heh heh thanks, haven't been around the forum much lately as have been decorating the house boooo, I eneded up hacsawing the valves off at the base of the brassvalve where it meets the cylinder then filling it up with water, standing for 24 hours full of water, then filling and emptying again, then put the airline from my compressor in the end, purging it for 20 mins, then making the first cut while still purging. obviously I cannot say this is the correct or safest way to do this caveman, and its all done at ones own risk, but it works well for me