How To: Ford CMP "Blitz" miscellany

[Jacques Reed]

Originally Posted by gjamo

Hi Jacques.
Have you considered using a magnet. I use them for all sorts of things mainly in groups for lifting heavy plates. Be very careful though they are super powerful do not get any part of you between them and steel.

https://www.frenergy.com.au/neodymiu...dia-162kg.html

Hi Graeme,

Yes tried that. Used an old condemned magnetron magnet which I salvaged from a radar set on my ship. Darn powerful magnet but I was still able to pull it off the tank.

I use that magnet inside a plastic bucket on a bit of rope to pick up swarf from drilling steel. My kids used to laugh when I told them I was "taking the magnetic dog for a walk". Now it is just a lame Dad joke!
Very effective at getting every last bit of steel filings off the floor however.

Cheers,

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Graeme,

You got me thinking with your suggestion and a re-visit to my first attempt. The reason the magnet pulls off easily is because the relatively thin steel tank doesn't have enough material for the magnet to hold onto ie mass.

I use a bit of 50mm x 50mm x 2mm angle as a keeper for the magnet and it requires me to tip it away from the magnet just to break the grip on it and it still requires a great deal of effort to pull the keeper off the magnet. And yes, early in the piece I got a good pinch by not keeping fingers clear as I attached the keeper after using it.

If I can get a piece of say, 10mm thick flat bar into the area behind the dent perhaps the extra steel there will allow the magnet to hold with more force.

Stay tuned until after Christmas. I am getting an inspection camera/scope from Santa so I will be able to see if it can be done. Last thing I want is a big chunk of steel left stuck in the tank however.

And Phil, I think my tanks are lead coated inside and out. When I stripped the paint years ago there was virtually no rust under the paint except where the tank's coating had been scratched.

Cheers,

[Mike Cecil]

The fuel tanks were normally made from a lead (& a small amount of tin) -coated steel sheet called Terneplate.

Very common sheet for fuel tanks and for applications where deep pressing was required, as the lead/tin slid nicely against the die formers, allowing deeper pressing without tearing the steel sheet. Also a very easy sheet to run solder along joints to seal them.

Alas, has not been available for many years.

It may be part of the problem with adherence of the magnet, combined with the thin sheet steel, both of which diminish the magnet's 'grip'.

Mike

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for that info regarding coatings on the fuel tanks.

It can only add to the problem of the magnet gripping the steel.
Will see how the thicker steel bar behind the dent works in the new year if I can get it in (but mainly out) of the tank.

Here's a photo of the magnetron magnet and the "magnetic dog" in use.

Phil, do you or anyone else, have photos of a cut open fuel tank?

Cheers

[David Herbert]

I wonder if it would work to put a bunch of say 1/2" steel balls inside the tank to give the magnet something to stick to ? They would not put extra dents into the tank as they could adapt to the flexing of the metal and would be relatively easy to remove. I did think first that steel washers might work but they would tend to sit in a random stack which wouldn't work as well. the balls can move against each other to get into a single layer against the sheet steel and so the magnet has maximum pull on them. The problem here is seperation, any air gaps make a huge difference to the pull available.

Jaques - brilliant idea of the bucket and magnet to pick up swarf - I can't believe that it is new to me !

David

[Jacques Reed]

Hi David,

Thanks for your good suggestion. As a matter of fact, I have about 10 large steel balls from CV joints. They are almost 1" diameter so if they fit in there, and don't get stuck, it might work. Can try it first on a similar gauge piece of sheet metal to see with how much force it sticks to it.

Should mention too, If anyone uses the magnet in the bucket trick makes sure you have a lid on it before starting the sweep otherwise you may be picking lots of swarf from the magnet. Once it all collects on the bottom of the bucket hold it over your trash bin, open the lid, and pull the magnet away from the bottom. All the swarf falls instantly into your bin.

Amongst the Christmas presents, a new grandchild is due on the 27th Dec so needless to say a lot of things are on hold until well into the new year.
Will let you know how it works when I resume work on the truck.

Cheers,

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Jacques

I've started a new refference thread just on gas tanks with the photos of my C60L Pattern 12 gas tank. Started seperate thread to make it easier for the MLU search engine to find. Look under Fuel Tank C60L Information will try to make it turn up under "gas tank" and under "fuel tank"

http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...d=1#post245866

Hope the photos show what you need, if they don't just let me know the tank is sitting on the work bench to be repaired or copied.

Cheers Phil