Ok, so I decided to turn a perfectly good propane tank into a useless 500 gallon trailer smoker. ;)
I will give you a step by step run down of how I cut doors out.
Place the tank on the ground or at an easy working height. then select which side looks the best to cut , so you will not have a weld seam running through the middle of your door.
Ditch the harbor freight $7 grinder and man up and buy a decent 7-9" grinder and a bunch of quality thin cutting discs. I used a Dewalt 2400W 9".
I plan on removing one end cap completely, so for now will cut the part underneath the tank first.
Most tanks have a thick metal ring on the inside of the weld seam. I made a small cut around the back of the tank down low so if I hit the ring I could move the cut further out, no big deal.
Some times the welds are not straight , so I use a correction pen to mark a straight cut line on the edge of the weld.
wipe these small tabs off and mark through the centerlines of the outlets to get the 12 o'clock on the tank.
From the 12 o'clock I made a line 230mm down . this is where I want my top cut to be.
I measured the circumference of the tank then divided by 4 to get the 3 o'clock. I made the lower cut 75mm below 3 o'clock as I run 3 racks.
Do the same on the other edge of the tank, then use a straight edge to make the horizontal top cut line.
I made the vertical cut 40mm out from the weld, this is to ensure I do not hit the ring. Mark your doors so they go back in the same place and not upside down.
Take you time and don't try to force it and be all macho trying to cut as fast as you can. The grinder will love you for it.
Even though there is minimal heat the tanks still move. Every tank is different.
Much easier to roll the tank over and cut the underside of the dome like this.
I moved the tank to a decent working height and high enough to add the firebox without having to move it.
There is only a narrow ring holding all that tensionof the tank, so I weld in 1 guide for the racks BEFORE cutting the rest of the end cap off. Don't cut the lifting hooks off the dome or you can't pick it up or move it.
firebox ready to install
So with the disc grinder it took me about 2 hours and 3 7" discs to cut the doors and end cap. I just used a flap wheel to take off the sharp edges before they get a chance to cut you.
I slid in a angle iron until it touched the ring, then marked where the doors start/stop.
don't forget to substract the thickness of the angle iron as you are marking the corner.
Now move the angle iron to the other side of the tank against the ring and with a level tack it into place. You now have the positions to weld the racks on the back wall of the tank. (don't forget to substract the thickness of the angle iron as you are marking the corner.
Notch the doors about every 100mm with the grinder and you can weld the steel strap on. I use 3/4 x1/8" strap You don't need to weld it full, it is only blocking air. Welding fully will most likely warp your door.
I will give you a step by step run down of how I cut doors out.
Place the tank on the ground or at an easy working height. then select which side looks the best to cut , so you will not have a weld seam running through the middle of your door.
Ditch the harbor freight $7 grinder and man up and buy a decent 7-9" grinder and a bunch of quality thin cutting discs. I used a Dewalt 2400W 9".
I plan on removing one end cap completely, so for now will cut the part underneath the tank first.
Most tanks have a thick metal ring on the inside of the weld seam. I made a small cut around the back of the tank down low so if I hit the ring I could move the cut further out, no big deal.
Some times the welds are not straight , so I use a correction pen to mark a straight cut line on the edge of the weld.
wipe these small tabs off and mark through the centerlines of the outlets to get the 12 o'clock on the tank.
From the 12 o'clock I made a line 230mm down . this is where I want my top cut to be.
I measured the circumference of the tank then divided by 4 to get the 3 o'clock. I made the lower cut 75mm below 3 o'clock as I run 3 racks.
Do the same on the other edge of the tank, then use a straight edge to make the horizontal top cut line.
I made the vertical cut 40mm out from the weld, this is to ensure I do not hit the ring. Mark your doors so they go back in the same place and not upside down.
Take you time and don't try to force it and be all macho trying to cut as fast as you can. The grinder will love you for it.
Even though there is minimal heat the tanks still move. Every tank is different.
Much easier to roll the tank over and cut the underside of the dome like this.
I moved the tank to a decent working height and high enough to add the firebox without having to move it.
There is only a narrow ring holding all that tensionof the tank, so I weld in 1 guide for the racks BEFORE cutting the rest of the end cap off. Don't cut the lifting hooks off the dome or you can't pick it up or move it.
firebox ready to install
So with the disc grinder it took me about 2 hours and 3 7" discs to cut the doors and end cap. I just used a flap wheel to take off the sharp edges before they get a chance to cut you.
I slid in a angle iron until it touched the ring, then marked where the doors start/stop.
don't forget to substract the thickness of the angle iron as you are marking the corner.
Now move the angle iron to the other side of the tank against the ring and with a level tack it into place. You now have the positions to weld the racks on the back wall of the tank. (don't forget to substract the thickness of the angle iron as you are marking the corner.
Notch the doors about every 100mm with the grinder and you can weld the steel strap on. I use 3/4 x1/8" strap You don't need to weld it full, it is only blocking air. Welding fully will most likely warp your door.
