What you are smelling is the odorant that they add to propane and NG so you can smell a leak. You will smell it long after all the propane is gone.
OTOH Even after flushing with water I found a lot of oil in the bottom of the ones that I cut. If you are cutting with a torch this might get hot enough to vaporize and go boom.
I used a bosch jigsaw with metal cutting blade. It went through the tank like a knife thru butter. There were a few hot chips but no where near enough heat to get the oil to vaporize.
JohnW
--- In gingery_machines@yahoogroups.com, false <cheops210@...> wrote:
>
> Hi All, This may have been posted before but I have cut a number of used propane tanks safely. First I open the valve all the way and let it remain open for a couple of days ( I am takling about the old style containers that cannot be legally refilled) Then I remove the metal guard around the cutoff valve being careful not to cut into the tank (this guard incidentally can be formed into a nice trivet for resting the crucible upon) I thin strike the valve a couple of sharp blows to loosen it a bit.(it is Brass folks and doesn't spark) I then use a wrench and cheater bar to unscrew the valve. After that fill the container with water and allow to set a few days ( it will smell like gas for a while) then cut, if concerned about residual gas still in there leave the water inside as you cut. never had a hint of a problem so far. The larger tanks (8 Gal I think,) make quiet adequate furnaces. I have scored several of these from the local hardware store where
> people have turned them in for disposal. Won't hurt to ask if you local refils propane tanks.
> Bill,
> www.willydog5.com
>
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