cutting a tank question

M

Mowillie

Been Around the Block
so i know it has been talking about already, just as everything has, so i will ask it again since i got here too late. plus, i just read a thread how a lot of people dislike the search and it should search titles only.
what is recommended for cutting a tank in half to use the back side for the rear of the seat. i saw one thread with somone using a hack saw. if you use a torch, would you fill it with water so vapors dont explode? what about using my plasma cutter? that i a skeptical of doing. how long should it air (dry) if it has gas in it now. thanks for the info.
 
Gasoline fumes dissapate pretty quickly, but let it sit for a few hours, and rinse it out with water first. As far as cutting, torches and plasma cutters leave very rough edges that will require a lot of cleaning up to look right. A hacksaw would work but take forever. Personally id use a 4" grinder with a cutting wheel or and air grinder with a cutting wheel. With some practice you can make extemely accurate and clean cuts. Using a tool thats made for making clean cuts in metal, is going to save you time and energy in the long run....
 
not meaning to hijack the thread, but i'm getting ready to do the same thing. i've used purple power to clean the inside and outside of the tank and i've rinsed it out several times and it still smells pretty heavily of gasoline. hoping it would dissipate i left it uncapped and unpetcocked (ha!) for a few days in my garage but it still smells just as strongly. will this be okay to cut?
 
gasoline vapors are whats really flammable. if youve rinsed out the tank with a cleaner and let it air dry for a good while you should be fine. nothings going to explode and take your hands off or anything. the gasoline smell is most likely from small bits of jellied old gas (looks like tar) still stuck in the crevices of the tank, but i really wouldnt worry about them. once you cut the tank you can clean them out more easily.
 
40 dollar dremel makes a pretty darn clean cut. I cut through an exhaust mounting bracket extremely quickly and easily.
 
angle grinder and a 4" cutting wheel. you may have to remove the guard but WATCH OUT because you can cut yourself so fast it's scary. I still have a scar on my index finger from doing the same thing. Just be careful and wear safety glasses...metal specks will be flying everywhere
 
ryan76cb said:
angle grinder and a 4" cutting wheel. you may have to remove the guard but WATCH OUT because you can cut yourself so fast it's scary. I still have a scar on my index finger from doing the same thing. Just be careful and wear safety glasses...metal specks will be flying everywhere
Click to expand...
yeah grinders can be really dangerous! but if you use your head, wear gloves and goggles. there indespensible tools.... you can pick up a good bosch 4" grinder at home depot for less than 60 bucks. i use mine all the time, and not just for bike related things. you'll be amazed at how many uses youll find!
 
VonYinzer said:
yeah grinders can be really dangerous! but if you use your head, wear gloves and goggles. there indespensible tools.... you can pick up a good bosch 4" grinder at home depot for less than 60 bucks. i use mine all the time, and not just for bike related things. you'll be amazed at how many uses youll find!
Click to expand...

yeah like impromptu finger surgery ;D
 
I cut mine with a 4 1/2 angle grinder, and if you take your time it's fairly easy to make nice clean cuts, even with curves. Also, I split my pinkie on my left hand in two using a grinder with a small wood blade on it. The blade also caught my ring finger pretty good. Dumb, I know, but I was working for this guy, and he was all like "It'll be fine, we're just gonna have to remove the guard to get to that door jamb."
Needless to say, I am extremely careful anytime I use a grinder, especially one with the guard removed. Although I do have some pretty awesome scars to show for it.
 
ive got the index finger scar from no gaurd. even backed it up with a smaller one the other day. wear gloves and something over your eyes. getting metal drilled out of your eye is not cheap or fun
 
I still say dremel. I don't see how you could cut yourself with this thing and it ran through metal much thicker than a tank like butter.
 
Use a reciprocation saw with a metal blade. It'll allow you to get into that tight spot underneath. Have a buddy help you hold the tank.

Jay
 
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