Just read a bunch of threads on gas tanks, leaky petcocks, etc.
Nothing leaking here - my issue is an ancient tank.
Not sure if it is a Wassell replica, or a real one or just some kind of old chopper peanut tank they used to sell. Got it from a Brit bike guy who was unloading chopper stuff.
I've had it sitting gasless for at least 10 years and it has 2 extra female threaded bungs with no screws so it actually couldn't hold gas at this point.
I'm welding mounting tabs onto it. My welding is nervous though because of a. fear of welding through the sheet metal and b. fear that some gas demon remains in it and will just cause it to suddenly explode into a billion pieces of shrapnel, leaving me without a face.
Go ahead, laugh.
This tank is primed with some hellacious kind of stuff! I have bared the metal in the direct areas I'm welding to and the red primer material was real hard to grind off and formed a kind of rubbery stuff. The coating, whatever it is, has managed to catch on fire a couple of times, and produces a real resin-ey kind of smell.
The inside of this tank, despite sitting in a carport in Florida for years on end is NICE. No rust. It was really coated with some kind of heavy duty stuff.
The tank had no mounting tabs of any sort on it. Nor any flat place. So no place to attach neg cable from welder to. Finally I was able to get it to catch and make some tack welds. Trying to make them better today - the welds. And also add a back mounting tab.
But as I make the good strong penetrating welds I worry about that resin-ey smell. Could the coating on the inside be something that would combust if heated?
Like say it's some ancient paint - might it 'splode???
Sorry, I know this is ridiculous.
Sometimes a person needs to have more bravery, and sometimes a person needs to have less bravery. Trying to use my brain on this one. I have to do it myself. Can't send it out.
Ok going to go snap a pic or 2 and will be back.
I hope if nothing else this has provided a laugh and a sigh for some of you.
These welds I need to do - really they are so minor...but I don't want to be blown into the next galaxie, either.
Say there's absolutely NO gas present. Say it never HAD gas in it. COuld just the remaining paint and interior coating produce fumes that could cause it to.....explode or blow up?
BRB with pics.
Nothing leaking here - my issue is an ancient tank.
Not sure if it is a Wassell replica, or a real one or just some kind of old chopper peanut tank they used to sell. Got it from a Brit bike guy who was unloading chopper stuff.
I've had it sitting gasless for at least 10 years and it has 2 extra female threaded bungs with no screws so it actually couldn't hold gas at this point.
I'm welding mounting tabs onto it. My welding is nervous though because of a. fear of welding through the sheet metal and b. fear that some gas demon remains in it and will just cause it to suddenly explode into a billion pieces of shrapnel, leaving me without a face.
Go ahead, laugh.
This tank is primed with some hellacious kind of stuff! I have bared the metal in the direct areas I'm welding to and the red primer material was real hard to grind off and formed a kind of rubbery stuff. The coating, whatever it is, has managed to catch on fire a couple of times, and produces a real resin-ey kind of smell.
The inside of this tank, despite sitting in a carport in Florida for years on end is NICE. No rust. It was really coated with some kind of heavy duty stuff.
The tank had no mounting tabs of any sort on it. Nor any flat place. So no place to attach neg cable from welder to. Finally I was able to get it to catch and make some tack welds. Trying to make them better today - the welds. And also add a back mounting tab.
But as I make the good strong penetrating welds I worry about that resin-ey smell. Could the coating on the inside be something that would combust if heated?
Like say it's some ancient paint - might it 'splode???
Sorry, I know this is ridiculous.
Sometimes a person needs to have more bravery, and sometimes a person needs to have less bravery. Trying to use my brain on this one. I have to do it myself. Can't send it out.
Ok going to go snap a pic or 2 and will be back.
I hope if nothing else this has provided a laugh and a sigh for some of you.
These welds I need to do - really they are so minor...but I don't want to be blown into the next galaxie, either.
Say there's absolutely NO gas present. Say it never HAD gas in it. COuld just the remaining paint and interior coating produce fumes that could cause it to.....explode or blow up?
BRB with pics.