Aluminum air tanks

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Feb 23, 2005
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west Texas
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Dave Taylor
Getting tired lugging around my 24”L x12” dia steel tank, and it’s trying to rust through anyway.
Will I be happy with Al., or is there another light weight option?
Using it on small cap tires - mower, wheelbarrow, dolly, airplane (ya, not N2)


 
 
I've usually got one or more partially-full SCUBA tanks lying around, so before taking them in to be filled, I use them for tire inflation, assuming they aren't filled with a high-O2 mix of some sort. The smallish pony or stage tanks (anywhere from 19 ft3 to 40 ft3) are great for that...small, light, and because the pressure in even a 1/3 full tank is 1000 psi, they'll fill a lot of tires. A SCUBA regulator steps the pressure down to 140 psi or so, and you can get inexpensive tire inflator adapters that plug into the BC hose.

Probably only a cost effective solution if you already have a garage full of SCUBA gear, though.
 
Multi-piece rims, compressed air tanks, and women that act like I'm cute all make me nervous. Flying at night in a single engine aircraft, or working on a live electrical panel do too, but much less so than the first three things. So I also carry one of those inflator things. Mine's old...I'd look to project farm for a review of current ones.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Getting tired lugging around my 24”L x12” dia steel tank, and it’s trying to rust through anyway.
Will I be happy with Al., or is there another light weight option?
Using it on small cap tires - mower, wheelbarrow, dolly, airplane (ya, not N2)


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One American company that makes aluminum tanks is Trick Tanks. I have had this one for many years, good quality.
https://tricktank.com/

IMG_0226(1).JPG
 
I also have a cordless inflator pump. I have mostly Makita cordless tools so I bought theirs since I have a pile of Makita batteries. No problem getting pressure to fill my airplane tires. If large volumes of air are needed though it is not your solution.
 
I've never understood these tanks. What is the use case for the tank if you have electricity available? I can see in the field running a compressor could be an issue, but you have to run a compressor to fill the tank anyway, why not just use it directly?
 
Our club has a large "dock box", with the pressure tank in it. We fill it as needed at a gas station. It has a latch on connector, and guage after the tank valve. Connect, crack the valve, and shut off as soon as desire pressure is reached. Airplane tires are so small that a completely flat tire may be filled with less than half the tank volume. The tank holds pressure indefinitely. Air is not available at our airport.

20 years plus, no rust problem.
 
Salty said:
I've never understood these tanks. What is the use case for the tank if you have electricity available? I can see in the field running a compressor could be an issue, but you have to run a compressor to fill the tank anyway, why not just use it directly?
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Mower is in barn, 1/4mi away from compressor; compressor is not portable
Mower needs tire refill or repair in field, 1/2mi from compressor.
Truck tire in carport needs air, easier to use air tank than uncoil, recoil hose in garage.
I do have a 12vdc car pump but it’s too slow and needs connecting to truck battery, then programming each time.

“Faster & easier”
 
Why not use one of these for whatever power tool system you have. They’re like $20.
56546_W3.jpg
 
California Air Tools has several but zero protection to the fittings or gauge.
 
I've got an airtank that hangs on a bracket next to my aircompressor in the hangar. It's similar to this one from Lowes (but an older model that doesn't have separate filling and use lines but I just mounted quick connects for that). When I need air too far away for my hose reel to reach, I just grab that tank.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Would like to learn more but they did not respond to my email or ping on FB, can't get the number to ring and the site shows one tank with no details about it :(
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Yea I noticed that also...It has been 20 years since I bought from them.
I did find this link...https://tricktank.com/shop/
I wonder if he is still in business? Carolina Tanks is/was his business. Wonder if cheap china tanks ran him out of business?
https://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=mcafee&type=E211US105G0&p=bob+gilbert+trick+tanks
 
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LP/propane tanks make good air tanks as the pressure relief valve on a propane tank/valve is set at 375psi. So the tanks are safe for air pressure use.
Not so with freon tanks...
They make some aluminum propane tanks, I have a couple but use them for propane use.
This steel 11 pound propane tank has been converted a long time ago. My Wife uses it sometimes to fill a golf cart tire at her work. Easy enough for her to fill and carry.
My wife grew those pumpkins this summer, for now she keeps them in the garage to protect them from the squirrels.
IMG_4838.jpegThis is a 20 pound/5 gallon size aluminum tank. You find these on Airstream camping trailers.
IMG_4839.jpeg
 
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Thanks Gary.
I'll continue to look around for the perfect aluminum tank.
I must note that I enjoy mentioning to my younger staff how much heavier those air tanks are when full!
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Thanks Gary.
I'll continue to look around for the perfect aluminum tank.
I must note that I enjoy mentioning to my younger staff how much heavier those air tanks are when full!
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Welding tanks are about 30lbs lighter empty than when full. Granted the pressure is quite a bit more
 
For an airplane tire? Bicycle pump works fine. My 43 GPW came with one and that was for regular car tires. I've even pumped up my Caravan tires with a bike pump... takes maybe 20 minutes.

I'd go bike pump, then 12v/battery inflator, then air compressor before I relied on a tank I had to lug around to refill. A GOOD bike pump is maybe $40.
 
pfarber said:
For an airplane tire? Bicycle pump works fine. My 43 GPW came with one and that was for regular car tires. I've even pumped up my Caravan tires with a bike pump... takes maybe 20 minutes.

I'd go bike pump, then 12v/battery inflator, then air compressor before I relied on a tank I had to lug around to refill. A GOOD bike pump is maybe $40.
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I have read that there so pretty hi volume bike hand pumps that work well would be good to have in the back of your plane?

Problem is my Wife would not go for the hand pump.

Don't care for something that could break, wear out, go dead or that needs to be plugged in.
 
The biggest issue with little battery compressors is that if, in the field, you need to reseat a tractor tire, because you scraped off the valve stem on a tree, those won't supply the surge needed. Yep, been there, done that; I have a little steel tank.
 
Kenny Phillips said:
The biggest issue with little battery compressors is that if, in the field, you need to reseat a tractor tire, because you scraped off the valve stem on a tree, those won't supply the surge needed. Yep, been there, done that; I have a little steel tank.
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That's why you carry tractor crack/ Cosby in a can/ starter fluid.


Whomp, there it is...
 
Gary Ward said:
LP/propane tanks make good air tanks as the pressure relief valve on a propane tank/valve is set at 375psi. So the tanks are safe for air pressure use.
Not so with freon tanks...
They make some aluminum propane tanks, I have a couple but use them for propane use.
This steel 11 pound propane tank has been converted a long time ago. My Wife uses it sometimes to fill a golf cart tire at her work. Easy enough for her to fill and carry.
My wife grew those pumpkins this summer, for now she keeps them in the garage to protect them from the squirrels.
View attachment 132725This is a 20 pound/5 gallon size aluminum tank. You find these on Airstream camping trailers.
View attachment 132726
Click to expand...
Most propane forktruck tanks are aluminum.
 
Mxfarm said:
Most propane forktruck tanks are aluminum.
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Yes they are, the common ones are 33.5# and 43.5# tanks. Most tanks are setup for liquid withdrawal for motor fuel use. But they do have a vapor port that these tanks are setup up for and have vapor valves in them. I use them in the winter at the hangar. They are 43.5 pounders, most lift trucks use 33.5 # tanks. 43.5 are pretty heavy full.
But those tanks are still over all pretty heavy because they are built tough and thick to take a beating. So not much weight savings over a steel air tank of the same size.IMG_4842.jpeg
 
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Dad has had a aluminum one for 50+ years, found out it’s from a WWll bomber…….
 
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