Do you use old propane tank for forge body?

S

SAK

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Sep 28, 2001
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I am switching from coal to gas. I have made my burner (Zoeller design) and it performs well. I have an old propane tank (7.5 gal / 30 lb) and I was FINALLY able to remove its valve. The tank is now sitting upside down in my back yard to “air out”. I am going to make a vertical forge. I have castable refractory that I will line it with.

1) Will the propane tank eventually “air out” to the point where it will be safe to use for my forge? - (meaning safe to cut AND safe to heat in)
2) Does the smell of the propane odorant ever leave the tank? If the smell always hangs around I would not want that to prevent me from detecting a propane leak in my burner gas supply.

I would really appreciate any feedback from anyone who has successfully used a propane tank or knows if they can be safely used.

Thanks,

--SAK
 
Turn it right side up and flush it out with water. Put the hose in and let it overflow for a few minutes. That will get rid of any remaining gas and residue.

Eric
 
Thats exactly what I used. Got ahold of an old commercial tank that the phone company used to use on service trucks I guess.

I took the knob out of the valve in the top which happened to have the exact same threads as a garden hose. First I just filled it and drained it a few times, adding white lightning degreaser and sloshing it around.
Then when things seemed to be coming out pretty clear, I drilled a couple 1/4" holes in the top and screwed the hose into the valve and let it pump water through the thing for another 15-20 minutes. There really is alot of chemical residue left in there, I don't know whether its the propane itself or some of the stuff they add to it to make it smell, but it smells very strong and is oily. You really want to flush it out a lot before you do any cutting.

From there I just drilled a line of holes big enough to put a sawzall blade through and cut the top off, and then the holes for the burner and openings.
I welded up a dolley to sit it all on, and now I just have to get it lined and I'll be good to go.

I really would not recommend using a cutting torch ar anything like that on it until you've got it opened up and flushed out really well. I don't know how flammable the residue is but its definitely not something to take your chances with.
 
And why would you mention that Mark? ;)

I was perfectly safe with the forge project, other than a few small fires.....but who doesn't have that when they're welding :p
 
SAK...

Cutting into a old propane tank, yes that's a bit hard to do that first time'LOL


Reminds me of something I have to deal with at work.

I work with a crew doing underground work in the streets. Every once and a while we run into an old 6 inch gas main that didn't show up on any of the plans. What we do is call the city and they come out and have a look at this gas main, shake their heads, and tell me, "We don't think its still in use, but you can never know for sure until you cut into it."

Guess who gets that job? That's right, I climb down into the trench with my gasoline powered Quickie saw and stand over the 6inch gas main ready to cut into it. I look up and notice that the rest of my crew, "my buddies" have safely backed away a distance. The city boys are standing at the top of the trench with a fire extinguisher, (like that could help, I mean if this gas main is still active then everyone on this side of town is about to hear a loud bang.)

I start the saw; and look one last time up at the city boys who are now also slightly backing away from their position at the side of the trench.

I yell up and ask, "You guys want to do this?" They smile, then fain deafness.
 
I did that last year. Rinsed that thing for hours and it still smelled. I finally drilled some holes top and bottom and it's sitting out in behind my garage. Smelled a few weeks later, so I'm leaving it out over the winter. Come spring I hope the smell will be gone and I can cut a good hole in the end and put it all together. No rush in my case 'cause I haven't finshed building a place to put it yet.
 
Propane in its natural state is odorless. The odor is installed so we can tell when there is a leak :eek:
 
Bill's tank still smells after weeks.
Matt, does your tank still smell after all the rinsing?
Eric, Did you actually end up using a propane tank for your forge? Did the odor ever leave the tank?

DaQo'tah, I hope you have some feline ancestry. By your job description and the atmosphere in your shop (per a previous post when you forgot to prop the door open) it sounds like you could use 9 lives.

--SAK
 
After sawing and filing and grinding and welding, my tank has no noticeable odor. I suppose if I stuck my head inside it there might be some smell, but it doesn't stink up the shop at all. I think its just a matter of getting the thing opened up all the way so the metal can air out, the inside of the tank is kind of rough so you have to get it open so you can scrub it good and let some sunshine and air get to it.
 
here is a question I would like to know the answer to...

Lets say you are outside in a clearing in the woods. And you have a few beers under your belt. and you notice that you have a tank of propane and a 30-06 deer gun...


what would happen if you tossed the gas tank into the camp fire, backed up a few feet, and shot it?

(Yes, this is how DaQo'tah spends his free time, thinking up things like this)
 
DaQo'tah


That sounds like a real exciting experiment, let us know what happens after you try it. Using a 30-06, I'd suggest that you get back at least 100 yards. :D :D :cool:
 
Originally posted by DaQo'tah Forge
here is a question I would like to know the answer to...

Lets say you are outside in a clearing in the woods. And you have a few beers under your belt. and you notice that you have a tank of propane and a 30-06 deer gun...


what would happen if you tossed the gas tank into the camp fire, backed up a few feet, and shot it?
Click to expand...

I bet the smell would be the least of your worries....
 
I did some quick research about ethyl mercaptan, the usual odorant to propane.

Here is the MDSD: Ethyl mercaptan

It is a highly flammable liquid but it is soluble in water.

I would believe that if the cylinder was flushed out and drained completely it would be safe to cut open

The residual smell would have to be scrubbed out with water and Dish detergent.

Most propane alarms detect propane, not the odor of ethyl mercaptan.
 
Originally posted by DaQo'tah Forge

what would happen if you tossed the gas tank into the camp fire, backed up a few feet, and shot it?

(Yes, this is how DaQo'tah spends his free time, thinking up things like this)
Click to expand...

I think you would die :eek:
Seriously, I think you might be lucky to get away fast enough if you threw the tank into a fire. Now if you wanted to sit the tank next to a fire and then get back a LONG ways and shoot it you might survive, but it had better be way out in the middle of nowhere and your going to want something sturdy to stand behind. Seeing as how they make propane injectors to supe up deisel engines now a days I'd say that propane is pretty explosive. A full tank is going to make a heck of a boom. Even an almost empty tank is going to make a pretty good blast I'd bet.
 
I was just questioning how big would be the fireball?

I once put one of them smaller tanks of propane into a camp fire. It was one of them tanks that are used on hand torches and on camp lights and stoves. The fireball was about 15 feet across when it blew. it was cool....


oh and it both blows you back, then sucks you at it as the fireball goes up like a little A-Bomb.
 
DaQo'tah,

I can't answer your question - I just hope you do have the 9 lives of a cat. Make sure you get pictures.

A zillion years ago, in the old Boy Scout days, we would put cans of beans in the campfire. No fireball, but you did get a decent bang and then you got to hear the cool sound of beans raining down around you in the dark.

--SAK
 
After reading these latest posts with my fiance, she has just forbidden me to ever go camping with any of you.
 
Hey, I think you've got a few minutes after the fire, but I'm a optimist. BTW I think a 22lr would do it, why waste a centerfire. Have your widow tell us how it works out. POOL
 
If you don't want to live on the perverbial edge, Use a refrigerant tank. One the use to store freon, usually green in color and available most anywhere. Of course the opportunity for impressive explosions goes down quite a bit, but some of us older guys just don't need the excitement. T
 
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