Acetylene torches scare the bejeesus outta me

[Filliam H. Muffman]

Mini 9 wrote:
That's why I don't want to buy CNG cars like the Civic GX

CNG is totally different than acetylene. The latter is prone to explode all by itself without oxygen at pressures over 4 PSIG. I think CNG vehicles are safer than hydrogen vehicles.

[Jimmypoo]

Friend used to fill black garbage bags with acetylene, then light them in various ways, all for a massive
explosion.

So the guy with the experience was gone one day, but his garage was open, and my other friends
(I wasn't there) decided to make another Hefty bomb. The bag is filling, but they were never told
about how bad static electricity is... and never noticed the owner always opened, reversed and
re-reversed bags to be fully open.

So it "blew up REAL good!" about 1/2 way through the process, completely burning off their clothes
from the knees down, all the hair on their legs, of course, shoes smoldering, the hair on their
heads looking just like a 3 Stooges clip, and worst of all, ringing in their ears that lasted for a few weeks.

Since they happened to be near their built in barbecue (I think the bag was leaning on it or on top of it)
they never found the lid to it. And then that kid, 17 at the time, had to fight his father off of him
(old country) who beat the hell out of him for NOT killing himself! (you know... that classic "I hope
he's alive!" and when he discovered the boom didn't kill the kid, he helped smack him at least half way there!)

[Numo]

Jimmypoo wrote:
It's why I never go to bed or bathe with a one that is lit. Simple common sense.

Or how about flossing with one? Lots of folks forget that, too.

[katkramer]

It took me about 10 years to get up the courage to light my jeweler's "little torch" that's oxy-acetylene. By that time, the hoses were bad!

I got it now...and haven't blow up the house...yet!

[wave rider]

My first college did/does research for the Navy, blowing up shipborne missiles and cataloging the debris scatter. Glad I didn't get that job on work/study...

So, C4 was pretty easy to come by as were large granules of gunpowder. The gunpowder was fun to light on one end and toss under someone's dorm room door. It would spin on the floor until burning enough mass to attain liftoff, then it would fly and disappear when completely burnt. Made a bitchin' sputtering noise. Paul F. might know about these large granules, I think they were used in the cannon to shoot at the missiles. Bigger than a pencil erasure...

My friends did come up with 50 pounds of C4 that they blew up at a party in the desert in the middle of the night. Gave themselves lots of room, except for the late-coming car that almost got blown up... They said the shock wave was amazing...

Ah, youth.

We did use calcium-carbide lamps the one time I went into the mines with them, that was spooky.

=wr=

[Speedy]

For a really big bang store the acetylene regulator end down, draining just a spritz everyday until the acetone is bled off.

[Mini 9]

I am sure this thread has already been flagged by DHS.