VAL Digest V2 #95

VAL Digest          Monday, December 13 2004          Volume 02 : Number 095




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Topics in Today's Digest:

[VAL] Aluminum Propane Tanks
Re: [VAL] Aluminum Propane Tanks
Re: [VAL] Aluminum Propane Tanks
Re: [VAL] Trying to build access doors
Re: [VAL] Aluminum Propane Tanks

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Date: Sun, 12 Dec 2004 11:25:39 -0500
From: <spectrumnc@xxxxxxxxxx.net>
Subject: [VAL] Aluminum Propane Tanks

Greetings All:

New member. Have a '66 Globetrotter I bought my wife a couple of years ago 
and would like to replace the painted steel propane tanks we have with aluminum, 
since they are running low on fuel and will need to be converted. Saw (2) 40lb 
units that brought $233 on eBay. Northern  has brand new 33lb units for $169.00. 
This GT is very original and in excellent condition, I would like to keep it that 
way. Has anyone purchased the Northern bottles? Do they match the Airstream units 
well? Thank you for your time.

Mark Pate
Stanley, NC

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Date: Sun, 12 Dec 2004 11:08:32 -0600
From: "Tom Patterson" <pattersontom@xxxxxxxxxx.net>
Subject: Re: [VAL] Aluminum Propane Tanks

Take a look at http://www.airstreamdreams.  That is where I purchsed my 30 
lb. bottles.  I think that many of  the folks on the list have also 
purchased their aluminum bottles there.  They look real nice when polished.

They have other Airstream items for sale on the site as well.

- -Tom

- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: <spectrumnc@xxxxxxxxxx.net>
To: <valist@xxxxxxxxxx.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2004 9:25 AM
Subject: [VAL] Aluminum Propane Tanks


> Greetings All:
>
> New member. Have a '66 Globetrotter I bought my wife a couple of years ago 
> and would like to replace the painted steel propane tanks we have with 
> aluminum, since they are running low on fuel and will need to be 
> converted. Saw (2) 40lb units that brought $233 on eBay. Northern  has 
> brand new 33lb units for $169.00. This GT is very original and in 
> excellent condition, I would like to keep it that way. Has anyone 
> purchased the Northern bottles? Do they match the Airstream units well? 
> Thank you for your time.
>
> Mark Pate
> Stanley, NC

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Date: Sun, 12 Dec 2004 12:31:41 -0600
From: "Dr. Gerald Johnson" <geraldj@xxxxxxxxxx.com>
Subject: Re: [VAL] Aluminum Propane Tanks

It is far more cost effective to have the old steel tanks inspected and 
have new valves installed than to replace them. Shop around, some 
places don't want to do either. Some are quite willing.

A 33 pound tank will be shorter than the 40 pound tank you presently 
have, giving shorter fill times and requiring modification of the hold down 
rod.

Other places have aluminum tanks and replacement valves (but 
replacement isn't a DIY project), such as McMaster-Carr 
(www.mcmaster.com).

Airstream Dreams is another source of aluminum tanks. I'm satisfied with 
steel tanks covered with aluminum paint. New valves weren't terribly 
expensive, much less than the cost of new tanks.

Gerald J.

- -- 
Entire content copyright Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer.
Reproduction by permission only.

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Date: Sun, 12 Dec 2004 12:31:45 -0600
From: "Dr. Gerald Johnson" <geraldj@xxxxxxxxxx.com>
Subject: Re: [VAL] Trying to build access doors

Custom extrusions in quantities of under thousands of linear feet are 
unlikely. It costs too much to make the tooling and set up the machinery.

Look at places like McMaster-Carr (www.mcmaster.com) and ordinary 
home centers and hardware stores for stock aluminum bars, angles, and 
channels to make up the shapes by welding those stock pieces together. 
Some might even bolt together easier than aluminum welding. A metal 
working shop will have the capabilities of modifying by sawing, milling, 
bending and welding, though the welding will take a speciality shop.

Another potential source of aluminum extrusions used to be shops that 
specialize in commercial doors and windows. They often have special 
extrusions that might be modified by sawing, milling, and bending to 
simplified to the extrusion needed.

Inland's version is probably of different appearance because they didn't 
find the matching extrusions.

It might be easier to find an aluminum foundry who could make an 
aluminum casting in small quantity. Might require making a wooden 
version of the extrusion suitably oversized to allow for shrinkage when 
cooling from liquid. The foundry should be able to suggest the shrink 
allowance.

It should be possible to get a machine shop to start with a solid aluminum 
bar and to machine the shape with milling machine. The casting will 
probably also need machining for fit and finish. Starting with bar stock will 
convert some more aluminum to scrap than a casting, but the added 
aluminum cost may be lower than the separate cost of the foundry work.

Look at prefabricated screens and screen/storm doors for adaptable 
extrusions. Look for companies that make them for raw materials. Look at 
such storm/screen doors being scraped for adaptable extrusions.

Gerald J.

- -- 
Entire content copyright Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer.
Reproduction by permission only.

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Date: Sun, 12 Dec 2004 13:45:48 -0800 (PST)
From: Uwe Salwender <salwender@xxxxxxxxxx.net>
Subject: Re: [VAL] Aluminum Propane Tanks

Dear Mark,
The best deal I could find on new Aluminum tanks was at Emerald Isle Distributing.
Their prices were substantially lower than all the Airstream pkaces could offer, 
for genuine Worthington aluminum tanks.
If you're interested in their info, do a google search, or contact me off line, i 
will dig up their number for you.
Uwe Salwender
Orange CA

spectrumnc@xxxxxxxxxx.net wrote:
Greetings All:

New member. Have a '66 Globetrotter I bought my wife a couple of years ago and would 
like to replace the painted steel propane tanks we have with aluminum, since they are 
running low on fuel and will need to be converted. Saw (2) 40lb units that brought 
$233 on eBay. Northern has brand new 33lb units for $169.00. This GT is very original 
and in excellent condition, I would like to keep it that way. Has anyone purchased the 
Northern bottles? Do they match the Airstream units well? Thank you for your time.

Mark Pate
Stanley, NC

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End of VAL Digest V2 #95
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