Propane Tank-ard Insulated Beverage Bottle

Re-Purpose a disposable Propane tank into an insulated beverage container.

Instead of throwing away those one-time use Propane tanks, this Instructable shows you how to turn them into a safe, reusable drink tankard. Best of all, it is a functional insulated container so, it will keep your drink cold, without sweating.

Perfect for the seasoned outdoorsman.  Fill it with a favorite beverage, and appear to be drinking propane right from the tank.

Step 1: Propane and Propane Accessories

Whether you are a hardcore Tailgater, Backyard BBQ Chef or the Camp's Chowmaster, chances are you have propane flowing through your veins.

Or perhaps you just need propane fueled energy to keep you warm during the cold winter months?

What better way to show it, than by taking a swig right from the tank. 


In the heat of the BBQ season, or in the dead cold of winter, you need a shot of the good stuff, and now you can appear to be drinking it, with this incredibly authentic beverage container.  

"Strickland Propane may have Propane and Propane Accessories but, they aint got nothing like this!"


Disclamer:  Propane is dangerous!
 - Propane is extremely flammable
- The beverage container in this project is for novelty purposes only 
- Propane should never be consumed in any way, shape, or form.    
- This project uses EMPTY containers.
- Do not empty tanks by manually depressing the valve.
- Always empty tanks through an approved Propane appliance.
- Liquid propane expelled from its container is Dangerously Cold and will instantly freeze skin.
- Never heat propane tanks they will explode

Comments

[rayl82]

good job you should look into marketing this people will buy anything LOL and perhaps you can find a vendor to make a custom sized inner reservoir and insulate with a cheaper less messy means like fiber batting good luck
PS. filling with water and then bumping will assure no gas is left in the vessel. Rust should not be a problem if you are spraying water inside to make foam work anyway it will speed up your process a little. cheers!

[Blue Hawaii]

Use disposable gloves to protect your hands and mask off the tank just above the plastic bottom piece to lessen the clean up of the tank.

[falcotheimpaler]

Since you're already shrinking the bottle, instead of insulating it, couldn't you heat the PET, and then pressurize it such that it conforms (mostly) to the interior of the propane tank, and therefore get more "bang" for your buck? (pun intended)

[Mythbuster009]

If you have no intention of insulating it, then sure, that should work. However, then you would essentially be making a large can of soda with the outside metal being cold and 'sweating' in the heat instead of more of a thermos keeping your drink cold. I do like the thought that the bottle would be larger, though.

[book man]

Do you think that if you put the pressure release valve back into the canister and drilled a hole in the water bottle and mounted it in the bottle and sealed it off were it enters the bottle. Than doing that makes it you can put a "fizzy" drink in it when you go to open it it doesnt explode on you or have it fizz up a bunch. Would that work? or would that work better if you used a metal can and did that and used some sork of glue or compund to seal it in the plastic/metal bottle?

[camphikefishbike]

For those worried about the propane tank blowing up on them, I must tell you this story. When I was much younger and took more risks, I lit a candle next to a full 16.4 oz canister of propane on a stump about 100 yards from the road in a remote hunting area on the west coast, I walked back up the hill and shot it with a 270 rifle. When I hit it the compressed gas instantly put out the candle and the canister propelled off about 20 feet. No explosion, no fiery flames (much to my disappointment). That same camping trip several hundred yards from camp was a river, I built a raging fire way out on a rocky shoreline, far away from anything that might catch fire. I put a full canister of propane on it and ran to a safe distance, I waited and waited and waited some more. Finally after almost 15 minutes of this thing sitting on a hot fire, the secondary valve gave and it proceeded to blow a 3 foot flame to the side of the fire making the sound of a jet engine. That lasted about 10 minutes before it ran out of fuel. No boom, no bang, just more disappointment. So be paranoid, be safe, stay alive and remember the key elements for a good boom, oxygen and fuel, or really good compression before release (blast off). In my personal opinion, the worst that could happen from you igniting the contents of a spent or un-spent propane canister is a quick short blast of flame, not a big badaboom. You want it to go boom? Fill it full of black powder and light it because propane isn't going to do the trick. True story, this was long ago enough that the statute of limitations has long worn off for my stupid experimentations. But be safe anyway, just thought I'd share some life experiences with you all.

[camphikefishbike]

Awesome idea, I will definitely be trying this out. Genius!

[jrbilodeau]

not a bad idea, but they say that plastic pop bottle should not be reused since they leach toxins from the plastic.

[camphikefishbike]

If they weren't safe than millions of people would be sick from them already. Is the they in your' post a conspiracy enthusiast? Also if you're worried about the heat releasing toxins remember this, that bottle was molten hot 700+ degree f plastic once or twice before. I'm not worried about it, you can if you want.

[5STARGBLOOD]

when nukein the bottle do we have the lid on tightly loosely or not at all cuz i just had mine on tight and it exploded and yes i mean the plastic bottle not the propane can

[camphikefishbike]

Of course it exploded!!! Hot air expands, furthermore, you are trying to shrink it. Air needs to escape in order for that to happen. I hope no one got hurt.

[Chris102371]

You can use thinner or acetone to get this stuff off you skin,

[supererogator]

Thank you. I have been looking for a way to make myself a new festival mug. A few mods and I'm on my way. Stellar instructable!

[5STARGBLOOD]

hmmm i just thought of sumthin sum1 shuld find a way to ''charcoal'' ice

[ahooper239]

Looks like ice cream!

[5STARGBLOOD]

dont eat it tho

[OilRig]

My dad and i are thinking about building a Rat Rod if you dont know what this is Google it but we were thinking about using this idea as an over flow for the car would you reccomend this i wouldn't know what to put on the inside of the tank since there would be hot liquids draining any suggestions?

[nalk55]

The 20 oz. bottle looks more like a 1 Liter bottle.

[sillyzombie666]

if any wanted to use a hot liquid you could always use a metal energy drink can with a screw off top since the venom ones hold the same amount a water bottle would

[killbox]

What did you use to cut the hole?

[sprocum]

I used a hacksaw and kept spraying the blade with wd40. It took time but came out well! I then used a dremel to smooth the edges. I had problems drilling out the side valve so I used the dremel again with a cut off blade!

[bigtruck147]

Cool project!! I was just wondering if you could use the bottle blanks that RichardBronosky suggested, ( http://j.mp/icok9j ) could you heat them up, insert them from the top without cutting the bottom off and then with an air compressor and some wading around the bottle opening shoot air int the bottle blank until it takes the form of the whole bottle?

[NullLifeException]

Cool project. I like that you're recycling something that normally goes to waste. And not just any waste, as in Ontario all non-refillable propane tanks are supposed to go to a Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off point. A pain, really, since my municipality only collects a few times a year.

A cautionary note for anyone in Ontario: Fuel and pressure vessels are under regulation of the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA). They are powerful. Even hooking up a propane tank in a public place without taking a course to do so (which I did-costs about $50) can land you a $10,000 fine, or a year in jail. I'm not sure of the regulation on this, but this is definitely under their jurisdiction, and likely illegal. Anyway, just don't try to sell them and avoid using them in very public places and you probably won't ever get caught.

[propofokgov]

I would like to second the motion to disclose the tool used to cut the tank please :) Would you advise to wash out the tank through the valve hole?

Thank you very much.

[hpstoutharrow]

To cut the bottom hole I used a reciprocating jig saw. I did not wash out the tank before cutting. I removed both valves let the tank sit for a day and then blew compressed air into one hole for 10-15 seconds. I skipped the water rinse to avoid promoting rust

[RichardBronosky]

Instead of shrinking a 20oz bottle, you should focus the community on trying to learn a method for inflating a PET bottle blank.* It would be cool to cut the whole in the top. Leave the bottom in tact. Break the pressure spout out. Inflate the blank to fill the bottle completely.

* You were incorrect about the bottles being formed from a hunk of molten plastic. At the bottling facility they start with what looks like a test tube with the threaded top already formed. (those are manufactured outside of the bottling facility) There are a few different kinds of candies (usually sour gels) that come in these blanks due to there relatively low cost. Here is one example http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?requestURI=processProductsCatalog&categoryId=377320&BP=10575&ms=cse&cm_mmc=GoogleBase-_-datafeed-_-datafeed-_-datafeed&sku=25/5459&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=25/5459

[RichardBronosky]

Sorry about the huge link. Try: http://j.mp/icok9j

[ironsmiter]

great idea!


a few production ideas/notes.

When the Schrader valve is first removed... Use the opening to fill the container with water. when completely filled, reinstall the valve, and you're now "safeish" for cutting. Without this step, there is a SMALL, but real chance that some gas remains in the container, and an errant spark can make it go 'POP' or, in worst case 'BOOM'.

#2... instead of all the tiny holes, to remove the valve...a hacksaw can cut through that brass pretty quicky, then a hole-saw will net you a clean, perfectly sized hole, with one go. If your plastic bottle neck is larger than the thread diameter, you can skip the hacksaw and take the entire valve/thread assembly in one quick drill.

#3. when foaming with the bottle in place, make sure the cap is ON the bottle.
otherwise, it is possible that he foam might crush the unsupported plastic a bit. Not critical, but useful.

#4 Acetone works wonders at removing UN-CURED expanding foam.
if it has cured... then remove as much as you can and head to the drugstore(or beauty supply, or just about anywhere) and get yourself a pumice stone. sandpaper works for those of us with "manly tough hides" and a little less common sense. Abrade MOST of it off... then let exfoliation, and everyday abrasion do the rest.

#5 using MINIMALLY expanding foam will cure some of the issues observed by the OP. and the cans CAN be used multiple times, you just have to get the foam plugs out of the nozzle and straw (nozzle is easy, with a paperclip. usually easier just to use a new straw. free from your local fast food joint)

[redpillftw]

I had some foam explode on my hands. It sure does look ugly but it only took a few days to wear off.

[snowluck2345]

I have decided that expanding foam is the devil when its gets on your fingers and pumiec stones are annoying and sand off everything, but what you want them too. Calices or foam or paint.

[swilus]

Wholesaws are hard to get started when there is already a hole bigger than your starter drill bit. Wouldn't a step bit be better? Great instructable!

[brettj1]

in the past when I have needed to make a hole but there is already a hole too big for the pilot drill in a hole saw I have used metal or wood with a hole cut in it useing the holesaw then placed this securely over the job to be drilled & used it as a guide
But the other way would be to insert some wood into the tank through the bottom hole to drill into to locate the hole saw

[caarntedd]

+1.

[swilus]

Good idea, thanks for the tip!

[ironsmiter]

no. in fact it would completely eliminate the purpose of the holesaw.
My process would NOT USE the pilot bit. Just the outer bit.
this lets you cut just a small amount of sheet metal.
using a step drill, you'd be drilling away all of the brass stem.

It's a drinking bottle, so if the hole is a little off center, it's no big deal.
let the stem guide your holesaw, rather than the 'starter drill bit'.

[hpstoutharrow]

Or...you could drill a bunch of little holes around the base of the stem and.... Hmm...where have I heard that before... ; ) The point is, its good to have options. Thanks for all the good points. In fact everyone scores a point!

Now for a minor point of clarification: After an extensive Mass Spectrometrical Analysis, it has been determined that the stem is not brass but is indeed steel; just like the rest of the tank. (At least that's what my magnet told me)

Seriously, a Heartfelt Thank you for your comments.

H. P. Stoutharrow

[stringstretcher]

metallic analysis global nerd equivalency tool

[swilus]

Drilling the little holes was an ingenious idea!

[PACW]

Thanks for tip about water; I'm awfully timid around explodable stuff but do want to try this project!

I do not have 'manly tough hide'. I have used sandpaper on my skin and I have used Pumice stone; I think Pumice is rougher.

The only problem with the MINIMALLY expanding foam is that it isn't as much fun!

[ironsmiter]

"FUN" and painful stuff often go hand in hand. :-)