Exploding Tank in Utila

[Wookie]

And none of it really matters. This cylinder explosion was probably the result of a pit in the aluminum in the sidewall of the cylinder, and almost certainly not a SLC crack in the neck of the cylinder. The pit was almost certainly the result of an interstitial point defect in the material, combined with some amount of salt and water intrusion over the years, and combined with a probable lack of any kind of safety QA designed to catch exactly that circumstance, a young lady lost her life. If the stories are true, it was a previously condemned cylinder rescued from the scrap heap.

As a dive operator, I scrapped all of my 6351 cylinders. They were all safe, they all passed hydro and vis. But it wasn't worth the risk that some day I might just might have one let go on a deck full of divers. (and at one time, either CGA or DOT recommended filling 6351 in a containment fill station. I wasn't going there). Imagine that explosion on a deck full of divers.

 

[Jonny Wishbone]

I agree Wookie. I had 2 6351 luxfer tanks. They are in excellent condition but they are now man cave decor as 1 is now a floor lamp. Replaced all my alum tanks years ago with HP steel when the info on 6351 tanks hit the market.

 

[2airishuman]

As a dive operator, I scrapped all of my 6351 cylinders. They were all safe, they all passed hydro and vis. But it wasn't worth the risk [....]

There are a lot of 6351 cylinders in use in Minnesota. The short dive season and fresh water make cylinders long-lived. Usually they are stored full.

I won't fill them, I won't dive them, and any that I end up with (for example, when purchasing a "package deal" of used gear to get the regulators), I scrap. I don't think they're safe. SLC is a progressive condition where the likelihood of a failure increases with use. The best available data shows that the eddy current inspection techniques have a false negative rate of about 5%. When SLC problems first came to light, they were rare enough that it was believed that missing 5% of the incipient failures was acceptable given the enormous dollar costs of replacing all 6351 cylinders then in service. I don't believe that's the case any longer. I believe the only reason we don't have an epidemic of 6351 casualties is that the number of cylinders still in service is much smaller than it once was.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Do any of you who gallantly scrap your and customers aluminum cylinders ever "repurposed" the dangerous cylinders into useful objects? <<<< My grand daughter Kassidi gave me that word from a summer school "enrichment class" - convert a useless item into something that is useful >>>

Old used SCUBA cylinders that are useless for diving can also be "repurposed"

Some time ago I posted a thread "A diver's house" which gave a brief description of my home décor an requested others to describe their home diving/nautical décor-- I was surprised that there were very few responses and very few with Diving and Nautical décor on this board.

I suspect I will post an article on the boards about my diver's house and repurposing of cylinders-- long , short, skinny, fat steel and aluminum

Sam Miller, III

 

[Wookie]

Do any of you who gallantly scrap your and customers aluminum cylinders ever "repurposed" the dangerous cylinders into useful objects? <<<< My grand daughter Kassidi gave me that word from a summer school "enrichment class" - convert a useless item into something that is useful >>>

Old used SCUBA cylinders that are useless for diving can also be "repurposed"

Some time ago I posted a thread "A diver's house" which gave a brief description of my home décor an requested others to describe their home diving/nautical décor-- I was surprised that there were very few responses and very few with Diving and Nautical décor on this board.

I suspect I will post an article on the boards about my diver's house and repurposing of cylinders-- long , short, skinny, fat steel and aluminum

Sam Miller, III

I have seen some beautiful 'things' made of scrap cylinders. I personally don't have the time or inclination to polish one. or mess with one, as I believe that turning junk into furniture just results in junky furniture.

But I fully understand that other folks have different tastes than I do.

 

[Scuba J7]

Do any of you who gallantly scrap your and customers aluminum cylinders ever "repurposed" the dangerous cylinders into useful objects? <<<< My grand daughter Kassidi gave me that word from a summer school "enrichment class" - convert a useless item into something that is useful >>>

Old used SCUBA cylinders that are useless for diving can also be "repurposed"

Some time ago I posted a thread "A diver's house" which gave a brief description of my home décor an requested others to describe their home diving/nautical décor-- I was surprised that there were very few responses and very few with Diving and Nautical décor on this board.

I suspect I will post an article on the boards about my diver's house and repurposing of cylinders-- long , short, skinny, fat steel and aluminum

Sam Miller, III

The shop I work at had a machine shop cut off the crown and polish the edges for regulator displays. The took another and cut the side out to make a planter box. A few others we have sectioned to show cylinder construction during OW or equipment courses.

 

[Sam Miller III]

The shop I work at had a machine shop cut off the crown and polish the edges for regulator displays. The took another and cut the side out to make a planter box. A few others we have sectioned to show cylinder construction during OW or equipment courses
.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Interesting !

Note my post #109 to this thread which read in part'

".....During that time period and for 15 years I was an adjunct college instructor teaching Advanced SCUBA at a SoCal community college.

The second class after the initial pool check out was a mandatory class which I identified as "equipment inspection." Every student brought all their equipment to class including their tank(s) and presented it on a table in a lecture hall. My staff and I went from student to student examining the student's equipment and commenting on recommended improvements which were generally cosmetic in nature.

The second half of the class was devoted to the students tanks. Each student brought their tanks to class empty ready for internal inspection, If they had the 3/4 O ring tanks I had several US Divers tank wrenches to use to remove and replace the valves : If they had 1/2 pipe threads the local dive shop would remove and replace the valve for free

The local shop "The Aquatic Center" loaned me a set of "Plates" aka portions cut from SCUBA tanks from no corrosion to deeply pitted rusty not acceptable which I lectured about.

Using a small pen light we inspected and commented on every class members tanks. During those 15 years of instruction I never discover one tank that was unacceptable. After the tank was inspected the student was given a Aquatic Center VIP sticker which was immediately affixed to the tank.

A few year later Al Thompson who in 1958 established Professional SCUBA Repair in North Hollywood developed a "light pole" which was used in place of a pen light to illuminate the interiors of the tanks. which I purchased and used for inspections "

This occurred in the 1970s

Maybe tomorrow when I establish a thread on "repurposing" You can expand and elaborate on this post ?

Cheers from CenCal...Warm and sunny

Sam Miller, 111 .

 

[Wookie]

I've seen some LP steels made into some awesome (small) BBQ grills.

 

[Sam Miller III]

They were made as a fund raiser by LA Co W Instructor Association aka UIA about 35 perhaps 40 years ago,
Split down the middle hinges and handles affixed, steel grate constructed.
Immediately became a huge hit with the diving tibe

It was discovered it was a great SCUBA diving novelty item but didn't work to well ---flame too close to the lobster or scallops or fish or moo meat

I recall that @MaxBottomtime has possibly the last one in SoCal--

But lets reserve all the comments for tomorrow when I post about Tank repurposing

Sam Miller,III

 

[pepperbelly]

I have seen some made into wind chimes, but I haven't seen wind speed high enough for them to actually chime.