jja Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 I got a propane cannister stuck upside down in a cup. How do I get it out without a) causing a small explosion, or b) ruining my oh so yuppie ti cup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracked Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 Epoxy some twine to the cannister, then yank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jja Posted December 1, 2003 Author Share Posted December 1, 2003 The low tech steak knife didn't work and I already tried the uber geeky approach of putting the whole thing in the freezer, then running hot water on the outside of the cup thinking I'd heat the cup quickly causing it to expand and the cannister would still be cold, the differential would then magically free the cannister .. no such luck. This cup was expensive!! .. let me go see if I can find some epoxy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klenke Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 Interesting. You could try this: It looks like the canister is a little below the lip of the cup. Because of this, it may be possible to turn the whole thing upside down, put a hard object like a board over the base of the cup, put the whole thing down on a hard floor, and whack the board real hard with a hammer (mallet would be better). This might force the canister down so that its base now comes even with the lip of the cup, thus freeing it sufficiently. If not, you won't have harmed anything. But then you've probably already tried that. Another possible solution is to try to fill the cavity between inner cup and canister with water because it is incompressible (if there is a gap where the water can be poured in). Next, quickly turn the whole thing over in a shallow water basin such that you don't replace the water back to air. You can now whack the base of the cup and not make a splash if the base of the cup is above the water level. The incompressibility of water sometimes forces the two apart (at least this has worked for me in the past once or twice when I got two things stuck together like that). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazyboy Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 Interesting problem. What have you tried so far? Maybe try cooling the gas cannister and heating the cup. Maybe put some ice cubes in the depression in the cannister. Maybe try spraying something like wd40 around the edge in the hopes that it will seep in along the edges. If worst comes to worst you could probably puncture the cannister. How full is it? Just be careful and do it outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jja Posted December 1, 2003 Author Share Posted December 1, 2003 Maybe try cooling the gas cannister and heating the cup. Maybe put some ice cubes in the depression in the cannister. I tried something similar, but it didn't work. Maybe try spraying something like wd40 around the edge in the hopes that it will seep in along the edges. Didn't have any wd40 handy so I used olive oil, didn't work. If worst comes to worst you could probably puncture the cannister. How full is it? Just be careful and do it outside. I'm sure this would work, are you volunteering? I think I'll try Klenke's first suggestion, I'm not sure I understand the second one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin_B Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 I think the epoxy idea is a good idea. That stuff is way strong. just epoxy on a nice handle onto the canister so you can get the leverage you need, then pull those suckers apart. You also might try sliding/forcing something down the side like a thin nail file, thin metal scale/ruler, slim jim, etc and try to pry them apart (although it is likely you'll just bend your tool). If all else fails just return it to REI.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 Neither freezing or heating will work because of the properties of titanium and because of the structure of the cannister, which is designed for hight pressure. If I'm reading this correctly you got this stuck at altitude and the suction of the negative pressure is keeping the canister snug in there. If that is the case I would try heating the bottom of the cup causing the air to expand inside the cup. If you have a suction cup I'd then stick that on the canister and try to rip it out. The other option is to immerse it in water for a while and the deeper down the better. The vaccum and the pressure of the water will force the water in there until it reaches equilibrium and then you should be able to get the canister out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin_B Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 Another idea is to hold the cup firmly and then swing/whip it real hard and maybe the momentum of the canister will dislodge it. (hard to explain but kind of like when your ketchup bottle is almost empty and you give it a good whip to send it all down to the neck). Better to try this outside and better if the canister is full. Hold on tight and whip it hard (with the canister facing away from you obviously). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_harpell Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 mabe try pushing on one side of the canister? to try and tilt it out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jja Posted December 1, 2003 Author Share Posted December 1, 2003 jon said: If I'm reading this correctly you got this stuck at altitude and the suction of the negative pressure is keeping the canister snug in there. I wish the story was that cool. No, I just threw a bunch of stuff in the trunk, the cannister ended up in the cup, and then got squashed in there by something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 PV=nRT baby!!! Heat that fucker up!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazyboy Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 quote: If worst comes to worst you could probably puncture the cannister. How full is it? Just be careful and do it outside. I'm sure this would work, are you volunteering? I am not volunteering but I have punctured empty or near empty cannisters to get them ready for recycling. I suppose though that there is always the danger of a spark causing ignition and that would not be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klenke Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 Did you try two screwdrivers at once to pry up and toward the radial center? If you use just one screwdriver, this sometimes doesn't work because the action of getting it in forces the canister tighter against the inner wall of the cup. If you use two screwdrivers diametrically opposed (if you can get two wedged in that way), then you may be able to get more leverage to pull the canister out. In regards to filling the cavity up with water, you would employ the same method as my first suggestion but now the water acts to better transfer the shock wave through that cavity from base of cup to canister. Can't really say if this would have any affect without having the SNAFU in front of me to look at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jja Posted December 1, 2003 Author Share Posted December 1, 2003 Success !! A big hammer solves all problems. Thanks Klenke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layton Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 screw the science bs. put the cup in a vise and get out your louisville slugger. wham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jja Posted December 1, 2003 Author Share Posted December 1, 2003 Only a little damage ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EWolfe Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 Now. How much are you selling the cup for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jja Posted December 1, 2003 Author Share Posted December 1, 2003 MisterE said: Now. How much are you selling the cup for? Can you tell that I'm infatuated with my new digital camera? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazyboy Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 How come all that titanium stuff is made in Japan? Are they the only ones that know how to do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 Lazyboy said: How come all that titanium stuff is made in Japan? Are they the only ones that know how to do it? They buy it from Russia Far East and the transport cost is low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracked Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 jja said: MisterE said: Now. How much are you selling the cup for? Can you tell that I'm infatuated with my new digital camera? No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 Lazyboy said: How come all that titanium stuff is made in Japan? Are they the only ones that know how to do it? natural titanium is mined from godzilla droppings. the outskirts of tokyo are the richest titanium deposits in the world. wonder why crime is so low in japan? just ask those exiled to a life in the mines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 Sadly, this was probably the most interesting thread on this site in a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 iain said: Lazyboy said: How come all that titanium stuff is made in Japan? Are they the only ones that know how to do it? natural titanium is mined from godzilla droppings. the outskirts of tokyo are the richest titanium deposits in the world. wonder why crime is so low in japan? just ask those exiled to a life in the mines you are confusing titanium and technitium Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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