Dumb idea? maybe not?

[Kaptain Krunch]

Well i've been working on a new header for my shifter cart engine, i have it almost all welded up. So i moved on to the next step and started to think about the actual muffler, i've made them out of spray paint and shaving cream cans before, and they worked good but they are nearly impossible to weld and dont stay on well. Then i remembered my propane cylinders, like the ones for the small propane torches, and thought what about drilling out an empty one, and using that since its thick enough to mig and fairly sturdy.

So, stupid dangerous idea, or good one? the only problem would be making sure the tank is COMPLETELY empty.

Heres a pic of what im talking about

http://www.nakka-rocketry.net/ablative/ul100.jpg

 

[skip289]

I would strongly suggest NOT cutting open a propane cannister.
Althought it may be empty with no pressure it will still contain fumes, when cut open oxygen can enter and create an explosive atomsphere just waiting for a spark to ignite.

Try checking your local electrical contractors, ask if they have any EMT conduit in the size you are looking for, they may have a short piece left over from a job they will give you.
If you do use EMT keep in mind that it is galvanized and has some pretty bad fumes when welded, just grind away the part you will be welding.

Just don't think a muffler is worth the risk of using a propane cannister.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

I would strongly suggest NOT cutting open a propane cannister.
Althought it may be empty with no pressure it will still contain fumes, when cut open oxygen can enter and create an explosive atomsphere just waiting for a spark to ignite.

Try checking your local electrical contractors, ask if they have any EMT conduit in the size you are looking for, they may have a short piece left over from a job they will give you.
If you do use EMT keep in mind that it is galvanized and has some pretty bad fumes when welded, just grind away the part you will be welding.

Just don't think a muffler is worth the risk of using a propane cannister.

Your probably right, it just seemed perfect...besides the explosion part haha. What if after i cut it open, i filled it with water to remove all the air/gas inside it and then dumped it outside away from where i filled it?

 

[jr dragster T]

Sure you could remove all the propane out but is it worth the risk? You decide. My freind make a air tank out of a propane tank and it still reaks when you use it.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Alright, its 2 against 1 i gives up, i just went out and made a decent one out of a shaving cream can, it gives the engine a nice smooth sound and stays on well with springs. I also took my shifter for the first real test run, its awsome, i ran it on top of 2 feet of snow and its still kinda fast.

 

[modelengineer]

Do it, but fill with water before you do ANYTHING to it. Then when you are cutting and drilling it, do it with the water still in it. That way there is no chance of an explosion.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Do it, but fill with water before you do ANYTHING to it. Then when you are cutting and drilling it, do it with the water still in it. That way there is no chance of an explosion.

I doubt i will, but if i do i would most likely just toss it in a fire from a safe distance once i let the pressure out and made some holes, so that it burnt everything out.

 

[bigfootrules31]

couldnt you just use a big drill bit on both ends?

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

couldnt you just use a big drill bit on both ends?

That would be too easy, plus i dont have any big bits

 

[sayre315]

hole saws
they work great and you can get nice metal cutting ones for around $8

 

[Buick455]

I am not endorsing this idea, nor do I take credit for missing digits (your fingers) or other bad things that might happen.

Not that I think I want to try it, but most of those propane tanks have a needle valve for filling on the top.

If I HAD to do it, this is the way I would try.

1. Place the tank in a bucket of warm water and open the normal torch nozzle.
(Outside, middle of yard, away from everything, lol)
The warm water will help the gas out of the tank due to thermal expansion
(Just like adding coolant to you’re A/C)

2. With the torch nozzle still open, remove the needle valve from the tank
(Valve Stem Wrench, not a drill bit)

3. Wait a min, then take inside and fill with water to the top.

All of the gas "should" be evacuated at this point. I see no big boom doing it this way, but it’s your fingers not mine.


It would be a wicked lookin muffler though if you could keep the sticker from burning off, lol.

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

Just shoot it a few times and blow out with compressed air through the new holes you made.

 

[jr dragster T]

Just shoot it a few times and blow out with compressed air through the new holes you made.

Because we can ALL go in our front yard and shoot a propane tank!

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

Not in the front yard, hell no, that could hit a car or scare the neighbors(which I did do yesterday, see story below)!

The backyard however, is perfectly acceptable for everything except center fire rifles, 25 yards, targets between tower and barrel(unless my sister is being a dumbass and rides her dirtbike out behind my targets, she is lucky I saw her!).

I HATE BLACKBIRDS! They sit around and drown out the nice sounding birds, my front yard is full of pine trees and therefore, full of birds. Yesterday while burning the garden I heard a few complaining, so I got my dads old Benjamin .22 pellet gun out. As I walked into the front yard(its a pellet gun and Im shooting into the trees, no worries) I noticed the neighbor kids were playing basketball(I couldn't see them but I could hear the ball and the music). So I walked around, found a blackbird, hit it a little low, watched it fly into a field across the road and die.
I then put the gun somewhere safe and went to investigate, the bird landed near the ditch of another road so I picked up a big stick and hit it like a golf ball into the ditch. As I turned around and walked back to my house the looks on the neighbor kids faces looked like I just killed four people. I then exclaimed "I HATE blackbirds"(they continued staring) I almost laughed maniacally just to freak em out a little more but decided against it, didn't want to deal with the cops(even though I was doing nothing illegal).

 

[jr dragster T]

Lol not sure whats the dumb idea in this post, The propane muffler or Kenny killing blackbirds lmao.

 

[killawatt]

well how about a co2 tank? you can buy them from any store completly empty for like 15 bucks or buy a used one for cheap they hold co2 which is alot safer then propane come in several diffrent sizes and are super thick i think its your best bet.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

well how about a co2 tank? you can buy them from any store completly empty for like 15 bucks or buy a used one for cheap they hold co2 which is alot safer then propane come in several diffrent sizes and are super thick i think its your best bet.

Yea when i was getting my paintball stuff together the other day i thought they would be perfect, but are they steel? i always thought they were aluminum. Plus 15 bucks is pretty expensive for something that i might mess up.

 

[killawatt]

well thats if you want to buy it new you can pick up a used one for like 5 bucks and they are made out of both depending on what you buy co2 tanks are mostly aluminum but compressed air and nitro tanks are steel

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Compressed air and nitro tanks run 30-40 used...all the co2 tanks i've ever owned are aluminum.

 

[killawatt]

yea but weve cut one open before there about half inch to a full inch depending on the tanks size u know 9oz is thin compared to a 20oz but can you not use aluminum idk much about welding