July 24, 20205 yr Not sure if this is the spot for this. There is a Nitrogen bottle for free on the local online shop. It is expired and was wondering if it could be safely cut for use as a bell?
July 24, 20205 yr Depends on how it's being cut: Saw: safe, plasma cutter: safe, laser: safe, cutting disk: safe, bandsaw: safe, Oxy-Acetylene: NOT SAFE Nitrogen is an inert gas and most of the atmosphere we believe consists of nitrogen, (78% in fact). So what was/is inside is not an issue. However unburned acetylene and Oxygen can build up in a closed tank during cutting resulting it an explosion.
July 24, 20205 yr Author Perfect! Thank you Thomas. I have been itching to cut a bell out of one of these.
July 24, 20205 yr You've said that before Thomas but Nitrogen is far from inert. What applies in this case is Nitrogen is NON-flammable. Good advice re. cutting any tanks with oxy fuel torches. Don't do it. Frosty The Lucky.
July 24, 20205 yr Important detail: nitrogen can still cause an explosion if it's still under pressure. Before cutting, open the valve to vent any pressure into the atmosphere.
July 24, 20205 yr You will probably get some folks telling you that it is safe and they cut them with O-A all the time. It's true that people cut them that way and most of the time have no issues. However it only takes once to ruin your day/year/life. Frosty; it is considered an inert gas under many definitions; however it is not a noble gas. For instance: Purified argon and nitrogen gases are most commonly used as inert gases due to their high natural abundance (78.3% N2, 1% Ar in air) and low relative cost. Unlike noble gases, an inert gas is not necessarily elemental and is often a compound gas. ... They are referred to as noble gases or inert gases. wikipedia
July 24, 20205 yr Boy, definitions have loosened up since I took high school chemistry. Nitrogen is actually used as part of the definitions I find now but so is "un-interesting". I can think of too many compounds that are made "interesting," energetic even by the inclusion of Nitrogen. Okey dokey then. Frosty The Lucky.
July 24, 20205 yr Yes "nitrates" were practically the definition of "bad actors" for a long time---Remember that Captain Nemo sank a nitrate carrying ship around 150 years ago, and of course Trinitrotoluene so handy for the attempted eradication of Geococcyx californianus!
July 24, 20205 yr 1 hour ago, JHCC said: open the valve Better yet remove the valve. I've cut a few tanks and always get that pucker factor even with the valve removed.
July 24, 20205 yr Well if it's still "full" and so under pressure; opening the valve will empty it in a safer way than removing the valve. Good idea to open the valve as a check before removing it. (I have a bucket of welding tank valves as there has been an influx of tanks to the local scrapyard after a bad fire in town. All of them empty so far!) Note that the bottom of welding tanks often make great dishing forms and so are prized by SCA armour makers. So for me at typical tank goes: Valve/stem: nonferrous scrap, top of tank: bell, center of tank: shell(s) for propane forges, bottom of tank: dishing form.
July 24, 20205 yr Opening the valve first is a given, I should have mentioned that because there are some folks not smart enough to realize that. But then they should not be using dangerous equipment at all.
July 24, 20205 yr Author 51 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said: Yes "nitrates" were practically the definition of "bad actors" for a long time---Remember that Captain Nemo sank a nitrate carrying ship around 150 years ago, and of course Trinitrotoluene so handy for the attempted eradication of Geococcyx californianus! Three google searches in there for me! Not too familiar with volatile and explosive gasses but i do know anything under pressure should be worked with caution. Especially people. Thanks for all the safety first pressure Y'all!
July 24, 20205 yr I found that when working with people under pressure, I usually could talk them into opening the valve to vent. Some times my guys were amazed how I could get them into the patrol car without fighting.
July 24, 20205 yr I have to do the searches too, just to make sure I spell things correctly. I mean some of that spelling is just cuckoo!
July 24, 20205 yr Don't forget Texas City but that was an Ammonium Nitrate laden freighter that caught fire at the docks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TworcINhDhQ Bad actors indeed. Frosty The Lucky.
July 26, 20205 yr Take it to the welding supply and see if they will accept it in trade for an argon or oxygen if it is an owner size.
November 24, 20205 yr On 7/24/2020 at 5:59 PM, ThomasPowers said: "Evolution in action"? Natural selection.
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