Carla
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- Mt. Hamilton CA
Re my earlier query about finding a serviceable M37 fuel tank, or adapting some existing component.....
I took a close look at my 'rust-bucket' M37 tank, and got to thinking.
I get to be 'retired' these days, but I worked for quite a few years in the machine field, where, amongst other projects, I got to be fairly good (if I do say so myself) at doing zero-porosity argon arc (TIG or heli-arc, if you prefer) welding in process vessel work, particularly for the very hard vacuum needed for some classes of vacuum-chamber work.
After taking a few measurements, I was struck at just how relatively easy it would be to make up a replacement tank in stainless, having some rectangles sheared, and bent up with a suitable radius die set in a press brake. Instead of the 'deep draw' of the two original tank halves, one could simply have two rectangles with flanges bent up on the same radius as the original tank, then weld them together to form the outline of the tank, with other rectangles trimmed to match the corner radii, and welded in place to form the ends.
Its not quite that simple, as one would need to weld in a couple of baffles on the lower half before assembly/welding, and make up suitable parts to weld in for the filler and vent lines, on one of the 'end' pieces, as well as adding a fitting on the upper surface for the fuel suction line and another, a ring of tapped holes, for the fuel gage. A 1/4" NPT-tapped fitting on the bottom, for tank drain, would be obvious.
My thought is that if it could cost me $200-ish for a used original tank, and then I'm taking the chance that it would have to be sent out for 'coating', well, that could get costly, and I'd still have the same risk of rust, over time.
Maybe I could 'get lucky' in finding a tank from some later model truck that would fit with some mods, and be a much cheaper solution, but some folks 'get lucky', others don't.......I'd probably be one of the 'don't'.
Its been quite a few years, now, since I had to specify and purchase 304 and 316 stainless sheet stock, sheared to size and/or formed in a brake or roll. I've no idea as to whether those suppliers are still active, but can find out with a few phone calls. I'm thinking that 16 gage 304 would be about right, altho if I was to be running rough terrain, I might think about 14 gage for a 'truly rugged' tank.
If I can get the stock, and have the forming done, the rest is pretty readily do-able, and then I'd have the fuel tank situation handled for 'good and all', with no fear of rust developing when the unit sits dormant through the winter.
I've still got my old argon-arc rig here, and I don't think it would take me too long to 'get back in practice' doing zero-porosity stainless work.
So.....a question.....If, indeed, I can get the stock, and have it sheared and formed locally, is there anyone here in California (I'm in the S. F. bay area) who has an M37, and might be interested in a 'joint venture' project of making up a couple of these tanks?
(I shouldn't be lifting much, these days, so having some help with jigging-up and handling parts, so that I could just stay sitting down and running bead, would be ever so nice from my point of view)
For the record, I'd like to assure everyone in the parts business that I'm not thinking of doing these as a product item to compete with them.....just thinking of making up a high quality part for my M37, and maybe one or two others at most, if there are folks who need them and would like such a project.
cheers
Carla
I took a close look at my 'rust-bucket' M37 tank, and got to thinking.
I get to be 'retired' these days, but I worked for quite a few years in the machine field, where, amongst other projects, I got to be fairly good (if I do say so myself) at doing zero-porosity argon arc (TIG or heli-arc, if you prefer) welding in process vessel work, particularly for the very hard vacuum needed for some classes of vacuum-chamber work.
After taking a few measurements, I was struck at just how relatively easy it would be to make up a replacement tank in stainless, having some rectangles sheared, and bent up with a suitable radius die set in a press brake. Instead of the 'deep draw' of the two original tank halves, one could simply have two rectangles with flanges bent up on the same radius as the original tank, then weld them together to form the outline of the tank, with other rectangles trimmed to match the corner radii, and welded in place to form the ends.
Its not quite that simple, as one would need to weld in a couple of baffles on the lower half before assembly/welding, and make up suitable parts to weld in for the filler and vent lines, on one of the 'end' pieces, as well as adding a fitting on the upper surface for the fuel suction line and another, a ring of tapped holes, for the fuel gage. A 1/4" NPT-tapped fitting on the bottom, for tank drain, would be obvious.
My thought is that if it could cost me $200-ish for a used original tank, and then I'm taking the chance that it would have to be sent out for 'coating', well, that could get costly, and I'd still have the same risk of rust, over time.
Maybe I could 'get lucky' in finding a tank from some later model truck that would fit with some mods, and be a much cheaper solution, but some folks 'get lucky', others don't.......I'd probably be one of the 'don't'.
Its been quite a few years, now, since I had to specify and purchase 304 and 316 stainless sheet stock, sheared to size and/or formed in a brake or roll. I've no idea as to whether those suppliers are still active, but can find out with a few phone calls. I'm thinking that 16 gage 304 would be about right, altho if I was to be running rough terrain, I might think about 14 gage for a 'truly rugged' tank.
If I can get the stock, and have the forming done, the rest is pretty readily do-able, and then I'd have the fuel tank situation handled for 'good and all', with no fear of rust developing when the unit sits dormant through the winter.
I've still got my old argon-arc rig here, and I don't think it would take me too long to 'get back in practice' doing zero-porosity stainless work.
So.....a question.....If, indeed, I can get the stock, and have it sheared and formed locally, is there anyone here in California (I'm in the S. F. bay area) who has an M37, and might be interested in a 'joint venture' project of making up a couple of these tanks?
(I shouldn't be lifting much, these days, so having some help with jigging-up and handling parts, so that I could just stay sitting down and running bead, would be ever so nice from my point of view)
For the record, I'd like to assure everyone in the parts business that I'm not thinking of doing these as a product item to compete with them.....just thinking of making up a high quality part for my M37, and maybe one or two others at most, if there are folks who need them and would like such a project.
cheers
Carla
