cutting a 20lb propane tank?

R

rpaladin

Joined
May 15, 2005
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I have a 20lb propane tank that is so old they wont refill it.
what do I need to do to be sure it will not explode??? do i just open the valve
or what else do i need to do??? wish I could make it to IG's hammer in,
but I have sunday and monday off.. oh well..

BTW the idea is to make it a forge body...


tnx/ al
 
I chose a freon tank and opened the valve fully before cutting. Choosing an non-flammable gas without oily residues inside makes a lot of sense. Also, I drilled a hole through the pressure vent valve and then cut around the rim with a jigsaw, rather than use a hot cutter.
 
tnx, but the idea is I have the propane tank, but do not have the freon tank
so I need the howto to cut the propane tank..

thanks again

/ al
 
Dude!!! I don't like messing with them. Seriously I would shot that mother and if it doesn't explode get a 4 1/2" grinder with a cutoff wheel and cut the end off. If you can break off the valve that would be even better if not, fill it with water then cut it. :D
PS:: You can come on down here anytime and spend the day. Must bring beer(ALLOT). HEHEHEHE!!! ;) ;)
 
I don't think you need to shoot it. Just remove the valve and purge the residual propane by filling with water. It should be no problem to empty the water and then cut it open as long as you have a place for any gas to vent. It is when the gas is enclosed with no where for it to vent that it would explode. The valves on tanks have a device that when heated allows the gas to escape preventing an explosion.
 
A saber saw with a metal cutting blade at slow speed will cut the bottle just fine. Just drill yourself a couple started holes large enough for the blade to fit into. I'd have IG shoot it. Give him the beer after he hits the bottle. :D
 
Open valve. Fill it with water, let it sit for a few days, repeat procedure 2 times. Remove valve. Tank should be inert after that.
 
When I did it I thought about shooting it and doing all that, but it really wasn't that big of a deal. I took the valve body out (just unscrews with a wrench) and filled it with water. Added a little white lightning solvent, drained it and filled it again. Drilled a few holes in it so it would drain and fill a little easier, after flushing it out another time or two, I took a sawzall and did my cutting.
There was some oily residue left in it, but I don't think that it was anything too dangerous. I think its mainly left from the additive they put in propane to give it an odor so we can detect leaks and stuff. It gave the tank a strong smell, but didn't seem to be overly flammable or eplosive (not that I went out of my way to try and light it!)
 
I shot holes in lots of propane tanks. We shot full ones, half full ones and you name it. I never got so much as visable spark out of one...just a big hiss. I threw one almost empty one in the water and shot it and it took off like a moter boat but none ever blew up or even burned. Things are a lot more exciting in the movies.

Of course if I tried to cut one in the shop it would probably blow the whole place ski-high. LOL
 
I think I'd fill it with water, and cut the top out with the water in it. Might get a little wet, but that may be better than getting a little burnt. HOWEVER, I don't reccommend that you do this at all. None of us want you hurt.
 
I agree about the movies. One of the most dissapointing moments as a teenager was shooting a full propane tank with a 300 Weatherbee mag at 100 yards. It just jumped in the air and hissed.
Last Christmas I got one with an API round from a 50BMG, that made a nice fireball (still not really an explosion though...).
 
Here is what I did:
I used a 40# propane tank for my welding forge. Even though the tank was empty, I opened the valve for a few minutes. Then I unscrewed it from the tank. I then filled the tank with water and let it over flow for a few minutes. Then I flipped the tank upside down and let the water drain. While it was upside down I scribed a line on it. Then forced any access water out with the air compressor and cut the top off with a six inch cut off wheel.
Dave
 
Mike Ferrara said:
I shot holes in lots of propane tanks. We shot full ones, half full ones and you name it. I never got so much as visable spark out of one...just a big hiss. I threw one almost empty one in the water and shot it and it took off like a moter boat but none ever blew up or even burned. Things are a lot more exciting in the movies.

Of course if I tried to cut one in the shop it would probably blow the whole place ski-high. LOL
Click to expand...

Try a tracer round! (I didn't actually say or suggest that, and if I did, I didn't mean it). :eek: :foot:
 
I spent over 40 years as a welder and have cut on just about everything with a torch, but a propane/butane tank or a barrel, such as a 55 gal. one is something that you couldn't pay me enough to cut one with anything that creates heat. I have done repairs on gasoline/diesel tanks by flushing with water and then putting carbon dioxide in the tank and being sure there is enough to completly purge the tank. The carbon dioxide was left flowing while doing this also. I have seen some catastrophic results from cutting the propane tanks such as a leg blown off and another one had his arm blown off from the elbow down.
 
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