Cutting a gas cylinder in two without a torch

In order of how I would approach the project.

A: electric grinder with cutoff wheel

B: Sawzall

C: Hacksaw

DE

On the day of Fri, 24 Feb 2006 02:59:14 GMT... "rgarrett" typed these letters:

A porta-band (portable band saw) ought to work good.

Hammer and chisel,

Except the throat is WAY too small. You need a BIG bandsaw if you are going to bandsaw it. I'd grab a big cutoff saw and rotate the tank under it.

Sounds like me cutting down the 63 VW brake drum to fit the 49 when I stripped the spline out of the drum way out in the netherlands of rural Zambis back in '73. A LOT of work - would never do it if there was an alternative!!!

It is very possible to make this cut reasonably safely and cleanly using the edge of a thin grinding wheel. If I were going to do this, I'd use a cutoff grinder and 3" wheel. This is one of the cheapest air tools in existence, it's trivial to find them priced under $10. If you have shop air, this is a great way to go. Once you're done cutting your cylinder save the cutoff grinder for a way to quickly unweld things. If you don't have shop air, then I suggest a 4-1/2" angle grinder. Lots of varying opinions on these, but the orange one from HF (at all costs do NOT get the blue one) at under $20 is a decent tool.

It is *really* easy to screw up cutting something with the edge of a grinding wheel. Be really careful, wear ear, eye, hand & body protection, clamp the tank down well (chain & turnbuckles work great) and do a little at a time, and HANG ONTO THE GRINDER. Don't let your attention wander, and don't let any small kids come around while you're doing this.

I really hope you learned about rinsing the tank out with a cup or two of household bleach in a quart or two of hot water, the bleach breaks down the ethyl mercaptan (the skunk smelling stuff) and afterwards it may not smell sweet but it is way less offensive.

GWE

"RoyJ" wrote: (clip) Sabre saw with a metal cutting blade works about the same as a saws all. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ A GOOD sabre saw works well for me. I mean one that has an internal rotating weight to balance out vibration. I always have trouble with the Saws-all--I have trouble keeping the sole plate firmly against the work, and then the saw starts to vibrate. Is it just me?

Nope. A 20 lb propane cylinder is less than 12" dia, the maw of a portaband is about 6". It won't cut it off like a pipe in one whack, but the blade will penetrate at least 3/4" in the middle of the mouth. Just walk it around the cylinder. I'd be a whole lot quieter and faster than a sabersaw or sawzall.

I would use my new $60 Harbor Freight metal cutting circular saw.

I cut the top off one using a hand held sabre saw. Drilled a 3/8" hole , stuck the blade in the hole, and around I went.

Thought about it for a while (hours probably), read archived posts on how to get all the propane out, ect. The actual cutting took under a minute.

I used the resulting vessel to melt lead for sailboat ballast. fun stuff.

Andy

a single wrap of 200 gr primacord. And a hammer to beat the swedged cut back out. It will be surprisingly neat cut..but will tend to be pushed inwards.

Gunner

"A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

- Proverbs 22:3

ummmm, so does propane not impregnate steel????

i KNOW gasoline does to where the methods mentioned will make a large bang.

"Doug" wrote: ummmm, so does propane not impregnate steel???? i KNOW gasoline does to where the methods mentioned will make a large bang. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Neither gasoline nor propane impregnates steel. The reason gasoline tanks are dangerous is that the fuel lurks in crevices and seams, and is hard to get rid of. A propane tank would not have this problem if properly ventilated for two reasons:

I sure would like a few feet, can you spare some?

"Tom Gardner" wrote: I sure would like a few feet, can you spare some? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Yeah, Gunner, can you send it through the mail? Seriously, is there any way a law-abiding civilian can buy it?

Sorry..used the last of what I had to take down a tree.

Det cord is relativly easy to get. Its blasting caps that are a bitch to get a hold of.

Gunner

"A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

- Proverbs 22:3