old used propane tanks

[popsmrf]

had these old 25 pound propane bottles laying around that are the old style. they won't take them in on trade anymore. i decided to try and make a few mini smokers out of them. the were all empty. i took the valve off one and layed it on its side. i notice the vapor and smell. now here is my question. can i just fill it with soap and water and let them soak a bit to make them safe to cut on?

[jamscal]

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/22/907.html

Related thread. It's a good forum. You may want to contact the guy and ask him more about it.

-James

[fun4now]

its kinda like welding on a gas tank, some a weary of offering advice on a public forum about it. but it has been coverd be for.
i would do like you said then let it sit out for about a week then do like you said again. but the best advice would be to test it with a meeter be for adding heat.
odds are good the added rotten egg smell will remain long after the gas is gone.

[aametalmaster]

You can buy the new style valves for like 20 bucks from mcmaster.com if you want to use them again...Bob

[Cowbungus]

had these old 25 pound propane bottles laying around that are the old style. they won't take them in on trade anymore. i decided to try and make a few mini smokers out of them. the were all empty. i took the valve off one and layed it on its side. i notice the vapor and smell. now here is my question. can i just fill it with soap and water and let them soak a bit to make them safe to cut on?

Well here is my 2 cents worth.. I was in the propane business for years. The vapor that you see and also the smell is propane for sure. Filling the tank with soapy water will remove the propane vapor, but... the smell is the ordorizer which is added to propane so we can tell its there. The ordorizer is an oily flammable substance called ethyl percaptain. Ordorizer will penetrate the metal pores of the tank and stay there a long time. The best way to be safe is to have the tank steamed and cleaned out to remove all the propane, ordorizers etc. before cutting on the metal. I have heard of folks cutting on the tanks and getting by with it after it has soaked a few days with soapy water. Personally I wouldnt do it unless it has been cleaned. I have seen pictures of tanks that exploded because of carelessness etc. Now lets be safe!! have them cleaned properly before cutting on them.

[popsmrf]

i remember the old training video where they cut into a drum that had fuel in it at one time and the thing blew up. for some reason that has been etched in my ming ever since.

[dabar39]

Propane tank cutting

The best advice that I can give is if you are not sure of how to do it, DON'T. If however you decide to proceed anyways, which we all know you will, (simply because your a man), make sure that the life insurance and homeowners policies are up to date. Dave

[wayne50]

Just wanted to add that about a year ago I was able to swap out the old style for the new style at either Lowes or Walmart, don't remember which. This is just the regular style propane tank like you use with a barbecue grill.