Re: Cutting down old drums
- To: M*@ucdavis.edu
- Subject: Re: Cutting down old drums
- From: R* F* D*
- Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 21:31:49 -0500 (EST)
At 03:09 PM 1/16/2000 -0600, you wrote:
> I've been told that mechanics who need to weld or braze a vehicle gas
>tank (and of course can't either wash it or wait for it to dry thoroughly)
>run the exhaust from a well-tuned engine into it before and as long as
>they're working.
> All imaginable disclaimers. Personally I've never cut down anything but
>printer's ink barrels, but confronted with a drum from something seriously
>flammable daresay I'd opt for washing & drying as well.
Best to flush out the air by running a purging stream through it, possibly
by using the EXHAUST from a vacuum cleaner or shop vac. A few hours should
do it. The other way is to make sure the bung is at the lowest point, since
the vapors of solvents (including water) are all heavier than air.
Otherwise, the vapors will simply sit in the barrel, slowly exchanging at
the top via breezes and diffusion. Pour the vapors out, just like the liquid.
This treatment is required with the spent lab solvent containers in my lab
before disposal. We use a lot of solvents for chromatography at Targacept,
the pharmaceutical start-up at R J Reynolds where I am currently working as
a temp.
Richard F. Dufresne
313 Spur Road
Greensboro, NC 27406
336-674-3105
