Overhead Diesel Tank Project

[GaryBDavis]

I re-furbished a used overhead diesel tank that I purchsed for $60. The stand was a little beat up, so I built a new one. The tank itself was dirty inside, but almost no rust. I replaced all the fittings, hose and nozzel.

To clean the tank out, I used a hose nozzel followed by a custom made spray nozzel to get 360 degree coverage. They were hooked up to the hot water outlet. I then plumbed my 175cfm air compressor into the tank and blew it dry. Between the hot water and the hot air from the compressor, it was clean and dry as a bone when I was done.

The only thing I wish I had done different was use teflon tape instead of recto-seal for the pipe threads. Some of that stuff will come loose and wash through, I'm sure. Hopefully the filter will catch any from the tank fitting and the rest I think dried well enough.

I put 10 gallons in it to check for leaks and all everything looks good. I'll get some diesel delivered this coming week.

 

[GaryBDavis]

More pics. I sandblasted and painted it this weekend.

 

[GaryBDavis]

Last of the pics. The fuel meter was a bit pricy, but a fun thing to have. The ball valve is a locking version, but I don't think it would stop anyone determined to get some fuel. I just couldn't find one I liked better.

The tank is 3'x6' and will hold about 300 gallons. A 500 gallon tank is commonly 4'x6' and the stand is built to hold either one.

 

[Ductape]

Tank and stand came out nice !

Silly question maybe............ but how does the fuel guy fill the tank? Surely he won't climb a ladder to get to the fill. Around here, the fuel guys won't hardly step on snow, or in a puddle to get to your fill........ nevermind having to climb to get to it. Maybe you don't have Nancy-Boy fuel truck drivers in Tx.?

 

[Egon]

Nice looking job.

 

[Thumper & Buttercup]

That turned out great GaryBDavis,

You can see by my pictures my tank in the other thread needs some new paint also.


Ducktape,

When my driver is coming I put our extension ladder out there, he always gives me a call and I am there to hand up the hose and hold the ladder and what ever I can do to help. We always end up in the shop talking tractors anyway.

 

[GaryBDavis]

Tank and stand came out nice !

Silly question maybe............ but how does the fuel guy fill the tank? Surely he won't climb a ladder to get to the fill. Around here, the fuel guys won't hardly step on snow, or in a puddle to get to your fill........ nevermind having to climb to get to it. Maybe you don't have Nancy-Boy fuel truck drivers in Tx.?

They typically back right up to the tank and stand on the service truck.

Not to be harsh on my northerly neighbors, but there seems to be a different mentality here. Last time I was in Chicago setting up for a trade show, I couldn't plug in an extension cord but had to go get a union laborer to do it for me. And when I was in Massachusetts, I couldn't pump my own gas. I guess I don't like people telling me I can't do something and I expect the same of others. Don't mean to insult anyone - some things just seem foreign to me.

 

[LBrown59]

*****They typically back right up to the tank and stand on the service truck.

*****That wouldn't have worked for when I got this drum filled on 4-1-9.

The ground was way to soft to let him drive across 40 or 50 feet of lawn to get the truck next to the drum.

 

[School_Farmer]

...And when I was in Massachusetts, I couldn't pump my own gas. I guess I don't like people telling me I can't do something and I expect the same of others. Don't mean to insult anyone - some things just seem foreign to me.

No insult taken. A very few towns here in Massachusetts have laws against self-serve gas stations, mainly for fire safety reasons I guess. Oregon would be an example of an entire state banning do-it-yourself gas pumping. I think such laws are a pain in the bee-hind myself.

 

[GaryBDavis]

Thanks for understanding and letting me rant.