Cutting up old galvanised water tanks

[Dean]

I need to remove two old water tanks from the loft. One redundant one up there was bad enough, but now we have a new plastic replacement so there's two of them up there doing nothing.

They won't fit through the loft hatch. What is the best way to cut them up? I don't fancy doing it with a hack saw! I have a 9" grinder with some thin metal cutting disks. I also have a cheap jigsaw and some metal blades (I think).

I'm guessing the grinder is easiest and fastest. How safe is it to cut up the tanks with an electric grinder in the loft space (sparks)? Is it viable to cut it up with a jigsaw?

Any advice very much appreciated. Thanks.

[Adrian C]

Been recently discussed here. Enter the following in google.

group:uk.d-i-y how to cut up a metal water tank?

[Newshound]

The consensus was sabre saw first, angle grinder second. I'd be inclined to have both available, start with sabre saw but use angle grinder to separate parts.

[Invisible Man]

Sounds very deafening indeed!

[Harry Bloomfield]

Dean presented the following explanation :

A jigsaw would just about hack it, but I would go with the angle grinder. To contain any sparks hang old curtains or bed sheets which have been damped around the area. Get someone to watch for possible signs of fire, you can't do both and have an extinguisher to hand ready.

[RW]

Gas axe......................

or more seriously

Leave it there if you don't need the space. If you do you can store small items in it and protect them from damage easier

[wat.twaddle]

very sensible advice!

[Dean]

Thanks. I don't know how I missed that. I liked the suggested fire precautions:

[Dean]

I may do that. Most of the stuff is awkward to store in them and they are pretty grotty inside.

Thanks all for the help.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember PeterC saying something like:

Exactly. It's not a Herculean effort to cut mild steel water tanks, especially if attention is paid to putting a line of oil along the cut.

Quite likely.

[Andy Champ]

I have actually seen the remains of a large water tank that had been cut up by a gas axe. You can tell by the melted metal trails.

This was in the loft of a Lutyens mansion - removing the cut up pieces was obviously a step too far - and the mansion is still there.

Andy

[matthew.larkin]

metal or sparks in the loft.

Matt

[Andy Dingley]

If it's just made of bolts then maybe. Bolt cutters are diagonal nippers, not bypass shears, so they're a bit rubbish for long cuts in sheet.

If it's the usual thin steel sheet and a pair of Wiss snips, then rather you than me. In that case I tend to favour a hacksaw for the angle frame, then an axe (4-6lb, not a hand axe) downwards through the sheet.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Andy Champ saying something like:

So what? Just because some stupid arse got away with it is no reason to in any way recommend it.

[Rod]

replying to Dean, Rod wrote: Useing an angle grinder to galvanised tank in a restricted space is a bad idea as the zinc coating on the matal gives of toxic gas.

[Brian Gaff]

And at least one bloke about half amile from here found the sparks set his roof alight, so you don't need a hot cutter to start a fire. Brian

[newshound]

It's true you don't want to breath welding fume from galvanised material, I'd have said the problem is much less with grinding, especially wearing a reasonable (or even a basic) dust mask. Fire is another hazard.

Sometimes you have no choice *but* to cut them up in restricted spaces.

[harry]

It's possible to hire a "nibbler" that cuts sheet metal. Eg:-

Check it will cut your tank thickness.

Quick and easy to use. No sparks.

[DerbyBorn]

"Brian Gaff" wrote in news:o9777a$mfh$ [e-mail]:

Usually only the edge reinforcements are thick A decent hacksaw and then shears or a nibbler on the panels. It might even fold up if the egde is cut in the right places.

[Vir Campestris]

I came across the remains of an old galv tank once in the loft of a big house (Lutyens mansion).

It had been cut up with a gas axe...

Andy