When is a gas bottle safe to cut??

[bump]

Would propane be OK ?

As a purge gas? No.

As an empty cylinder, yes.

 

[Bill Edwards]

I really can't believe how complicated people make this - cutting while filled with water, purging with gas etc.

Just squirt in some fairly liquid (removing the smell makes one feel safer), brim with water then tip it out and do whatever hot work you want.

 

[sardine]

I really can't believe how complicated people make this - cutting while filled with water, purging with gas etc.

Just squirt in some fairly liquid (removing the smell makes one feel safer), brim with water then tip it out and do whatever hot work you want.

I got a foot long flame off one while cutting it, washed out like that. Each to his own method, but Im sticking to my method.

 

[Bill Edwards]

There can't be anything left in significant quantity to present any real danger, and they're well made - it's not like say a petrol tank which is thin and may go quite pear shaped with a good pop.

 

[the snooper]

There can't be anything left in significant quantity to present any real danger, and they're well made - it's not like say a petrol tank which is thin and may go quite pear shaped with a good pop.

and they do, I have the certificate

 

[MattF]

I got a foot long flame off one while cutting it, washed out like that. Each to his own method, but Im sticking to my method.

It's very short lived though. Once did the same to myself years ago with a canister I'd rinsed out with a solvent. A momentary surprise, but nowt else.

 

[sardine]

There can't be anything left in significant quantity to present any real danger, and they're well made - it's not like say a petrol tank which is thin and may go quite pear shaped with a good pop.

No danger from the gas, but the surprise of a blowback while holding a 9" grinder or other tool is what could cause the accident.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

@reb78 You cut it open yet???

 

[MattF]

@reb78 You cut it open yet???

Honestly.... Do keep up man.

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/when-is-a-gas-bottle-safe-to-cut.61685/#post-793904

 

[reb78]

Honestly.... Do keep up man.

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/when-is-a-gas-bottle-safe-to-cut.61685/#post-793904

Haha, yep. No bangs!

 

[Wedg1e]

There can't be anything left in significant quantity to present any real danger, and they're well made - it's not like say a petrol tank which is thin and may go quite pear shaped with a good pop.

I cut a foot square hole in one of my TVR fuel tanks using the plasma. Purged it with running Argon (Coogar if anyone remembers it!). Mind you it'd already been empty and venting for two years

 

[normspanners]

Any suggestions for legs that wouldn't look out of place?

I have used a car wheel cut off the outer rim and weld the base of the cylinder to the centre of the wheel and it sort of flows to the ground
this is a truck brake drum but it gives the idea

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Honestly.... Do keep up man.

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/when-is-a-gas-bottle-safe-to-cut.61685/#post-793904

Doh!!

 

[normspanners]

Purge with your favourite (nearly) inert shielding gas?

Well I for one am not using my argon at the cost of it !!

 

[normspanners]

Would propane be OK ?

Well if used as a purge gas it would sort out the problem when you cut through with the grinder coz the cylinder would end up in one of the neighbors gardens!!!.

 

[Burdekin]

Well I for one am not using my argon at the cost of it !!

Exhaust gas from the car is another way to purge, just make sure the room is well vented though.

I washed the one I did out quite well. Fill her up and overflow with water and detergent and then roll it round for a bit. I left mine for a few days full to the brim. I also washed it out with water and bleach to kill some of the smell, not required if using as a stove though obviously. But wash out thoroughly after the bleach so it doesn't rust. If you wash propane bottles out thoroughly then it's fine, if in doubt give it another wash out. I gave it a test with a naked flame before welding so I didn't need my brown undies when doing the welding.

Always have the top valve off before cutting.

 

[normspanners]

I once went to my mothers who was having the kitchen re furbed so all she had was a butane mobile gas heater in the makeshift kitchen which was actually the conservatory, well the weather had gone cold, real cold minus 16 !!
she rang to say the heater wouldnt light, I had made sure she had 2 spare gas in case in case etc. she said she had tried a new cyl etc.
sure enough the piezo was working but no go I could feel the cyl where full and tried tipping them upside down, convinced they where full of water not gas and had frozen, the gas people who I knew personally and had told them of my mothers plight and thats why they hads given me 3 cyls , Me thinking they had had a problem and tank had been contaminated, so I was that mad with it being 23.00 hrs, I unscrewed the neck valve out of the cyl and looked in, expecting water, low and behold there was the gas just sitting there !!!UUUUP's suddenly hit me it was that cold the liquid was not making gas !! below -4 ish it remains a liquid.
I think I will screw the valve back in sharpish!!
I sealed it up and then took the first cyl upstairs ran the hot tap on it for ten minutes in the bath and the gas then started to come out light the fire mother and dont turn it off !!