How would you fix this 500 barrel?

[TheEquineFencer]

I have a Taylor Wood fired water heater I'm rebuilding. The 500 gallon tank that holds the water rusted from the outside in. So I found what appeared to be a solid 500 gallon tank the same size. I've cut the old heater apart to salvage the firebox and I'm going to install this "new" tank. I found a hole when I washed the dirt off the bottom and two other prospective holes. Part of me wants to clean the entire bottom and patch the holes with JB Weld. Then I was thinking about using the JB Weld and laying a some fiberglass over the rusted section, about a 2ft a 5ft along the bottom. I also thought about trying to lay some 11-12 gauge metal I have over it and weld a "patch" over the same area but that seems like a lot of work.

After this is repaired I plan to spray closed cell foam over the tank like was on it to start with but I'll put a shelter over the whole thing.

I really do not want to go buy a new tank as I'm on a very limited budget from being out of work for so long. If this tank last 10-15 years I'll be happy. I got the old heater used about 10-12 years ago and from what Taylor told me years ago, this one was probably in the 25 - 30 year old range then.

I'd like to get this finished this weekend, I started a new job and can only work on it on the weekends.

 

[zkling]

How would I fix it? Cut out the thinning areas and weld in a patch pannel. Lite taps with a pointed hammer to find the weak spots. A good portion of the pitted area will probably need to be replaced. Much easier to do it now than when it is assembled and springs a leak.

 

[kkroger]

Just a water tank? not the boiler vessel? Potable?

if Not Boiler Vessel and not Potable, Acid Etch the inside of the tank and POR 15 it inside and outside... Extra for the holy areas...

 

[Rookie2]

Find out what pressure the tank is under when its at temperature. Radiant systems run under low pressure .

 

[TheEquineFencer]

It's non-pressurized. It had diesel fuel in it. I still have to cut the end out to install the burner system without a flame. I've filled it with washing soda and water to the top to try and clean it out so far. I plan to use a hole saw and sawzall to cut it open. Below is a picture of what I have to fit back to the inside of the tank.

I have to cut the front out to fit the right side through )front firebox door) and then cut a hole in the rear for the exhaust side to fit through and get the cuts in the right place so they line up.

I like the idea of the POR15 but the rust came from the outside in. The old barrel rusted from the outside in, the insides of it looked great.

 

[larry_g]

Any way to rotate the barrel to put the repair on the top of the barrel when in use so that it is the air space above the water line? Or is there no air in the system? If this is possible then a repair with 'goop' of some kind should work.
lg
no neat sig line

 

[brownbagg]

wouldnt it be cheaper, just to buy a new one

 

[zkling]

wouldnt it be cheaper, just to buy a new one

Wouldn't it be nice if people actually read the entire post?

I really do not want to go buy a new tank as I'm on a very limited budget from being out of work for so long.

 

[TheEquineFencer]

I just spoke with another buddy that has a LOT of 'glass experience, he said glassing it would not stay as the steel is not porous enough for it to stick and stay. Re recommended JB Weld and then covering it with body putty that has some glass fiber in it as the body putty is made to stick to steel and the glass would add something when it heats and contracts.

Thanks, zkling, pretty much sums it up.

 

[TheEquineFencer]

wouldnt it be cheaper, just to buy a new one

LOL.... new barrel? $600+ , new heater $5000+

I'll be doing good if I can get the barrel I have now back in place to get it all welded. This thing is no picnic.

 

[TheEquineFencer]

Here's the back end of what it looked like...

 

[BD1]

I have seen guys just screw in a self tapping sheetmetal screw in the holes of a tank and then JB weld.
How bad is the rest of tank ? you may find it could be paper thin in multiple spots. Did you check on a price from a sheetmetal shop to roll a new piece and set the tank inside ? I think if you don't do a quality repair it's gonna get worse. Good luck .

 

[kkroger]

If the inside of the barrel is GOOD, then POR it... You can do it from inside or outside... if you think Glass would work, just use epoxy... hit it with a grinder and a 24 grit disk, give it a little tooth... then you could do it old school and lay on the epoxy and glass laminate... believe me it will NOT come off... you would have to grind it off....

 

[TheEquineFencer]

I have seen guys just screw in a self tapping sheetmetal screw in the holes of a tank and then JB weld.
How bad is the rest of tank ? you may find it could be paper thin in multiple spots. Did you check on a price from a sheetmetal shop to roll a new piece and set the tank inside ? I think if you don't do a quality repair it's gonna get worse. Good luck .

The one hole is too big for a screw. The rest of the tank is solid. It's from where it was in direct contact with the ground. After I got it home and started cleaning the dirt that was stuck to the bottom off it broke through in one spot and after I buffed it a little I found two more prospective holes. I'd be at the cost of a new tank from a sheet metal shop around here.

A few years ago a buddy wanted me to rebarrel an old school pig cooker for him. I told him it was cheaper to replace the whole cooker, but he wanted to just replace the barrel metal and keep the original ends because his dad built it. So I hired it out for a rolled section and it was right at the cost of a new barrel.

I'm leaning towards JB weld over the hole and prospective holes and then seeing if I can wrap this section of 11 gauge over the 2ft x 6ft bottom and weld it to it if I can get it to lay down right on it.

 

[TheEquineFencer]

Any way to rotate the barrel to put the repair on the top of the barrel when in use so that it is the air space above the water line? Or is there no air in the system? If this is possible then a repair with 'goop' of some kind should work.
lg
no neat sig line

You know something? After thinking about your idea, I may just do that. I think I'll get a couple of galvanized pipe plugs and plug the holes in the top with some teflon tape and just cut and weld in a pipe coupling for the overflow on the side that has the hole and put it at the top. Or I may just weld those two holes up all together.

That would be a lot less work and worry.

 

[TheEquineFencer]

Any way to rotate the barrel to put the repair on the top of the barrel when in use so that it is the air space above the water line? Or is there no air in the system? If this is possible then a repair with 'goop' of some kind should work.
lg
no neat sig line

You win the prize for the best idea!

I just cut the back end of the barrel open and started washing the insides out. When I finish it in the morning, I'll take the plasma cutter to the front and get it cut out. Then I'm going to weld up the bung holes and let it ride. I patched the bottom, that's now going to be the top and hopefully Sunday I'll see if I can slide the barrel back over the burn box.

I ended up putting pipe sealant on some barrel bungs after I removed the plastic sealing washer and screwed the plugs in, then welded them up. Then cut a round "cap" out of some 11 gauge steel sheeting and welded them over the plugs.

 

[404]

Wouldn't it be nice if people actually read the entire post?

While we are making impossible wishes, I would like a Unicorn.

 

[TheEquineFencer]

While we are making impossible wishes, I would like a Unicorn.

And your wish is granted....just tap your heels together and say "........

 

[vintagespeed1956]

hell, you said 10-15years life....grind it to bare metal out around the perimiter of the pitted area, bend a 3/16" patch panel to cover it, prime it with some zinc based primer (tank & inside of patch), weld that patch right over the outside, drill some holes within the perimeter of the patch panel so you can rosette weld it tightly to the tank. paint it & move on with life.

edit: assuming your welds will hold water...

 

[jonjon1]

Does that barrel get filled with water? Whats it look like inside, is the barrel just the fire box and the water runs through pipes inside of it???

I never seen one of these.

I would say just braze up the holes, how thin is the metal around it, I would grab the torch and some coat hangers and go to town, lol... Try not to over think it... If this tank is full of water then it wont be getting too hot, I would just get some silicone and plaster it over the holes...

Years ago I turned 3 275 gallon oil tanks in a wood boiler, I strapped and welded all 3 in line, the 2 outside tanks were water storage (open system,no pressure), with 1.5" pipes going down into them, in and out of them. I welded in 6 3" pipes through the center tank and piped into the other 2 tanks, all piping went above the center tank to grab as much heat as possible... I cut the center tanks front for a boiler door I saved, welded in the hinges and reinforced it a bit... We didnt insulate any of it because it was kept inside the garage (huge), we used to blow huge fans on it all day, and it heated the entire garage, but the water was used to heat my uncles house, and the garage next door, it still works, but no longer used to heat the house, he uses a boiler (too old to bother with the wood, but he could turn it back on if he needed to)...


Anyway, I still cant belive how long them tanks have lasted with out leaking!! They were 10-25 years old when we made the thing, and still nice and thick, no real rust, although we did throw a bunch of duraclean 615 in there, that stuff is also amazing, if you have a water tank (you will never drink or bath out of lol), that you dont want to rust, it works, I had a ton of it back then because we used to have to use it for a prison water system that we worked on, it works...


That homemade wood boiler is one of them things that just worked out, I mean it heated that garage and house for about a decade, cost us MAYBE $200 to put together, we even cut in an oil boiler to light the wood, it has since been removed and patched over, but it worked too, his insurance company seen it and said "NO WAAY", I am surprised they said he could have the boiler at all, lol, but I guess there is no limits on how cheap a wood fired boiler can be, lol.... But it was all sh!t wee had laying around, a lot of welding wire, and about 15 hours of time over a few weekends..

 

[TheEquineFencer]

The job is done. I patched the holes with JB weld and turned the barrel up-side-down after welding the OEM bungs up and patching.

 

[stihlntime]

A diesel barrel is awful light. On a Central Boiler or Woodmaster the barrel is usually 3/8. Whatever you for will have to hold up to at least 185 degrees plus the expanding and contraction.

 

[TheEquineFencer]

A diesel barrel is awful light. On a Central Boiler or Woodmaster the barrel is usually 3/8. Whatever you for will have to hold up to at least 185 degrees plus the expanding and contraction.

The old barrel was the same gauge, it was over 30 years old. It rusted from the outside in.