Questions on using old porpane tank for a pit?

[Bluz]

If you were closer I could supply you with the material for your grates, as well as many other items you might need. I would suggest you to go to one of the local scrap metal yards and see if they have a usable steel yard, or allow you to look at the scrap piles for material. The price will most definitley be cheaper than new, adn some will even cut it for you.
Now for some input on the Propane tanks cutting: I understand it is already cut, but FYI filling with water is not the safest way to cut into a used propane tank, it only takes just a small area of trapped gas to cause an explosion. In the scrap business we dont cut them anymore, but when we did, we were taught to place a hose of some type to the tailpipe of a vehicle, and extend it into the tank and allow the gases from the vehicle to fill into and thru the tanks for sometimes 30 minutes. The carbon dioxide from the vehicle will displace the oxygen inside the tank and without the oxygen no flame or explosion will occur. Now this is the way that we have done them in the past, and never a problem. This is not to say that it is fool proof, and risks are always present to any cutting procedure, of these highly explosive tanks. I personally wont cut them, and regular air tanks are a viable alternative to these with no Ill effects from the gas. Getting the gas smell out is rather easy, build a fire large enough and hot enough to make the steel expand so that all the pockets inside the tanks will release all the gas that is trapped inside. Keep the fire going for several hours to fully expanded the metal.
Hope this helps
Bluz

[bwsdj]

As for getting the Tank cut, if you hook a tube to your vehicles exhaust and run it into the tank for a couple of minutes that will get rid of the oxygen and make it safe to cut. That is how my Buddy did mine and it worked out great. He said to only use Gasoline exhaust as Diesel can leave some type of contaminant or something. Hope this helps out.