Made a different "PowerTank" for my trucks

[BiG_DaWgZ]

Hey guys....here's a thing or 2 that I found when making up some of my own Powertanks...for my rigs.

First off......locate and pickup some of the "NITROUS" torch-type...cigarette lighters from local thrift shops, tobacco shops...ebay..etc....

Be sure to specify to the seller that you want your lighter with the GAUGE and the gas knob...intact.

These lighters....work GREAT....as a base for your POWERTANK build...for 1/6th-1/8th scaled rigs.

Here's one that I've made up from the lighters (this 1st pic doesn't have the upper handle and Air Hose installed on it yet tho)







SUPER SIMPLE....to make one up like that....basically just use a cap on the bottom...and either buy or makeup your own "Powertank" decals.

I use small gauge wiring....for the air hoses...on these.

To get them coiled looking....just tightly....wind the wire around a thin diameter screwdriver shaft....or a 16 penny nail or anything in between those sizes.

I make up the "Air Chuck's"...out of styrene.


That larger sized tank works well for my JK Truck's/Brute's....but I was wanting a smaller one for my Toyota Hilux sized rigs..

So...I had some old bb gun/pellet gun C0-2 cartridges laying around....and decided to try to use one of those.

I chucked it up into my Cordless drill....and used my dremel with a cutoff wheel to get a nice even cut on the CO2 cartridge.

I cut the bottom off...so I could make up a flat bottom so the Powertank could stand up on it's own.

I experimented with all kinds of caps....on the bottom of the freshly trimmed co2 cartridge....and I modified some.....but I wasn't ever happy with the looks of the caps (they were too thick...or too bulky).

So...I grabbed up some black electrical tape...and added several "Wrap's around the bottom 1/4" or so....of the cartridge.



Then...I took the excess tape that was hanging over....and tucked it up into the cartridge.


Next I just grabbed the cartridge...and applied some pressure on the tape on the bottom edge by pushing down and then I tucked the remainder of the tape up into the cartridge.

Then...I took my exacto....and trimmed off all the excess tape that I had just tucked up into the cartridge.


I like the looks of the tank much better....by using this tape method on the bottom.

It allows me to be able to control the thickness and the height of the bottom "cap" part.

Next....I took some duckbill needle nosed pliers....and I worked the top nozzle/tank fitting.....off of one of the "Nitrous Torch Lighter's"


They've got a square shaped nub...that is press fit into the upper lid of the lighter.



Here's the Gauge ASSEMBLY from the "Nitrous Torch Lighters":















Also...I bought some junk "Nitrous Torch Lighter's" on the bay awhile back....and I made sure that the guy sent me the little gauges and "on-off"/"shut-off" type handles that are on the top of the lighter's.

I used these extra parts....to make up a "Dual Gauge" setup....like the real "PowerTank's" have

I used some brass rod...to make the upper handle.

You can either SOLDER it to the metal cartridge....or you can just Super Glue it.

Then...I made up the "Air Hose"...out of some small gauge...yellow wire....and I made up an "Air Chuck" out of styrene.

I used tiny drill bits to bore a small hole in my "Air Chuck"....then I super glued the yellow wire into the air chuck.

Here's what it looks like now (let me know what you guys think):


ArOn



















Here are a few COMPARISON shots....of both Tanks:











Here's the smaller tank....in a Yota bed (with a full drop bed):

[chicostaxxs007]

my man now send one my way it looks good work

[team3six]

Great job, but was mine not cheap enough for you?
It seams like the cost and time you put into it making one of these seems alot.
Don't get me wrong. You did an excellent job with that.
but in reality, the gauges are huge for such a little tank. Don't you think?

[sally1800]

Nice work.

That looks like a fun winter project. Thanks for the post and info.

[BiG_DaWgZ]

Originally Posted by team3six

Great job, but was mine not cheap enough for you?

Originally Posted by team3six

It seams like the cost and time you put into it making one of these seems alot.
Don't get me wrong. You did an excellent job with that.
but in reality, the gauges are huge for such a little tank. Don't you think?

Hey Norm !

I'd LOVE to have one...or even a few of your Powertanks someday.


Currently going thru some things though (off work/Dr's trying to put me on disability/Divorce...etc)........that have forced me to change my "buying Habits" quite drastically.

I had bought a "lot" of like 8 or 10 of these lighters....about a yr ago....and decided to see if I could make a tank that was a bit more scale looking.

I've got around $5 in it....and some time...so it worked out best for me...for now.


Whenever my situation get's turned back around....or straightened out...or whatever.

I do plan on picking up or finding a few of the Powertanks that you made/sell...because they're the best ones that I've seen to date.

Hopefully that day will come for me a bit sooner than later !


ArOn

[Krawler Konceptz]

Wow.....those look great....will need one
Preorder list???

[team3six]

I feel ya bro. We all have been there.
Sending you a p.m.

[team3six]

I just wanted to let everyone know that Aron is one of the good guys and I always have appreciated his work. This seems to be one of those I wanted one and this is what I could do to make it. Its a great job and I think Aaron did a great job trying to capture the look.

As my way of taking care of him as I am not an A hole. I decided to help Aron out and send him one of my last tanks.

Enjoy buddy and take care of yourself.

Stay in this hobby we call Crawling. its all we got to make us happy when the stack is against us all.

[Krawler Konceptz]

" Aron did a great job in making an Awesome...Powertank"
I love the way the gages look, everything is perfect to scale.
Great Job!...

[Crawln Coles]

Great job on the tanks man.

and Norm, your a stand up guy, keep it up! Things like this make me glad I know you.

[801RYAN]

great job ..I like the work put in and the write up ....

Norm

[BiG_DaWgZ]

I can't say thanks enough....to Norm for being so cool !! ...and thanks goes out to him and everyone else for all of the kind words !

I really appreciate that...and I'll post up when I get it...and show some pics of it all mounted up on my rig.


I'm going to put it in my current "WideSide" Yota truck...because it's my favorite of my current projects...and I think it will look great in there !



Thanks again !

ArOn

[Big Mike]

Originally Posted by team3six

I just wanted to let everyone know that Aron is one of the good guys and I always have appreciated his work. This seems to be one of those I wanted one and this is what I could do to make it. Its a great job and I think Aaron did a great job trying to capture the look.

As my way of taking care of him as I am not an A hole. I decided to help Aron out and send him one of my last tanks.

Enjoy buddy and take care of yourself.

Stay in this hobby we call Crawling. its all we got to make us happy when the stack is against us all.

Damn. That is the kind of thing you just do not see anymore, and it's a sad fact of life.

Norm, you are one good dude. It's folks like you that make this community such a special place.

I just received my tank in the mail as I was typing this!! Thanks Norm, you rock man.

And Aron, your tanks look good too. Well done!

[BiG_DaWgZ]

I got my new Powertank from Norm at team3six !

Thanks alot !!

It's a sweet tank for sure !


I'll post up some pics as soon as I get it mounted in the "WideSide Yota"


Thanks again Norm...I really appreciate it !

ArOn

[team3six]

No problem

[Die-Laughing]

Thats some nice work!

[GREEDY GENIUS]

Great job on those tanks and keep your head up man,hopefully everything turns out alright for you and it will,all in good time!

Very nice thing norm from TEAM3SIX did for you,you don't get that caring/kindness much anymore...stay into crawling cuz like he said,sometimes it's all i got to get me thru these tuff times.

Good luck man.

[ROLANDROCKSHOP]

wow!
nice job aaron!!

love the gauges!

[BiG_DaWgZ]

Originally Posted by die-laughing

Thats some nice work!

Originally Posted by GREEDY GENIUS

Great job on those tanks and keep your head up man,hopefully everything turns out alright for you and it will,all in good time!

Very nice thing norm from TEAM3SIX did for you,you don't get that caring/kindness much anymore...stay into crawling cuz like he said,sometimes it's all i got to get me thru these tuff times.

Good luck man.

Originally Posted by rubiredunlmtd

wow!
nice job aaron!!

love the gauges!

Thanks alot for all the kind words and encouragement



I figured out a way to make my gauges look more like the real ones....and I changed the decal on the tank...to be more in scale.




Thanks again to everyone



ArOn

[BiG_DaWgZ]

I forgot to add...that I made the new gauge faces by using the "Gauge kit" from RPP hobby.

Then I experimented with using some of Tamiya's "Clear Yellow" acrylic paint on the gauge face....to get it yellow.

I also tried using a "Hi-Liter" type magic marker....but if you're not careful it will cause the black ink of the gauge face to blur and smudge.

Both methods worked out....but you have to use very small amounts to get them to work right.



Then I covered it with clear fingernail polish (which acts like a "lens").





Also...a sneak peek at a METAL Propane Tank that I'm workin on !




Thanks
ArOn