13  
Thats why I put it in a brush fire before I even thought about doing any cutting on it with a tourch or any other type of cutting tool. We cut most of it with a saw with a metal cutting blade but some of it I had to do with the tourch, but we got it done and NO big bang



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RustyFarmall

10-20-2006 14:51:08




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 Re: Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goo in reply to old, 10-20-2006 12:52:42  
I'll be listening for the KA-BOOM. Actually, I think you have it covered, shouldn't be anything left in the tank to burn.



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IH2444

10-20-2006 18:02:39




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 Re: Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goo in reply to RustyFarmall, 10-20-2006 14:51:08  
I agree it should be safe.
I would do it.



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135 Fan

10-20-2006 14:21:46




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 Re: Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goo in reply to old, 10-20-2006 12:52:42  
If it is all burnt up from the brush fire you should have no problems. I've welded a gas tank after flushing it with water. I did light a piece of paper and put it at the filler just to be sure. No problems. Steaming is good and the best is to steam and purge with nitrogen. I've heard stories of people saying they welded them when they are full. This is highly not recommended. The brush fire would have taken care of any remaining fumes. Dave

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Tim Shultz

10-20-2006 14:16:13




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 Re: Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goo in reply to old, 10-20-2006 12:52:42  
I would say if you had it in a pretty hot fire for that amount of time you should be more than OK.. there CAN"T be any fumes left after that..
just my .02..
Tim Shultz



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doc diesel

10-20-2006 13:40:05




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 Re: Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goo in reply to old, 10-20-2006 12:52:42  
now i know why i'm not only a farmer but a firefighter/EMT.



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nballen

10-20-2006 13:05:10




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 Re: Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goo in reply to old, 10-20-2006 12:52:42  
Can you fill it with water? How about running an exhaust into the barrel / tank for 20-30 minutes first, then leaving the exhaust running while you cut it?

(You know the CO fumes will push the O2 out, CO being heavier than O2.)

Be Careful
Nathaniel



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Ken Crisman

10-20-2006 13:04:29




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 Re: Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goo in reply to old, 10-20-2006 12:52:42  
If it were me I'd use a cut off wheel on a die grinder . It'll give you a nicer cut & the nerves will ease more . God bless , Ken



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CENTAUR

10-20-2006 13:50:10




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 Re: Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goo in reply to Ken Crisman, 10-20-2006 13:04:29  
The 90degree die grinder works much better then a straight die grinder for cutting. you will still get SPARKS!CENTAUR



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Don LC

10-20-2006 18:38:36




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 Re: Well if I'm not around tomorrow you know I goo in reply to CENTAUR, 10-20-2006 13:50:10  
Here is what I do.....place a open ended air hose hooked to a regulator @ about 30# air pressure.....the air will flush the fumes out and keep it safe to cut on.....Don



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