Message-ID: <3ACE8E07.AF9508C3@bellsouth.net>
From: John De Armond
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.glass
Subject: Re: Help for Hot Head Torch
Date: Fri, 06 Apr 2001 23:48:23 -0400

Suzanne Gunn wrote:

> Ive been using a hothead for 4 months.  I ordered a surface mix 2 days
> ago.  One thing that drives me crazy about the hothead is that I use the
> mapp gas cannisters and cant find a way to dispose of them.  My studio
> is filling up with used ones.
>
> The garbage man wont take them.  The city offers no help.  Called the
> hazardous waste guys.  The man I spoke to at Hazardous waste says if I
> find a way to dispose of them, let him know!!!
> Oh..fire dept cant help either. Called gas places/hardware stores places
> that sell the stuff, none of them have a clue what to do with the empty
> cannisters either.

Those are disposable cylinders that may be tossed in the garbage
like any other waste.  If your city says otherwise, well, what
ignorant *ssholes.  Anyway,

If you want to convert the tanks into inert pieces of scrap steel,
simply let all the gas out.  Leave the torch (preferably a cheap
propane torch) on the cylinder and open so that absolutely all
pressure is gone.  Then take an ordinary electric drill, oh, a 1/4"
drill bit and drill a hole or two through the sides of the tank.  No
it won't explode or catch fire because there is no oxygen and only a
tiny bit of gas inside.  Yes, the label says not to puncture but
this is the accepted method of de-activating all types of
pressurized gas cylinders and is federally mandated for disposing of
condemned propane tanks such as your grill tank.  Once the tank is
ventilated, it is no longer a tank and can be disposed of as scrap
metal or garbage.

Plan 2, one that I've used on occasion.  From an auto parts store,
get a long Shraeder valve (valve stem) remover.  The one you want is
a long tube of metal with a notch in one end to turn the shraeder
valve and a screwdriver type handle on the other.  Cost should be a
couple of bux.  Use this tool to unscrew the shraeder valve from the
hole where the torch attaches and from the safety valve (the little
fitting off to the side).  This ventilates the tank just like the
drilled holes.  If you have to do something cosmetic to make the
dimwits at the dump or recycling center believe that they've been
de-miled, put them in a barrel and burn them.  All the burning will
do is burn the paint off but it'll make them look harmless.

Plan 3.  Cut the ends off of several cylinders, weld them together
to make a tube and use it as a hell of a tennis ball or spud cannon
:-)  They work great for that!  Make 'em and sell 'em on Ebay and
make some money.

Plan 4.  Put 'em in a box, ship 'em to me and I'll cut the ends off,
weld 'em together, sell 'em on ebay, etc....

John