I need to weld a small bracket to the outside of a diesel fuel tank on a forklift. The tank is at least 1/4" thick, so no chance of burn through. Death wish? Or no issues? Empty or full? Thanks!
Whatever you do, have someone record it on their phone. The most important thing you can do is make sure they record it in landscape, not portrait.
When I was a kid there was a leak in my old beater car's gas tank. My grandfather helped me take the tank out. We put a screw in the hole. He sent me to the gas station to get enough gas to fill the tank full up including the spout. He then proceeded to weld the screw in place. Scared the sh@#$t out of me but he knew what he was doing.
You’re just going to tack it on? Fill the tank and go to town. Maybe take a few breaks to make sure things don’t get too hot.
If the steel is that thick I'd just have it full and do it. Diesel isn't explosive from a little heat.
Do a series of tack welds. Have a wet towel to cool it after every tack. I'd take the extra time to empty the tank though...
Have you guys seen what the back side of a properly penetrated weld looks like? Lemme ask you this - would you heat some steel up until it's red hot and then dunk it in some diesel?
Sounds crazy, but he knew what was going on. It's not the fuel itself, but the vapors that you must worry about. Filling the tank all the way eliminates the space where fumes can form. Someone I knew that ran a boat storage facility told me that the local fire department insisted that the tanks on all boats in storage be full, or they wouldn't respond to any alarm there.