Ideas for a rusty tank

[darkminion_17]

You can always take a torch to the seams of the tank and take it apart, then clean it up and have a radiator shop re seal them together again.

[finsruskw]

Get it clean then slosh some light weight oil around inside.
The ones I did a year ago still look like new inside and they have been empty the whole time on the shelf

[jbrewer]

Originally Posted by finsruskw

Get it clean then slosh some light weight oil around inside.
The ones I did a year ago still look like new inside and they have been empty the whole time on the shelf

Thanks...that's a good idea. In use the gas might strip the oil off which is what I was thinking of. I'll give it a go though!

[jbrewer]

Originally Posted by Ambush

Where is the adventure and wonder in that!??

Hi, I just saw your comment and since you're new, I'm not sure I understand it.

Are you saying that shaking the empty tank will rocks or nuts inside and calling it good is better than mechanically / chemically / electrically removing the rust and trying to replace the damaged tin plating with another material?



Just trying to understand the comment.

[Ambush]

^^^ I was poking ole-George.

I have used clean pea gravel, rolled and shaken, in tanks to clean them. With a small tank, you could just strap it to a rear tire and drive around for a while. Think of a rock tumbler. No liquid, use that as the rinse.

[jbrewer]

I got it! That's a good idea. Actually I think I have a jar of tumbling media that's shaped like little triangles, though the pea gravel is probably easier to find. I an strap it to a wheel of my O and let it tumbled around on jack stands.



I tumble a lot of brass for ammunition reloading, so I know how well this can work. I'm always a bit leary of getting near a used gas tank with a torch. Lou you're braver than I am (and clearly a better sweat solderer!)


Meanwhile, as I have the engine out of this 123, I discovered a brazed crack in the frame. The brazing is cracked too. While I'm anything but a good welder, I'll get the grinder out and try and get rid of the brass, groove the crack a bit and see if I can wire weld top and bottom.

It's about this part of the process I have to remind myself what it is I set out to fix :-)


Oh, and the driveshaft pin hole is egged out. I'll split the tractor and see what the front of the hydro shaft looks like....


I suppose after 55 yrs things DO wear out....

[finsruskw]

AGAIN: What size tanks are we talking here?

[ol'George]

Originally Posted by jbrewer

I got it! That's a good idea. Actually I think I have a jar of tumbling media that's shaped like little triangles, though the pea gravel is probably easier to find. I an strap it to a wheel of my O and let it tumbled around on jack stands.



I tumble a lot of brass for ammunition reloading, so I know how well this can work. I'm always a bit leary of getting near a used gas tank with a torch. Lou you're braver than I am (and clearly a better sweat solderer!)


Meanwhile, as I have the engine out of this 123, I discovered a brazed crack in the frame. The brazing is cracked too. While I'm anything but a good welder, I'll get the grinder out and try and get rid of the brass, groove the crack a bit and see if I can wire weld top and bottom.

It's about this part of the process I have to remind myself what it is I set out to fix :-)


Oh, and the driveshaft pin hole is egged out. I'll split the tractor and see what the front of the hydro shaft looks like....


I suppose after 55 yrs things DO wear out....

Been my experience where ever there has been braze, it gets into the "pores" of the metal and trying to weld it produces Spatter/porosity like the metal is very dirty,
And I have wound up with a mess, even if ground away, I can't get it all out.
As far as parting a tank at the seems:
some are spot welded, some are seam welded/rolled résistance welded.
Few are just furnace soldered or furnace brazed.
Just my experience.
Myself, I clean up the loose scale and put the tank in use.
If storing a cleaned tank, do as others said, oil it inside.
Fuel in a tank has vapors which precludes moisture laden air, so rust mostly does not occur.

[SLS327]

Dont use an arc welder for two reason my friend said...
1 gas fumes
2 thin metal makes a small hole real big real fast.
(Thats when it goes to George to fix!)
Agree sweat solder is the way to go.
Also jb weld and gas usually doesnt do well.

[ironman]

I can honestly say I have never seen nor heard of anyone that tried to repair a gas tank with an arc welder.
But then again I'm sure that there is someone who tried. Here's yer sign!