Wrap a tanker

[Signed Out]

Anybody have any tips on wrapping the top part of an aluminum tanker? Round tanker and we can't walk on the top it dents easily. Thinking of scaffolding on the sides but it sucks to work hunched over/laying down like that. What have others done in similar situations?

 

[jfiscus]

we never have wrapped the top of one yet, but I would assume a walk-board is what you need.

 

[TXFB.INS]

if you want to be able to adjust the height, what about a boom lift or a scissor lift?

 

[Signed Out]

The problem with a walk board is that it puts you too far away from the top because of the curve of the tank. Unless you went over the top of it, perpendicular to the tanker? We'd have to purchase or rent a set up. But I guess if you have a good setup this would work good. Or even a scaffolding with out riggers and a shelf like side that sticks out so you could butt up to the top of the tanker.

We've considered a boom lift, scissor would put you too far away to reach the top. With the boom you'd have to be laying down and reaching our between the railings. Which is doable.

I think a walk board or scaffolding setup would be best. Anybody set something up similar?

 

[GAC05]

We had to do a good sized fleet of fuel tankers up to about 42ft long.
We took some excess pallet racks we had and welded the cross pieces into the uprights at the height that made it comfortable to work from the top of the tank down to the lower weld lines where our stuff stopped.
Built a back rail to keep from stepping off the platform & laid plywood with 2x4 supports down to stand on. 12ft long so we only had to move them 3 or 4 times to cover one whole side.
One for each side so we didn't need to drag them around and could work the side that was not exposed to the sun and rain.




wayne k
guam usa

 

[Signed Out]

We had to do a good sized fleet of fuel tankers up to about 42ft long.
We took some excess pallet racks we had and welded the cross pieces into the uprights at the height that made it comfortable to work from the top of the tank down to the lower weld lines where our stuff stopped.
Built a back rail to keep from stepping off the platform & laid plywood with 2x4 supports down to stand on. 12ft long so we only had to move them 3 or 4 times to cover one whole side.
One for each side so we didn't need to drag them around and could work the side that was not exposed to the sun and rain.

wayne k
guam usa

I like this idea, and I could easily weld something up. Did you have to wrap all the way around the top of those? The tankers we will be doing don't have a raised catwalk on the top.

 

[GAC05]

We did wrap those the catwalks - the trailers came in unpainted semi polished aluminum. The height of our work decks were about even with the trays along the bottom of the tanks. We could reach up to the base of the catwalks to lay down the red and then worked from both the top and side to cover the sides of the walk.
Without that up there you'd need a little more height and maybe seam it right down the middle of the top where it will not show. I think a wooden step box to put on top of the deck would do. One of the shorter guys working with me needed one to reach the top of the red. Guess it will depend on the shape & diameter of the tank.


wayne k
guam usa

 

[Signed Out]

We did wrap those the catwalks - the trailers came in unpainted semi polished aluminum. The height of our work decks were about even with the trays along the bottom of the tanks. We could reach up to the base of the catwalks to lay down the red and then worked from both the top and side to cover the sides of the walk.
Without that up there you'd need a little more height and maybe seam it right down the middle of the top where it will not show. I think a wooden step box to put on top of the deck would do. One of the shorter guys working with me needed one to reach the top of the red. Guess it will depend on the shape & diameter of the tank.


wayne k
guam usa

Thanks for the info. Do you happen to have a picture of your work deck you could share?

 

[GAC05]

Thanks for the info. Do you happen to have a picture of your work deck you could share?

They were pretty ugly but I will see if I can find one.

wayne k
guam usa

 

[shoresigns]

Anybody have any tips on wrapping the top part of an aluminum tanker?

Uhh, be careful with your torch/heat gun?

 

[Signed Out]

Uhh, be careful with your torch/heat gun?

Brand new tanker.

 

[jfiscus]

Brand new tanker.

We've never been scared of these with the torch (yeah being a new tanker doesn't hurt) even though some of them look like they might have already "tested them out" so to speak. The ones our guys here are scared of are the aircraft refueling trucks at the local airport...

 

[Signed Out]

We've never been scared of these with the torch (yeah being a new tanker doesn't hurt) even though some of them look like they might have already "tested them out" so to speak. The ones our guys here are scared of are the aircraft refueling trucks at the local airport...

I used to work as a welder on all sorts of trailers/tankers. It is safer to weld on a tank/tanker full of fuel than one that had/has some fuel or was just emptied and may still have some vapors. Best to have them steam cleaned before any welding though. But as with anything, that isn't always an option, or a feasible one anyway..