Tank tumbling process

[Couv]

I normally tumble dry, then rinse with 90% alcohol. The alcohol flash dries pretty fast, unlike a simple water rinse. Then invert the cylinder on the warm air dryer. It'll dry within 4 -5 minutes. The drawback of using alcohol is it obviously costs a few bucks more than water, and it requires venting, else the next air fill will taste like alcohol. Vent it by leaving it on the dryer for 10 minutes to blow out all the alcohol fumes.

I use the 90% alcohol that you find in CVS or medical supply stores. I'm told the 70% you find at WalMart, etc. leaves a carcinogen when it dries that the 90% doesn't.

Of course, you can just rinse with water, but you need a warm-air dryer else you'll get flash rust.
I made my dryer out of an old condemned scuba cylinder, a hot air gun, and some copper fittings. The only cost was the hot air gun (that I use in the shop for other things anyway) and a few bucks for the copper fittings.View attachment 618974

Never had a case of seeing rust in steel tanks I do that way on the next years visual. Use lead-free solder.

Interesting setup. Are there holes drilled into the copper standpipe?

 

[Anthony in NC]

Is that a 6" PVC Pipe coupling as a stand?

FWIW, I cant imagine that lead is any issue in this application. In plumbing it is really only an issue with lengthy contact with (typically unusually acidic) water.

Yes it's a 6" PVC coupling.

You may be right. I just wasn't sure how blowing hot air across lead solder and into a cylinder might cause anything bad. Better safe than sorry I figured. Was just easier to use lead free solder than spend time hunting down the proper answer to the lead issue. LOL

 

[Anthony in NC]

Interesting setup. Are there holes drilled into the copper standpipe?

No all the air comes out the top. I thought about that but since the commercially manufactured "fancy" dryer at the hydro shop just uses a steel pipe with no holes in the sides, I figured must not be that important. I didn't want to use steel pipe because I cringe every time Cody slings a cylinder on the dryer and I hear that steel pipe slide across the neck threads. I figured since copper was softer, less chance of doing damage to the cylinder threads, especially aluminum threads.

 

[-JD-]

Yes it's a 6" PVC coupling.

Thanks, for the info!
I'll have to make a double one once I get the tumbler project done this winter. It is going to have to be 1/2" copper, though since a pile of our tanks are narrow-necks (7/8" thread)

 

[Anthony in NC]

7" I guess.

 

[-JD-]

7" I guess.

That looks like it -should- be right for a 6" (nominal ID) schedule 40 pvc coupling. 6" ID + 2x pipe wall thickness + 2x coupling wall thickness.

 

[Boston Breakwater]

I normally tumble dry, then rinse with 90% alcohol. The alcohol flash dries pretty fast, unlike a simple water rinse. Then invert the cylinder on the warm air dryer. It'll dry within 4 -5 minutes. The drawback of using alcohol is it obviously costs a few bucks more than water, and it requires venting, else the next air fill will taste like alcohol. Vent it by leaving it on the dryer for 10 minutes to blow out all the alcohol fumes.

I use the 90% alcohol that you find in CVS or medical supply stores. I'm told the 70% you find at WalMart, etc. leaves a carcinogen when it dries that the 90% doesn't.

Of course, you can just rinse with water, but you need a warm-air dryer else you'll get flash rust.
I made my dryer out of an old condemned scuba cylinder, a hot air gun, and some copper fittings. The only cost was the hot air gun (that I use in the shop for other things anyway) and a few bucks for the copper fittings.View attachment 618974

Never had a case of seeing rust in steel tanks I do that way on the next years visual. Use lead-free solder.

Hello. Very cool. You should put this in the DIY section....if you haven't already.
Cheers.

 

[inka]

Hello everyone, i made my tumbler machine, my hot air dryer, did a test with small stones, but not 100% satisfied , still some piting inside my steel tank.after 4, 5 hours. I don´t have access to aluminium oxide media, here, so i was wondering, if i buy some grinding wheels made of aluminium oxide and, with a hammer, reduce them to small pieces, like the media you have, would it works better ?Thanks

 

[V1P3R]

Steel tank tumble cleaning of rust sometimes needs ACID mix with the media to get the stubborn stuff out. With this method only takes like one hour of tumbling. Make sure your tumbler goes slow, if it goes too fast it won't do as good. Just make sure you tumble again with Dawn dish soap and rinse really well after. I always finish up with rust inhibitor for 10 min tumble.

 

[rjack321]

Hello everyone, i made my tumbler machine, my hot air dryer, did a test with small stones, but not 100% satisfied , still some piting inside my steel tank.after 4, 5 hours. I don´t have access to aluminium oxide media, here, so i was wondering, if i buy some grinding wheels made of aluminium oxide and, with a hammer, reduce them to small pieces, like the media you have, would it works better ?Thanks

pitting? tumbling should never remove metal to eliminate pits
deep enough pits are reason to condemn the tank