Hi folks,

I have just finished "tweaking" my compressor (see
www.228mill.com/tinker.htm ) and now have a motor and cylinder head left.
I'd like to try and make a vacuum pump from the leftover bits and was
wondering what y'all think before I start.

Any mods needed to the rings/piston etc.

I was thinking of using an old propane tank (empty and cleaned) to store
the vacuum with some kind of pressure switch to cycle it.

I know I'm never going to get to -32in.hg but would like to get in the -28
range

Thanks all

I used my Harbor Freight vacumn pump (eductor) to outgas the MT propane tank I
use for a portable air tank. The tank held about 26"hg w/o any signs of
deformation. Maybe you should add a filter to your tank, that way you will
have a vacumn cleaner, (sorry, could not resist!!!)
Even after multiple flushings with air, there is still a smell of the odorant.

John H.

Mustmaker wrote:
... propane tank ...
Even after multiple flushings with air, there is still a smell of the odorant.

To get rid of the smell (reprint of earlier post):
I have tried various things to get rid of the odor from propane tanks
that I've reused. I have just tried the only one that really worked:
chlorine bleach (e.g., Clorox).

I have a 10 gal tank that I wanted to use as a portable air supply. I
poured in about a cup of bleach, sloshed it around, let it sit, sloshed
a few more times. After about 24 hr., I drained the bleach, rinsed with
a little water and filled with air. The air was totally odor free.
Well, it smelled a little, more like paint thinner than anything.

Note - I did this with the valve on, it would be easier with it off, but
probably not worth the effort.

Bob

On Wed, 05 Nov 2003 17:23:06 -0500, Bob Engelhardt
wrote:

I have tried various things to get rid of the odor from propane tanks
that I've reused.

I use a lot of propane tanks, frequently for stoves. Heat is the only
thing I've found to shift the ferret smell. Wirebrushing the inside
isn't a bad start though, assuming you've cut access.

--
Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods

Andy Dingley wrote...
I have tried various things to get rid of the odor from propane tanks
that I've reused.

I use a lot of propane tanks, frequently for stoves. Heat is the only
thing I've found to shift the ferret smell. Wirebrushing the inside
isn't a bad start though, assuming you've cut access.

Sandblasting worked ok for me. Of course, this means at least one end has
to be opened pretty wide, but for my application, I needed big holes in
both ends, anyway. Once all the rust was gone and pretty much nothing but
bare metal showed inside, the smell was nearly gone. I wasn't able to
perfectly clean the joint between the two halves, and I think that's
where a little bit of odor lingered. After sitting a few days, the smell
was gone completely, though.

Jim