Repairing pinhole in Vacuum Tank ?

[30DodgePanel]

What do you all do when you find a useful rare vacuum tank only to find a pinhole ? What kind of repair techniques work the best ?

[poci1957]

Sounds like a job for JB Weld

[30DodgePanel]

That's the first thought I had but not sure if it works

[mike6024]

I plugged holes in a gas tank with MAPP gas and propane torch and a fluxed brazing rod. Not sure if this is even relevant to your question. MAPP gas will get the steel just glowing red hot enough for the brazing rod to melt and bond.

[cahartley]

Solder.

If there is one pinhole there likely are more.

Give the tank a good going over with a stiff steel brush to reveal the rest of the holes.

[46 woodie]

Solder would be my first choice if it is only a pinhole. Depending on the size of the hole I would also use silver solder. If the tank is fairly solid I would TIG weld the hole with Silicone Bronze filler wire. Perhaps it's just me, but I don't like repairing things with JB Weld.

[viv w]

I would get the piece tin or zinc plated first by a plating shop, this will reveal any other likely holes, then just solder the holes up. The solder will also stick better to the fresh plating. Alternative get your local radiator shop to clean it in their tanks and solder the holes for you.

Viv.

[Joe in Canada]

Remember this had gas in it so have the cover off and no gas vapor inside if using a torch.

[Bhigdog]

Might be more incipient rust throughs but take them one at a time. Clean around the hole to bright metal, lightly dimple and fill with 60/40 solder. If cosmetics are important fill the dimple slightly proud and file to flush. End of leak.................Bob

[old car fan]

I rebuild these,and  also sell rebuild kits.We blast them ,some are not repairable for  the time it takes,i can provide you with a good tank and kit.is the pin hole in the inner tank

Edited September 26, 2016 by old car fan (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

Solder is traditional, permanent, and you can file and sand it smooth. There is a knack to soldering, if you do not have the experience a rad shop may help if there are any left. Or an old time mechanic.

[mike6024]

4 hours ago, Rusty_OToole said:

There is a knack to soldering, if you do not have the experience a rad shop may help if there are any left. Or an old time mechanic.

Might as well just explain it, no?

[Rusty_OToole]

No. It is not something you can learn from reading a post on the internet. It takes practice especially working on old thin metal.

 

Not exactly a vacuum tank but here is my favorite video of lead work or body solder. Bill 'the leadslinger' Hines demonstrates. "I learned how to do this in 1941 George". Gives you an idea of what is involved.

 

[R Walling]

 I would first apply paint remover to the tank, then submerge it into a mixture of one part molasses and nine parts of water.

 

 After about a week or two, pressure wash, or scrub with a brush under running water, and blow it dry imeaditly. It will be nothing but bare steel at that point.

 

 At this point you are ready to brush on tinning paste to the bad area and soldier up the hole with a soldering iron.

 

 You will have to paint it that same day so that rust will not reappear.

[mike6024]

I have a "Turbo Torch" which is a plumber's torch. Only use propane for soldering, don't want too hot.

 

Use the hotter MAPP gas in the yellow bottle for brazing.

 

Anyone who's not brazed this way might want to try it, it's easy, comes in convenient for brazing thin metal. Flux coated brazing rod, no need to apply flux to the subject piece.

 

They sell these at places like Home Depot and good hardware stores.

 

http://www.amazon.com/TurboTorch-0386-0403-STK-9-Dual-Torch/dp/B0006519QI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1475162082&sr=8-4&keywords=turbotorch+kit

 

http://victortechnologies.com/turbotorch/products/prodList.html?brand=TTT&W2Code=TTT200500&W3Code=TTT302200&W4Code=&W5Code=&W6Code=

[old car fan]

No need for all this,clean and soldier,just the way they were made

[RansomEli]

Rusty_OToole, 

 

Thanks for sharing that great Barris video. Now I know what I'm doing wrong with my body-  and paint-work. I need to light up a big, fat cigar before starting.

 

The tales those two guys could tell about working on cars....

[Rusty_OToole]

Every pic of him taking a break shows him with a can of Coke in his hand. So El Producto cigars, lead, and Coca Cola are the secret of living to 94 and becoming a custom car legend.