What to do with empty (torch) propane cylinders?

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Seems that nobody wants to touch these with a ten foot pole after they're empty. I use em' for my WeberQ grill, and have a fair amount of empties sitting around.

I think I'll pony up and get the adapter for the 20lb cylinder this summer, but looking for suggestions in the meantime.
 
I dont know if you can still buy the adapters.

If you have trouble finding them i can ask at my suppliers to see if they still carry them. pm me and let me know.
 
Originally Posted By: duaneb9729
I dont know if you can still buy the adapters.

If you have trouble finding them i can ask at my suppliers to see if they still carry them. pm me and let me know.



I've never purchased any, but the last Harbor Freight catalog that I got in the mail had them listed.
 
.22 targets was my best idea... No one can say they are "dangerous" once there are a few holes in them... One had a little bit of propane left and jumped a bit but from 50yrds they are pretty harmless.
Also you can get 5lb refillable tanks, same fitting as the 20lb ones if weight is an issue.
Ian
 
I've seen the fittings to refill the green little cylinders from the large beige ones at Harbor Freight, and a few weeks ago at Cabelas.
 
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
.22 targets was my best idea... No one can say they are "dangerous" once there are a few holes in them... One had a little bit of propane left and jumped a bit but from 50yrds they are pretty harmless. Ian


+1, my favorites to shoot as well.
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Concrete, steel tube, and black powder ?


That was my 2nd thought after table lamps. I recall CO2 cartridges making nice little rockets with about 100 match heads stuff in them.
 
Originally Posted By: AcuraTech
Seems that nobody wants to touch these with a ten foot pole after they're empty. I use em' for my WeberQ grill, and have a fair amount of empties sitting around.

I think I'll pony up and get the adapter for the 20lb cylinder this summer, but looking for suggestions in the meantime.


Just toss them in the fireplace or backyard fire pit.....
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When I was in highschool working for a chicken farmer, he threw an empty one into the burn pile... We took off on the tractor and were out of sight when it went off. It was pretty loud for sure, much louder than a shotgun.
Since the blow off valve failed to work I'd personally never refill them, you don't want to be anywhere near one if it goes off, full of propane or not...
 
I use an adaptor to refill several of these bottles; have for a couple years with no worries. I bought the adaptor off ebay. The directions are a bit odd, first you have to freeze the green bottles for 20 - 30 minutes, screw in the adaptor, then into the 20lb bottle. Turn the 20lb bottle upside down and open the valve, it takes about a minute to fill the green bottle. They never seem to fill all the way, maybe 3/4 full. I've thought about freezing them longer to see if that would help, but have not done it.
 
REFILL THEM!!!! Throwing them away or even recycling those things is just plain stupid!! They cost $2.99 each around here, there's only about $0.75 worth of propane in there. I keep a stock of 20 small cylinders that I rotate out and then refill all at once. I have no problem filling them full, and even overfilled (22+ ounces) if I freeze the small tank and warm the big tank.

After maybe 10 fills, or when they get rusty, dirty, dented, leaky, etc, then I open fire with my .44 Magnum.
grin2.gif
They don't blow up like they do in the movies.
smirk2.gif


(and before someone says anything, refilling them is neither illegal nor dangerous)
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Secondmonkey, they are like $15-$20 down here.

For a single 16oz "throw away" tank?
shocked2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: ccdhowell
I use an adaptor to refill several of these bottles; have for a couple years with no worries. I bought the adaptor off ebay. The directions are a bit odd, first you have to freeze the green bottles for 20 - 30 minutes, screw in the adaptor, then into the 20lb bottle. Turn the 20lb bottle upside down and open the valve, it takes about a minute to fill the green bottle. They never seem to fill all the way, maybe 3/4 full. I've thought about freezing them longer to see if that would help, but have not done it.


20#'er goes upside down so you get liquid, not vapor in the greenie. Freezing the greenie gives it some suction so that the lines don't get blocked by vapor bubbles.
 
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