Need ideas for scraping community water tanks

[Patriot76]

Good Morning,

I need ideas for the best way to scrap three old community water tanks. They are 40 ft. in diameter, 25 ft. tall, dome roof, and 1/4 inch steel. The water pipes have already been dismantled.

The water district already tried to sell the water tanks, but could not find a buyer so they want them scraped.

My plan is to cut the roof and let it fall inside. Then I want to cut the sides in 18 inch slices and using my loader with long chains place them on the ground to finish cutting. If anyone has a better idea, I would love to hear it. Any ideas for safety would also be appreciated.

[ginofrater]

It would help if you could post some pictures or a video.

[Patriot76]

Thank you. I will try to get some pictures.

[corycouch]

SCORE, lots of weight and lots of$$$, sounds good to me, I don't know if it will or not but the tank could spring on you in between the anchor points, ive gotta say im a little envious

[Patriot76]

Thanks Cory. That is the type of thing I am trying to research. I know there are companies that specialize in cutting up tanks and welding them back up at another location. I am hoping to gain their knowledge without going to the school of hard knocks.

[oldtoothlessbassmaster]

[newattitude]

what do you plan on using to cut those up with? Torches or blades?

I think your idea of cutting from top to bottom is good. holy cow those are huge!

[corycouch]

Patriot, new attitude asks a good question what are you going to use, im assuming a torch, if you have the money to do so a generator, aircompressor, and a plasma cutter would be a good investment about right now

[auminer]

Is there an internal frame? I can't imagine there wouldn't be. I'd try leaving the roof on, leaving the frame intact, and just cutting away material just inside the edges of the frame. Then, when there was nothing but frame left, cut out every other frame piece, along the same idea as removing every other stud in a wood-frame wall. Try and leave as much of the shape & strength of the frame together for as long as possible. Then, when you do cut the piece that's going to bring the whole thing down, you can see everything that's going on and there's a lot less metal there coming down.

NOTE: I've never tackled a job like this before, but I did drive past a Holiday Inn Express last week.

[corycouch]

this isn't counting the top or any braces or even nuts and bolts if there are any, and that's times 3 so your looking at a good payday

edit. to be honest the bottom may be metal also, I was assuming concrete with a liner but it could be metal

[Mechanic688]

Up here water tanks get a special coat of sealer paint every few years after they drain it.

[corycouch]

ok geometry wasn't my strong suit so I had to do some cheating, this is the top not counting the dome if there is one and the bottom if there is one

edit, about 5000lbs difference the theoretical and the estimate so you have a $500 window per tower at 10cents alb

[EcoSafe]

I think your on the right track. scrap it like a ship. top down. google ship grave yards. That said it is a very dangerous under taking think safety every second. if your not a great cutter you might think about hiring one, could save you hundreds in the long run. just my .02. good luck nice score.

[corycouch]

ok, this is by far my favorite thread on here right now, Patriot I read your old posts and see you have a skid loader, this would be the way I would tackle this I believe but my mind runs wild so I may change it. I would cut a door in the bottom to drive the skid loader thru. I would cut the top out starting in the middle in 2 to 3 foot squares and just let them fall to the bottom on the inside, I would do the sides the same way outside on a boom I would cut squares and let them fall, when you think you have a load drive thru the door and load the trailer. normally I would say its easier to work on the ground, but in this case you have a built in staging area

[NHscrapman]

IMHO this looks like a job for larger equipment but not all people know how to use them or have access or can cover the cost. a 350 with hydraulic shears would have this ready to hit the yard in no more than 2 days.

[Patriot76]

Thanks to all that responded. I was working all day and just got a chance to view the thread. No I was not working on the water tanks, still on a farm I have been on all winter.

First, thank you to oldtoothlessbassmaster for rescuing my picture. I tried to post it and was unsuccessful. I immediately deleted the post and he saved it for me.

I plan to cut it with propane. My son will be joining me for this project. I was a millwright when going to school and made the transition to propane this winter. I am not the best, but this project will make me better. I plan to use liquid oxygen on the water tanks because I plan to cut non stop.

I have a scraping trailer complete with Miller generator/welder, air compressor, three K oxygen bottles, 100lb. propane bottle, and tool boxes. There is also two Smith torch sets with scraper heads. This was made out of a two horse trailer that was scrap on my first job. I have thought about purchasing metal shears for my skid steer and might with this project. I borrowed a plasma cutter this winter but my generator could not handle the load. Since all of my work is rural, it would not be a good investment until I get a bigger generator.

I appreciate Cory's ideas and calculations. The concern about the structure springing is a real concern of mine. I like Auminer's idea, but I was told that dome roof tanks do not need an internal structure. I will not know until I cut Cory's door. Combining Cory's and Auminer's ideas might be the best strategy. Based on what I have heard I think cutting slices like you mount a tire on a truck would be worth researching. If it does not have an internal frame, the roof will be the first to go. I have an agreement with two scrap yards to cut the pieces into 5ft. X 18in. slices.

Old Dude reinforced the reason I posted this thread. It is all new to me and I would like to haul the last load into the scrap yard instead of being buried under it.

This is a once in a life time opportunity, so I would appreciate any additional insight.

[Patriot76]

This is an update to those that are interested. After a great deal of research I found out most companies charge demolition and sell the steel as a bonus. These companies have large backhoes with shears that can finish the job in a couple of days as NHscrapman pointed out. I do not have, nor can I afford this type of equipment so it will be David -v- Goliath. Other companies will come in and cut up the tank only to weld it in a new location for a new customer. This would be a huge challenge and goal, but time is not my friend in this project.

Initially the thought was to use my mountain climbing gear for safety. If the tank springs, trouble could be the result. Nylon rope does not like heat and not knowing what will drop, when, or where, sent chills.

The latest strategy is to rent a two man lift to cut the roof into eight slices and let them drop inside. This is after an entry door for the skid steer is cut. The lift will allow me to do the work without being on the structure. If there is an internal structure, I will cut around that to leave a frame. When the sides have been cut into a spoke structure, I will anchor it to a Clark C55 loader with 60 ft. of chain. Every other support beam will be cut with a backhoe providing protection during the cutting. If the Clark can drop the structure, the rest of the work will be on the ground. If not, another beam will be cut one at a time until the structure can be pulled to the ground.

One thing I came across in my research is the possibility the tanks could have lead paint. If that is the case a respirator will be required. I also saw where the EPA will not allow water tanks to be painted with lead paint. Does anyone know the answer or a good way to find out.

Any ideas or suggestions about this challenge would be greatly appreciated.

[wadarbr549]

my cousin and i took down 2 similiar towers in my home town 3 years ago. we started at the bottom.we cut it out in 2 x 4 pieces we went up about 20 feet then just kept moving around it. once we got a little over a quarter of the way around it we hooked a chain to the top of it.we were very careful while we were working we actualy taped a yard stick to a post and fixed it to the opening to make sure it wasnt slowly moving. when we got about ten feet from half way we started gently putting pressure on it with a tractor .it wouldnt move till we were a little ways past half way. it worked very well once we cut enough away from the bottom we pulled it down with an old ford tractor.it didnt crash or fall it creaked and moaned and slowly bent down. it took us a lot less time to do the second one.we were really scared on the first one cause every old man in town had stopped at least once to tell us we were going to get killed . and we weree very gun shy.the second one came down a lot quicker.if you have any questions pm me if i can help i will

[wadarbr549]

there wasnt an internal structure in the tanks we removed,im not sure about yours though

[Patriot76]

Thank you. I had not thought of this strategy. I like your idea about the yard stick.