Metal Casting Zone

This is what I came up with to provide pressureized oil to my furnace using an old propane tank that I got from a gas company.
This cylinder was not able to be certified to hold propane because of a dent in the side. They were going to throw it away anyway so I asked for it. They had giant stacks of them and were more than happy to give me as many as I wanted. There were some pretty large ones there that would make good furnaces but that is another post.
I removed the valve with some difficulty. Once the valve was out I poured a bit of diesel fuel into the cylinder and swished it about to disolve the oderant that gas companies add to propane to make it smell. This stuff is an oil and is not as flamable as propane but it is concentrated stinky
I dumped this on my burn pile to get it started and to get the smell disposed of. Dont get any of this on you as it will stain your skin with the smell of propane that is at best very difficult to remove and at worst gets you sleeping on the couch. If it gets on your clothes you might as well just throw them on the burn pile as well. If you wash them with other clothes not only will it not come all the way out, the rest of the clothes in that load and the machine will smell like propane.
Man made skunk oil.

I took a 3/4 inch close pipe nipple and screwed it into the top of the tank. I did not seal this one as this is where the seperation will be to fill the tank with oil all the other joints I sealed with pipe sealant. (dope). On top of that I put a 3/4 inch brass tee. It could be steel but brass is what I had. On the side of the tee I reduced it from 3/4 inch to 1/4 inch pipe and screwed in a compressor fitting that I can plug an air hose into.
I used a brass 3/4 to 1/2 bushing in the top. I used brass as it is easier to solder to. I soldered a piece of copper tubing into the bottom of the bushing. (the non internal threaded side) Far enough in to get a good joint but not so far as to foul the threads on the top. You may have to drill out the bushing a bit to get the tubing to fit. After soldering it to the bottom of the bushing, I trimmed the tubing so that when I screwed the bushing in the top of the tee on the tank, the bottom of the dip tube would be about 1/2 inch from the bottom of the tank. This gives any chunks of stuff a place to settle to without clogging up the end of the dip tube.
After screwing the bushing to the top I put a valve and brass hose barb. The hose to the tuere pipe fits here. When you put air pressure to the tank it passes inside the tee but ouside of the copper dip tube pressureizing the tank. The oil is pushed up the dip tube and out.
With this set up if the tank goes bad or I have more than one tank all I have to do is unthread the unit from the top of the tank and move it over to another tank.
Viola! Adaptive scrounging! (just made that up.)
I used a compressor to air up the tank just because I had it but, I dont see why you couldn't get a threaded version of a bicycle air stem and use a bike air pump to pressureize the tank.

***Important note. Make sure to unplug and depressurize the tank before removing the tee to refill the tank. If you remove it pressurized, it will rocket a stream of oil straight up out of the tank. Probably getting it in your eyes and giving you an "American Graffiti" greasy hair do. Yes and probably a night on the couch since the oil will still have a bit of propane smell to it. Fair warning. ***

I was able to deliver WAYYY more oil to the furnace than I could possibly burn. I ended up turning the regulator to my compressor down so that I only had about 30 pounds of air pressure in the tank. That gave enough pressure to force any debris through the system and still have some sort of control of flow.

Bring on the flames!!

this looks very good. thanks for the diagram. this is exactly how to make them. similar to a garden sprayer and a diagram saves a lot of typing. as far as the crucible is concerned.... well steel burns out.... clay crucibles go brittle.... crucibles are the cost of casting.. start making new ones. some fires and the air mix ect will burn steel quicker than others. i guess its up to experimentation. if you have a real hot flame blasting your crucible at first you are burning the side for no gain. you need to get the metal hot then bring on the heat!

You almost have the exact same oil setup as me, but I have two 55gallon drums linked together instead of the propane tank.

rmatchell wrote:
You almost have the exact same oil setup as me, but I have two 55gallon drums linked together instead of the propane tank. glad to hear yours is coming along as well!

So I have the furnace and I have the crucible. I was wondering if anyone had some good pics of what sort of tongs, ladles and crucible holders folks are using to get that dang hot pot out of the furnace and then pour. I am trying to forge something blacksmith style but I am having trouble getting a grip on the crucible. I have an idea for the crucible holder for pouring but if there is an easier way I am all for it. I am reluctant to use a pair of pliers as I dont really want to be that close when I pour. Somthing about third degree burns on my hands and feet that is a turn off. I guess Im just funny that way.

as a side note to the tank diagram, I added a air regulator that I got from Harbor Freight to regulate the air down. I found that 30 psi is just about right to get good flow and still not flood out the furnace. (harbor freight is a place to buy super cheap, chinese made tools and hardware. They have a warranty that lasts until you get to your car but if you are going to use is only once or twice, It'll do)

I also found that as the tank get down to the last little bit the oil tends to flow a bit faster and smokes more then the flame goes out from no fuel. If I could just figure out a way to have a guage that shows how much is in there as I am using it.

i cant help much with tong pics sorry. i will check my books and if i can find some i will scan them for you. for your oil level.... how about welding a fiiting to the tank..the stop plug has "dip stick" on it so you can at least see how much fuel you have before you start.?????????

I still use my Redneck Tongs/post hole diggers.
I use a big set of Channel locks for pouring. I know some use fireplace log tongs, modified to fit the crucible, to pour. As long as it wasn't too heavy of a crucible.


Of course, tennis shoes aren't recommended but usually forgotten about, until I look at the pictures.

Hey I got a pair of those not a bad idea, Im actually going to be making a set here soon though. Ill post pictures when I do.