OP
Steel tank questions
- Thread starter BigRed96
- Start date
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I haven't dealt with the vinyl, but what I've read is that it is a cast iron B*tch to remove. I would try the aircraft stripper (chemicals, not girls... though if you can get girls to scrape the tanks for you, even better! lol) and a putty knife to start. I would be careful of what media I used if I went with blasting (making sure it's something that won't take down the steel).
Let us know how it goes.
Respectfully,
James
Dark Wolf
Contributor
Your top two look just like the 72's I recently doubled. The epoxy on the outside of mine has seen better days, and I will strip them this winter.
Hope you enjoy them!!
DW
Hope you enjoy them!!
DW
captain
Contributor
Sand blasting the vinyl is like sand blasting rubber, it doesn't work. I find stripper doesn't affect vinyl. Use a large knife with two hands and use a drawing motion. Not easy or fast but it is the best method I have found. Sometimes there are sections that have unbonded from the tank and peel off easily.
OP
BigRed96
Contributor
I measured the tanks today and the cane in at 25” tall and about 7 inches wide.
OP
BigRed96
Contributor
I’m looking to start stripping the finish off two of the three yellow tanks and though I would ask some things about the process before I proceeded. Would it be better for me to strip them with air in the cylinders or remove the valves and work on them then? Worried about flash rust. Next question, would you have them vis and hydro tested prior to starting work or risk a failure after putting in all the work? I have been toying with the idea of coating the tanks in a product called Raptorliner. It’s a spray on diy bedliner that can be colored to the user’s preference. Only downside is it leaves a bit of a uneven finish and may make tank markings difficult to see. However, I wouldn’t think it wouldn’t be any worse than the vinyl and may not even be as thick. I used it to spray the interior of my dive trailer and like it’s durability.
Be careful if you put bed liner on the tanks. It could possibly cause the same issues you're trying to avoid by stripping the current vinyl off, mainly rust behind the paint.
If it were me, I'd do a cold galvanized spray paint if they're not already galvanized.
If it were me, I'd do a cold galvanized spray paint if they're not already galvanized.
ScubaBunga
Contributor
I used some citric acid remover and it loosened the coating enough to get it off....but it was still a LOT of elbow grease. Some peeled off easily and some held on for dear life. I like these tanks so it was worth it for me. The cold galvanized or I found a primer ( which I can’t find a link to now) that seems to work on the galvanized tanks - I like to paint some of them. But don’t put any other type of coating on the tank. I’ve also tumbled out many liners. It is quite a pain to do! Like others, I’d be happy to take those old dangerous bombs off your hands and dispose of them properly...by using them for a long time.
ScubaBunga
Contributor
New valves will fit, or you can service the old valves. You’ll need new burst disks as those old ones are not allowed - need the newer ones with the side relief holes..and you’d want to replace those anyway as they are quite old. Vintage double hose has the 2250 burst disks. Then finding a hydro place that will plus them will be another challenge. It took me a couple years to find one that would, but my last 5 now have new plus stamps on them!
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