Anyone interested in these condenser fan motors or empty Freon cans

Guys,
The motors are non-functional and the cans have internal check valves so they can’t be refilled or used as air tanks.

Any interest?

The freon tanks make great Habachi Grills. But you have to truly make sure they are empty as heat can decompose freon into phosgene gas. Ouch!

Also, current Metal Shop rules say formerly pressurized containers are a no-no…
Moving this to “maker trade” so more people will notice it…

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I spy an R-12 empty.

Yep…weird season.

@jast The tanks have had their pressure foil punctured. So they aren’t pressurized.

@Lampy refrigerant and POE or Mineral Oil just adds to the flavor.

@TBJK. Tim, I know you’ve accidentally taken an oil splash to the face a time or two…it’s tasty. Not like steering rack oil.

OK.
But they are “formerly pressurized”.

In this case, I don’t make the rules, but just to be clear because I’m very familiar with them, you may not weld or cut on those tanks at DMS.

If you disagree with the rule, or want an exception made, talk to the current metal shop chair @hon1nbo, but barring that, one last time, no welding or cutting on the tanks at DMS.

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@malcolmputer the pressure cap is punctured; they can’t be pressurized…does that still count? If that is the case, wouldn’t we never be able to cut into an empty soda can or soda bottle? Rule sounds a little flawed if your statement is accurate.

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Yes. The rule was written with propane tanks in mind because they are “impossible” to get completely free of propane before welding because of the low vapor pressure of propane.

Even if you could get rid of the pressure rule, you’d also be running up against another rule, that says no welding on things that contained “chemicals”. This is because you have no idea what the residual refrigerant will do when exposed to high power UV/IR/EMR. Things that are not great like chlorine become something much worse when ripped apart by UV for example.

I understand the rules could use some updating, but if it helps, these tanks are a NO and the soda cans or soda bottles are a YES.

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I agree with your sentiment. I believe I understand why the rule is why is in effect. The typical way to insure that cylinders contain no gas is to flood them with water. I know of no available way to do that at the space. Further, the average DMS’er may not know this. In the end the rule does make sense for the uninitiated. Having seen so many people do stupid things with pressure vessels…

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To pull the convo a bit more back on track. I’ll be glad to salvage the motors. the cans would be nice to make a forge but we already have better ones at the space.

This. Things like soda cans & kegs that previously held CO2 haven’t been exposed to anything hazardous that permeate the surface of the metal and can be heated once unable to contain pressure. Items such as a propane tank with a removed valve still are very difficult to actually ensure is completely devoid of all traces (I say this as someone who made that mistake in his younger days).

Another good example is metal that’s been exposed to brake cleaner; if the cleaner was chlorinated it permeates into the metal, and will release with the heat. This can be tested before welding by using a small mapp torch from jewelry and conducting a flame colour test before welding.
There isn’t a comparable test we can perform at the space for things like these canisters to see if they have been successfully purged. As such, they aren’t allowed.

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