gas warning

[vmaxnick]

People who have read my other post, "gas problems" may have realized that I can be one of those pioneering (stupid) people who have to push the boundaries with experimenting.
A word of warning though:
We've all heard urban myths about what happens when a high pressure cylinder fails? Well the other day I was messing about with a 25liter (Waist high bottle) of siphon delivery CO2 when I accidentally knocked it off the bench, being a fire extinguisher it had no guard around the neck. It landed on the floor and snapped off the valve. The ensuing explosion was deafening and terrifying, followed by my realizing that the cylinder was pin balling around my machine shop smashing everything in it's path, powered by the thrust of the escaping gas. I ran like a jackrabbit into the workshop and dove to the floor in front of a customers car. The cylinder managed to shake itself free of the confines of the machine shop, rocketed over my head smashed a hole in the concrete floor then smashed into a motorcycle I had on the ramp before finally running out of gas. If it had hit me, I would be history!
Be warned, Cylinders need to be treated with respect!
:eek: :nono:

[electriceel125]

Great googaley moogaley that sounds scary!

[vmaxnick]

Great googaley moogaley that sounds scary!

Two young lads from the shop next door came running in within minutes, these lads normally find a joke in everything, when they saw the trail of destruction, neither laughed!
In fact, one of them vowed to give up paintballing.
after we carried out a CSI style reconstruction though, we realized that I had caused the accident myself by catching the bottle with my sleeve and knocking it to the ground. At first we thought the valve had simply exploded!

[Andrewliu6294]

oo, that sucks. :eek:

what was damaged, and how much would it cost to fix it?

[rawbutter]

I'm glad you didn't get hurt. :) Motorcycles can be fixed and replaced.

[nevtangle]

Damn dude :eek:

I remember our shop teacher always said to be very careful with pressurized cylinders. I guess he was right.

At least you didn't get hurt. Be careful.

[Chrishew09]

WOW, it sounds like it just missed your head!!!

Thank God you dove on the ground.

[cpt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10pDTW9wzW8
'Nuff said, broken ankle

[luke]

What, no pictures? :D

[Zone Drifter]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10pDTW9wzW8
'Nuff said, broken ankleEsh, you never know where those things are going to go when they break...

vmaxnick, you're one lucky mofo.

[foefumm]

Holy moley Vmax, I'm glad nobody got hurt.

[punkncat]

One very simple thing could have avoided the whole problem and should be used with ANY tank. Safety Chain. These bottles are no joke and you are very lucky to have come away with no injuries and even your life.
I am with Luke though, where are the pictures?

[Temo Vryce]

I watch a video in high school on Welding safety. They busted the valve off one of the big cylinders on purpose. They had it horizontal on saw horses. When the tank had emptied itself it had punched through 6 feet of concrete blocks. Compressed anything needs to be respected.

Vmaxnick, I'm glad to hear to survived the incident unharmed. I would suggest that in the future that you strap down the bottle or keep it on the floor.

[vmaxnick]

One very simple thing could have avoided the whole problem and should be used with ANY tank. Safety Chain. These bottles are no joke and you are very lucky to have come away with no injuries and even your life.
I am with Luke though, where are the pictures?
Hi
I will post some pictures shortly, everything has been tidied up, but I can show you the damage that couldn't be swept up, the roof, the cylinder and valve and the wrecked motor trike fender.
With regards to safety chains: I have been dealing with compressed gasses for 25 years and have become very complacent, Just like with a savage dog, thats when they bite you! Lesson learned now though!

[vmaxnick]

Esh, you never know where those things are going to go when they break...

vmaxnick, you're one lucky mofo.

Just watched the video; that just about sums it up except mine was the bulk tank that let rip!

[vmaxnick]

link to photo's: http://s262.photobucket.com/albums/ii100/rhinotrikes/Cylinder%20woes/

[punkncat]

Yeah, that thing was definatly zinging around to cause that kind of damage.