Painting Inside a Propane Tank?

CurlyDave · May 31, 2008

Around here, I would just take the old tank to one of those tank exchange places and exchange it for a new, in-specification, full tank for about $16.

Then I would buy a purpose-made sprayer, which would result in a better sprayer than I could make, and a full tank of propane, which is always useful...

Eagleview · May 31, 2008

If you plan on pressurizing it at all , have a good look inside it to make sure it has no dangerous rust damage . If it's old and be laying around for years it could become a home made bomb .

Eagleview · Jun 1, 2008

"has been" , stupe .

Iplayfarmer · Jun 2, 2008

Iron Horse said:
If you plan on pressurizing it at all , have a good look inside it to make sure it has no dangerous rust damage . If it's old and be laying around for years it could become a home made bomb .

I went ahead and pressured it up Saturday before I saw your post. The outside of the tank looks to be in pretty good condition. It's ugly, but there's no canker.

Will a propane tank rust from the inside?

I pressured it up to 60 PSI. That was the slickest little spray rig. I sprayed round-up on the whole garden spot with one tank full (just before it clouded over and rained). It took all of about 3 minutes.

60 PSI really puts out a nice spray. It sure beats the heck out of the little leaky hand pump job that I was using before.

I still haven't painted it. I was going to set it up first and just make sure that the concept would work before I put the time and effort into it. For now I'm just pressuring up the tank and then turning it upside down. I keep trying to figure out a way to put a tube to the bottom of the tank so that I can leave it upright. I haven't come up with anything yet.

bobodu · Jun 2, 2008

Should be easy enough to braise a dip tube to the bottom of the valve.

Eagleview · Jun 2, 2008

Sounds like a great little gadget . And yes gas bottles do rust from the inside out . They get acumulated condensation inside them just like any other fuel container , if not worse because of the extreme temperature difference between the inside and outside . Also you can buy the correct tube to reach the bottom of the bottle as "liquid" delivery bottles work this way .

WVBill · Jun 3, 2008

I had heard (I think on this board) that RoundUp is corrosive so I looked up the MSDS on RounDup and it does not higlight corrosivness but it does have this note:

"INCOMPATIBLE MATERIALS: Do not apply with a galvanized or unlined steel sprayer, or through any irrigation system."

WVBill

Iplayfarmer · Jun 3, 2008

WVBill said:
I had heard (I think on this board) that RoundUp is corrosive so I looked up the MSDS on RounDup and it does not higlight corrosivness but it does have this note:

"INCOMPATIBLE MATERIALS: Do not apply with a galvanized or unlined steel sprayer, or through any irrigation system."

WVBill

I'd better start saving up now so that I'll be able to post bail when the MSDS police come to get me.

I didn't know the details, but it just seemed like a good idea to line the tank with something.

Come to think of it, I only ever see plastic spray rigs. Even the big coups.

aczlan · Jun 3, 2008

Iplayfarmer said:
Come to think of it, I only ever see plastic spray rigs. Even the big coups.

plastic or stainless.

Aaron Z

Tom_Veatch · Jun 10, 2008

Iplayfarmer said:
...I wonder if there's a used paint dealer around here. Used stuff is always cheaper.

You think you jest, but I saw in the local newspaper awhile back that the our county hazardous waste collection point is a "used" paint dealer. As I recall, they mix compatible paints from partial cans that are dropped off and make the resulting ??? available to the discriminating customer.

I haven't been tempted to take advantage of the opportunity and seriously doubt you'd be able to match a desired color.