Does anyone know if theris a safe way to use a forktruck style propane tank for a gas forge.I bought one thinking it would work but the boys at the welding supply say no.Please let me know. Jason

As long as you get propane gas out of it and not liquid it will work fine. if you get liquid out of it it will cause problems unless you figure out a gassifier for it.

Unfortunately forklift propane cylinders are designed for liquid service, not gas service and you really dont want to be dealing with LP hoses and the like near your forge, where there's not the built in safety systems, OPD devices, etc of a normal LP Gas tank. It would cost you more to make a forklift tank "safe" to use than it would to just go out and buy a new LP gas tank.

ordinarily i would say that you cant adapt a forklift tank to use for a forge or any other propane appliance but i have figured out the method (shhhhhh dont want OSHA to hear this!!!!) the outlet supplies liquid propane thru a draw tube that is bent down at the bottom...simply turn the bottle so the mounting hole is directly up and lift the base of the tank about 3-4 inches so its tilted down towards the head...attach your fitting and lite it up....now the gas pocket is at the draw tube and usable...this is the method i heat my shop at work since we have propane powered forklifts and its cheaper for us to get those bottles filled than standard propane bottles. dont use too much pressure for the first hour or so because the regulator will freeze up due to to small gas pocket....the larger the gas pocket at top the better.

thanks guys I'm gonna see if the supplier will give me a credit or take it as a trade.

Kieth, playing devils advocate, I hope your relief valve never fails. You will have liquid venting and one big boom. the only safe way I know to fix this is to put a vapor valve in the hole sometimes ( sometimes not) tapped in the top of the bottle. The length of the dip tube is the issue as you know. Be safe. I WILL add that most lift truck bottles draw liquid ( this is written normally in casting on top of the bottle to tell you ). Also, a vapor valve will have one fitting to service, liquid another and an adaptor needed to interchange. THAT is why you cannot fill 20 lb bottles from a fork truck servicing station ( liquid valve has threads on outside, vapor threads ( NORMALLY ) are internal like on OPD or other vapor draw bottles ).

i did have to swap the threaded head out from an OPD style to a spare forklift type head but so far its been working fine...i try to swap a full bottle for a half empty one from the forklifts so my gas pocket issue isnt an issue