When is a tank too far gone?

[Gregory]

View attachment 22255

I has so much luck in repairing pin holes in the 821100e tank that I broke out the 78skunk tank to try my hand at it.

It has MANY (at least 20) pinholes that I plugged as well as several that were much larger. I was able to seal all of them down to just a seepage level until I got to the one in the picture.

I had planned on stopping the rust and double or triple lining with Caswells, but not sure now.

I have a mig welder but I am pretty sure it would just burn through this thin stuff. Is there anything I can do on my own to repair this tank?

 

[tkent02]

View attachment 22255

I has so much luck in repairing pin holes in the 821100e tank that I broke out the 78skunk tank to try my hand at it.

It has MANY (at least 20) pinholes that I plugged as well as several that were much larger. I was able to seal all of them down to just a seepage level until I got to the one in the picture.

I had planned on stopping the rust and double or triple lining with Caswells, but not sure now.

I have a mig welder but I am pretty sure it would just burn through this thin stuff. Is there anything I can do on my own to repair this tank?

If you are skilled with the welder, cut that thin area out and weld in a patch.

If not so skilled, get someone who is to do it.

 

[chuck hahn]

I was gonna say the same thing. Its on the bottom so just cut it out and braze a patch over it and leak test it.

 

[Gregory]

Not to redirect the question, but I did think of a way to procure skunk tanks cheaply...well sort of.

I could make a rubber mold of the indent, then use it as a form for bondo-ing in an indent on the much easier to find 79+ tanks.

 

[Gregory]

I was gonna say the same thing. Its on the bottom so just cut it out and braze a patch over it and leak test it.

Any info on how to braze? Is it something I can purchase cheaply?

I actually have another loaner tank that I could cut the base off of to use.

 

[tkent02]

Any info on how to braze? Is it something I can purchase cheaply?

I actually have another loaner tank that I could cut the base off of to use.

If you don't know, you need someone better at it.

Not a good first timer's project. Someone like Chuck could do it a lot better.

 

[chuck hahn]

Brazing is done with Oxy / Acetelyn torches and that gold brazing filler rod. You got a set right? Got any buddies that can modulate then flame low enough to not just melt the area worse and do it for you??

 

[GregT]

The problem with brazing patches into a tank is the flux left on the inside.
You can never remove all of it, and as it's slighly acidic it's a great spot for more rust to start.

far better to fusion weld - either oxy acetylene or a MIG turned well down.

 

[chuck hahn]

You can braze with uncoated rod.

 

[Gregory]

I have an acetylene torch but haven't tried brazing. maybe my neighbor knows how to do it. Just hate for a good skunk tank to go to the scrap heap.

 

[chuck hahn]

Smallest tip you have and practice on some scrap. Thin stuff like duct work ( but without the galvanizing ) is a good place to start. Or you can burn off the galvanize and use the raw metal then. Wire wheel the soot off it and start playing.

 

[tkent02]

Smallest tip you have and practice on some scrap. Thin stuff like duct work ( but without the galvanizing ) is a good place to start. Or you can burn off the galvanize and use the raw metal then. Wire wheel the soot off it and start playing.

L tanks are great to practice on.

 

[Gregory]

I guess I will have to do some playing with it. I will get it figured out one way or another.

I thought I had a bike bought that had a skunk tank, I(t was a 79 but had the indented tank), but he just called me back and said it sold already dang!

I have a line on another skunk tank as well so my fingers are crossed.

 

[GSEScraze]

Brazing is done with Oxy / Acetelyn torches and that gold brazing filler rod. You got a set right? Got any buddies that can modulate then flame low enough to not just melt the area worse and do it for you??

I think brazing is going the same way as lead body work its becoming a lost art

 

[chuck hahn]

How about doing Oakum and lead sealing on cast iron sewer pipes?? Yup Ive done lots of that too.

 

[GregT]

How about doing Oakum and lead sealing on cast iron sewer pipes?? Yup Ive done lots of that too.

I bronze weld broken fins on cast iron cylinders - not hard with the right flux.
And yes, you can bronze with uncoated rod but if you want it to "tin" properly on old pressed steel, I would always use flux.

 

[chuck hahn]

Best thing about Gregs tank is that hes gonne be doing a liner kit AND the fact its out of sight on the bottom. So..he can get it good enough to be sealed ( doesnt have to be real pretty ). Good enough to hold the cleaner solution is good enough..then do the liner kit and he will never have to worry about it again.

 

[Nessism]

With a hole that size there is a very good chance there are various other places on the tank with thin metal as well. It's very difficult to derust such a tank because it won't hold fluid. Maybe submerge the entire tank and try electrolysis? Maybe some metal prep, a couple three gallons, in a small garbage can? One way or another it's best to derust to some extent before making the patches.

Silver brazing alloys melt at a lower temp than brass so you have less heat distortion that way. I'd use the correct flux then plan on soaking the tank afterwards in hot water to clean. You can always go back into the phosphate sauce if some flash rust shows up.

It's going to be next to impossible to braze closed all the various holes that are likely to show up. Best tend to the larger holes then use Caswell's Epoxy sealer (which is thicker than honey and helps reinforce the metal).

Not a fun project, but doable.

Good luck

 

[Gregory]

maybe I should just caswell the inside AND the outside

 

[rustybronco]

Nope, just weld in new metal. No matter what you use to reline the tank, you need structural integrity before hand.