polyethylene source

T

Thudpucker

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A guy wants to make his Gasoline tanks to fit! IE: Custom made.
The Commercial tanks are polyethylene. Those portable five gallon tanks etc.

He's wondering (and so am I) where he could get the polyethylene to make his own tanks?

Some time ago I asked "TAP Plastics" of Oregon about gluing the Polyethylene parts n' Pieces to make things.
They have a Fix. It requires some Flame to process. Didn't look too hard.

But where would a guy get Sheet stock of PE and how would you bend it into some shapes and forms?
 
I dunno, Thud. Gluing together a hard to adhere-to polyethylene gas tank sound like a pretty bad idea , even with the flame treatment to enhance adhesion potential. Aren't all the commercial and portable tanks roto-molded one-piece and maybe even using cross--link poly as in many kayaks? Could you forward his name & address so I could invest in some life insurance?
 
Sandy as usual you are Correct.
I don't think I'd trust my own work with PE.
I did make some Water supply stuff for my Rabbits, Chickens and Goats with used parts of PE though.
My work cracked.
It frightened me enough to forget some of the other idea's I had.
Like making a tank to grow Algae to make Diesel fuel.

In the 60's we went to Alaska in a 56 Ford pickup.
All summer long we prepared for the trip.
We made Four extra tanks, fitted the first two up front in the fender wells.
Another under the Passenger side and a huge tank back where the Spare Tire was supposed to be.
All of welded or brazed metal. A little over 90 Gal total.
No leaks. Nothing cracked or broke on a trip up the Horrible Alcan, then up into the hills and all the way back to Seattle.

I would never have trusted my own welded seams in PE with that much stress for that long.
 
That sounds like a terrible idea and a recipe for disaster. Not just for him and his boat or whatever, but for anyone around him. I would do my best to discourage this thought.
 
Jim n' RawH,
He's in Austrailia.
He wants to make his own. I sure hope he does some severe testing before he risk's any lives.
 
will his insurance cover if all goes up in smoke?
 
Piedmont Plastics. They have an outlet in B'ham...

Search their site for "HDPE", for instance...

Note: I would not ever consider "gluing" HDPE. Thermoforming/rotomolding yes, but nothing else. It is quite possible that even "plastic welding" would not meet govt safety regs relating to fuel containers... ( I'm guessing on this part )
 
No way. I might be willing to plastic weld a small piece to save a larger, but having just enough experience plastic welding to be dangerous I would flat out state that I would not do it as a means of constructing something from scratch.

Terrible idea in my humble humble opinion. But then, I've actually experience leaking gasoline tanks and would do anything to avoid it again.
 
It sure is an intriguing idea though. It it'd work you could make ever nook n' cranny in a boat into a fuel cell.

I think by now the Aussie knows it's a bum deal. I'll post any new info about the fire! :-)
 
The way to construct something in polyethylene is to weld it. The welding rig (electric fired hot air) is only a couple hundred bucks. Polyethylene sheet of any thickness up to an inch or so and appropriate welding rod is available from plastic supply houses all over the world.

Your problem comes in when you go to get certified to weld up petrol tanks. Its a lot of study and money. Then you'll have to test the tank. Then you'll have to find people to get onto the boat if they know what you've done.

Bad idea. Bad, bad, bad.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Thudpucker

It sure is an intriguing idea though. It it'd work you could make ever nook n' cranny in a boat into a fuel cell.
Click to expand...


Well, he should be looking at a "fuel bladder", basically a large heavy duty balloon that you put fuel in. They are made for diesel, water, and waste, I don't know about gasoline.
 
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