How to get the valve off fire extinguishers?

[Maker]

I've got two small powder extinguishers and a big AFFF one, how do I go about getting their valves off to cut them? Is it just thwack them with a big hammer again? I'll upload pictures in a second.

 

[ronan]

If the hammer doesn't work , then you need a bigger hammer, if that doesn't work, its an electrical problem.

 

[Maker]

Shaking it upside down got that powder out, there's no pressure left inside.

I'll go hammer them then

 

[ronan]

What are you going to do with the empty extinguishers ?

 

[Maker]

All the valves are now off. That Powder one was half full so I kept it in a jar for some reason. You can just about see another similar one next to it. I had assumed it was powder but it's actually halon according to the label.

What are you going to do with the empty extinguishers ?

I went out to scavenge for more gas bottles to make BBQ/fire pit type things but these were all I could get my greasy mitts on.

The AFFF one is the only one big enough to be of any woodburny use and even then it's a bit thin. The two smaller ones might be useful for something. I've seen a Reynst combustor made from a small fire extinguisher. Do you have any ideas?

 

[arceyered]

Cut ends of weld together for a flue?

 

[CRB]

I've seen a Reynst combustor made from a small fire extinguisher. Do you have any ideas?

Now, if you had said 'pulse jet' you would have saved me looking it up.

GOOOOO!!!!!!!! pulse jet.

 

[ronan]

I have seen fire extinguishers being used for oil tanks on choppers, bobbers and specials. Two of them cut in half and the ends with the hemi-spheres welded back together, cap and brackets etc welded on.

 

[roofman]

a lot of fire extinguishers are ally...check yours before putting your welding mask on

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

With the Powder units, remove the pin, quickly strike the handles once and then let it slowly release the gas pressure.
Then with a deft blow with a soft headed hammer remove the head assembly.
DO NOT BREATH IN THE POWDER.
It will gives you the ****esss.

The foam just empty down the toilet, after the effects of breathing in the powder has passed. Then, again with a soft give the handles a deft blow. You head on that old foam is a plastic head, so be careful as it may shatter.

The foam is good to make a wood burner/ storm kettle out off, I use the ones I get as burners.
The little ones may be alloy, so check.

Any other questions please ask.


I am a BAFE and FIA trained up Vark.

 

[Maker]

The powder one is Ali, I'm ashamed how long it took me to realise. The halon and foam ones are steel. The foam one has a layer of rubbery paint, about 1/16" thick, is there a trick to getting it off or just burn it out? I've got a cunning plan of what to do with it, you'll just have to wait and see how well it comes out.

I'm gonna keep an eye out for a CO2 one, if I'm not mistaken, the vapour pressure of CO2 is about 800 psi so I imagine the wall is a bit thicker.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Burn it out, only way, it will also remove the paint as well. The paint is a pig to remove. I use 36 grit sanding discs.

 

[Gareth J]

I'm gonna keep an eye out for a CO2 one, if I'm not mistaken, the vapour pressure of CO2 is about 800 psi so I imagine the wall is a bit thicker.

Almost all the CO2 ones I have are ali. They are red. I do have some steel ones and they are black. Wouldn't like to say that all steel ones are black or that all red ones are ali but it has been the case for me with all the ones I've got.

 

[sardine]

I'm worried about that first picture with the chub extinguisher in it, there appears to be an improvised explosive device next to it. Who exactly are you working for Maker ? Do they do a lot of praying ?

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

You do find modem 2kg CO2 extinguishers, they are noticeable as they weigh about 6kg and are long and thin.
A 2kg C02 in alloy weighs in about 5kg and are dumpier.
The 5k CO2 are nearly all Ally.
Some 1kg, 2kg powders are Ally.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Maker = IED, ISIS, Al Qaeda.






Hello GCHQ

 

[Maker]

Now, if you had said 'pulse jet' you would have saved me looking it up.

GOOOOO!!!!!!!! pulse jet.

But aren't you happy you learnt a new word? I called it that because pulse jet brings a big U shape to mind, it's the real name for a jam jar pulse jet. I did a bit of "testing" with a spray bottle of petrol and got some nice satisfying... pulses. I'll try to upload a video sometime soon. I'm not sure what to do to improve it though. If you spray some petrol in it, then hold a flame to the end, you get one big WHOOFF, then the paint catches fire and that's the end of that.

This is what I did with it;

The plan is that when there's a fire in it, the stars will light up, I haven't been allowed to test it yet. The stars were cut with an angle grinder and are more pointy in real life, the picture makes it look as if the points are a bit rounded. The foot is the top of yesterday's gas cylinder and was very difficult to weld as the torch doesn't fit down in there very nicely. I can take some weld pics if you want?

I'm worried about that first picture with the chub extinguisher in it, there appears to be an improvised explosive device next to it. Who exactly are you working for Maker ? Do they do a lot of praying ?

It's a vacuum cleaner motor and impeller taped to the cardboard tube from carpet. There was another tube attached at a right angle full of polystyrene beads with a makeshift "valve". With the motor running, air blows down the tube at an unsuspecting victim's face, then you dump the polystyrene into the main tube and make an huge mess.

 

[CRB]

But aren't you happy you learnt a new word?

Never too old to learn....unless you are dead.

 

[sardine]

Glad to see your using your time wisely Maker.

 

[Maker]

Glad to see your using your time wisely Maker.

It won't happen again sir...
Because the brushes started sparking as it ran and I got scared so I hit with a hammer and threw it out. Shame really as I wanted to use it in as a forge blower.
I have spent about half the day clearing up the mess it made though.