# Hot Gas Cylinders



## CHJ (19 Dec 2017)

Time to get your cutting torches out.








If only I could think of a way of incorporation one in my shed.


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## hawkeyefxr (23 Dec 2017)

I like them, a great idea though i have to warn people who want to do this, DON'T. There will still be gas in an empty cylinder. I have seen the after effects of exploded cylinder and i would not want to be within 500 yards of one going off.
BOC had a acetylene cylinder that had had a blow back, there was a 3ft split in the bottle. 
Not sure on propane bottle but acetylene bottles when full have 400lbs of gas pressure in them, if they ignite that is the same as a 400lbs bomb. That was drummed into me in my apprenticeship.


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## sunnybob (23 Dec 2017)

its worse than that, propane gas has to be compressed by200times volume to make it liquid.

that makes 1 litre of liquid equal to 200 litres of petrol, except propane burns fiercer than petrol.
A gas tank will stop producing gas when the tank is around 20% still liquid (even more if its cold outside). A 100 litre propane tank will still have almost 25 litres of liquid inside, even when the gas fire connected to the outlet goes out.

DONT DO IT!


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## monkeybiter (23 Dec 2017)

I think the method of making them safe is to remove the valve/plug in the neck and fill them with water, possibly leave for a day before emptying and commencing any cutting work.


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## Sheffield Tony (23 Dec 2017)

That's a sane approach. A friend of mine making barbeques out of some took them out into the field, retreated to a safe distance and shot a hole through them with his rifle. Not very sane, but no explosions, which in context of what has been said above is quite surprising.


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## monkeybiter (23 Dec 2017)

Copper/Lead versus steel - no spark, just rapid depressurisation.

I once used a .22 pistol to spot through a hole in a thick wall for waste pipe alignment. No explosion there either, even when SWMBO found out.


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## Robbo3 (24 Dec 2017)

Chas, I thought you already had one 
- workkshop-heating-with-attitude-t102414.html

I posted a load of artistic gas bottle conversions in that thread.


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## hawkeyefxr (24 Dec 2017)

sunnybob":1v1mnt09 said:


> its worse than that, propane gas has to be compressed by200times volume to make it liquid.
> 
> that makes 1 litre of liquid equal to 200 litres of petrol, except propane burns fiercer than petrol.
> A gas tank will stop producing gas when the tank is around 20% still liquid (even more if its cold outside). A 100 litre propane tank will still have almost 25 litres of liquid inside, even when the gas fire connected to the outlet goes out.
> ...



Well said.
One a cold day with the valve removed! liquid could still be there.
Didn't know that about the amount of liquid to gas ration, interesting. 
I once over filled an R22 refrigerant bottle and the safety valve blew off in the car, i jumped out and dump liquid on the road, then drove off, unfortunately it left a 3 foot dia frost patch in the road, in the middle of summer. This was many many years ago before it was illegal to release refrigerant gas to the atmosphere.


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## sunnybob (24 Dec 2017)

I forgot to mention you need bronze spanners because one spark and youre gone.
Put your mobile phone a long long way away.
Wear clothes that you want to dump, because if they get soaked you will NEVER get the smell out
Propane is heavier than air, so don't do it next to a drain or basement as the gas will collect in there and catch you later.

When we emptied large tanks (500 to 15000 litres) we had to use a flare stack set 30 yards from the tank and pump nitrogen in Untill the gas sniffer showed minimal at the stack. And that was just to move them offsite!

I'm happy I'm done with all that, good luck to any who wants to try


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## Robbo3 (25 Dec 2017)

Lot of scaremongering going on in this thread.
I've removed hundreds of butane & propane cylinder valves - all with metal spanners, emptied the cylinders, then revalved, filled & purged the air.
The heavy ends, ie the residue that accumulates, stinks because of the stenching agent added to odourless flammables at the refinery.


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## TFrench (25 Dec 2017)

No problem if you fill them with water first.


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## NazNomad (25 Dec 2017)

As mentioned above, no problem if they are properly purged.

I've cut a door in one before, but how would you go about cutting those intricate designs? Plasma cutter?

Some of those are really detailed, could they have been CNC'd?


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## CHJ (25 Dec 2017)

NazNomad":1se69tpc said:


> I've cut a door in one before, but how would you go about cutting those intricate designs? Plasma cutter?
> 
> Some of those are really detailed, could they have been CNC'd?


I assumed they must be although I could not get a definative answer when trying to pin down the stall holder, just my husband makes them.

Family does have one and some other fire basket/torch products from them so may be able to find out.

Very welcome when at a social gathering with friends in Bavarian winter temperatures but I'd much prefer to be seeking some shade with a few exotic birds around rather than trying to find the optimum distance to emulate a Döner kebab rotisserie.


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## monkeybiter (25 Dec 2017)

CHJ":g9y7jwxs said:


> i'd much prefer to be seeking some shade with a few exotic birds around rather than trying to find the optimum distance to emulate a Döner kebab rotisserie.



Does SWMBO know about this?
[Somebody had to say it :twisted: ]


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## CHJ (25 Dec 2017)

Think after 60yrs she has an inkling and an input on locations.



And Variety.



Daily entertainment outside the Back Door.


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## monkeybiter (25 Dec 2017)

That is rather lovely.


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## TFrench (25 Dec 2017)

I'd say plasma, I've found with ours you can draw with sharpie or paint pen and see well enough through an auto darkening hood to follow it.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


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## sunnybob (25 Dec 2017)

Scaremongering? No. Every point made was valid, and hammered home to me again and again at training and certification courses over 25 years in the industry. These courses always included pictures of the ones who got it wrong.
If I can save one person from that, my day has not been in vain.

Forewarning is a better word for my comments.


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## CHJ (25 Dec 2017)

monkeybiter":2ywdqjhu said:


> That is rather lovely.



The most uncomercial laid back place I've ever visited. Off season, spend hours on the beaches or walking the rain forest trails and never see another person.
The property the previous image taken from is visible in line with the gap at the top of the ramp. The highest Green roof.
Walk down to the jetty when the fishermen come in for a fresh Barracuda, Marlin or whatever. Swim with the Pelicans and Frigate Birds diving for fish.


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## monkeybiter (26 Dec 2017)

Location added. I have a mentally stored list of places to visit, there are a lot. Let's see how long I live. 8)


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