Metal cutting - oxyfuel cutting, plasma cutting, machining, grinding, and other preparatory work.
No Carts Made for Propane Tanks?
Post Reply
User avatar
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:30 pm
  • Location:
    FL

Is it just my imagination, or is there a glaring lack of carts made for propane outfits?

I bought a propane outfit, and I ended up converting a Home Depot handtruck into a cart. The welding carts I found online had tiny bases only wide enough for 7" bottles.
I was socially distant before it was cool.
Top
DavidR8
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:50 am
  • Location:
    Vancouver, Canada

I'm in the same boat.
I have my oxy tank chained to a hand truck but I'm a bit perplexed by what to do with the propane.
Can you share a pic of your customized handtruck?
David
Millermatic 130
Primeweld 225
Top
cj737
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Sep 29, 2016 8:59 am

Google is your friend.
https://www.harborfreight.com/welding-c ... gI5l_D_BwE
Top
DavidR8
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:50 am
  • Location:
    Vancouver, Canada

Thanks CJ, the challenge is that carts like that won't take a 20lb propane tank without modification.

My plan (at this point) at to basically cut my cart in half vertically and add in whatever width is necessary to accommodate both tanks, plus add some additional depth to hold the base of the propane tank.
My oxy tank is 7" in diameter, a 20lb propane tank is 12" in diameter, so 19" in total. Make it 20" for some clearance.
My hand truck is 16" between the wheels so I need to add 4" of width and maybe 3" in depth to the flat plate at the bottom.
David
Millermatic 130
Primeweld 225
Top
User avatar
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:30 pm
  • Location:
    FL

Here is what I have so far. It wasn't hard at all. I cut the base of the handtruck away and replaced it with a bigger piece of plate that extends under a propane tank.

I still have not made a bracket for the propane. I am planning to use a rubber strap instead of a chain, since I own the propane tank and don't particularly want to take the paint off.

I'm going to paint the bare parts with truck bed coating. That stiff is incredible.

Harbor Freight sells solid rubber wheels for $7.50 each. The pneumatic tires are unbelievably stupid. Of course, they're Chinese, so they're always flat when you want to move the cart.

If anyone wants tips on how to keep a clean and orderly shop, I'll be happy to pass on my secrets.
09 18 20 propane cart 06 mocked up with tanks small.jpg
09 18 20 propane cart 06 mocked up with tanks small.jpg (223.75 KiB) Viewed 5815 times
09 18 20 propane cart 05 standing with new base attached small.jpg
09 18 20 propane cart 05 standing with new base attached small.jpg (221.62 KiB) Viewed 5815 times
I was socially distant before it was cool.
Top
User avatar
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:30 pm
  • Location:
    FL

I should add that I did find a cart for propane. I think it was on Amazon. It was $190 and didn't look all that great.
I was socially distant before it was cool.
Top
cj737
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Sep 29, 2016 8:59 am

I would discourage you from rubber straps alone. They can fail and the very last thing you want is to topple a cylinder of compressed gas. Especially if it is not inert. Use aircraft cable (you know the plastic coated wire stuff). A couple of clamps and some carabiners. Quick, safe, and won't scratch the paint.
Top
User avatar
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:30 pm
  • Location:
    FL

A propane tank isn't going to fall over and explode.
I was socially distant before it was cool.
Top
BugHunter
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Sun Apr 19, 2020 12:54 pm

Maybe no but an oxygen tank isn't so funny.
Top
cj737
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Sep 29, 2016 8:59 am

BugHunter wrote:Maybe no but an oxygen tank isn't so funny.
Exactly.
Top
User avatar
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:30 pm
  • Location:
    FL

As you can see, the oxygen tank has chains on it.
I was socially distant before it was cool.
Top
User avatar
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:30 pm
  • Location:
    FL

Decided to put some tabs on the base of the cart to prevent the tanks from going anywhere. These weren't really needed, but what the heck.
09 19 20 propane cart 07 base plate with retaining tabs small.jpg
09 19 20 propane cart 07 base plate with retaining tabs small.jpg (203.79 KiB) Viewed 5755 times
I was socially distant before it was cool.
Top
User avatar
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:30 pm
  • Location:
    FL

I finished the cart. I taped it up and used truck bed coating to cover all the bare metal. Hard to see in the photos. I still need a strap for the propane tank, and I'm going to buy solid tires and get rid of these ridiculous pneumatics.
09 21 20 propane cart 08 finished cart painted still needs propane strap small.jpg
09 21 20 propane cart 08 finished cart painted still needs propane strap small.jpg (230.34 KiB) Viewed 5682 times
I was socially distant before it was cool.
Top
User avatar
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:30 pm
  • Location:
    FL

I got rid of my pneumatic tires. Today I bought solid wheels from Harbor Freight, and I put them on the cart. The offset was not the same as the offset on the original wheels, so I made spacers on the lathe.

I think this thing is basically done, although I would like to come up with some kind of fork to hold the torch.
09 21 20 propane cart 11 wheel spacers finished small.jpg
09 21 20 propane cart 11 wheel spacers finished small.jpg (140.07 KiB) Viewed 5632 times
09 21 20 propane cart 12 wheel spacer on axle small.jpg
09 21 20 propane cart 12 wheel spacer on axle small.jpg (156.68 KiB) Viewed 5632 times
09 21 20 propane cart 13 wheel spacers on cart small.jpg
09 21 20 propane cart 13 wheel spacers on cart small.jpg (179.01 KiB) Viewed 5632 times
I was socially distant before it was cool.
Top
DennisCA
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Mon Aug 15, 2016 12:58 am
  • Location:
    Finland

Have had the same issue, I did find a cart designed for it, in Finland. Just gonna make my own from a hand truck however, similar to this:

Image
Top
User avatar
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Mon Feb 13, 2017 4:53 pm
  • Location:
    NW Fla

Chips O'Toole wrote:A propane tank isn't going to fall over and explode.
unless it falls so something makes it through the neck guard, not impossible.

I use the cheap orange ratchet straps on most of my bottles, not because I am worried about scratches, I just don't like messing with the chains.

I have a wheel chair I have been wanting to take the wheels off of for a LP/ oxygen cart but always seem to have something more pressing to deal with.
the heck with the duty cycle on the welder, tell me about the duty cycle on that grinder !!
Top
User avatar
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Mon Feb 13, 2017 4:53 pm
  • Location:
    NW Fla

Chips O'Toole wrote:A propane tank isn't going to fall over and explode.
unless it falls so something makes it through the neck guard, not impossible.

I use the cheap orange ratchet straps on most of my bottles, not because I am worried about scratches, I just don't like messing with the chains.

I have a wheel chair I have been wanting to take the wheels off of for a LP/ oxygen cart but always seem to have something more pressing to deal with.
the heck with the duty cycle on the welder, tell me about the duty cycle on that grinder !!
Top
User avatar
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:30 pm
  • Location:
    FL

A small propane tank has a very low center of gravity and is highly unlikely to fall. If it did, it would roll over very slowly. There is no way it would move fast enough to snap a valve. Even if it could happen, how would it overcome a rubber strap? It's impossible. Use a strong rubber strap to attach yourself to a pole and see if you can break it.

If having things defeat propane tank valve guards was a real problem, lawyers would have discovered it, and small propane tanks would look a lot different.
I was socially distant before it was cool.
Top
User avatar
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Mon Feb 13, 2017 4:53 pm
  • Location:
    NW Fla

I have a hundred pounder so my mind jumped straight to that, as far as the neck goes it is well protected but what can go wrong will go wrong although I agree it would be less likely with the short tank.
the heck with the duty cycle on the welder, tell me about the duty cycle on that grinder !!
Top
sbaker56
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Sat Feb 08, 2020 12:12 am

I'd personally worry more about the oxygen cylinder, those thing's aren't just rockets, EVERYTHING burns in pure oxygen, well just about everything anyway. If it were an acetylene cylinder it would be different because the stuff is explosive in the right conditions, shoot a big balloon filled with propane and nothing'll happen, shoot one full of acetylene and it'll blow your eardrums out if you're too close, and blow you apart if you're holding the balloon when a spark sets it off.
Top
User avatar
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:30 pm
  • Location:
    FL

I have a chain on the O2 tank.
I was socially distant before it was cool.
Top
PacoG817
  • Posts:
  • Joined:
    Sun Feb 14, 2021 11:24 am
  • Location:
    Dallas

Not to my knowledge but what you can do is get a piece of 1/8 by 2 flat bar I believe I cut 41 inches for the propane tanks. Do a bend either cold bend where you work with your clamps or tack and keep bending with torch. Make a perfect circle (keep up with your clamps because the flat bar will not be perfect) Remove from 12” piece of pipe. That should be the correct diameter for your typical propane tank for a grill. Once you have that perfect circle formed weld onto piece of square tubing or flatbar.
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Metal Cutting”