Welding guys, Need your help.

[J_Walker]

alright, well last night I think a welding tank fell off someones truck, it was laying in the middle of the road, so I picked it up. today I managed to get the cap off with only slight damage.. [had to cut a slight slot in it with a hacksaw to relieve some of the tension in the cap, it still usable. this tank is about as tall as I am!! and REALLY heavy. its industrial for sure.. I have two questions...

What should I do with it? should I keep it? Try to find its original owner? [that might be kind of hard tbh] I've looked for possible engravings/markings anything that might have like a phone number, name, or address or something.. nothing. but I already know tanks get traded in for filled ones..

and if I decide to keep it.. and use it for OTHER things then what it was made for.. how safe would you say it was to open the valve without any sort of regulator on it? looks like a simple ball valve to me, but I don't want the darn thing flying off like a rocket.. I'll post pictures in a second.

 

[Felineman]

You got a 100 lbs Oxygen tank worth about 80 bucks sell it unless you got yourself cutting torches.

 

[KartFab]

You can open it slowly just do it outside.

Read the markings on the neck of the bottle, if it is a slick neck (no name on the neck) then its a customer owned bottle that you could get filled anywhere.

The bottles should have a sticker near the top that says what used to be in them, you typically cant fill it with a gas that wasn't already in it (eg you cant fill an acetylene bottle with 75/25, at least as far as i know).

Also, there should be stamped markings near the neck/top of the bottle that show when it was hydrotested. You cant get a bottle filled that isnt within hydrotest (usually 5-10 years from hydrotest date depending on markings).

I traded a go kart for a 1500 welder and a 300 cf bottle (biggest they have) and had to return the bottle to the gas company because it was rented out.

In the US, due to DOT regulations, welding supply stores only sell up to 125 cf bottles to people now days (At least that was what i was told). Anything above that size has special regulations (I have a 200 cf bottle they fill for me that I own, i just sign a waiver that says i know how to transport it and im on my way).... so most welding supply companies dont sell them above that size, only RENT.,... if you happen to OWN one bigger than 125 cubic feet, they will fill it.... as long as it doesnt belong to another company.

If the neck happens to have markings on it, then its not a lost cause, just call up whatever company fills bottles and ask them if they can fill or exchange a bottle with X name on the neck.

Praxair/Airgas are typically doucebags that will rip off the common person (e.g. Airgas wanted to charge me $57 to fill a 80 cu/ft bottle... no thanks, I went to Metroplex Welding Supply and got it filled for $27, the price they charge everyone). I hate airgas so bad. They bought out a local company, and got a huge mark up on all of their supplies, they charge at least 40% more than the retail price of other stores..... seriously.... who would buy a $220-$250 welding helmet for $375 at Airgas? What a joke.... no wonder their parking lot was empty when I got there. *rant done*

 

[J_Walker]

You got a 100 lbs Oxygen tank worth about 80 bucks sell it unless you got yourself cutting torches.

thanks much!

but I was thinking about using it for generic compressed air.. would that work? other then that, I have no reason to keep it.. lol

 

[KartFab]

thanks much!

but I was thinking about using it for generic compressed air.. would that work? other then that, I have no reason to keep it.. lol

Yes, those bottles are rated for like 2,200 psi.

Drill and tap a hole in the bottom so you can drain excess water.

*Disclaimer* please vent the bottle, not just empty it.... I don't want it blowing up on you.

 

[J_Walker]

here's pictures of the markings.. maybe some of you can read them off and let me know what they mean..

the neck reads "capital city welding supply" I did a quick google search, nothing of that name in Florida. also it doesn't say "rental" on it either.

I mean, if I can find the owner and they want it back, I'm not gonna hold it for ransom.. I kinda ruined their cap a little bit.. but didn't damage anything else. lol oops

I do know what it's like to lose things like this.. and be utterly mad at yourself for it.. but I don't think posting on craigslist I'm gonna get the REAL owner, just some guy who "claims" its his, when its not, I went through this with that giant roll of coax cable I still have.. a guy from North ORLANDO [like 40 miles from where I found it] told me he lost it on a major road, I found it on a back road.. he swore it was his, but all the roads he gave me where he "might of lost it" was no where near where I found it... lol

 

[J_Walker]

Yes, those bottles are rated for like 2,200 psi.

Drill and tap a hole in the bottom so you can drain excess water.

*Disclaimer* please vent the bottle, not just empty it.... I don't want it blowing up on you.

That's what I was asking, if it was okay to open the valve on top to drain what ever compressed air was in it, out of it.

but 2,200 PSI....

 

[machinist@large]

That's a high pressure cylinder, so you can rule out it having been used for acetylene. (Acetylene is stored in solution in acetone at low pressure). The name of the supplier is on the neck ring; if they're local to you, you might try contacting them to see what gas it's supposed to be filled with. Some companies color code their cylinders as well.

If they're not local, you might still be able to refill it, but the filling company will at the very least have to pressure test/re-certify it, as well as re ringing it with their company name.

I don't know if it's really worth the effort to turn it into a tank for just shop pressure air; the capacity is pretty low at those pressures, and, as you've already found out, that thing is heavy. If you do, you'll find that putting in the drain that Grant suggested will be easier said than done, because most cylinders of that type are one piece forged chrome molybdenum steel that's been heat treated.......

 

[J_Walker]

If you do, you'll find that putting in the drain that Grant suggested will be easier said than done, because most cylinders of that type are one piece forged chrome molybdenum steel that's been heat treated.......

theres a radiator plant that closed near by, it has a 25 ton press for punching holes in sheet steel... maybe I should buy it... only $15,000

 

[B.M.800]

Make an attempt to find the owner. If that fails, use it for its intended purpose.

 

[J_Walker]

Make an attempt to find the owner. If that fails, use it for its intended purpose.

it would need to be re-certified, it was last checked in 2004 plus a star, and its now 2014... Plus what would I use a giant tank of oxygen for, I have no equipment...

 

[mckutzy]

Well you need a regulator to tell how much is in the tank, I'd look for a cheap one.

 

[B.M.800]

it would need to be re-certified, it was last checked in 2004 plus a star, and its now 2014... Plus what would I use a giant tank of oxygen for, I have no equipment...

Get a set of torches.

They come in handy for when your neighbor is annoying you, you can cut their car in half.

...on a more serious note. They are handy to have... cutting and welding various thing....

 

[Felineman]

Post it on a buy and sell site. Get you 80 bucks and buy a toy. If he was concerned about it then he would have been looking for it. Its privately owned either get yourself torches or sell it. Probably was dumped because of the out of date expiry. BTW those tanks are rated for 22000 PSI but are never filled past 1200, just crack the valve open very slowly and NEVER breath the gas just incase its not oxygen. I drain propane 100 LBS tanks all the time.

 

[andrewmacc]

Post it on a buy and sell site. Get you 80 bucks and buy a toy. If he was concerned about it then he would have been looking for it. Its privately owned either get yourself torches or sell it. Probably was dumped because of the out of date expiry. BTW those tanks are rated for 22000 PSI but are never filled past 1200, just crack the valve open very slowly and NEVER breath the gas just incase its not oxygen. I drain propane 100 LBS tanks all the time.

If you crack the valve, do it real slow and think about having some ear plugs in just in case. If it's full of pressure, the escaping gas is looooud. Not so bad outside but if you're in a garage or something.

Also they're pretty regularly filled up to 2000psi here, that looks to be a generic welding gas cylinder for C25 etc.

Depending where you live, it's not like it's a hassle to get a tank recertified. Take it in, drop it off and have it tested for around $40. If it fails, toss it. If it passes, then it'll be restamped and you can go get it filled.

 

[exenos]

I second the earplugs. Had a pressure regulator fail as I was opening the valve on a oxygen tank and my ears were ringing for a few days.