One thing I recently made I have found very useful for other purposes besides its original intent..
Ever start working on something outside,and have to run back to the garage 300 times to fetch tools ?...I have,and hate that--next thing you know,half the garage is scattered all over the driveway or yard,and putting all that crap away after your beat from working sucks royally..
I saw a 275 gallon oil tank being given away on craigslist about 3 months ago,litteraly right down the street--it had been cut in half and already had a few fire pit uses to eliminate all the sludge and oil in it,the guy left the original pipe legs intact and had welded angled braces to one pair of them to the bottom of the tank to strengthen the pipes and mounts...
I intended orioginally to make it into a firewood log holder for the garage--I put two 4:00x8" wheelbarrow tires and rims I had hanging around on a 5/8" axle (ten bucks at Tractor Supply),and I welded 1/2" pipe across the pipe legs the guy had braced up, and slid the axle through it...I then made braces for the other pair of pipe legs too,welded them on..
I had planned to make two handles on the other end like a wheelbarrow--but soon realized I'd have to be Hercules to lift it up to wheel it around after tossing 500+ lbs of logs into it...screw that idea!
So,I scrounged up an old huge swivel caster wheel I had saved off something,that had a "brake" on it,and I rigged a mount to the two pipe legs on the other end,made it into a "trike"...it rolls nicely,one hand will push it with a full load now..and its quite stable too..
I put angle iron from bed frames around the top edges where it had been cut,to not only cover the sharp edges,but to beef it up more too,and make it look better..
I have used this thing a lot since building it...I would like to make another one,if I find another free oil tank..
I welded a "tongue" of flat stock 1/2" thick so I can pull it around the yard with my lawn tractors,on the caster wheel end,which hangs free when its hooked to the tractor..its so easy to push on concrete or asphalt I dont bother using the tractor ,but if I need to use it out in the yard I will...
I can put shovels,rakes,tools,parts,etc,in the tank,and use it as a trailer--another use I found for it,it makes a very handy work table,I had to cut some 4x8 sheets of plywood recently,and I was able to lay it on the top of the tank and use C clamps to clamp it to the angle iron,the lip on that faces inwards--cutting long sheets of plywood is a difficult task,this made it a lot easier...its the perfect height for me to use as a work table,to paint things--..
I have made a lot of things out of old 275 gal. tanks...wood stoves,fire pits,lawn tractor trailers---one kid I know who bought a Toyota pickup with no bed,he found two free oil tanks ,we cut them in half on the "flat side" ,cut off one end off each half,and welded them together to make a long "bed" for the truck...
He's a mason and hauls a lot of blocks,bricks,tools,a wheelbarrow,etc,and can even use the bed to mix mortar in!...he also welded angle around the cut top edges ..
We had planned to use the other tank cut & welded the same way,to make a hinged bed cover,but it was slightly different size,and probably would have been too heavy to lift too,you'd need gas struts or a hand crank winch to open the "lid"...
