Apple juice tank

silverbear · #21 (**permalink**) 10-04-2009, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DOC BOLM

Rock Thanks for the gas tank photos.I went into the shop and made one for my rear rack on my trec.It is made from1/4 inch thick pipe. Harleys Dad

Rock & Doc,
Thanks to you both for the great ideas. I'm going to do some experimenting myself. Doc, is that 1/4" stelel pipe? Did you also use silver solder? I've been trying to come up with something for my Worksman paperboy... a cylinder to fit between the top forks. I'm picturing a tennis ball can where the end comes off and can go back on again... solder it shut after the filler and fuel line are in place.
As I recall one I had about a hundred years ago it was a heavier metal than a juice can and had smooth walls. Longer and more narrow... kind of like the opening in my Worksman frame, methinks! Now I'm wondering what I can use to make an angled fill tube & cap. I think I will drill a hole in the end bottom for the fuel line and use a regular shutoff valve... drill the hole a little small, screw in the valve and solder it up. Doc, what did you do for closing up the ends of the pipe?
Can different metals be mixed using silver solder? I'm wondering if I had a fill cap of tin/steel and had an angled extension of copper to the can (steel) would there be a problem? Lots of fittings are available in copper. Thanks for this great thread... I think it is the answer!
Silverbear

Rockenstein · #22 (**permalink**) 10-05-2009, 12:12 AM

It's cool this thread has inspired some of you guys

Silverbear that's one of the great things about soldering or brazing...you can easily join dissimilar metals like brass to steel or copper for instance.

Doc that tank is bullet proof...literally

I have that same rear rack on my daily rider..I'm interested in seeing how you fasten it down.

That's what I'm working on at the moment...testing out some mounting methods with a test can. I've soldered an L bracket in a slit cut with a thin cutoff wheel. I've made a couple holes in the tester and will solder in a couple bolts too and then try ripping the things outs and beating on them. The easy way would be to use big hose clamps but I don't like the look of those things so I'm trying for something cleaner looking.

DOC BOLM · #23 (**permalink**) 10-05-2009, 12:13 AM

Bear The ends are also 1/4 inch plate.They are mig welded in place.I wish i could say i welded them on,but dexter a million dollar robot did it for me.The diamond end caps cover a hole in the end cap where a bearing goes to make a roller.I am going to mount a light over it.The fill hole will go flush with the tank when i make a short nipple to go between them.Harleys Dad

DOC BOLM · #24 (**permalink**) 10-05-2009, 12:24 AM

Rock my plan is to drill 4 holes in the bottom of the tank and weld closed nuts in them these nuts are about 3/4 inch long with 1/4x24 threads in them and are closed on the end to keep them from leaking.I also put a 1x2 inch magnet on the inside after i cleaned it out.Harleys Dad

DOC BOLM · #25 (**permalink**) 10-05-2009, 12:43 AM

Rock i found one 5 inch muffler clamp in the shop.They are used on our big trucks stacks.They are about 1 inch wide an 5 inch inside.chrome plated.I will get some more in the morning and take some photos.They will be better than welding the nuts on. HD

silverbear · #26 (**permalink**) 10-05-2009, 10:04 AM

I found an expired fire extinguisher in my "stuff" and also noticed the shape of a propane tank for a torch that is also the right for my needs. I did some mock fitting and the fire extinguisher is just right for the Worksman paperboy cruiser. I want it to fit lengthwise between the two cross bars. The smaller diameter propane tank is just right for the 1940 Schwinn DX cruiser, also to fit between the crossbars. Posted are photos of both frames with a too small aluminum tank taped into place on the Worksman. You can see what I have in mind, though. The fire extinguisher is the same diameter as the tank in the picture and almost half again as long. Because these need to fit between the bars the filler tube and cap need to be offset and preferably angled upward. It occurred to me that the bullet end of the proposed tanks where the torch fitting is on the propane tank and the nozzle is on the fire X. could be where the fill tube connects. That would save a lot of soldering and fitting. I also realized that even if the fill tube cap was higher than the tank, there would be an air space in the tank above where fuel would enter. Then I had the thought that two problems could be solved with one solution by fitting a small air bleed at the top of the bottom end. It could even be a fuel shut off valve. That would allow a complete fill on the tank and if the bleeder were a fuel shutoff with a short run fuel line coming off and upwards under the seat then you could have a gas cap which actually seals and not have any leaking of gas which I find so tiresome. No air lock since the bleeder valve is there. At the lower end of the tank bottom is where the fuel line and shutoff would be leading to the carburetor. Anybody see any problem with this? The hardest part would be in coming up with the fill tube connection to the tank, the offset bend upwards and the fill tube cap. I think I'll spend some time staring at things in the plumbing and propane sections of the hardware seeing if some kind of fittings look right. I have an old Coleman white gas tank for a camping stove which might give a donor end for the fill tube with a brass no leak cap. It is on the small side, but I'm the one filling my tank and a small copper funnel like for Coleman stoves and such would keep things no drip. I think it could be made to work. And I think the same process could work with either a used Fire X tank or propane tank. For that matter a behind the seat squat propane tank, as used with propane camping lights might make a nice behind the seat tank with pretty good fuel capacity, if nothing else as a backup tank. Rock, do you see what your brainstorm has started here? If my thinking is off, please steer me in the right direction.

Two questions:
First, what are fire extinguisher chemicals and would residue of some sort create a problem for a gas tank? How could one flush it thoroughly?
Second, if soldering is involved how much better is it to use a butane pencil torch as opposed to a propane bottle type of torch, which is what I have? Is there any reason for me to invest in a pencil torch?
Silverbear

markeatmark · #27 (**permalink**) 10-05-2009, 10:40 AM

That is so cool. man the ideas never stop. thanks for sharing

Rockenstein · #28 (**permalink**) 10-05-2009, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverbear

if soldering is involved how much better is it to use a butane pencil torch as opposed to a propane bottle type of torch, which is what I have? Is there any reason for me to invest in a pencil torch?
Silverbear

I used a pencil torch because I had one and it was better suited for the light duty job at hand than my propane torch or O/A torch. A propane bottle torch should work fine in your case given that the material you intend to work on will likely be much thicker than my apple juice can. I think an appropriate sized discarded fire extinguisher would make an nice tank and if you washed it out real good I doubt you'd have any residual chemical issues...I'm excited to see the finished product

Retmachinist made this nice under seat tank, he posted it in this thread.

Rockenstein · #29 (**permalink**) 10-08-2009, 03:51 AM

Made a little more progress yesterday evening...

After trying a few different mounting ideas on a tester can I finally settled on an idea that made sense, was easy to work with, provided enough strength and would work well with the leather covering to be applied in final step. I think the end result should be pretty clean looking...ie: no visible attachment to the bike frame from most viewing angles. As the photos show I used silver bearing solder on the tank mount parts I formed up out of 24 gauge sheet and on the frame itself I silver brazed on a couple of 18 gauge ears to run the mounting bolts through. I need to tidy up the mounting ears a little more plus clean off the brazing flux and as well I need to get some proper length bolts but all in all I think this setup should hold it well as it is quite rigid.

.

george_n_texas · #30 (**permalink**) 10-08-2009, 05:15 AM

How hard do you think it would be to use 2 apple juice cans...mount the fill tube/cap and the fuel line out then solder the 2 cans together in the middle. Do you think the solder would work or would ya have to weld?