Vacuum Cleaner Fuel Tank Explosion - Not Model A

jrelliott said:
They let these people vote and propagate. Think he should be given one of the Darwin awards that are published each year in "Machine Design". Hate to be sarcastic, but people need to have some common sense.
Click to expand...

Unfortuately as the saying goes "Common sense ain't so common..." :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
Jet aircraft run on a fuel similar to diesel just a Hi Grade Kerosene and it is as explosive pound per pound as dynamite under the right conditions.
 
Just for personal Model A safety's sake; Darwin Awards can be amusing; however, as a reminder:

1. With Model A's, we all work around highly volatile gasoline; and,

2. Especially with our obsolete, constant flow, Model A gravity type fuel system, as opposed to our modern fuel pumps, which cut off with the ignition switch; hence,

3. We can often experience constant tank shut-off valve leaks and carburetor leaks from vintage updraft carburetors; plus, quite a few hundred Forum complaints about leaking, smelling gasoline in our garages; and furthermore,

4. One thing to consider is, it is human nature to begin to become complacent when around dangerous material and equipment; for example,

5. In visiting several large cabinet making shops, it is easy to find senior "experienced" wood workers with missing fingers; and,

6. In checking same, our gunpowder factories usually lose "experienced" workers in explosive cartridge accidents; and,

7. "Experienced" Air Force pilots are not exempt from bombing friendly forces; and,

8. Many battlefield casualties are often caused by "experienced" senior soldiers.

Appears many of us daring, experimental individuals could agree, that now as seniors, many of us could have won a few "Darwin Awards" in our lifetime "if" we were "honest" enough to admit it. But who wants a Darwin Medal?
 
one night years ago my son came home with the fuel pump leaking badly on his camaro, I told him to not start that car for any reason.I left in the morning to go another property we own and he called the garage,they told him to drive over. By the the time I got to where I was going the fire whistle was blowing and I had a real bad feeling.I rushed to find the car a total loss. enough said.
 
I work at a machine shop and we had a shop vac that was full of debris plus aluminum shavings. Then the janitor took it and sucked out a toilet that will filled with muriatic acid to unclog it. The acid and alum reacts to for hydrogen gas which exploded from the motor sparks. The top blew off the vac hitting the janitor in the chest pretty good but didn't injure him. Scared him good though.
 
My late uncle taught me most of what I know. I went to him with my 54Merc that leaked gas when the tank was full. We dropped the tank and found a terry cloth rag between the tank and the floor pan. He had me wash the tank out 3 times with the hose, drying each time in the sun. Then he dropped a match inside the tank. The tank went POP and he said now it is safe to solder new metal over the holes(coffee can sides.) Golly I miss him
 
I had a renter in one of my houses that walked around at night with a hose and a gas can and stole gas and poured it into a tank in the garage. He sold it to his friends and that's how he paid his rent. One morning he turned on a flashlight to check his supply and blew up the garage, however he was unharmed. In fact I didn't see him for 3 days.
Then I evicted him.
 
The guy mentioned above, whose vacuum cleaner exploded and guest house burned, told me he had a crazy customer who would gas up in his 1960's or so pickup truck, leave the gas cap off, light a match which would produce a flame at the tank opening, and drive off .....
 
We had a "Mechanic" vacuum avfuel from a airplane tank. I was told there were flames shooting from the vacuum cleaner. Amazingly nothing happened. This started a joke that this particular individual just reinvented the jet engine.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top