Calor Gas Valve Removal

I'm going to have a bash at making a woodburner using a 15kg bottle. Is the valve left hand thread or just bluddy tight, or indeed, both?

I took a valve out of my 47kg bottle, it was a right hand thread, it was really tight as it has some sort of sealant on the threads. Managed to get the valve out using some big stilsons. Make sure all the pressure is out the bottle, i left the valve open a couple of days before I got the valve out!
Good luck!

I had to get mine started with a brass drift punch it was a rh thread, I then filled it with water to purge it.

I'd agree with Ben on that one, fil it with water for a while to get ride of any hydrocarbon deposits before plasma cutting or welding on it.

Chunko'.
Mind you I do like loud bangs.

I couldn't get the bugger off so I poured some water in and opened it up with my disc cutter (under the water level).


No bangs .....yet.

cut the handles off the top wit a grinder then use a hacksaw to cut through. or take the blade off the hacksaw and thread it through the handle. done it about 6 times in all so i know it works

weldingscotty803 said:

cut the handles off the top wit a grinder then use a hacksaw to cut through. or take the blade off the hacksaw and thread it through the handle. done it about 6 times in all so i know it works

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stand bottle on floor, make a spanner out of scaffold tube grind slots to glove the valve nice and tight. Then weld a T bar on top or drill holes for one.

You can then get the bottle hold bottle between your legs or in a workmate/strapped with ratchet strap if need be and turn the T bar

The alternative is of course get a lump hammer and bash the thing off! One or two swings from the side and they really easily crack off. Its only soft brass after all.
Done that on 3 of them so far. When you do the first burn the remaining valve can be unscrewed simply.

No wonder Calor are taking deposits and gas prices have stayed high this winter.

It would be more satisfying to fashion a project from scratch wouldn't it??

Gasman - of course it would be wonderful to make a complete stove from sheets of 0.5mm - 1cm steel. Problem is most guys (including me) don't have a ready supply of steel available. Most of the time we have to pay through the nose to get anything or use second hand scrap.
The Cylinders I managed to get my hands on were from freecycle. Probably been in someones garden for the past 10 - 15 years. Two of them were Segas and Calor wont take them back/exchange anyway.
The other thing is the deposit on an average cylinder is £29.99. I am pretty sure that would cover the cost of a new cylinder? Something you Gasman can maybe clarify? The other thing is the £29.99 seems to be non refundable if they do not have the cylinder refill agreement form (and even if they have one of these forms they only get a maximum of 70% of the deposit) so many people when they have finished with the cylinder have little interest in returning when they a) paid for the cylinder in the first place and wont get a refund and b) would have to go to all that effort to return the damn thing only to receive a 'Thank You' from the bloke at the supplier.
Think the price of gas cylinders is probably something to do with the cost of fuels rocketing.

Hi,

yes, I've managed to gain four of the 15kg butane bottles over the years and as I recall I only paid a deposit on the first one (about 35 years ago!).

I need one bottle for camping and the rest are spare, taking up space in the shed.

I'll get nothing back on them if I return them.

I may as well chop them about, have some fun doing it and give them to family/friends as heaters.

It might be different if Calor were to give me, say, £20 each for them. I'd be happy to take three of them back for that.

Regards
Peter

Hi Guys
While I agree with what you are saying regarding the refill authority thingy costing near as much as a bottle would cost to make and once you have paid that there is pretty well no chance of ever getting it back even with the relevant forms.
I would offer a litttle caution to be exercised regarding especially CALOR bottles and what you may be going to do with them for two reasons, firstly within that agreement thing is a clause that states the bottle/s remain the property of calor gas at all times, so although it feels like you have bought it due to this clause you in fact have not, and secondly calor are very good at prosecuting people who cut up their cylinders.
Although i am one of their retailers I have no problem or issue with what anyone does with calors or anyone elses bottles but just be aware you could be prosecuted.

paul..

i feel no guilt, my bottle is from england, was brought over by a friends family when they moved here and there was no point taking an empty bottle back when they moved back, calor over here don't want it. its a green patio gas one, never seen one before. must get around to getting it drained and bash the valve out

Every time I used to tape a tune off the radio I would live in fear of being prosecuted. To me I feel the calor threat of prosecution is as empty as the cylinders that get chopped up. Must remember to prevent the next Calor rep from inspecting my garage...

once its been used a bit i doubt there would be enough to identify the brand by.

Ooooh, I feel terribly guilty now, using something that was never mine, mind you, it had no paint on it so I couldn't exactly read their 'conditions of hire', your Honour.

66-V8 best turn yourself in...

the color gas cylinder do seam to be tad higher than normal. so maybe identity that way!

They all look the same once they're cut up

ok take the P if you want......
As I said I'm not bothered what you do with them.