custom built grey tank on my 73 safari?

[aaumpine]

Has anyone built their own grey tank. I was thinking about using .125 aluminum to build whatever size tank that was required to fit behind the axles of our safari. Are there fittings that can be purchased to accomplish this?
On another note. I've been learning from the vast amount of info offered on this sight. Totally amazed at how much I've learned here. To think I only had a passing admiration for Airstreams until about 4 months ago a 1973 safari kinda fell into my lap . I've been patiently reading almost every day on all the scenarios that I am expecting. I don't have to do a full monte for I've only found two bad spots of floor rot that I believe are coming from my front vent. My floor rot is on both sides of the vent. Steve at Vintage Trailer talked to me about twenty minutes after I ordered 2 gallons of removall. He'll definetly be getting my business. It seems that the Airstream crowd is just cool as the airstreams themselves!
Well I need to quit rambling and go to bed. How about that grey tank question?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by aaumpine

Has anyone built their own grey tank. I was thinking about using .125 aluminum to build whatever size tank that was required to fit behind the axles of our safari. Are there fittings that can be purchased to accomplish this?
On another note. I've been learning from the vast amount of info offered on this sight. Totally amazed at how much I've learned here. To think I only had a passing admiration for Airstreams until about 4 months ago a 1973 safari kinda fell into my lap . I've been patiently reading almost every day on all the scenarios that I am expecting. I don't have to do a full monte for I've only found two bad spots of floor rot that I believe are coming from my front vent. My floor rot is on both sides of the vent. Steve at Vintage Trailer talked to me about twenty minutes after I ordered 2 gallons of removall. He'll definetly be getting my business. It seems that the Airstream crowd is just cool as the airstreams themselves!
Well I need to quit rambling and go to bed. How about that grey tank question?

Aluminum would corrode way to fast.

Use plastic, fiberglass or stainless steel.

Andy

[Aerowood]

Ditto on Andy's advice. I work with aluminum daily and have all the tools to fabricate an aluminum or stainless tank, so I have decided to go with poly. All of the fitting that you will need are readlily available for plastic and would be difficult to find or costly to fabricate for stainless or aluminum.

[aaumpine]

Aerowood,

I've seen a few of your projects. Nice work! I also can use stainless and might still go in that direction just to avoid the hassles with ordering and being able to say I built it. From the looks of your work I think you can understand where i'm coming from. Building my own would also let me maximize my tank capacity. Do you think they sell fittings I can use or do you still think I should try to order one? I have years of fabrication experience and all the tools I need.

Aaron

[FLYNCLD]

You can take a look at what we have done for a gray tank on our 62 Flying Cloud at:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/blog...tallation-144/

[mandolindave]

Somewhere I saw pics of a gray tank made of 4" PVC pipe run up and down the length of the trailer.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by aaumpine

Aerowood,

I've seen a few of your projects. Nice work! I also can use stainless and might still go in that direction just to avoid the hassles with ordering and being able to say I built it. From the looks of your work I think you can understand where i'm coming from. Building my own would also let me maximize my tank capacity. Do you think they sell fittings I can use or do you still think I should try to order one? I have years of fabrication experience and all the tools I need.

Aaron

Aaron.

Ths basic problem with fabing metal tanks, is that the other fittings that you need, are not compatible with metals.

You will need an inlet, a vent, and an outlet fitting. They are basically only available in plastic.

That being the case, they can easily be attached to a plastic tank, or a fiberglass tank.

Working with fiberglass is easier than "mud pies."

You can make flat sheets, cut them to size, and glass them together. Cutting the holes is then very easy, and, if you make an error, so what, glass it back over and start again.

Andy

[Aerowood]

Originally Posted by aaumpine

Aerowood,

I've seen a few of your projects. Nice work! I also can use stainless and might still go in that direction just to avoid the hassles with ordering and being able to say I built it. From the looks of your work I think you can understand where I'm coming from. Building my own would also let me maximize my tank capacity. Do you think they sell fittings I can use or do you still think I should try to order one? I have years of fabrication experience and all the tools I need.

Aaron

Well, that being the case, go for it. Gray tank would most likely be easier then black. You could just use stainless tubing for the vent hookup and the drain pipe. I agree with doing it yourself for that perfect fit. How big are you looking at? Are you going to keep it within the confines of the belly pan and use the stock drain hookup location.

I found a place locally that sells a 11.6 gal spun tank. I am going to use two, possibly three ganged together with a common vent on one side and a common drain on the other.

Please post plenty of pictures of your install.

[aaumpine]

I'll keep the camera handy. It's a few weeks down the line but something I think I'll need. I have a 20 month old a seven year old and an eight year old. It would help us if we didn't have to use the bath house for them. In case there are no hook ups.

[danalee]

What is a "blue" tank.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by danalee

What is a "blue" tank.

A portable tank with wheels and a handle.

It's used outside of the trailer, to capture the "gray" water, through the sewer hose.

Andy

[aaumpine]

I'm aware of the blue tanks but the way I see It I'll eventually sell our Safari to get something bigger. It can only help in the re-sale. I have read more than once about refurbing for a potential buyer as well as taking care of our own needs.While I have the belly exposed I think the time is right to make a move on a tank. I might get a blue tank for a back up.