Steel Tank Condemned: Cracks in Threads?

[kelemvor]

I often get parts x-rayed for work. The local place by me starts at $300 for two images with CR. Might as welwell just buy a new tank.

Yikes, you guys should build or buy your own x-ray machine. It's not super complicated.

Homemade Xray Machine

There's lots of other plans available with differing ease of build and quality results. Obvious care is required to prevent unintended exposure but it's not really that hard to do.


Armchair team owner here, I think the photo of the tank in question resembles that example tooling mark photo @GJC posted.

 

[BoltSnap]

Armchair team owner here, I think the photo of the tank in question resembles that example tooling mark photo @GJC posted.

Hahahaha, good one!

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

Guys, again Magna-flux. Can be done at any machine shop that rebuilds engines for about twenty bucks.

Simple and will find cracks in steel.

 

[Southside]

Yikes, you guys should build or buy your own x-ray machine. It's not super complicated.

Homemade Xray Machine

There's lots of other plans available with differing ease of build and quality results. Obvious care is required to prevent unintended exposure but it's not really that hard to do.


Armchair team owner here, I think the photo of the tank in question resembles that example tooling mark photo @GJC posted.

I can imagine the look on the auditors face when we get audited .
"Yeah that's our home made x-ray. Trust us it's pretty safe. We put some warning stickers on it and everything. Osha? Isn't that a town in Wisconsin?"

 

[runsongas]

is this for structural integrity verification? Is UE not an option? the equipment is fairly straightforward and you have the bonus of no xray exposure

 

[Wookie]

is this for structural integrity verification? Is UE not an option? the equipment is fairly straightforward and you have the bonus of no xray exposure

Or die penetrant. A crack is easy to tell the difference than a tool stop.

 

[chris kippax]

This is the kit we use at work, failing that we use Mag particle or UT.
As the OP has stated, the berry may not be worth the squeeze.

FLAWFINDER Kit - ROCOL®

 

[kelemvor]

I slapped the images together in photoshop for a comparison. Not that I'm suggesting anyone argue the point, I just think it's interesting.



It would be interesting to chuck that tank up on a lathe and clean up the threads to see what's under the surface.

Or, since it's condemed, just hack off the top and chuck that up to make it easier to manage. I was thinking more people have lathes than imaging equipment.. probably.

 

[BoltSnap]

I slapped the images together in photoshop for a comparison. Not that I'm suggesting anyone argue the point, I just think it's interesting.

View attachment 620239

The machine marks look straighter

 

[uncfnp]

So if these indeed are cracks, what is the worst that could happen to such tanks if used. Obviously leak but anything more serious?