Halving A Propane Tank - Go Big or Go Home
- Thread starter gnmontey
- Start date
My project continues....
The tank air locked and wasn't filling with water. I tried two more times to get the valve to budge. No Joy.
Frustrated, I sazalled the valve off and drilled the hole out with the largest bit that would fit in my drill.
Put a funnel on it and had it filled with water in less than 20 min.
Tomorrow she gets chopped.
M
The tank air locked and wasn't filling with water. I tried two more times to get the valve to budge. No Joy.
Frustrated, I sazalled the valve off and drilled the hole out with the largest bit that would fit in my drill.
Put a funnel on it and had it filled with water in less than 20 min.
Tomorrow she gets chopped.
M
Last edited:
Talking about go big or go home; I halved a 100lb tank only to find out it was way too big so
I then cut it down to about 11 inches high.
With the 14 inch diameter it is still way big enough. Can easily melt
four buckets of ww in it at a time.
Yomomma did the math for you so if you need more than 200lb capacity then cut it higher.
Be careful that you don't overload the pot and cause the burner stand to collapse. Some of the commercial turkey-fryer burners were designed for 40 lb loads, and have quite light frames. It would be a shame to have one collapse and dump a hundred pounds of molten lead on your feet. Reinforcing the frame as was discussed in a earlier post is a very good idea.
I have pretty much written off turkey-fryers as a viable option. Looking more towards something like this homedepot.ca/en/home/p.r65-propane-burner.1000751079.html.
Believe me, I approach molten lead with the utmost caution and respect.
M
fingers284
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta Cowboy Ranges
Another safety warning that hasn't been mentioned: If you ever envision moving your pot with a load of molten lead in it and don't have your hoop handle welded solid to the pot for goodness sakes make sure your handle pivot point is very much more distant from the bottom of the pot than the pot is wide. Handles that are lower than the pot width create a very easily over-centering pot that can fill your boot with 20 or 30lbs of lead faster than you can even think of moving.
Glad to hear you got the valve removed. They use some sort of threadlocker or threadsealant to really hold those buggers in tight!!!
My solution was to use a ratchet strap, wrapped several times around a piece of heavy farm equipment, and have at 'er with a big wrench. I think I cut the handle off the tank so I could get more access to the valve.
Once you get lead melted, make sure you have lots of ingot molds ready. Once the molds are hot the lead takes forever to cool down and solidify enough to make a clean ingot.
I made several out of C-channel iron and bedframe angle iron. The sizes were just big enough to fit into 50 cal ammo cans either sideways or lengthways depending on the mold. Just angle the ends of the molds so that you don't "lock" the lead into the mold.
8" or so long handles kept cool so I could dump the mold out and start again.
My solution was to use a ratchet strap, wrapped several times around a piece of heavy farm equipment, and have at 'er with a big wrench. I think I cut the handle off the tank so I could get more access to the valve.
Once you get lead melted, make sure you have lots of ingot molds ready. Once the molds are hot the lead takes forever to cool down and solidify enough to make a clean ingot.
I made several out of C-channel iron and bedframe angle iron. The sizes were just big enough to fit into 50 cal ammo cans either sideways or lengthways depending on the mold. Just angle the ends of the molds so that you don't "lock" the lead into the mold.
8" or so long handles kept cool so I could dump the mold out and start again.
Got her done! Still have all of my body parts and didn't burn the house down LOL.
Took a whole 15 min including a few breaks to adjust the blade depth, re-tighten the blade nut (had to go back into the house for a wrench) and rotate the tank.
The blade I used is actually labeled "metal cut-off".
Boy once those sparks start flying you sure can't see where your going. Got off the mark a couple times but that was easy to correct.
Just need to dress up the sharp edges with a file now. I suppose my dremel might make quick work of that chore to.
Suggestions for a ladle or dipper, that's one big finking pot! The dinky little Lyman lead dipper I have isn't going to cut it.
The top half of that tank sure has the gears in my head turning.... Anyone ever make a bottom pour out of one?
A big thank you to all, for your help, advise and encouragement. It was a very rewarding learning experience for me.
M
Do you think this thread this worth making into a sticky?
Took a whole 15 min including a few breaks to adjust the blade depth, re-tighten the blade nut (had to go back into the house for a wrench) and rotate the tank.
The blade I used is actually labeled "metal cut-off".
Boy once those sparks start flying you sure can't see where your going. Got off the mark a couple times but that was easy to correct.
Just need to dress up the sharp edges with a file now. I suppose my dremel might make quick work of that chore to.
Suggestions for a ladle or dipper, that's one big finking pot! The dinky little Lyman lead dipper I have isn't going to cut it.
The top half of that tank sure has the gears in my head turning.... Anyone ever make a bottom pour out of one?
A big thank you to all, for your help, advise and encouragement. It was a very rewarding learning experience for me.
M
Do you think this thread this worth making into a sticky?
Attachments
Last edited:
vagrantviking
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- High River, Alberta
Nice work!
You have me thinking about a bottom pour using the top half now too. That's an idea that may have potential n
You have me thinking about a bottom pour using the top half now too. That's an idea that may have potential n
https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/for...My-Lead-Melting-Setup?p=13630415#post13630415
See post 39 for mine.
Works great with the valve at the bottom.
I also cool the ingots with the garden hose for quicker processing.
Just wait until the outside has solidified, then spray with the garden hose
and flip them out.(Don't get water in your pot !!)
It's the bottom half.
I replaced the tank bottom with a thicker metal plate to better distribute the heat.
Then drilled the hole and welded on a short treaded 1/2 inch nipple just above the bottom plate.
Try to get your hands on an old style gas valve.
They are 100% brass (uses a tapered brass insert to shut off instead of a ball with plastic seal).
You have to have a propane torch handy to get it started but then it works a lot faster than ladling it
and safer than pouring.
If you use an elbow coming out of the bottom and have the burner flame "lick" the elbow then it would probably stay hot enough that you
don't need a torch.
Last edited:
This really has me thinking now.....
I have this stuff laying around from a pneumatic spud gun I built (Ya, don't ask). The valve for use in this application is probably questionable?
The pot would probably be to unstable using the in situ handle as a base, and probably way to far from the burner.
Maybe if the handle was cut down and had stabilizing legs/feet/tabs welded to it?
Hmmm.... thinking....
M
Attachments
Last edited:
Oh, that wouldn't surprise me. I think it came from PA as some sort of pneumatic fitting.
Does the inverted top half of a propane tank as a basis for a bottom pour make any sense?
The brass value stub stuck in her still has plenty of meat left for threading something into it.
M
Last edited:
A very hot valve handle is not a problem, you're already wearing welding gloves when doing this and you can operate the handle with a pair of pliers like I do.
The problem is that if the valve is a bit further away from the flame (and the flow of lead through it stops by closing the valve) the lead in the pipe/valve solidifies pretty quickly.
So indeed keep your valve as close to the flame and pot as possible.
My valve freezes if it takes me too long to get the ingots out of my cornbread pan. So by cooling the pan full of lead with the garden hose I can get back fast enough to keep it flowing.
If you have enough ingot moulds or do a small batch it is not going to be an issue anyway.
