A story I have to share...

[CompactTractorFan]

This happened long before I was born but I have to share it anyway...My Grandfather was a welder (he used to own a ironworks). One time he needed to weld a gas tank on one of his cars. He flushed out the tank but there was still vapors left. Since he was concerned about an explosion, he took old mattresses and attached them to himself to protect him. As you might guess once he started welding it exploded and he came out unscathed. I just thought I would share...

NOTE: All this information was passed down several times before it reached me.

 

[whistlepig]

No matter how much I have learned in life I do not think that I will ever be as wise as my grandfather. And I don't consider that to be a bad feeling. Just a goal.

 

[TWD]

Why did he empty the tank then weld it

 

[gauthier]

Cause the tank was full of gas,,than he flushed it[with water I guess?],,,,yep,,,them gas tanks....anyways,,your grandpa survived it cause he took precautions,,,my grandpa had a mole on one butt cheek that he suddenly got worried might be cancer when he was 70 something,,he burnt it off with one of them copper heat in fire,soldering irons,,long story short,he got infection and had to go to doctor,,,but,,he got the mole off...:laughing:[I take after my grandpa]

 

[4shorts]

I think the moral of the story here is that your Grandpa would get all wrapped up in his work :laughing:

 

[6011Artist]

I saw a guy weld several gas tanks that were never washed out by hooking metal flex pipe to an old Chrysler New Yorker and attaching the other end in the gas tank, wrapping wet towels to seal it. Gave it a few minutes to fill up with exhaust fumes and started wire welding away on it.

He says he welded a storage tank with 50 gallons of gas still in it with the same method. Know a guy that was with him and he confirmed it was a true story.

I saw it, but still not going to try it.

 

[Cat_Driver]

When I was a kid I was pouring gas into a glass and as it filled up it caught on fire from a flame several feet away.

I was in out garage which was under the house so when the glass of gas caught fire I jerked and the gas spilled all over my hand. Now I had two choices, one was to drop the glass of gas and run, the other was to let my hand burn and slowly place the glass gown.

Hmmm, one I get burned the other I burn the house down and I have a split second to make up my mind. I chose to burn and let the glass down slowly.

Luckily it was winter and I shoved my hand in the snow then put a pail over the glass of gas which smothered it.

With gas It's all about fumes. The fumes can catch a flame many feet away.

 

[jcims]

When I was a kid I was pouring gas into a glass and as it filled up it caught on fire from a flame several feet away.

I was in out garage which was under the house so when the glass of gas caught fire I jerked and the gas spilled all over my hand. Now I had two choices, one was to drop the glass of gas and run, the other was to let my hand burn and slowly place the glass gown.

Hmmm, one I get burned the other I burn the house down and I have a split second to make up my mind. I chose to burn and let the glass down slowly.

Luckily it was winter and I shoved my hand in the snow then put a pail over the glass of gas which smothered it.

With gas It's all about fumes. The fumes can catch a flame many feet away.

lol, reminds me of a time when my brother, a friend and i were 'playing with fire' in an old shed at the friends house (i think i was 10 or 11). Some brushes were soaking in a coffee can with couple inches of gas in it, so we would pour little puddles of the gas on the dirt floor and light it. For one reason or another, the friend decides to pour a few drops of gas on top of the lit flame, while brother and i were huddled around.

Well, we all know how that story is going to go, flame rides right up the stream and into the can. Friend wasn't quite as clear headed though and just *throws* the coffee can, and i happen to be right in the way. Next thing i remember is the wooosh wooosh wooosh of my flaming pant leg as i'm running through a field behind the shed. Suddenly i hear 'stop drop and roll!' shouting in my head, so I hit the deck and start rolling like a fool. The fire goes out and the two dorks are in the shed laughing their butts off.

No damage, but there was no way to hide that smell and we got the dickens when we got home.

 

[J_J]

People don't think about the vapors and wind direction.

YouTube - Funny: How NOT to light a bonfire....

Funny? not so funny.

 

[lucky llama]

That video is a good reminder of just how dangerous gas and matches can be. That fellow is lucky to have escaped unharmed.