Halving A Propane Tank - Go Big or Go Home

I tried metal spoon with holes in it. But I found it wasn't big enough, esp dealing with range scraps from a indoor range back stop. I was having to scoop alot. So I switched to a mini deep fat fryer basket. For the major amount of work. Check out the dollar store or walmart. That were I got most of my stuff.


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You might want to invest in a fan for one, and a P100 respirator.

Like this about 30$ on amazon and I didn't smell a thing.

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gnmontey said:
Finally got a chance to use my melting setup.


PPE - Check
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Going to do 150# worth of this stuff in two batches
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Real Stinky Awful smoke. The smoke was worse than depicted in this image.
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Starting to melt now. Will be ladling soon.
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My production setup. Three muffin tins worked well. By the time the third tin had been ladled the first was ready to dump.
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Final haul. 130# of BHN 7 ingots. 15# of other junk/crud (filled a coffee can) and probably left about 1# in the pot that I couldn't scoop out.
4# must have gone up in smoke?
The whole thing took about 3 hours to do including setup and teardown.
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What I learned:

1. Close all of your house windows before you start!!!! Luckily I caught that one early on LOL.

2. My PA skimming spoon just barely did the job. Too flimsy, I'll need to find something more robust.

3. My PA ladle was ok other than the handle is smooth and was a challenge to pour from. This I can fix.

4. My attempt to flux using chainsaw sawdust didn't seem to accomplish anything. Too course I think.

5. Propane ring flamed out 3 times. A wind break/shield is now on my to get list.

6. The only oops I had was loosing my face shield while ladling. Nothing serious but not good either.

7. The smoke given off by that stuff is lethal. Was sporting a headache 30 min into the melt. Had to back off while skimming numerous times to get some fresh air.

8. Add lead to the pot in manageable quantities. When I dumped the first batch of lead into the cold pot I tipped the pot off the burner. Not a good thing had there been molten lead in the pot.

All in all a very interesting and rewarding morning.

M
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Damn does that mean your not coming to visit anymore...good looking set-up.
 
Nice!

For scooping I first used a slotted spoon but that did not work so well
then I grabbed what I had on hand, a metal strainer (similar to the one below here)
and that works very efficienty!!

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fingers284 said:
Damn does that mean your not coming to visit anymore...good looking set-up.
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If I ever luck into some more of those 60+ lb lead pigs again, I'll be back for a visit.

That or to get your help building a bottom pour pot. Every time I pass by the top half of that propane tank I cut up I think "There's got to be a way".

M
 
I found the easiest way to remove the valve and stem on a propane tank is to lay it on its side, put a large crowbar through the handle and use a big pipe wrench on the valve. The combo of big wrench and big crowbar provides lots of leverage to get it moving.

As for cutting, the moment it has been filled completely with water all propane gas would be displaced, and it would be safe to cut at that time. No need to then leave outside upside down for days or anything.
 
Auggie Doggie said:
I use a 3lb Rowell bottom pour lead ladel. I got mine many moons ago from the Antimony Man. Long out of business now. I don't know if these guys will ship up here. Rotometals also carry them.

htt p://www.advancecarmover.com/rowellbottom-pouringladles.aspx

Auggie D.
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Those are pretty nice, looks like AmazonCA sells some of the sizes.
 
bertn said:
Nice!

For scooping I first used a slotted spoon but that did not work so well
then I grabbed what I had on hand, a metal strainer (similar to the one below here)
and that works very efficienty!!
Click to expand...

I'm thinking a metal ice fishing ice skimmer should work well. Anyone else use one?

M
 
bertn said:
Nice!

For scooping I first used a slotted spoon but that did not work so well
then I grabbed what I had on hand, a metal strainer (similar to the one below here)
and that works very efficienty!!

10-inch-stainless-steel-strainer-aih.jpg
Click to expand...

I use one like that but much thicker wire. It was 3$ at the dollar store. Its a deep fat fryer basket.

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Be careful with some of the dollar store ladles and spoons. They are of second rate material and so thin that they can bend and fall apart around hot and heavy casting applications.
Be sure things are up to the task when the consequences could be this painful.
 
vagrantviking said:
Be careful with some of the dollar store ladles and spoons. They are of second rate material and so thin that they can bend and fall apart around hot and heavy casting applications.
Be sure things are up to the task when the consequences could be this painful.
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Solid advice!
 
I use an old garden hand rake ( the small variety with 4 or 5 teeth) to pull the clips from a melt. Strongly built and easily maneuverable to remove clips without any danger to the operator.
 
Yet another lesson learned...…

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Don't put hot muffin tins on the lawn LOL. Didn't feel that hot with the welding gloves on?

Have two spots with that alien landing pad pattern on them.

M
 

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plenty of good info on this thread, I'd like to add a bit to it. I bought a cast iron turkey cooker from Cabela's when it was on sale for 80.00 and added a bottom pour needle valve setup on it based on the lyman design. everything works as it should, but the heat coming off the melt is a bit uncomfortable. anyway, I cut a lid out of mild sheet steel and welded a handle to it so I could put it on and take it off with the same welding gloves i wear for pouring and skimming. the lid cuts down the time waiting for the wheelweights to melt by at least half, if not more. try it, you'll like it.
 
So whadya think.... Is this going to fly as a bottom pour?

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It's the top half of the 20# propane tank I halved. The tank valve port still has the brass valve stem in it from when I cut the valve off. It looked to me that the brass stem might make a suitable valve seat, so I turned a steel valve with a 30deg taper, rigged it to the tank with a piece of strap iron and lapped it to the brass stem with valve grinding compound.

So far it's holding water without dripping. I can spin, open and close the value with out developing a drip.

The design would allow the valve to be spring loaded in the closed position and one has the choice of rigging a pull to open or push to open lever.

A good portion of the discharge piping will be directly in the burner flame so with luck pipe freeze up won't be an issue.

Comments, Suggestions?

M
 

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gnmontey said:
So whadya think.... Is this going to fly as a bottom pour?
Comments, Suggestions?
M
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One way to find out, just try.

The downside of this is that you can't easily put a lid on it anymore with a handle or lever sticking out.
Also I'm afraid your spout will freeze since the burner is ring shaped and does not heat the center of the pot, where your valve is.
Trying to hit it with a torch down there is a pita I think.

You probably need a pretty serious spring to hold the valve closed since steel wants to float on top of the lead and the downward pressure is quite a bit if you melt a good amount of lead in the pot.

I first build my propane tank melting pot with a twist bottom valve (like Satan's Little Smelter) and did not like it
so converted it to a bottom tap pot using a brass gas valve.

Hope it works for you!
 
bertn said:
One way to find out, just try.

Hope it works for you!
Click to expand...

Ends up the valve doesn't consistently seal well and the amount of piping I would need to plumb to reach ground level from the top of my burner would be excessive.

Back to the drawing board.

Hot water tank pressure relief valve? Compressor relief valve?

M
 
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gnmontey said:
Ends up the valve doesn't consistently seal well and the amount of piping I would need to plumb to reach ground level from the top of my burner would be excessive.

Back to the drawing board.

Hot water tank pressure relief valve? Compressor relief valve?

M
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sometimes just a spin on an emery cloth will set the seat to fit better (both internally and external)...and remember the big gob of steel plate I had welded to the valve stem on mine, its there for two reasons, one the extra weight will set it down into the pocket firmer and if it doesn't I have a substantial point to hit a small tap with a hammer that will seal the deal every time.
 
gnmontey said:
Ends up the valve doesn't consistently seal well and the amount of piping I would need to plumb to reach ground level from the top of my burner would be excessive.
Back to the drawing board.
Hot water tank pressure relief valve? Compressor relief valve?
M
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I'm not very surprised and was expecting this.

Try to get your hands on an old style brass gas valve.
Not a ball valve one but the type with a conical brass insert held in the housing with spring tension.
Don't know if you can still buy them new here but they are still used in older homes,
if you know a plumber or someone who does water heater installs he could probably get you one from a reno job or something.

Keep it as close to the tank as possible. My valve starts about an inch from the pot/tank and if I had to do it over I would shorten this distance as much as possible.
It does freeze up if there is too much time in between pouring into ingots, but hitting it with a touch for a few seconds solves that issue.

I found this picture online. I'll take a pic of my valve soon and post it here.
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