JAWA TORCH. How do I empty the little tanks?? Help!!

[Tom1971]

Okay need to ship my Jawa Torch to Australia. Don't want it causing a problem on a plane. Bought it sealed. Little canisters are still filled up.

Anyone know how to operate one of these. I need to install them correctly. There in but loose. I need to install them all the way then I need to empty them.

I have tried Google and Youtube. No luck

Thanks

Tom

 

[OdiWan72]

Put them in a vice and punch a nail trough the seal at the top

Markus

 

[Tom1971]

Put them in a vice and punch a nail trough the seal at the top

Markus

I've done that to empty Co2 from air guns but aren't these combustible????

 

[Tom1971]

Need help. Got an Australian wanting this in the mail.

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One says Butane and one says Micronox. Both say keep away from flame so I'm pretty sure trying the nail trick, like on CO2 canisters, is a bad idea.

 

[AndyJ]

If you do it outside you should be fine. It'll come out cold so stay away from the "exhaust" and try not to breathe any of it in

 

[Halliwax]

If you do it outside you should be fine. It'll come out cold so stay away from the "exhaust" and try not to breathe any of it in

exactly, i would use a small nail set, or punch to poke a very small hole while outside. i wouldnt worry about it outside, and if your that worried about sparks and gas use a brass drift filed down to a needle point

 

[andsuor]

Hi, Tom!
As a prop-loving guy with a uni. degree in organic chemistry, I couldn't sit idly by and see you suffer. So I'm going to try to help you out here.

I do understand your concern, but using a nail to puncture the canister will work totally fine.
The formula for butane combustion is 2 CH3CH2CH2CH3 + 13 O2 -> 8 CO2 + 10 H2O, note that's a lot of oxygen, O2, compared to butane, CH3..etc. Since the gas inside will not be able mix with enough oxygen that quickly, it can't ignite until well after you've punctured it. This will be safe as long as you dont have any open flames (why would you?) right next to the container. To use chemistry-terms, the stoichiometry is not suitable for igniting the gas at the moment the nail punctures the canister.
BUT BE ADVISED, DO THIS OUTDOORS!!!!. If not, the gas won't dissipate fast enough for this to be deemed safe. It could fill up a closed room and make the atmosphere combustive. Which could be really really bad... I'm guessing I don't have to tell you that.

If you're still not comfortable doing this, please don't, and find another way. This was my 2 c on the matter. Good luck!

Side note:
When I was in high school we sometimes took gas containers and emptied them out from a ladder to watch the butane gas/liquid evaporate and dissipate before it hit the ground. Pretty awesome and quite safe. There's simply not enough air for the gas to ignite when the can is punctured, and there is no source of ignition the short moment when the mixture is right.

 

[OdiWan72]

Alternative:

clamp the canisters in the microtorch and tighten the thumbscrews, this will break the seal.
Then open the vent and let the gas escape through the nozzle

Markus

 

[Jango Wes]

Shoot it with a BB gun. That should be pretty safe.

 

[Broilermaker]

Alternative:

clamp the canisters in the microtorch and tighten the thumbscrews, this will break the seal.
Then open the vent and let the gas escape through the nozzle

Markus

This is the safest way

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Shoot it with a BB gun. That should be pretty safe.

This is the funnest way

 

[Tom1971]

Alternative:

clamp the canisters in the microtorch and tighten the thumbscrews, this will break the seal.
Then open the vent and let the gas escape through the nozzle

Markus

I'll go with this way.

Okay I was not sure about which way to go, clamps to break the seal or the red and green knobs but I figured it out looking at them.

It's done. The green canisters turned super cold at the end which was a little freaky.

No boom, still here. Yeah.:facepalm

Thanks guys for all the help.


I know this sounds silly but I am really nervous around pressurized things like this.

 

[thd9791]

I don't blame you, this thread is really good info for doing this safely.


TL;DR Shoot with BB gun :thumbsup

 

[Tom1971]

My customer probably would not like his torch canisters filled with holes.:lol

Thanks again guys.

Tom