Project #4 Dyethor Gasoline processing table

[dyethor]

Hello. Today my project is a gasoline processing table made out of aluminum.
All the square tubing is 1"x1"x 1/8" 6061.
The channel is a 3" x 1.5" 6061.
The angle is 1.25" x 1.25" 6061.
The sheet is 1/8 thick 6061.

This table is used to first hold gas then fillter is out and send it to a big holding tank, which is usually 1000 gallons.

This first picture is cutting the metal on the band saw. I like to use this sliding square to set the proper dimension, it gives perfect repeatable results.


This is all the metal cut and awaiting to be welded into the table frame.


Here is the results of the first critical weld with my new power tig 225lx.


The second weld ready to be welded.


Two legs in the 90 degree clamps waiting to be welded.

[dyethor]

Here is the first leg cross bar waiting to be welded.


All the crossbars welded on.


The main table frame all welded up.


The next step is to fabricate the tub mount the pumps and piping and weld on the lid rails. This project is on hold until I get the metal delivered in a few days.

[jakeru]

So will this be a "parts washing" table? Miter cut corners would have been a nice looking touch, but must have not been worth the effort.

That bandsaw looks a little bigger than mine. Those made in Germany Bessey corner clamps look useful. Thanks for sharing.

[Jake98]

Nice shop, and San Diego weather.. some people have it all... woke up to 4" snow/ice here, thought winter was over..

[jp2code]

Nice, but...

What is a Gasoline processing table? What is Gasoline processing?

[dyethor]

Mitered corners would be nice but arnt practical. They would require me to do some grinding before I could weld the legs and top on to the corner.
This machine sets in a auto junkyard which is a pretty harsh environment. It pulls gas from our draining machine then puts it in the on board holding tank which is about 60 gallons. The holding tank has a clear lid that enables you to verify its gasoline and not oil, water, antifreeze, or any other liquid. From there it's pulled out and put through a filter setup that filters to 1/2 micron. We had Parker-Racor make us a custom filter they only make for us. After the filter it goes to a big storage tank. Where it awaits for our drivers to pick up. On board the trucks is another filtering system that further cleans the gas. We buy that gas from the junk yards at at low price then we turn around and sell it at a discount price to gas stations.

[jp2code]

Interesting.

So, do junk yards drain all fuel from vehicles that come into their yards this way as well? (Visions of Mad Max 2 where Max is mopping up muddy gasoline are going around in my head)

[dyethor]

Yea they have to drain all the fluids before either they put them out in the pick yard (where you go and pull parts), or crush them. this is due to both fire and environmental hazard issues. Also you don't want gasoline and oil spilling all over the crusher and catching fire. In some of the big scrap yards it is kinda of like Mad Max you get some crazy and grungy people working there.

[DaveO]

Another "I never knew that" moment- reconditioned gasoline, who'd'a thunk it. What's the quality of the gas coming out the other end?

[dyethor]

There is a little oxidation so the color is a little darker yellow. The average octane is 88 (we have an expensive testing device.). We sell it as low octane. It is filtered to 1/2 micron which is aviation standard. Generally its mixed 1:1 with new gasoline. We do this across the country. We have had the California state weights and measures test it and they found noting wrong with it.

[dyethor]

My boss had the area in front of my shear full of his stuff from moving. So I couldn't cut any big sheets of metal for a while. I forgot to take pictures of the tub being welded together. I start with 5 Sheets cut to the correct dimensions. Then I weld two sides together that are held together with my corner clamps. I then add another side and another, when that's all welded up I weld on the bottom piece. Since the joints are so long I make a tack weld every 10 or so inches along the seam. If you don't do this the aluminum will warp messing the whole joint up. The next thing I do is punch out the holes for the 1"NPT bulkhead fittings, then weld them on.
I use a piece of pipe threaded in on the back side so the fitting is centered over the hole for welding.

Heres the tub welded onto the table frame.


Heres a shot of inside of the tub.


A shot of the long beads required.


Here is the pump mounted and piped in to the bottom of the tub.

[jp2code]

That's some long beads!Looks good, though.

[CGCINC]

Did you Tig that or a spool gun?

[Powertig]

Again great work. I Thought gas went bad after a certain period of time? Guess not. Thanks for educating us on a whole enterprise I never knew existed..