motorcycle gas tank welding -advice needed
I have an old gas tank off of a motorcycle that needs a mounting tab tacked
on to it. When I emptied the tank, the gas was real old and smelled like varnish so i flushed the tank with acetone (rusty in there), then rinsed it out with soapy water several times. I dont think it would explode because of the age of the fuel that was in it and it was thoroughly rinsed but i'm not a big fan of blowing my fingers off my body so i'm a bit relunctant to mig this thing. A friend suggested to go outside with the cap off and stick a propane torch in the opening and see if it flashes. If it doesn't, it most likely wont explode. Any comments before I muster up enough nerve to tack this tank. thanks in advance, walt |
motorcycle gas tank welding -advice needed
Walt,
You have taken some good steps to get rid of most of the fumes. Buy a nice chunk of dry ice and put it in the tank and LIGHTLY cap it. (Saran Wrap the gas cap flange). This will keep the CO2 in the tank but let any pressure escape if necessary. Done this on car gas tanks and no problems. I don't thing trying to make it explode by putting a torch in it is a good idea. Bart D. Hull Tempe, Arizona Check http://www.inficad.com/~bdhull/engine.html for my Subaru Engine Conversion Check http://www.inficad.com/~bdhull/fuselage.html for Tango II I'm building. Remove -nospam to reply via email. wallster wrote: I have an old gas tank off of a motorcycle that needs a mounting tab tacked on to it. When I emptied the tank, the gas was real old and smelled like varnish so i flushed the tank with acetone (rusty in there), then rinsed it out with soapy water several times. I dont think it would explode because of the age of the fuel that was in it and it was thoroughly rinsed but i'm not a big fan of blowing my fingers off my body so i'm a bit relunctant to mig this thing. A friend suggested to go outside with the cap off and stick a propane torch in the opening and see if it flashes. If it doesn't, it most likely wont explode. Any comments before I muster up enough nerve to tack this tank. thanks in advance, walt |
motorcycle gas tank welding -advice needed
In article , Dave Baker says...
One traditional method is to pipe car exhaust fumes into the tank to flush out anything combustible and to displace all the air so there's no oxygen. Exhaust gas, having been burnt once is pretty much inert so any remaining petrol vapour won't ignite anyway. You need to keep the exhaust running while you weld of course. Have you ever personally done this, Dave? Jim -- ================================================== please reply to: JRR(zero) at pkmfgvm4 (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com ================================================== |
motorcycle gas tank welding -advice needed
"wallster" wrote in message ... I have an old gas tank off of a motorcycle that needs a mounting tab tacked on to it. When I emptied the tank, the gas was real old and smelled like varnish so i flushed the tank with acetone (rusty in there), then rinsed it out with soapy water several times. I dont think it would explode because of the age of the fuel that was in it and it was thoroughly rinsed but i'm not a big fan of blowing my fingers off my body so i'm a bit relunctant to mig this thing. A friend suggested to go outside with the cap off and stick a propane torch in the opening and see if it flashes. If it doesn't, it most likely wont explode. Any comments before I muster up enough nerve to tack this tank. thanks in advance, walt all done fellas! I purged the tank with argon from my tig and tacked it with the mig... no boom. thanks, walt |
motorcycle gas tank welding -advice needed
Just fill the tank up with water. Close the cap and vent tube. Turn the
tank over so that the area that you are going to weld is located at the small air space left in the tank. I have done this with Oxy-acetylene and occasionally I would get a little burp at the crack or opening I was repairing. There wasn't enough space for any gas residue to have any power. Randy "wallster" wrote in message ... I have an old gas tank off of a motorcycle that needs a mounting tab tacked on to it. When I emptied the tank, the gas was real old and smelled like varnish so i flushed the tank with acetone (rusty in there), then rinsed it out with soapy water several times. I dont think it would explode because of the age of the fuel that was in it and it was thoroughly rinsed but i'm not a big fan of blowing my fingers off my body so i'm a bit relunctant to mig this thing. A friend suggested to go outside with the cap off and stick a propane torch in the opening and see if it flashes. If it doesn't, it most likely wont explode. Any comments before I muster up enough nerve to tack this tank. thanks in advance, walt |
motorcycle gas tank welding -advice needed
I did the same thing. I got a hole in my tank from something that got kicked
up off the road. I filled the tank with water and as much as I could leaving only a small air pocket. I was going to braze weld it shut with my propane & oxy torches. I had at least 90 % full of water. When I put the torch to it the tank still had enough vapor in it to cause it to give a big burp. Water sprayed me all over from the fill hose. It scared the snot out of me! I wasn't sure if it was the water from the tank, or if I ****ed my pants! Randy Hansen SC Glass Tech Scam Diego, Comi-fornia "Randy Zimmerman" wrote in message news:xOdTc.96746$M95.53638@pd7tw1no... Just fill the tank up with water. Close the cap and vent tube. Turn the tank over so that the area that you are going to weld is located at the small air space left in the tank. I have done this with Oxy-acetylene and occasionally I would get a little burp at the crack or opening I was repairing. There wasn't enough space for any gas residue to have any power. Randy "wallster" wrote in message ... I have an old gas tank off of a motorcycle that needs a mounting tab tacked on to it. When I emptied the tank, the gas was real old and smelled like varnish so i flushed the tank with acetone (rusty in there), then rinsed it out with soapy water several times. I dont think it would explode because of the age of the fuel that was in it and it was thoroughly rinsed but i'm not a big fan of blowing my fingers off my body so i'm a bit relunctant to mig this thing. A friend suggested to go outside with the cap off and stick a propane torch in the opening and see if it flashes. If it doesn't, it most likely wont explode. Any comments before I muster up enough nerve to tack this tank. thanks in advance, walt |
motorcycle gas tank welding -advice needed
Subject: motorcycle gas tank welding -advice needed
From: jim rozen Date: 14/08/04 01:32 GMT Daylight Time Message-id: In article , Dave Baker says... One traditional method is to pipe car exhaust fumes into the tank to flush out anything combustible and to displace all the air so there's no oxygen. Exhaust gas, having been burnt once is pretty much inert so any remaining petrol vapour won't ignite anyway. You need to keep the exhaust running while you weld of course. Have you ever personally done this, Dave? Nope, as I don't weld, or at least only in extremis. I've heard it mentioned a number of times though by racing people having to do emergency repairs at the trackside. -- Dave Baker - Puma Race Engines (www.pumaracing.co.uk) |
motorcycle gas tank welding -advice needed
I once had to weld a hole in my car gas tank .So i took the tank out and filled
it with water I emptyed it and did this 3 times . But i still smelled a slight gas smell .So i rolled up a news paper about 3 foot long put one end in the tank and lighted the other end and got away from it.To my suprise there was a loud bang .It expanded the tank alittle but a mashed it back in and fixed the hole. |
motorcycle gas tank welding -advice needed
"Randy H." wrote in message news:jaeTc.41087$Oi.32787@fed1read04... I did the same thing. I got a hole in my tank from something that got kicked up off the road. I filled the tank with water and as much as I could leaving only a small air pocket. I was going to braze weld it shut with my propane & oxy torches. I had at least 90 % full of water. When I put the torch to it the tank still had enough vapor in it to cause it to give a big burp. Water sprayed me all over from the fill hose. It scared the snot out of me! I wasn't sure if it was the water from the tank, or if I ****ed my pants! Randy Hansen SC Glass Tech Scam Diego, Comi-fornia hehehehe.... where's a camera when ya need one! walt "Randy Zimmerman" wrote in message news:xOdTc.96746$M95.53638@pd7tw1no... Just fill the tank up with water. Close the cap and vent tube. Turn the tank over so that the area that you are going to weld is located at the small air space left in the tank. I have done this with Oxy-acetylene and occasionally I would get a little burp at the crack or opening I was repairing. There wasn't enough space for any gas residue to have any power. Randy "wallster" wrote in message ... I have an old gas tank off of a motorcycle that needs a mounting tab tacked on to it. When I emptied the tank, the gas was real old and smelled like varnish so i flushed the tank with acetone (rusty in there), then rinsed it out with soapy water several times. I dont think it would explode because of the age of the fuel that was in it and it was thoroughly rinsed but i'm not a big fan of blowing my fingers off my body so i'm a bit relunctant to mig this thing. A friend suggested to go outside with the cap off and stick a propane torch in the opening and see if it flashes. If it doesn't, it most likely wont explode. Any comments before I muster up enough nerve to tack this tank. thanks in advance, walt |
motorcycle gas tank welding -advice needed
I have done quite a few with co2 or argon, and no embarrasing burp either.
Do yourself a favor while it's cleaned out, and line it with Red-Kote (my favorite), Kreem, or some other "fuel tank sloshing compound". -- Paul Calman, Hathaway Pines, California |
wallster wrote in article ... .....A friend suggested to go outside with the cap off and stick a propane torch in the opening and see if it flashes. If it doesn't, it most likely wont explode. Any comments before I muster up enough nerve to tack this tank. I, for one, would be interested in understanding why a gasoline vapor explosion caused by a propane torch is, somehow, of lesser energy - thus safer - than a gasoline vapor explosion caused by any other source of ignition...... -- Bob Paulin - R.A.C.E. Race Car Chassis Analysis & Setup Services Chassis Blueprinting Services (as in engine blueprinting) |
On Sat, 14 Aug 2004 08:29:14 -0500, "Bob Paulin"
vaguely proposed a theory .......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email I believe the torch is meant to be lit before application. G I also reckon the "friend" who suggested this should be invited to try it themselves. I, for one, would be interested in understanding why a gasoline vapor explosion caused by a propane torch is, somehow, of lesser energy - thus safer - than a gasoline vapor explosion caused by any other source of ignition...... ************************************************** *** It's not the milk and honey we hate. It's having it rammed down our throats. |
I, for one, would be interested in understanding why a gasoline vapor explosion caused by a propane torch is, somehow, of lesser energy - thus safer - than a gasoline vapor explosion caused by any other source of ignition...... I believe that would be like a comparison of 110v. and 220v. One will kill you. The other will only blow off a few fingers and knock you unconscious for a while. Or was that vice versa? It's been so long since the explosion, I don't remember. Is the phone ringing? bye ........................ steve ........................ ;-) |
wash tank with hot soapy water, then fill tank with water 95%, position tank
so air pocket in the weld area, and weld your area. Tony "wallster" wrote in message ... I have an old gas tank off of a motorcycle that needs a mounting tab tacked on to it. When I emptied the tank, the gas was real old and smelled like varnish so i flushed the tank with acetone (rusty in there), then rinsed it out with soapy water several times. I dont think it would explode because of the age of the fuel that was in it and it was thoroughly rinsed but i'm not a big fan of blowing my fingers off my body so i'm a bit relunctant to mig this thing. A friend suggested to go outside with the cap off and stick a propane torch in the opening and see if it flashes. If it doesn't, it most likely wont explode. Any comments before I muster up enough nerve to tack this tank. thanks in advance, walt |
Keep the cap off and you wont have a problem... I watch my friends at
the junkyard cut up barbecue gas tanks... All they do is take a hammer and knock the valve off with a hammer and while the gas is coming out they cut the tank in half... Not something I would want to do... |
If you live in a larger city you can probably buy dry ice. A couple ice cube
size chunks of dry ice in the tank will fill the tank with CO2 and displace any gas vapors. Then weld away. Put some in a cooler with your beer and you can have a reaaaaally cold beer after the job is done. DL |
SteveB wrote:
I, for one, would be interested in understanding why a gasoline vapor explosion caused by a propane torch is, somehow, of lesser energy - thus safer - than a gasoline vapor explosion caused by any other source of ignition...... I believe that would be like a comparison of 110v. and 220v. One will kill you. The other will only blow off a few fingers and knock you unconscious for a while. 220V merely tickles.....its what you're used to that matters... Steve |
Steve Taylor wrote in message ... SteveB wrote: I, for one, would be interested in understanding why a gasoline vapor explosion caused by a propane torch is, somehow, of lesser energy - thus safer - than a gasoline vapor explosion caused by any other source of ignition...... I believe that would be like a comparison of 110v. and 220v. One will kill you. The other will only blow off a few fingers and knock you unconscious for a while. 220V merely tickles.....its what you're used to that matters... Steve Tickles, my ass. Try it hot and sweaty lying on your belly and brushing a 3 phase feeder. With very little room to maneuver away from it. Garrett Fulton -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =----- http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =----- |
On Sun, 15 Aug 2004 16:05:08 -0500, "gfulton"
wrote: Steve Taylor wrote in message ... SteveB wrote: I, for one, would be interested in understanding why a gasoline vapor explosion caused by a propane torch is, somehow, of lesser energy - thus safer - than a gasoline vapor explosion caused by any other source of ignition...... I believe that would be like a comparison of 110v. and 220v. One will kill you. The other will only blow off a few fingers and knock you unconscious for a while. 220V merely tickles.....its what you're used to that matters... Steve Tickles, my ass. Try it hot and sweaty lying on your belly and brushing a 3 phase feeder. With very little room to maneuver away from it. Garrett Fulton Brrrrrr...the memories of something similar still haunt me.... Gunner -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =----- http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =----- "There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism - by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide." - Ayn Rand, from "Foreign Policy Drains U.S. of Main Weapons" |
gfulton wrote:
Tickles, my ass. Depends where you're pointing.... Try it hot and sweaty lying on your belly and brushing a 3 phase feeder. With very little room to maneuver away from it. phase-phase you're up to 415volts, that DOES hurt. Steve |
On Sun, 15 Aug 2004 20:14:51 +0100, Steve Taylor
wrote: 220V merely tickles.....its what you're used to that matters... Worst I've seen was 50V - telephone exchange busbars. They'd deliver a squiggaamp and not break a sweat. At least 230V usually has some sort of fuse somewhere. Lately I've been zapping myself with 12V - the electrolytic derust tank, because I'm still to stupid to always switch it off before going near it. It's "only 12V", but across two hands that are wet with salty water, you sure feel it. -- Smert' spamionam |
"Steve Taylor" wrote in message ... gfulton wrote: Tickles, my ass. Depends where you're pointing.... Try it hot and sweaty lying on your belly and brushing a 3 phase feeder. With very little room to maneuver away from it. phase-phase you're up to 415volts, that DOES hurt. Steve Yeah. And it was 400 cycle too. Garrett -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =----- http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =----- |
On Sun, 15 Aug 2004 21:30:38 GMT, Gunner
wrote: On Sun, 15 Aug 2004 16:05:08 -0500, "gfulton" wrote: Steve Taylor wrote in message ... SteveB wrote: I believe that would be like a comparison of 110v. and 220v. One will kill you. The other will only blow off a few fingers and knock you unconscious for a while. 220V merely tickles.....its what you're used to that matters... Tickles, my ass. Try it hot and sweaty lying on your belly and brushing a 3 phase feeder. With very little room to maneuver away from it. Brrrrrr...the memories of something similar still haunt me.... I just got bit pretty good week before last - 277V from the base of my left index finger to one of my forearms laying on the rim of the steel access hatch in grounded steel lath ceiling falsework... Wa-Ha-Ha-Hoooiee!!! Was repeating George Carlin's "Seven Dirty Words" routine for 30 seconds ;-) and shaking my arm for a half hour... Compared to that, 120V is nothing but a strong tickle. The little (1/8" x 3/8") 2nd degree burn where the wire touched at the edge of my palm (almost on my thumb web) made a dry blister and is healing up nicely. G--D---ed retail store in an old office building, with the 277V panel for those lights locked up in another office's utility closet. Which made it far easier to pull the wirenut in the ceiling to kill the fixtures we were replacing two at a time... Moral: Copper wire makes a decent spring and can jump sideways to bite you when you take the wirenut off. -- Bruce -- -- Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700 5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545 Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net. |
Now for my method! First, find an old hair dryer, the type that had a hose
on it. Discard the plastic head cover. Now, fill the tank with water, and empty. Do this three times. Now, insert the hair dryer hose into the filler hole. Turn on the dryer. The hose is usually smaller then the filler hole, so air can escape. let it completely dry the inside of the tank. Weld immediately. If allowed to sit for a while, the adsorbed fuel molecules on the inside surfaces may slowly evaporate. This can form a combustible mixture. Steve R. |
If you put the exhaust from any engine into it and weld with the engine
running you will be ok. The exhaust will not burn, no oxygen. It will stop the fumes from exploding the same way dry ice does. - no oxygen. This works great, and no need to find a supply of dry ice. "wallster" wrote in message ... "Randy H." wrote in message news:jaeTc.41087$Oi.32787@fed1read04... I did the same thing. I got a hole in my tank from something that got kicked up off the road. I filled the tank with water and as much as I could leaving only a small air pocket. I was going to braze weld it shut with my propane & oxy torches. I had at least 90 % full of water. When I put the torch to it the tank still had enough vapor in it to cause it to give a big burp. Water sprayed me all over from the fill hose. It scared the snot out of me! I wasn't sure if it was the water from the tank, or if I ****ed my pants! Randy Hansen SC Glass Tech Scam Diego, Comi-fornia hehehehe.... where's a camera when ya need one! walt "Randy Zimmerman" wrote in message news:xOdTc.96746$M95.53638@pd7tw1no... Just fill the tank up with water. Close the cap and vent tube. Turn the tank over so that the area that you are going to weld is located at the small air space left in the tank. I have done this with Oxy-acetylene and occasionally I would get a little burp at the crack or opening I was repairing. There wasn't enough space for any gas residue to have any power. Randy "wallster" wrote in message ... I have an old gas tank off of a motorcycle that needs a mounting tab tacked on to it. When I emptied the tank, the gas was real old and smelled like varnish so i flushed the tank with acetone (rusty in there), then rinsed it out with soapy water several times. I dont think it would explode because of the age of the fuel that was in it and it was thoroughly rinsed but i'm not a big fan of blowing my fingers off my body so i'm a bit relunctant to mig this thing. A friend suggested to go outside with the cap off and stick a propane torch in the opening and see if it flashes. If it doesn't, it most likely wont explode. Any comments before I muster up enough nerve to tack this tank. thanks in advance, walt |
Reminds me of the old joke.
A parachutist jumped out of the plane, counted 5 and pulled his rip cord. Very little happened. Oh *** he thought. Never mind, dump that canopy and deploy the reserve. Pulled the second rip cord and nothing happened. He is now plummeting earthwards at a fair rate when he sees his pal flying upwards at a similar rate. "Know anything about parachutes?" he shouts. "No" came the reply, "can you weld gas tanks?" Apologies to all who have heard this before. John "John Smith" wrote in message ... If you put the exhaust from any engine into it and weld with the engine running you will be ok. The exhaust will not burn, no oxygen. It will stop the fumes from exploding the same way dry ice does. - no oxygen. This works great, and no need to find a supply of dry ice. "wallster" wrote in message ... "Randy H." wrote in message news:jaeTc.41087$Oi.32787@fed1read04... I did the same thing. I got a hole in my tank from something that got kicked up off the road. I filled the tank with water and as much as I could leaving only a small air pocket. I was going to braze weld it shut with my propane & oxy torches. I had at least 90 % full of water. When I put the torch to it the tank still had enough vapor in it to cause it to give a big burp. Water sprayed me all over from the fill hose. It scared the snot out of me! I wasn't sure if it was the water from the tank, or if I ****ed my pants! Randy Hansen SC Glass Tech Scam Diego, Comi-fornia hehehehe.... where's a camera when ya need one! walt "Randy Zimmerman" wrote in message news:xOdTc.96746$M95.53638@pd7tw1no... Just fill the tank up with water. Close the cap and vent tube. Turn the tank over so that the area that you are going to weld is located at the small air space left in the tank. I have done this with Oxy-acetylene and occasionally I would get a little burp at the crack or opening I was repairing. There wasn't enough space for any gas residue to have any power. Randy "wallster" wrote in message ... I have an old gas tank off of a motorcycle that needs a mounting tab tacked on to it. When I emptied the tank, the gas was real old and smelled like varnish so i flushed the tank with acetone (rusty in there), then rinsed it out with soapy water several times. I dont think it would explode because of the age of the fuel that was in it and it was thoroughly rinsed but i'm not a big fan of blowing my fingers off my body so i'm a bit relunctant to mig this thing. A friend suggested to go outside with the cap off and stick a propane torch in the opening and see if it flashes. If it doesn't, it most likely wont explode. Any comments before I muster up enough nerve to tack this tank. thanks in advance, walt |
On Mon, 16 Aug 2004 01:59:17 +0100, Andy Dingley
wrote: Worst I've seen was 50V - telephone exchange busbars. They'd deliver a squiggaamp and not break a sweat. At least 230V usually has some sort of fuse somewhere. Lately I've been zapping myself with 12V - the electrolytic derust tank, because I'm still to stupid to always switch it off before going near it. It's "only 12V", but across two hands that are wet with salty water, you sure feel it. Been there! Also bear in mind that, if you've got one or two good sized grazes on your hands, the current with 12V and the electrolyte can come very close to fatal levels. I have ended up even applying the old BTH test house rules to this situation... "When working on open switchgear, the worker must keep one hand in his pocket at all times". It's a good rule and it usually works. Mark Rand RTFM |
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