I’ve got several of these empty steel propane tanks from heating the chicken coop during the recent cold weather before I got an adapter to run the heater off of a larger refillable tank. Any ideas on what they could be repurposed for?

Seems like there should be some use for them besides tossing them in the recycling. I’d assume I’d need to poke a hole in them before recycling since they are/were pressure vessels.

I know there are adapters out there to refill them but now that I can use a larger, more easily refillable, tank I don’t really have any inclination to do so.

My only thought so far was to cut the top off, drill some holes, and make a little stick burning camp stove. But, that’s not something I’ll ever use.

I’ve got a fairly extensive workshop and metal working tools so pretty much everything is on the table. I can even do really shitty welding if required.

  • Chainweasel
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    1 day ago

    I refill and reuse mine, I got an adapter I can use a grill tank to fill them up with and take them camping for my lantern and camp grill

  • @[email protected]
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    732 days ago

    Important! Before you drill, cut, puncture or do anything with them you need to remove the residual gas or they may explode on you!

    1. obtain or make a valve tool for propane cylinder valves (check youtube).
    2. screw on a torch head and try to light it to burn off as much as you can EVEN WHEN THE TORCH WONT LIGHT THERE IS STILL PROPANE IN THE CYLINDER
    3. outside in a well ventilated area remove the torch and press the center valve in to verify that pressure is equalized
    4. look for the fill valve off center on the top, using the valve tool remove the valve.
    5. fill the cylinder ALL THE WAY with water, this will force out any remaining gas.
    6. the cylinder should now be safe to work on
  • @[email protected]
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    1362 days ago

    Do not under any circumstances cut into these cylinders with power tools.

    They might not contain enough propane to be useful to you, but there might very well be enough in there to mess you up.

    Brother of a friend wanted to turn an supposedly empty oil barrel into an outdoor heater. The residual fumes were enough to cause an explosion large enough to fracture his skull and put him into a coma for multiple weeks.

    • @this_1_is_mine
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      2 days ago

      Thread a torch nozzle and just open it set it in the sun and leave it a couple days the thermal transitions will help purge the bottle enough it doesn’t matter. Drums should always be purged and water filled before cutting or burn it first.

    • @Voyajer
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      162 days ago

      Just displace whatever gas is left in there with water first.

      • @[email protected]
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        72 days ago

        That’s easy enough on full sized propane bottles, but more of a pain in the ass on the small ones

  • @[email protected]
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    272 days ago

    Put them next to chickens and take a photo that makes it look like you have enormous chickens.

  • @[email protected]
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    151 day ago

    We always used them for target practice. They need to be punctured for disposal anyways, you know when you hit one, and They’re about the right size for sighting in on a 100yd range.

  • @Brkdncr
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    592 days ago

    Nothing. It’s why they are being phased out. recycle them at any place that sells propane tanks.

    • @hedgehogging_the_bed
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      102 days ago

      They’ve always been refillable with an adapter from the hardware store but it’s an enormous pain, so few people bother. I’ve always hoped Coleman would start an exchange program at REI or somewhere similar.

      If I recall, the adapter hooked to a grill tank but to fill the green cans you had to have the larger tank above the smaller one and it’s impractical for most people.

      • @Crashumbc
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        20 hours ago

        And upside down, and that will still only fill it 2/3 or 3/4…

        I’ve read tricks like chilling the cylinders. And depressing the Schrader valves. But some sound pretty sketchy.

  • @[email protected]
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    2 days ago

    I would take them to a recycling center that advertises that they accept fuel / propellents.

  • anon6789
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    2 days ago

    Mini Probot of course…

  • @highlow
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    52 days ago

    I used to shoot them with a 30-06. Unfortunately I never got one to go boom like the movies

    • Majorllama
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      52 days ago

      You have to tamper with the pressure release safety valves and provide a secondary flame unless you are using some bougie incendiary ammo (and even those aren’t a guarantee to ignite something like propane on its own).

      We used to blow up the normal sized ones like for your the backyard grill. We would fill the pressure release with valve with JB weld and then toss it into a bonfire and shoot it from like 500 feet away lol.

      • @Crashumbc
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        119 hours ago

        This guy redneck’s…

        • Majorllama
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          319 hours ago

          When you live an hour away from the nearest hospital for some reason everything you decide to do with your free time happens to be incredibly dangerous lol