New (to me) Axeman 260

LsFarm · By: **LsFarm** On: Tue Dec 27, 2011 4:02 pm

Hey Steve: any new photos of the header and coal hopper ??

I'm hoping you might give the old house a special Christmas present, and warm it up with steamy-hot radiators !!

Greg L

Townsend · By: **Townsend** On: Tue Dec 27, 2011 10:03 pm

Worked on putting in new thimble into chimney and converting 275 gallon oil tank to a coal hopper. Coaledsweat came over and we got some work done. Everything came out great (aside from the environmental disaster that occurred from torching off a side of the oil tank)! But now, instead of middle east oil the tank will hold approximately one ton of coal. Cut a hole for the Axeman doghouse to slide in and I must say it looks pretty slick. Eventually I want to build a 8 ton bin but for now I think this will work out great.

My old thimble was too small so we took it out and buttered in an 8 incher. We also fixed an old 'Peerless' brand steel clean out door and cold welded some fixes to it.

I finally have some time off this week and I received some a package from PexSupply so I'll continue tomorrow with near boiler piping.

Here are some pics.

Townsend · By: **Townsend** On: Tue Dec 27, 2011 10:25 pm

Cutting the tank video.

Townsend · By: **Townsend** On: Tue Dec 27, 2011 10:33 pm

Ian doing some grinding.

Townsend · By: **Townsend** On: Tue Dec 27, 2011 10:36 pm

Oil tank,... wait,... I mean coal hopper waiting to go in basement!

Townsend · By: **Townsend** On: Tue Dec 27, 2011 10:41 pm

Should I drill small drainage holes in the bottom of the hopper to handle any wet coal that goes inside?

AA130FIREMAN · By: **AA130FIREMAN** On: Tue Dec 27, 2011 10:49 pm

What did you do to the tank before you started cutting ? I have one I would like to 1/2 and a friend say's either a saw zaw or use a fire extingusher inside first. I'm still a little leary. :blowup:

Rob R. · By: **Rob R.** On: Tue Dec 27, 2011 10:53 pm

Townsend wrote:Should I drill small drainage holes in the bottom of the hopper to handle any wet coal that goes inside?

Yes.

Townsend · By: **Townsend** On: Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:24 pm

AA130, I felt the same as you regarding safety due to fire or worse. The tank did not have any appreciable liquid in it. There was residue on the inner walls though. So we first opened up a section with the reciprocating saw and a good metal blade. Wasn't too bad cutting it but what was difficult was the slight angle and recess where the side joined the main tank. It made cutting kind off difficult to keep on track. Plus, it was loud as hell and the vibration was annoying. I figured since such a decent size hole was in it already any oil that ignited wouldn't combust but would just burn off so I got out the Oxy Acetylene and used a cutting torch. The residue did catch fire and burn off. Man, I think Ian was expecting the fire department to come barreling in the driveway any moment! The oil residue was mostly eliminated but I did end up crawling in there to wipe up some residue that was left with an old towel. The good thing is that it is less likely to stink like heating oil in the basement, which is nice.

Maybe you can bring it somewhere to flush it out first if you are concerned.

Rick 386 · By: **Rick 386** On: Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:36 pm

AA130FIREMAN wrote:What did you do to the tank before you started cutting ? I have one I would like to 1/2 and a friend say's either a saw zaw or use a fire extingusher inside first. I'm still a little leary.

I'm a chicken sh!t when it comes to something like that also.

Years ago, I used to fill up gas tanks with water before using an angle gringer to cut them apart. I guess the same could be done here if you are as leary as I am when it comes to cutting something like that. After a huge section is cut out thereby eliminating the possibility of a very loud noise, you could use whatever you want to finish the job.

I do like that "bin".............

Rick

CapeCoaler · By: **CapeCoaler** On: Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:40 pm

Dry Ice will work also...
No oxygen no boom...
No water no oily mess...

AA130FIREMAN · By: **AA130FIREMAN** On: Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:47 pm

Townsend wrote:AA130, I felt the same as you regarding safety due to fire or worse. The tank did not have any appreciable liquid in it. There was residue on the inner walls though. So we first opened up a section with the reciprocating saw and a good metal blade. Wasn't too bad cutting it but what was difficult was the slight angle and recess where the side joined the main tank. It made cutting kind off difficult to keep on track. Plus, it was loud as hell and the vibration was annoying. I figured since such a decent size hole was in it already any oil that ignited wouldn't combust but would just burn off so I got out the Oxy Acetylene and used a cutting torch. The residue did catch fire and burn off. Man, I think Ian was expecting the fire department to come barreling in the driveway any moment! The good thing is that the oil residue was mostly eliminated but I did end up crawling in there to wipe up some residue that was left with an old towel. The good thing is that it is less likely to stink like heating oil in the basement, which is nice.

Maybe you can bring it somewhere to flush it out first if you are concerned.

I know the old timers tell me they would weld gas tanks when they are full at the stock car races, liquid gas doesn't burn but the vapors on top, or some would say hook an exhaust pipe to the tank to eliminate oxygen. I thought of filling it with water but that is alot. A fire extinguisher shot inside first sounded like a good idea.

Townsend · By: **Townsend** On: Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:53 pm

Rick, I would not have even entertained the idea if the tank had stored gas, unless of course I had it flushed and filled like you had done.

I did cut a huge wide opening so as to negate any pressure build up prior to using the flame. Attached is a short clip showing the size of hole in tank prior to using flame. Could a spark from using the drill to get starter hole have ignited the vapors? There is a distinct possibility.

I don't advocate this method. If someone has cause for concern in opening a tank that held flammable liquids, then build/design a different bin.

AA130, you are correct about vapors. Very easy to ignite and tends to go Kaboom!

Rick 386 · By: **Rick 386** On: Wed Dec 28, 2011 12:07 am

I have "played" with diesel fuel and kerosene in the past as part of fire extinguisher practice. Always in an open top container with the diesel floating on top of water. But once that fuel does get cooking and you usually can see it boiling, both diesel and kerosene will ignite like an open container of gasoline that has been left open to allow fumes to accumulate.

We used to start the fires, put them out and then relight for the next candidate. And yes they would ignite very easily. We also used to toss lit cigarettes into a pool of gas to show without vapors present, the gas would put out the lit cigarette.

That was why I suggested the water fill and cut open a section before really attacking the whole 275 gal tank.

And people wonder why I am the way I am ..................................

Rick

eta: Ironic, this was my my 911th post and we are talking about things going boom !!!!!!!

Townsend · By: **Townsend** On: Wed Dec 28, 2011 12:31 am

Rick, I don't wonder at all why you choose to be safe when working with these things. Smart move and I couldn't agree more. I did give it some thought and tried to increase my safety by the doing the things I did. Maybe I dodged a bullet, I don't know.

What I do wonder about is this. I garner from your last post that perhaps you are/were a fireman due to that info presented. If that is the case, I wonder how the hell anyone in their right mind will enter a burning building on purpose!!!

Kidding aside, I have the utmost respect for firemen. I interact with them regularly and find their dedication to helping others to the point of putting themselves in mortal danger to be quite honorable.

In summary, life in itself is quite dangerous. I've seen enough car wrecks and other incidents with serious bodily injury and death to know that it can happen at any time. That is not even mentioning the harm people intentionally do to others as well. Its what we can do to mitigate such incidents that will help us live to a ripe old age. We just have to weigh the odds sometimes I guess.

Take Freetown Fred for instance, he's older than dirt, yet the man has been around those dangerous horses for many years. With their bucking and kicking and throwing people off them, not to mention biting sometimes, why its a miracle he's alive at all!

New (to me) Axeman 260

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