Disposal of outdated Oxy-Acetylene Tanks

[Adultoys]

It is possible to make Cannon and Mortars out of oxygen cylinders. I have seen both. Fuel for the cannon/noise maker was oxy-acetylene. Fuel for the mortar was black powder.

version 1 - a noismaker can be fabricated (this is for information only) from an old oxygen cylinder. Cut the top off an EMPTY cylinder with a bandsaw or sawzall, drill a 1/4" touch hole (like the old cannon had) in the other end. Lean against something solid, 50-100' down range is clear. Open end is muzzle. Wet rag over muzzle keeps gas in the barrel until firing.

Gas ratios and the amount of time (in seconds) the tip is in the touch hole will affect the discharge. Start small for safety reasons.

Noise will impress the neighbors. Noise supressors might be a good idea for the gunner. Ever see the artillery guys turn away from the gun with one finger in the ear toward the gun? Now you can learn why. Barrel will need "airing out" after shooting. Immediate follow shots do not work because of the burned gas not flowing out of the barrel. More oxygen = sharper report. More mix = bigger bang Truthfully you can get a report that will get ringing in your ears. Not recommended.
As I understand it - it is ill-advised to do this at frequent intervals in a single day as the guys in blue can triangulate on your position and express their displeasure at your variety of entertainment

version 2 - a mortar that uses black powder and bowling *****. Seen here: http://www.docsmachine.com/nonPB/mortar.html I believe that you need the biggest oxygen cylinder available (3,000 psi?) because it has the correct 8.5" bore. This I have only seen demonstrated on the web. Another idea, search it with "Feral cats" in the wording

Moderators - if this is dangerous information, feel free to edit.

lol... Seriously should search for Feral Cats in the wording.. i did & came across this very interesting article.. I wont comment on it but i'll just say i'll continue reading... heres a quote from this particular article, thought it was funny (dont judge me ) so i had to pass it on "By randomly changing the powder charge and slightly adjusting the Coehorn Mortar angle, I finally settled in at 350 yards with about a 15 second hang time for the Mortar ball. The "hang-time" is the time delay from when the Mortar is fired until the ball reaches the target. This 15 second hang time proved to work quite well on the Feral Cat hunt because by the time the sound reached the location of the Cat, ( or Cats ) about 1-1/2 seconds after firing, the cat would "perk-up" and look in the direction of the sound, and then see the distant white smoke of the Mortar. Shortly after, he would sit and gaze whimsically at the approaching cannon ball, fixated in place, as the ball of the Mortar would silently race closer and closer. I like using dark colored Mortar ***** because the Cats can easily see them silhouetted against the bright sky." end quote...

http://www.buckstix.com/CoehornMortarHunt.htm

also posted on there is a picture of a deer he shot with another type of cannon, he used/uses 148 lead musket ***** with 0.5lb black powder. says you can not shoot a deer any closer than a 100 yards because it will pretty much pulverise it... Man this guy goes all out. Ill have to say tho, atleast he doesn't use/have/build "trailer queens"

[MM251]

It is possible to make Cannon and Mortars out of oxygen cylinders. I have seen both. Fuel for the cannon/noise maker was oxy-acetylene. Fuel for the mortar was black powder.

version 1 - a noismaker can be fabricated (this is for information only) from an old oxygen cylinder. Cut the top off an EMPTY cylinder with a bandsaw or sawzall, drill a 1/4" touch hole (like the old cannon had) in the other end. Lean against something solid, 50-100' down range is clear. Open end is muzzle. Wet rag over muzzle keeps gas in the barrel until firing.

Gas ratios and the amount of time (in seconds) the tip is in the touch hole will affect the discharge. Start small for safety reasons.

Noise will impress the neighbors. Noise supressors might be a good idea for the gunner. Ever see the artillery guys turn away from the gun with one finger in the ear toward the gun? Now you can learn why. Barrel will need "airing out" after shooting. Immediate follow shots do not work because of the burned gas not flowing out of the barrel. More oxygen = sharper report. More mix = bigger bang Truthfully you can get a report that will get ringing in your ears. Not recommended.
As I understand it - it is ill-advised to do this at frequent intervals in a single day as the guys in blue can triangulate on your position and express their displeasure at your variety of entertainment

version 2 - a mortar that uses black powder and bowling *****. Seen here: http://www.docsmachine.com/nonPB/mortar.html I believe that you need the biggest oxygen cylinder available (3,000 psi?) because it has the correct 8.5" bore. This I have only seen demonstrated on the web. Another idea, search it with "Feral cats" in the wording

Moderators - if this is dangerous information, feel free to edit.

[vicegrip]

Like This

Pool [email protected]

Hi D!ck.

Or cut from virg!n stock.

vg

[Jim-Tx]

A guy here made one years ago that would shoot pool ***** (spheres... who the he!! setup this filter?????) or beer cans half full of concrete. I never saw it in action but I know that it worked. Sorry, no details as to the construction.

[metalmeltr]

There is a guy around here that makes a cannon out of the oxy bottles after he makes a nice looking base for them like they used to have on pirate ships and from the road they look great. They do not and will not work but they sure look mean ( yard art )
Jim

Anyone know about making a working cannon?

[vwguy3]

It seems odd that you cannot set the tanks on the dock at the LWS and tell them they can have them.The bottles are an asset for them unless they have been damaged beyond use.
Post on Craigslist or similar site and someone may be able to use them.

[aametalmaster]

I had a 1921 job that only had one date stamp in it. I took it to get filled and the guy told me that his company bought out the name in the stamp so he traded me a brand new one for it. I was happy since i just paid 15 bucks for it and it was full so i used it up first...Bob

[Pin Head]

I have seen one oxy cylinder that was stamped first time during the later days of WW1.

.

We have about 100 cylinders at any given time at work and the oldest I have seen was 1911. It had been retested many times and it was still going strong. It had some strange name I had never seen before ont he top band.

[aametalmaster]

I just got a free giant co2 bottle for hauling it away and it was only 7 bucks to retest it. Cheap at that. Retest it and sell it if nothing else. Sell it on ebay or even here...Bob

[Zrexxer]

Ok then, I'll refine my previous post to be a little more succinct:

Regardless of what you may hear from your LWS, the term "Hazardous Waste" is a legal definition with very precise implications, and gas cylinders themselves are not now, and never have been, hazardous waste.

[ptsideshow]

I was only referring to the disposal of the cylinder for whatever reason. I did not mention anything to do with transport of the cylinders of any kind. with any residue left inside the cylinder from the fill material (asbestos) is hazardous waste along with the acetone which is still the cylinder.

When you try to take one to a scrap yard whether it be a propane cylinder, or other fuel gas cylinders. or most LWS they call them (damaged) cylinders hazardous waste because of the special handling required and the costs to dispose of them.

Most LWS charge a hazardous material handling fee for TIG,Gas and Stick rod when you buy it. At least Airgas does, around here.

EPA regs (40 CFR Part 261) define hazardous wastes as wastes meeting the characteristics of flammability, corrosivity, explosivity, toxicity, or being listed in a laundry list of chemicals published in Subpart D. Regardless, a hazardous waste has to be a WASTE first to qualify... if the product is still in use, regardless of whether it's flammable, etc., then it's not a waste and cannot be a hazardous waste by definition.

[Zrexxer]

That said, All pressure gas holding vessels now are considered to be hazardous waste material.

I think I know what you're trying to say, but what you stated there is absolutely false. There is a HUGE difference between a "hazardous material" as defined by the Department of Transportation for placarding requirements, and a Hazardous Waste.

DOT regs (49 CFR Part 172) requires Oxygen, Non flammable gases, and flammable gases to display a Class 2 "Hazardous Materials" placard for transportation in quantities over 454 kg gross weight.

EPA regs (40 CFR Part 261) define hazardous wastes as wastes meeting the characteristics of flammability, corrosivity, explosivity, toxicity, or being listed in a laundry list of chemicals published in Subpart D. Regardless, a hazardous waste has to be a WASTE first to qualify... if the product is still in use, regardless of whether it's flammable, etc., then it's not a waste and cannot be a hazardous waste by definition.

Pressure gas holding vessels are not defined as a hazardous waste under any circumstances, although their contents might be.

[ptsideshow]

Unless the acetylene cylinders has some physical sign of damage, and the fusible plugs are intact. and it doesn't contain asbestos filler based material. Most places will take them in trade, and some do charge for the testing some don't but that may be changing across the land with the take over virus of the two or three big chain LWS spreading. That said, All pressure gas holding vessels now are considered to be hazardous waste material. Due to the fact that there is no national or international color coding for the cylinders and other than the valve type and threads people do make up connectors and refill them with other stuff. As the case with the meth heads and propane cylinders and anhydrous ammonia. Which was covered in another thread.

Since site based generation of acetylene gas for larger scale users was still the normal into 60's. The number of fuel gas cylinders that are real old are fewer than oxygen cylinders. I have seen one oxy cylinder that was stamped first time during the later days of WW1.

The proper disposal procedure for acetylene cylinders, is to relive the pressure of the gas slowly, then remove the valve, drain the acetone liquid, fill with water, and cut the cylinder so you can remove the filler material generally up towards the neck end as not to disturb the the filler material, the best way is with a large colds type saw with water spray currtan to keep any asbestos particles from becoming airbone.

You pack up the filler and depending on what it is it is disposed of properly, along with the acetone. If the filler is high pressure flushed out of the cylinder the liquid is still a hazardous waste material.
The cylinder must either be cut in half or a large dia. hole is cut in the cylinder to preclude repair.

Somebody else on this forum already described the mess he had when he used an acetylene cylinder in a project.

Your cheapest answer is to find out what they charge to test and inspect them at your LWS or were to call about it.

Hes comes the Disclaimer!: Some words of caution, the above explanation is for illustrative/educational purposes only! It is not an instructional about how to do it. This was told to me awhile ago and things in the hazardous materials biz changes rapidly. Secondly you need to be licensed. The fines are quite high if you get caught feeding it into the general public waste stream.

Asbestos is very nasty stuff having known a number of pipe covers,fitters,welders that have succumbed to mesothelioma, cancer, asbestosis and pleural disease. Which are the things you can get from it. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/PHA/libby3/appb.pdf is a non law firm site.

It can be transferred to your cloths going through the wash cycle and be transferred to your families and then to them when they wear the cloths it dried on. Or from being brought into a car or truck seat when the clothes aren't changed at the work site. And disturbed each time some one gets into the seat.

[usmcpop]

Take the old Acetylene tank into a pasture and shoot it. Take prisoners later. Bleed the Oxy tank down and make something out of it. That's IF you can't retest and use them.

[Hotfoot]

If i was in North Carolina, that is!!