I don't know what you got, but my method for welding fuel tanks is to run a hose from a vehicle exhaust into the tank for a little before starting and while I'm welding.

Striking the first arc is always a rush! lol

Just because you stick a flame up to an opening and it don't do anything doesn't mean its safe. When you start cutting and heating it may make a vapor and that vapor is what explodes. I've used water which you need to drill a hole at highest point so the water don't compress a airpocket and ignite there. I've used carbon monoxide off a tailpipe again you need a hole for it to escape, If you have a large air compressor , air moving thru will also work. If heating the tank won't hurt it I think I'd pile wood around it and heat it up good away from anything, you included. Just don't keep cutting if you see a vapor. If you are grinding just don't grind enough at a time to make enough heat to make a vapor from any fluids that may be collected some where.

Some times just a spark can ignite it too. I knew an old blacksmith that had a guy bring in a tank to get the end cut out it. He ask the guy if it had, had any gas or oil in it. He said not in 10 years. He left it there, next day the smith was cutting with a torch 6 feet away and a spark went in a bung hole in the tank and blew the end out of it.

Quick google search shows asbestos was used at some point in acetylene tanks. Based on that alone I would leave it like it is.

Ok the tank you are dealing with is an old acetylene tank. They were filled with asbestos and acetone in which the acetylene was resolved. That way they could store the stuff safely as acetylene self combusts at pressures greater than around 3 bar. Desolving it in acetone ( line co2 in water ) made it sort of safe. What you smell is the residue of the acetone in that tank and the resin that holds the asbestos in place.
Can you cut it ? Yes you can but you will have to have is purged with an inert gas. Drill a hole into the bottom of it and insert a thin hose connected to a CO2 tank with a regulator and open the valve of the tank to let the pressure out while you purge it with CO2 ( or any other inert gas Nitrogen, Argon they all do the same trick in this scenario ) Then you can cut it without the thing ringing your bell before you turn it into one. Wear a disposable paper cover all and a good dust mask ( respirator ) and safety glasses because of the sparks from the cutting disk.

They always told me to never store them laying down that it would mess them, acetylene that is. here is a link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fn4BI6SkDE

Thats because the acetone will then get out through the valve making a mess of the regulator. You can transport them lying down. Just set them upright and wait a few minutes before you use them to make sure the acetone has drained away from the valve

That makes sense Scuba.
I've lugged tanks around over 50 yrs and I have probably learned more about them in the last couple hours than all the other years put together. I found one place that said if a tank was made before 1985 it possibly would have asbestos in it. Here is another 10 minutes on how to cut them and press the stuff out of them (I think he said gypsum but I don't hear very well)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYs-ipnnvTk

Correct. I learned that in trade school, fifty years ago, and I'm still kickin, just not as high.



Charlie

We never get too old to learn, but when and if that time comes I should be ready for Washington D.C.

These days they have some sort of synthetic sponge material in them to hold the acetone. I am not sure of its exact composition though. But the stringy stuff 330 describes is for sure the old asbestos version.

Cheap tank VS quality of life, what to do? LOL

When they mine asbestos they mix talcum with it to help thin it down, makes great powder?

any way you could cut it on a band saw and lube it well to prevent sparks?

I'll fill it with Water n soap and wait and see if one day I feel blessed with courage or flippant whatever

Tomorrow I'm cutting a scuba tank

Reading threw this post I was just going to suggest I send you a couple old scuba tanks. See this LOL

I have made several bells from old scuba tanks and CO2 fire Extinguisher.. Right now I have access to maybe a dozen or more old scuba tanks. The aluminum ones will scrap out for a few bucks the steel ones not much. The brass valves are worth more than the tanks.. I usually leave the valves on most and drill threw them put clevis on them. The steel tanks ring different than the aluminum which I think have a softer tone. It also makes a difference what you use for a gong. I have my reasons but have used both golf club heads and golf balls for gongs. Very different tones.. I gave a scuba tank to a guy that made a bell and some how tuned it? One his kids even used it for some orchestra band thing??
I've cut scuba tanks with sawzall and grinder with cut off wheel. Usually go with grinder. Been thinking about cutting one and see if can cut slots to make like a xylophone. Then mount it with a whirly gig so make big annoying wind chime. Something like the old gal had in movie Twister.

As for cutting any tank with unknown product inside??? I get nervous myself. I knew young fella was 18 tried that and literally lost his head. Nice guy no way stupid just wasn't thinking that day.

Here is bell I have hanging by my back porch door.
I used to ring one similar to it that is by other side house back door, to call the dogs in from yard..



Mac

Mac, I have one of these two tanks here at Mt farm, wish I had access to more!!!

The second one in this picture is still at the scrap yard. I'll go get it today!

I took out the valve last eve. And filled it with dawn soapy water..

Can I cut into them without water now that it's empty of oxygen?

Thanks, Scott

What's the scrap value of yours?

Asbestos in a scuba tank what did I miss?

A lot

New tanks

Cokeacola Co2 first

Now a Scuba Tank today.

Lost but nothing new. LOL