How to take of a HPA bottle

[Coaster]

Ok, at my proshop the bottles that are removed from regs look kinda odd. One thing is the are scratches where they put the vice and the other is burn marks from where they heat the tanks to get the loc-tite off the threads. Are both of those things normal, if not what is the correct way of taking the bottle of a reg.

[DirtRider]

i wouldn't try doing that yourself unless your a skilled air amith

[spazzed]

Yeah, it's definately one of those things you don't want to try unless you know what you're doing.

[GDDYUP]

Forgive my n00biness, but if you had the tank and wanted to switch the reg, could you remove the reg with the tank completely empty via a softjaw bench vise and the proper size wrench that fits snug on the reg body?

I'm just curious and I'm trying to learn the ins and outs of the whole paintball scene. I have an Air America Raptor and let's say for sake of argument that I wanted to install a Flatline (not that I have the cash to do that right now, but maybe sometime in the future... :)), could I do it with the proper tools?

[spazzed]

It can be done, but I won't let you do it unless you're a qualified airsmith, which I don't thin you are :D

[Coaster]

i am not goign to do it, that is what the airsmith at my local proshop does.I am wondering if that is the correct procedure. Does anybody know??

[spazzed]

Coaster, my last response was directed at GDDYUP. ;)

[Coaster]

are the big scratches and burn marks at the neck of the bottle common? Cause that is what they have on them, when my proshop does it.

[spazzed]

I'm not positive on that, but I'd imagine there should be Small amounts of them. But as for big ones, I really don't know.

Anyone else got this?

[sniper1rfa]

scratches on the reg - sure, depends on the wrench they use.
burn/scratch marks on the tank - NO!!! there should be little to no evidence on the tanks as to the fact that the reg was removed. any burn marks should be able to be wiped off. scratches should not be there. they should be using a strap wrench so they dont hurt the tank.

[Kevmaster]

your "Tech" Doesnt know what he is doing.


a good pair of vice grips(or a bench vice) and a strap wrench are all that is needed to remove the reg from the bottle. just FYI, if there is a scratch that is EITHER .03" deep or 6" long it must be retested before it can be filled. also, the tank should NEVER be exposed to heat to help remove the LocTite. First, if they are using a blowdrier the its not going to do anything(even if they think it does--it takes ~400*F to begin the process) and if they actually put that 400*F on the tank, it will damage the integrity(anthing over 300*F will) and it will be deemed unfillable.

so here is what we have learned from this tech lession:
1) DONT HEAT TANKS(if you heat them to a legal level, it wont do enough and to heat it hot enough to do something, its illegal)

2) FIND ANOTHER "AIRSMITH". you dont need to scratch the tank to get the reg off

my credentials:
PTI Certified Airsmith: C1, C2, C3 (ID#: 1414 (http://www.paintball-pti.com/search.asp?Action=Find&Search=Cullen&Order=LastName) )
Manager of a Field and Store for over a year
BE, JT, VL, AKA, AGD Certified Airsmith

[GDDYUP]

Kev, you addressed pretty much what I was alluding too. If you have the correct tools (a proper vise mount and the proper size wrenchs) to do the job, then it shouldn't be all that difficult to remove a reg from the tank. I've been working on cars for almost 10 years and have never found a loktited' thread that I couldn't get off with the correct tool (no heat needed even with red locktite)....

[Kevmaster]

yes. however, i strongly recommend that you consult a certified airsmith before preforming this operation on your own. there are a few "technical" procedures within the simple operation. if you have the right tools(strapwrench, torque wrench and a vice grip/bench vice) you can do it without any problems if you have the right knowhow.

id be glad to give you a full list "how to" on removing the reg/valve and replacing it with another one. just reply here or PM/email me

[Coaster]

i called them up earlier today and asked that if the tank is condemned by the Scubashop(that the airsmith sent it to) if i could get a refund for the bottle. They then told me taht it would just be a "little black mark" on the tank, and said that they knew what they were doing. So, when it gets back from the scuba shop, we will see what happens.

[Kevmaster]

the tank should pass hyrdo. its just that OSHA requires that it pass hydro before it being filled again beacuse there are a few places on the tank where those scratches can cause issues and ANYWHERE the heat can cause issues

[Kevmaster]

oh, and by the way, ask if any of them are PTI Certified C2 level Techs...Im betting on No, meaning they DONT know what they are doing

if there is one there then we have a REAL Problem with the heating of the tank. please get back to me via PM if there is a PTI Certified Tech heating bottles(name and ID #)

[Coaster]

i looked through the archived photos at the PTI website an didn't find either one there, but there is one that is from baltimore(where i live) and his photo doesn't come up. So, i am unsure as to wether or not he is or not.

[Kevmaster]

i just took a look, give his phone # a call and see what he can tell you. or, if youd like, i can give him a call and talk to him first for you

[Coaster]

When i get the tank back, i will post pics of it. At that point you can decide wether i should get his name, number etc. Thanks for your help and, like i said, hopefully have pics of the bottle and reg.