Cutting the Gas Tank

So, after work this evening, i was able to get in a couple of hours playing in the garage…well outside the garage.

I wanted to make some physical progress with things, and cutting up the gas tank was one thing that needed to be done.  Thankfully, when i was taking things off of the bike last month, i started the gas tank process.  in particular, i drained the tank as best i could, then filled it with water and drained it twice, and then finally partially filled it with soap and water and shook it up and then drained it again.  then i left it as open as i could until today.

I could hear some water still sloshing around, but after a week or two, i didn’t smell any gas fumes anymore.  I wanted to make sure i didn’t blow myself up when i hit the tank with the dremel.

Here’s a couple of pictures of the tank before…

The tank before...

The bottom of the tank before cutting.

So, today, i got out the dremel and the tank and started cutting.  That went well for about 15 seconds. Then the cutoff wheel which was around an inch in diameter became a cutoff wheel that was about 1/4″ in diameter.  i had made a cut about 1.5″ in length.  That was obviously not going to do.  So, i went with the backup plan…the angle grinder.

Originally, i didn’t want to use the angle grinder because i thought i wanted more precision.  but turns out, i could get enough precision with the angle grinder and didn’t have to go through 15 dremel wheels.  🙂

I still have some finishing work to do, but it’s pretty good so far.  Whew…i’m glad i didn’t blow myself up…

The tank with some cuts. Not very precise, but good enough.

Me...at work. it was getting a little warm on my left side...

Almost there...

Ta-Da!

Another shot of the cut up tank.