How to disassemble a gas cylinder: step-by-step instructions + precautions
Surely, you have often wondered what can be made from an old gas cylinder? An amateur will mistake the receiver for unnecessary scrap metal and send it to a landfill, but only a real master will be able to use the container as the basis for a new product.
Agree, a used gas cylinder is an ideal housing for a homemade barbecue, smokehouse, boiler or even fireplace. Detailed instructions will help even a beginner quickly understand how to disassemble a gas cylinder as safely as possible.
Disassembling the receiver requires the technician to follow important rules used for safely cutting the container in which flammable materials were stored. We have compiled detailed instructions for disassembling a propane tank, which describes step by step how to empty the container of gas residues and cut it correctly.
The content of the article:
Using a gas receiver in cut form
Due to the massive connection of all houses to the gasification system, gas receivers have lost their popularity. That is why today many craftsmen have set out to make new designs from used cylinders that perform completely different functions.
The first thing that comes to mind when looking for options for using a gas receiver is homemade stove-stove. In this case, a propane cylinder is an ideal body for the stove, since the thickness of its walls is 3 mm, and this is just enough for safe operation.
Particularly popular grill from a gas cylinder. To make such a mobile grill, you will need a simple cylinder, a burner from an old gas stove, a grill grate and a tray.
The internal coating of the housing allows you to safely cook food in the Dutch oven even with the lid closed. A gas grill made from a used receiver is ideal for a spacious summer cottage where you can gather a large group of friends.
From several cylinders you can build a real smokehouse with separate containers for cold and hot smoking, a barbecue and a grill compartment. The design can be adapted both for skewers and for grilles, which allows you to cook meat and fish in different ways. When making such a complex structure, you should understand the principle of operation of the smokehouse, so it is recommended to rely on the drawing.
The process of disassembling an old gas cylinder requires special care on the part of the master, since even a slight remaining gas inside the container, when interacting with a spark from an angle grinder, can provoke an explosion. The process of sawing a gas receiver is preceded by a preparatory stage, which includes releasing gas and filling the cylinder with water.
Step-by-step instructions for disassembling a gas cylinder
If all the necessary tools are prepared, then you can safely get to work. In this case, it is important to perform all actions in the presented sequence in order to avoid mistakes during the process of disassembling the gas receiver.
Set of tools for work
Disassembly of carbon dioxide or oxygen cylinders is carried out without preliminary preparation, because after bleeding the gas, these are ordinary metal cylinders that can be easily cut with a grinder. Things are a little different with propane cylinders, so the container will have to be prepared before sawing.
To do this you will need the following tools:
- gas key for opening valveto release all the gas from the cylinder;
- a hand hacksaw for cutting the neck of a cylinder;
- funnel and watering hose for filling the receiver with water;
- grinder with cutting discs of different thicknesses.
When working with a grinder, you should be especially careful, since in this case the master will have to work with an uneven surface, which is why the tool may slip while cutting metal.
If you have never worked with an angle grinder before, it is better to start practicing on a flat sheet of metal.
Before starting work, it is recommended to put on a protective casing and glasses, which will serve as reliable protection from fragments and burning abrasives. An important condition is to choose a suitable wheel for a specific thickness of the material, because often the discrepancy between the abrasive wheel and the metal can lead to its rapid grinding.
Before you begin to disassemble a 50-liter gas cylinder, you must open the valve using a gas key to completely bleed the gas. The presence of even a small volume of gas inside the container can lead to a fire or explosion, so no matter how old the cylinder is, it must be emptied of propane residues.
Coating the valve with soap will help ensure that there is no more gas left in the receiver. You can get rid of gasoline residues only after completely removing the valve.
Removing the cylinder valve
Next, it is recommended to unscrew the valve and then remove the pins and the fixing element. This is a rather labor-intensive process, since the valve locking mechanism is difficult to unscrew.
Upon successful completion of the process, a hole with a diameter of 6 mm is formed in place of the valve. If you can’t open the valve, you can cut it off using a regular hacksaw.
Flushing the gas cylinder
After removing the valve, the gas cylinder is completely filled with water. This is necessary to completely remove any gas that may remain inside the container. The resulting solution of water and gas residues is safe, so it can be safely drained without fear of subsequent fire. However, it is recommended to do this away from structures, since the liquid has a rather pungent odor.
So, by bleeding the gas and rinsing the cylinder with clean water, all propane residues were removed from the tank. Then you can safely proceed directly to cutting the receiver.
Depending on the features of the future design, markings are made on the surface of the cylinder using chalk. In some cases, cutting is carried out along welded seams, which in turn are characterized by low strength.
Cutting a gas receiver
Before you start cutting the cylinder, it is worth considering the thickness of the metal used. On average, the thickness of the steel of a propane receiver is 3-4 mm, while at the joints the values can reach 5-6 mm. Almost any grinder is suitable for such purposes, but special attention should be paid to the choice of abrasive wheel.
In order not to encounter additional difficulties in the process of cutting the receiver, you can first go over the markings with a grinder, using a 1.6 mm thick disk. The next time you cut metal, you will need to use a wider blade to avoid the bit jamming during the final cut.
Thicker elements, such as joints, can be cut using a grinder and then separated with a hammer. Speeding up the process of disassembling a gas cylinder has a detrimental effect on the quality of the final result, so it is better to do everything sequentially and not resort to using a chisel or hammer to cut joints.
Regardless of the purpose of the gas receiver, the housing is prepared according to the instructions provided. From a regular propane cylinder you can make both a potbelly stove and a mobile barbecue.
It is worth understanding that to use the receiver body as a barbecue or smokehouse, the outer surface of the structure will need to be coated with non-stick paint, and the inner surface will need to be burned with a blowtorch.
Safety rules when working with an angle grinder
When cutting metal, it is important to take into account the basic rules for using an angle grinder, which allow the master to create the safest conditions possible while working.
The features of working with an angle grinder include the following rules:
- Before starting to work with an angle grinder, you must wear a special protective suit made of non-flammable material. It is not recommended to cut metal while wearing clothing with exposed skin, since if fragments get on its surface, a burn may form.
- Before you start cutting metal, you should pay special attention to the condition of the disc. It is recommended to inspect the nozzle for defects and assess the degree of wear.
- Metal cutting is carried out only with safety glasses, since during the work a huge number of fragments are formed, which fly in different directions and can cause serious injury to the eyes.
In some cases, the steel cutting procedure is divided into several stages. This is necessary when the nozzle heats up during long-term cutting, which causes it to wear out quickly.
In addition, long operation of an angle grinder often leads to malfunctions in its operation, which can even lead to injury to the master.
Professional craftsmen recommend using a respirator when working with an angle grinder, since when cutting steel, microscopic fragments of metal can be released into the air and settle in the human respiratory tract.
What you should pay attention to?
Disassembling even an old gas cylinder requires special care from the master and consistency of all actions.
For novice craftsmen who have not yet had to deal with sawing a propane receiver, we have prepared some useful tips:
- the degree of severity of the smell of propane when rinsing the cylinder is an indicator of a high probability of fire or explosion;
- It is better to unscrew the cylinder valve away from living quarters;
- cutting a propane tank near a fire or any other source of fire is contraindicated;
- it is forbidden to stand in front of the gas outlet from the receiver, especially if there is a characteristic hissing sound;
- The markings on the cylinder should be marked in advance so as not to end up making mistakes with the calculations.
If there is a strong smell of propane, it is better to rinse the receiver again, and only then proceed to sawing off the valve.
If the smell is still pungent, it is better to postpone work for a few days and wait until it completely disappears.
Immediately after cutting, the container must be cleaned of old paint, and then thoroughly cleaned with sandpaper to create the most even surface possible.
The easiest way is to install a flap wheel on the grinder, which will facilitate the further process of surface treatment, including painting.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
The article presented step-by-step instructions for disassembling a gas cylinder, including the secrets of properly bleeding the gas and rinsing the cylinder with clean water. A few simple rules for working with an angle grinder will help you correctly cut the cylinder container, reducing the likelihood of a fire or explosion to a minimum.
A prerequisite is to maintain the sequence of actions presented in the instructions, since the successful completion of the work on disassembling the gas receiver depends on this.
You can learn how to avoid a gas cylinder exploding during its disassembly from the video:
You can unscrew the valve of the propane receiver, without the need to cut it down, in the following way:
Have you ever had to disassemble a gas cylinder yourself? Share your experience with our readers, tell us about the problems you encountered when disassembling a propane receiver. Tell your story in the comments below the article, where you can also ask our experts any questions you have.
