[TheForge] Re: repost of propane cylinder cutting

[Mike Spencer]

Thanks, Terry.  Saved as a manpage for easy access.

> scrap lift truck cylinders, roofer cylinders,
> plumber cylinders are different cylinders
> and need to be treat differently. i will cover
> those in a separate post.

Didn't know that.  I'll watch for the post.

>    propane cylinders absorp some of the ethyl
>    mercaptan that is used to give propane an
>    odor. they also absorp some propane.

I'll take your word for this for the sake of safety but I don't
understand it.  Wood is a porous composite.  Sintered metals are
porous.  Plastics can adhere monomolecular layers of (even partially)
non-polar substances.  I don't get how sheet steel and "absorb"
relatively simple organic stuff like propane or ethyl mercaptan.  Is
this related to the (potential) formation of highly sensitive and
explosive metal-acetylides?  Doesn't seem to me like it would be
because the unique triple bond of acetylene is missing.

Drifting OT, if you get an "empty" oak whiskey barrel that has come
straight from the distillery and half fill it -- ca. 25 US gal. --
with fresh cider, you will have, after the cider has had a week or
three to work, a very nice cider with ca. 4% whiskey.  About a gallon
of whiskey absorbed in the wood equilibrates with the fresh cider.


- Mike

-- 
Michael Spencer                  Nova Scotia, Canada 
                                 
mspencer@tallships.ca            
http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/