On Saturday 01 December 2007 07:55, John T. Blair wrote:
> I don't see how I'd tilt the big O/A bottles to get them into the back
> of a pick up for transport, and then out again. Luckily I haven't had
> to do it.
What I was taught to do to move the tanks-
While up right to get from one place to another grab the tank by the neck
(cap is ON) and tip the tank very slightly then just roll it on it's edge. I
would grab the tank neck/cap with my left hand, lean the tank towards my
shoulder and then use my right hand to spin the tank, rolling to towards
where I wanted to go. Easy to show, hard to describe, very easy to do.
To get the tank onto a loading dock just roll it up towards the dock, lean
the tank against the dock and then just lift from the bottom and toss it up
onto the dock. Actually you push the tank part way onto the dock while
lifting and then get the tank totally horizontal and then have the tank
laying on the dock over the edge and just finish pushing it onto the dock.
Try to get as much lean as possible, ie. leave the base of the tank as far
away from the dock as possible, while still being close enough that the tank
body (not neck) will rest against the dock.
This too is easier than it sounds since you are not lifting all the tanks
weight.
I will have to say I haven't done this for 10 years but it was old guys that
taught me how to move tanks.
One big thing to do is make friends with your supplier and get the lightest
(newest) tanks you can. Tanks last forever and have gotten much lighter
over the years. In the same size tanks there could be almost a 1.5x weight
difference in the dry tank. IIRC an average tank was ~ 80lbs dry some of the
older monsters from the 1940's (I had tanks that were older than my dad,
1943) weighed 120-140 dry almost 200 full, this makes a big difference.
Also if weight was really an issue look for aluminum tanks (are they available
for acetylene). This brought the weight down to ~60lbs per tank. Makes a
real difference, those light aluminum tanks weighed less full than some of
the oldest tanks did dry.
So if weight is really a problem get your own light weight tanks and just wait
to get them refilled. The recert test shouldn't cost that much (unless your
supplier is marking it up a bunch). Then you also can keep nice shiny tanks.
Just remember to use gravity and leverage as much as possible, don't do as a
friend did and bear hug the tanks and straight lift it, he screwed up his
back. Stubborn fool as we were standing there and said we'd help him.
And see if you can get someone at your supplier to show you how to move tanks,
once you learn the tricks it really isn't that hard. But it is still
dangerous, so be careful, these things are heavy enough to crush bones,
besides the obvious dangers of pressurized tanks.
You also said you'd be moving them in your car, decide which way you want the
tank to exit should the neck get damaged in an accident. Also tie the tanks
down as good as possible, they are heavy suckers and can do some real damage
in a panic stop.
Matt Wehland
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