I looked for it but couldn’t the post I had about the tags I use for fuel cans. So…let’s do that again.
Here’s the thing: I store my fuel cans outside. Usually under some type of cover, but always outside. Since I try to rotate fuel on a fairly regular basis, I need to know when a particular can of fuel was filled. Any written paper tags would disintegrate from moisture, plastic tags would crack and fade from sun and UV, chalk marks are wildly temporary, and that really leaves only one option – metal tags.
Here’s what I do. It works for me, it might work for you. YMMV.
Tools and materials:
- Pointy thing..nail, screwdriver, etc.
- Empty pop/beer can
- Pair of scissors you don’t mind getting dull
- A few inches of paracord
I cut up a pop can and get myself a piece of aluminum about 1″x2″. Pick a size that works for you.
Put the aluminum flat on a firm but somewhat yielding surface…a piece of wood, a phone book, etc. Using the pointy object, scrive the date into the soft aluminum. Punch a hole in the tag youve just created and loop the paracord through it.
Tie tag onto fuel can.
End of story.
I’m sure someone is going to say “I just write the date on a piece of duct tape with a Sharpie and slap it on the gas can. Works fine because I keep my fuel cans in a garage/shed/bunker/etc.” Well yay for you. Thing is, you don’t know with absolute certainty those cans will always be in that sheltered location until such time as you use them. You may have to hurriedly heave them in the back of your truck at 3am on some rainy night, or leave them sitting in the snow for a few hours as you shuttle them to another location, or you may have to store them outside for some reason. Point is, to my way of thinking it makes sense to plan around the more-worse case scenarios. I keep my gas cans as covered and protected as possible…but the real world has a way of throwing a monkey wrench into plans…so, for me: metal date tags that are impervious to sun,UV, moisture, snow, etc. And, yeah, I could ziptie them to the gas cans but then we’re bag to the UV/sun/freezing damage that occurs to plastics…paracord works for me although a true suspenders-and-a-belt guy will use a twist of wire to affix the tags to the can.
This has been your DIY tip for the week.
I like it. Great idea for a durable tag that is easily made. Do you keep several empty tags for when you use the fuel and the original date no longer applies ? You just fill in new date and go on.
Often I just scratch out the old date and carve a new one on the same tag.
COKE I took you for a Royal Crown kinda guy
I drink far too much of the stuff. My pancreas is, like, the second strongest muscle in my bpdy.
I used to make tree tags for marking the tree species that I planted at the BOL exactly the same way. I had a problem though with the hole that they hung from tearing out. My solution, my cousin gave me a piece of leftover aluminum roof flashing and I cut an appropriate size tag and I use a set of cheap letter punches from Harbor Freight to put the name on with.
The flashing is slightly thicker but much more tougher and still easily cut with tin snips.
Hey, Took this idea from you a few years ago and it works like a charm!
First thing I thought of when I saw the pics, was how you are gonna slice your hand open on that tag one day.
I have a side hustle laser engraving.. do retirement guns for some of the local agencies and stuff.. if you want a early paratus present I can get some quarter sized blanks and engrave a set for ya.. two for each month? Wouldn’t be as large (or hazardous) as snipped tin, and wouldn’t be the exact day, but +/- two weeks should be close enough?
Hey, thats a nice thought but I think I’m okay with things the way they are. Sounds like a nice side gig youve got going on.
Basically, a dog tag ….
Since most of my fuel cans all look pretty similar, I’m a fan of these type of color-coded vinyl tags hanging on the handle – easy on, easy off. I use Blue for Non-Ethanol, Green for Diesel, Yellow for kerosene and Red for just regular gasoline. – dated via Sharpie. I found an assortment of 25 of each color for sale. Each tag can be reused a number of times by just writing a new date on it. They seem to be pretty well impervious to moisture and other environmental forces and the color coding is good human-factoring.
https://www.amazon.com/Blank-Vinyl-Tags-Size-Yellow/dp/B00J8SJ2YK/ref=sr_1_20?dchild=1&keywords=paper+tags+with+wire&qid=1622551535&sr=8-20
FWIW, at Hobby Lobby, they sell small aluminum, copper, and brass tags and steel stamp lettering/numbering sets.
Even if you use the can tags, the stamp sets will imprint a date with a coupla taps.
Just saying.
Grease pencil to write date on gas cans works great.
When you refill paper towel and fuel rubs off old date and write new date.
Just spent $500 to get truck running.
Put unmarked old gas in, approximately
3 gallons, killed truck. Lesson learned….
This is a great idea, but being a diabetic I don’t have any pop cans around. While I only have 6 gas cans I do cycle through them in the same way you do yours. What I use to keep track of them is metal fire extinguisher tags. I simply use a hole punch on the month/year the can gets filled up and that gives me an estimate as to the age of the gas.
Question :I have paint thinner/laquer thinner 5gal metal cans available,does anyone know if they are appropriate for storing kerosene? They look identical(or stronger-higher vapor pressure). I have tried googling but only get adds back or random disinformation
This method is also how you make “gloves” to handle concertina wire-tape flattened section of can to glove and wire can be handled,even “cut proof” butchers gloves don’t protect from it. They don’t last long but only way I know to handle the stuff.
Why take chances in order to save ten bucks? Buy purpose-made kerosene containers at Home Depot or something. What you propose probably would work, but to my way of thinking it isnt worth the risk of spillage, leakage, etc. (and the cleanup) to save the cost of a couple Wendy’s drive thru trips.
Those are almost all plastic and I vastly prefer metal for possible long term storage. Unless they are on deep discount even the cheap ones are 2x-3x.