My Own Tanks

I'm a do-it-yourself kinda guy.  Why pay $100 or owe a favor when you can do something yourself?  And if you fail or overspend, then at least you've learned something.


When I finally own and operate my own winery, I don't want to just make the wine, I want to make everything involved, at least as much as I can by myself.  I can take more pride in my product the more involved I am in its conception and manufacturing.

The handier I am, the less afraid I am of putting my plan into action.  I'm wasting only my time if it doesn't work out, and besides, I'm more able to keep the embarrassment to myself.  And that's why I'm going to make my own tanks.

I've looked around, and the tanks that I'm looking for cost $600-$1000, and even more when it comes to the industrial tanks.  I could end up saving thousands if I just do it myself.  I wouldn't get the end-product as immediately, but with these dextrous and quick hands, it won't be any time at all.


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Originally, I thought I could just take a class, buy a cheap welder, and put the metal together.  But after taking the class, I find out that I'm going to need to take a specialty class for the special metal I need to use, buy a specialty welder that can weld that special metal, and get the metal bent-rolled at a specialty fabrication shop.

But I'm not discouraged.  I'm going to take that specialty class, buy that special metal, buy that special welder, and go to that specialty fabrication shop.  It might run me a bit more money than I first expected, but I've invested too much time and money already to give up.

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3/19/2013 Update 2

So I'm nearly finished with the 1st 8 weeks of the class, and find myself frustrated and disappointed.  I am forced to follow the curriculum, which means 4 weeks of regular steel welding, 2 weeks of stainless and 2 weeks of aluminum.  I only care about the stainless!  And to make it worse, I missed 2 classes of the stainless- 1 for Presidents Day, and the other a mandatory welder's union meeting...of which the union reps never showed!  So I snuck in and spent a day working on aluminum and another day on welding stainless.


I am getting closer to buying a welder.  However, I'm realizing that I won't just be able to plug it into my house electrical.  It requires a higher wattage than the house wiring can handle, which means I have 3 options: 1. Chance it with a smaller, weaker welder that might work, 2. Set up a breaker and circuit outside next to my breaker-panel, or 3. Ask my boss if I can weld in the garage at work.  I would prefer #2, if only the welder machine tech guys would return my phone calls and emails and answer my questions, like what kind of receptacle I need.   It has only been 24 hours since I sent them out, but I'm so anxious so start on my own, I've been LITERALLY dreaming about welding.  I can't wait!

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4/7/13 Update 3 Electrical, Welder, Circles

So, I've got an electrical outlet set up that will offer 240v/40a for my welder.  Not as difficult as you'd think, but it took some time to prepare, and kudos to my cousin for helping me getting the complicated parts figured out.  About 2 weeks ago I bought the welder I've been salivating over, gathered some steel together, and made my first project: a welder table! (see the post for the pic).  I didn't use the Tig portion of the welder for the table since I was missing some fittings (which took me many, many trips to Home Depot to get together), but I didn't need it anyway.  Came out very nice, although on second thought I should have used galvanized sheet steel for the top, as I'll be leaving it outside.  But if it gets too rusty, I could always just weld another sheet on top of it.

I have used the tig portion since and have only 2 complaints: not possible to plug in a foot pedal, and I go through the argon in no time at all!  But I also have solutions... I found online a way to solder-wire the pedal straight to the heat adjuster, and get a bigger tank!!  A friend of my father works in the fabrication industry, and says he has some argon tanks laying around he might be able to give to me.  Talk about lucky!

I realize that instead of taking my sheet metal to a fabricator and overpay him to roll it for me, I could just wrap it around a cylindrical, wooden frame.  So, to make the circles, I made a jig that will yield nice, round circles (see pic in post).  I think it's funny; I use tools to make a tool (jig) to make a tool (frame) to make a tool (vessel) to make the product (wine).  Came out better than expected, but the diameter came out 1/4" smaller than I had wanted, which is probably better in the long run.

Future Endeavors...

I'm about halfway finished on my copper back-purge, but is coming out better than expected.  I just need more gas so I can finish it!  It's interesting tigging copper though, haven't done it before.  It's gotta be hot, hot, hot!

Just need some posts to connect the circles and make a cylindrical frame.

In class the teacher was saying there's a Semi-Automatic Tig welder that would do exactly what I need.  Maybe in the future when I'm making some profit, I'll invest in one.

It's all coming together! Just need more time...

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5/9/2013 Update 4: Blood, Pyramids, and Holes

So since my last post, my dad's friend came through for me with the tank (bigger than I expected and it's full!)  I've made my frame, finished the back purge and connected the two.  I haven't tried welding the cylinder using it yet, between work and school (I've been putting in twice the amount of time at school) and not wanting to attempt the weld with rainclouds over my head.

Oh, and I also found out the semi-automatic welder I would need costs $30,000.  Maybe when I have that kind of money to spend...

Blood, sweat, and tears: I keep getting my hands cut up.  As soon as the cuts on my fingers heal up, I cut them up one more time.  I don't even feel the cut, I just find blood pouring over my metal, like it's the one bleeding.  I've bought myself a grinder, and between that and the metal and my other tools, I've hurt my back some carrying around my top-open tool box to class, so I broke down and got a wheeled-tool chest.

In my tank I have a pyramid at the bottom.  I was going to have a cone, but a guy I met in the metal-fab trade said it would be easier to weld a pyramid together than try to roll a cone.  I beg to differ.

At first I had no problem...I welded a couple of sides with no holes, no issues.  But i got to the last couple of edges, and by that time the metal warped slightly and couldn't get a close weld.  I got close to welding it shut, but I keep finding miniscule holes in my work...it's one thing if this was superficial or structural work, but I'm trying to achieve a waterproof weld.  The teacher says my main problem is with the thinness.  I'll probably have to go thicker eventually, but I'm trying to see if I can work with this thin metal, since I've already bought it.  I think I'm close to enhancing my skills well enough to get a good, solid weld, but it's not for sure yet.

I also keep blowing holes through the metal, but I think I've figured out a way to get around that.  I had no idea it would be so difficult, but I won't be giving up any time soon.

Future Endeavors...

Get a waterproof pyramid--my teacher says he's going to try to use his job-equipment to help me fashion the pyramid-triangles I need.  He has the idea to cut the pieces so that 2 triangles are connected, and all I would have to do is bend them.  Also, flanges to make it easier to weld to the bottom! A lap joint is much easier and safer to do than and inside-obtuse corner joint-weld.

Weld the cylinder using the frame.

Ultimately, get closer to making my tank.