Tank thickness “gauge”

[Daddyo]

Does anyone know the typical thickness of our good old [emoji35]steel diesel tanks? I’m trying to figure out if I can use an air nibbler or shears to do some of the removal cutting. The shears or nibblers are good to 16 gauge.

 

[Cigatoo]

Does anyone know the typical thickness of our good old [emoji35]steel diesel tanks? I’m trying to figure out if I can use an air nibbler or shears to do some of the removal cutting. The shears or nibblers are good to 16 gauge.

I don't have an answer for you. However there is a Defever that looks about like yours in RI. They cut both sides of the hull to replace the tanks. I have been stopping by infrequently to check on the progress. Not nearly as "ugly" as I thought it would be. As of a day or so ago the cut out panels had been reinstalled (So new tanks must be in?) but not finished.

I had always thought that investing in a good battery sawzall or two with good carbide blades would be the way to cut up the tanks. Maybe a couple of young guys that don't mind working for cash to run them.

 

[psneeld]

Mine were surprisingly thick...seemed a waste to cut them out....my guess they were somewhere between a 16th and an 8th.

But tank size and shape and design could alter that a bit.

 

[Giggitoni]

My old tanks in the back of a pickup. I didn’t measure them, however, I’m thinking eighth-inch thick.

 

[Comodave]

My last boat, a 1987 President, had 3 mm thick steel tanks in it.

 

[psneeld]

My old tanks in the back of a pickup. I didn’t measure them, however, I’m thinking eighth-inch thick.

Looked like mine......

 

[Daddyo]

We used a recipro saw last time. I’m wondering if the shears would work. Lots of nasty dust using the saw[emoji33]

 

[jleonard]

I saw cut up tanks from a Defever 44 and they looked to be 1/8 " or there about.

 

[Comodave]

Our last boat were 3mm as I posted above. That is just about 1/8”. If they were aluminum they would be probably 1/4 or 3/8”. I am not sure shears will cut 1/8” steel but I am not a metals guy…

 

[Portage_Bay]

If, or I should say when, I get to take my turn at steel tank replacement I'll look into something like this

https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-e...kedid=496791272781&wickedsource=google&wv=3.1

The blade depth can be set as with any circular saw limiting damage to things around, near and under the tanks. A recprocating saw even with a short blade will have a deeper cut. The circular saw will have a smooth motion relative to a recprocating saw whch can be pretty hard on older hands. Especailly as the cut gets further away from corners or other supports and the steel starts to flex.

An angle grinder will work too but can be hard to control in tight places. I've got the scars to prove it.

My concerns with both the circular saw and angle grinder are hot chips and sparks. Diesel does not ignite easily but if you do get it started burning you'd better be prepared to deal with it.

 

[Comodave]

I don’t think that sparks from a saw would ignite diesel. I have actually tried to light it with a road flare and couldn’t get it to ignite. Added 1/2 ounce of gas and it went up with a match thrown at it. But then again I would be prepared just in case…

 

[rslifkin]

Sparks won't ignite a puddle of room temperature diesel. The concern is making a mist, or having diesel against an area that gets hot enough to vaporize it. Once you get one of those conditions, it becomes easier to ignite.

 

[Insequent]

My old tanks were 5/32". No idea if that was 'Standard Taiwanese tank gauge' steel or not!

 

[Giggitoni]

16 gauge is about 1/16" (about 1.6mm). 1/8" is about 11 gauge. Might be too much for average nibblers.