Wed May 16, 2007 4:15 am
Nemrod was marketed in the USA by Seamless Rubber Company. Seamless bought 1800 psi tanks which had been designed to be fire extinguishers. They were not fire extiguisher tanks and then used as scuba, as the marking denote. CO2 solidifies at 1800 psi, so a greater pressure rating is not needed. Low pressure tanks were common so the 1800 psi was okay for the period. They have the toes to allow them to stand up.
My triples, seen in the avitar, are 1954 Broxton 44 cu ft tanks, with a working pressure of 2600 psi. They came hot dip galvanized. They looked bad after 25 years in my mother's basement and I could not get Naval Jelly needed to restore their original look. Some things are hard to find in Australia and that is one of them. I sprayed galvanized (zinc) paint on them and then covered them with grey spray paint.
You can get Naval Jelly at Home Base and other large hardware stores. It will make your galvanized tanks look like new. Use gloves and eye protection and have water handy. Use your wife's stainless steel kitchen sink, when she is out and won't catch you. Cap the tank, and don't let the stuff inside. The dark color will return, so you will need to seal the tank to keep the new look. In any case the patina that returns, will usually look better than the way most old tanks appear. Good Luck.