BCM Community

Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: captain ron on July 23, 2008, 09:40:20 PM

Title: Need Welding in Near or West of Saint Louis
Post by: captain ron on July 23, 2008, 09:40:20 PM
I'm on my way to Sturgis, SD. and have a leak in my WVO tank. I had it welded yesterday at a shop in South East Il. at the tune of $60.00 but they didn't have a tank to check it and welded the wrong area missing the leak. It's a 35 gallon SS steel tank easily removed. I would like to make it to Sturgis without buying any more fuel. My internet connection is limited so call if you can help me out
239-292-1750
Title: Re: Need Welding in Near or West of Saint Louis
Post by: pvcces on July 23, 2008, 11:56:42 PM
Charlie, is epoxy repair out of the question? I found that I could use that on oily and fuel covered surfaces.

If you decide to use it, you might want to get the gas tank putty type; it's made to repair tanks while full.

For what it's worth.

Tom Caffrey
Title: Re: Need Welding in Near or West of Saint Louis
Post by: gumpy on July 24, 2008, 04:47:52 AM
Man, I saw some stuff advertised on TV the other day that would be perfect for you.  It's a two-part epoxy putty that you knead together to activate it. They showed it being used on all sorts of stuff. It was one of those short infommercials with a phone number to call, but you could get something like half a ton of it if you called in the next ten minutes for a mear $20. Damn, I wish I'd written down the number for you.

Title: Re: Need Welding in Near or West of Saint Louis
Post by: Busted Knuckle on July 24, 2008, 06:13:46 AM
Ron,
No clue as to where to send you for welding in that area. But they sell some stuff called "Marine Tech" (SP?) it's an expoxy that works under water, w/oil, gas etc. I've used it to repair a broken manifold between heats at the demo derby races b4! Find a local marina, or boat sales/repair joint. They'll know what yer talking about. It comes in white, black, and gray I know of and maybe other colors too! Sorry I'll bet you'll be outta luck on it coming in chrome! LOL! Have a great trip! ;D  BK  ;D
                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
Title: Re: Need Welding in Near or West of Saint Louis
Post by: Hobie on July 24, 2008, 06:21:55 AM
Gumpy.  Its called, "Mighty Putty".  It is the same two part epoxy that you can buy in any hardware store for less than $5.  Look for it in the wood filler section. 

Funny commercials though,  I mean who would have thought to use the stuff to attach a mailbox to a post, or roll it out to fashion a coffee cup handle.  :)    The barker is named Billy Mays and is quite the infomercial showman. 

Title: Re: Need Welding in Near or West of Saint Louis
Post by: Chaz on July 24, 2008, 06:27:49 AM
Hey Man,
 Sounds like you are going the wrong way for me. I am about 5-6 away going east. Sorry. I would definitely fix ya up tho. ITG-ing stainless is something I do ALL the time. I could maybe even top ya off!  ;D
 
If ya get back out this way, Batesville is half way between Cincy and Indy on I-74.

I'm not sure what other method I would use. Maybe if you could press a piece of rubber or inner tube against it with Gorilla glue on it, it might hold. Ya need something to hold the oil back till the glue - or whatever - sets.

Gumpy was talking about "Mighty Putty". Sorry, it wouldn't be my first choice. I'm not much for "hawkers" on Tv.

Good luck man!
 Chaz
Title: Re: Need Welding in Near or West of Saint Louis
Post by: DrivingMissLazy on July 24, 2008, 06:54:34 AM
Quote from: gumpy on July 24, 2008, 04:47:52 AM
Man, I saw some stuff advertised on TV the other day that would be perfect for you.  It's a two-part epoxy putty that you knead together to activate it. They showed it being used on all sorts of stuff. It was one of those short infommercials with a phone number to call, but you could get something like half a ton of it if you called in the next ten minutes for a mear $20. Damn, I wish I'd written down the number for you.



I just bought a tube of it at WalMart for $9.95 I think it was. Same as what is advertised on infomercials. Have not had a chance to try it yet. It sure sounds good.

Richard
Title: Re: Need Welding in Near or West of Saint Louis
Post by: buddydawg on July 24, 2008, 07:06:33 AM
I repaired a hole in the hull of my duck boat with a similar product.  No leaks yet.
Title: Re: Need Welding in Near or West of Saint Louis
Post by: jjrbus on July 24, 2008, 11:52:08 AM
Big Lots in the car area sometimes has a small package of a similar item rated for gas tanks, a two part that you knead together. Works very well costs about a dollar. Would take two packages to make coffee cup handle  ;D
Title: Re: Need Welding in Near or West of Saint Louis
Post by: pvcces on July 24, 2008, 10:38:49 PM
Back in the 60s, I was riding my Indian motorcycle and the solder holding the tank seams let go on the viaduct and the engine caught fire. I was able to get off the viaduct, and stop in the left turn lane and get off without losing anything important. I figured the bike was a goner.

A bus driver saw the fire, stopped his bus, got off and walked toward me holding a fire extinguisher up as if to ask if I wanted to use it. I hesitated for just a moment, then ran, got the extinguisher and put out the fire. To my surprise, there was very little damage.

I bought some epoxy (Devcon Two Ton) and did the solder seams on that tank, fixed up the burned stuff and put the bike back to work. I never did resolder the tank; the eposy never leaked.

I've used the epoxy for a lot of things, and the only failure was some several year old stuff that wouldn't cure. I've been a believer for forty years. When using it to refinish a gouge in a hydraulic cylinder, I found that sandpaper removed cylinder wall (steel) faster than the eposy sanded down. It needs to be trimmed before it is fully cured.

For what it's worth.

Tom Caffrey
Title: Re: Need Welding in Near or West of Saint Louis
Post by: gumpy on July 25, 2008, 04:15:22 AM
Quote from: Hobie on July 24, 2008, 06:21:55 AM
Gumpy.  Its called, "Mighty Putty".  It is the same two part epoxy that you can buy in any hardware store for less than $5.  Look for it in the wood filler section. 

Funny commercials though,  I mean who would have thought to use the stuff to attach a mailbox to a post, or roll it out to fashion a coffee cup handle.  :)    The barker is named Billy Mays and is quite the infomercial showman. 

I was pretty sure you could find a similar product at the home center. I've just never had the need or desire to look. And I sure as hell wasn't going to buy the TV product.

Yeah, the commercial was interesting. I especially liked the coffee cup handle.

Title: Re: Need Welding in Near or West of Saint Louis
Post by: H3Jim on July 25, 2008, 08:55:20 PM
I shuddered when they showed repairing the table leg, used as wood filler.  I;m not sure if you 've eer tried to work epoxy after its hardened, but its not a task I would want to do much of.  So many other products to feather and smooth that are much more appropriate.

consumer reports last month had a paragraph on mighty putty, and said that while its good stuff, its much more expensive than other epoxys that do the same thing.  Without the marketing hype.
Title: Re: Need Welding in Near or West of Saint Louis
Post by: captain ron on July 29, 2008, 05:09:10 PM
Got it tiged the next morning the sold the guys at the shop enough cd's and shirts to pay for the job.
Title: Re: Need Welding in Near or West of Saint Louis
Post by: Ednj on July 29, 2008, 05:47:40 PM
Way to go Ron,
How many miles have you run on WVO now?
Title: Re: Need Welding in Near or West of Saint Louis
Post by: captain ron on July 29, 2008, 06:38:30 PM
I came 1300 miles on less than 100 gallons of diesel. I had some problems with my flat plate heat exchanger in my cleaning tank getting clogged up. I put the big stainless steel one I had in but have an antifreeze leak that needs fixed. I'm also going to buy a big high dollar centrifuge so I can process faster. There's a bit of a learning curve in all of this but I'm figuring it all out.