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Smokers, Grills, Pitts & More => Stick Burner & Trailer Smokers & Grills => Topic started by: joshd52 on September 12, 2010, 12:30:02 pm

Title: anyone cut a propane tank???
Post by: joshd52 on September 12, 2010, 12:30:02 pm
Has anyone on here cut a 250 gallon propane tank?  I need some help cutting it, I don't wanna become a fireball...
Title: Re: anyone cut a propane tank???
Post by: sabo on September 12, 2010, 01:09:07 pm
Well there are several ways..i prefer filled to the brim with water, but I have used the cheap way..connect a hose from your cars exhaust to the tank and make the first cut at an 90 degree angle. I am still above the grass..so it must work.
Title: Re: anyone cut a propane tank???
Post by: joshd52 on September 12, 2010, 01:24:30 pm
Well there are several ways..i prefer filled to the brim with water, but I have used the cheap way..connect a hose from your cars exhaust to the tank and make the first cut at an 90 degree angle. I am still above the grass..so it must work.

You in az???
Title: Re: anyone cut a propane tank???
Post by: sabo on September 12, 2010, 04:25:37 pm
in Mesa..but I dont have the equipment  to do it. We used to solder/weld up gas tanks using both methods..its not hard..Ya just have to make sure there is no combustible gases..Absence of Oxygen in the Tank is your Friend, the combo of O2 and Gas makes your wife a widow. A 90 degree cut blows the gas outwards.., straight in ..bad news. I must advise that you take your project to someone that knows what He is doing. Best wishes and Good Luck
Title: Re: anyone cut a propane tank???
Post by: Quiggs on September 14, 2010, 08:54:48 pm
It's done all the time by many means.........found this version on the web of course. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2113397/how_to_safely_cut_open_a_propane_tank.html

I found an artical a year ago from the gas industry that stated as long as you filled it a couple of time with water and let drain and dry for a few days no gas should be left...but who knows...

We have one (250 propane tank)that has been sitting empty for a year now and are about to carve it up, so we are going to use Co2 extinguisher to fill the void before I let teamate Shorty spark away.  I would do it myself but don't want to take the GLORY away from him...............hhhmmmmm I hope telephoto lense will be able to see him in orbit....?

Quiggs
Title: Re: anyone cut a propane tank???
Post by: Quiggs on September 14, 2010, 08:57:07 pm
Oh one more thing........a metal fabricator turned me onto a trick of drilling a 1/4" hole where you want to start torching so as not to overheat the area...that way it starts cutting almost at the start without warping....

Q
Title: Re: anyone cut a propane tank???
Post by: DStew on October 01, 2011, 08:37:42 am
I did the water thing to the rim, but still smelled LPG vapor so I filled with CO2 from my Kegerator back up Co2 bottle (dense, inert, non flammable gas) before cutting mine.   It was no problem but the pucker factor was quite high on the initial drop in.................
Title: Re: anyone cut a propane tank???
Post by: 145 grill on October 01, 2011, 08:52:30 am
My sons built my grill and they filled it with water and drained, they then used an angle grinder to cut out the holes for door and firebox. It let a smooth straight cut.
Title: Re: anyone cut a propane tank???
Post by: Bob Smith on October 01, 2011, 06:36:49 pm
Try filling it with water and drain a couple of times, then put 20 to 30 gal. of water and dry ice. This will fill the tank with co2. safe as can be from that point on. I've had several oil and fuel tanks that i needed to cut and never had a problem. 
Title: Re: anyone cut a propane tank???
Post by: Elwood on October 04, 2011, 02:20:51 pm
Where are you guys finding these "NICE SIZED VESSELS" to carve up because I'm having a heck of a time doin it I love to find a big tank of some sort I just want to build a decent size one for my backyard when i have party's ! Thanks for any info sorry for the thread hijack ! :angel:
Title: Re: anyone cut a propane tank???
Post by: PAT YOUNG on October 06, 2011, 02:24:55 am
TEDDY, You can still find tanks up here that were burned during the RODEO-CHEDISKY fire years ago! I have 2 and still need to pick up 2 more from my guy in TAYLOR! He sold his house and i have a week or so to get them out of there ! FYI- I used and angle grinder on mine and had no problems with backflash but these tanks sat around for 5 years after the fire!
Title: Re: anyone cut a propane tank???
Post by: Elwood on October 06, 2011, 08:24:13 am
Man I would love to get one for a project ! Hell I'll help get them or something ! I don't mind getting dirty one bit let me know if you want to get together and figure something out let me know and I'll pm you my number I work 6 days a week but can get Saturdays off if need be that would be so dang cool ! What size are they ? let me know so that I can make sure I dig out my trailer thanks again !
Title: Re: anyone cut a propane tank???
Post by: 145 grill on October 06, 2011, 09:33:08 am
The county up here is having an auction next weekend, according to the paper they are selling propane tanks. This is in the Springerville Eagar area. Here is the link to the ad: http://www.wmicentral.com/public_notices/local_legal/apache-county-surplus-auction/article_2d7f1a26-eae1-11e0-8c44-001cc4c03286.html I am going to go view them to see if they are worth buying.
Title: Re: anyone cut a propane tank???
Post by: tbonejc on October 07, 2011, 01:46:49 pm
The county up here is having an auction next weekend, according to the paper they are selling propane tanks. This is in the Springerville Eagar area. Here is the link to the ad: http://www.wmicentral.com/public_notices/local_legal/apache-county-surplus-auction/article_2d7f1a26-eae1-11e0-8c44-001cc4c03286.html I am going to go view them to see if they are worth buying.

That's pretty cool.  I wonder how many tanks they have?  It just says "1 lot propane tanks"
Title: Re: anyone cut a propane tank???
Post by: 145 grill on October 10, 2011, 07:40:17 am
Here is a newspaper ad for tanks:  http://wm-www2.wmicentral.com/classifieds/ads/26307273/