Scott NC

Thats nice! I use a similar method for making turtle shells for my metal sculptures. I get a leg up on the wood form forming part of it by using a chainsaw attachment on my 4-1/2" angle grinder. Not for everybody, but less smoke! Scott.

This is a good reason to have redundant tools for the same purpose in the shop. Georges idea is probably best for what you may have on hand. I wore my arm out and decided to build a power hacksaw. You may not be able to do that or buy a new bandsaw, torch or what have you, but extra shop supplies are also a good idea. I bent a sawzall blade the other day and beat it halfway straight with a hammer to where it would somewhat fuction and got the job done. Guess I ran out of "back up" supplies too... Scott

Power on my southpaw friends (no offense you righties!). I wrote this with my left handed cell phone

This atmosphere is getting too caustic for me!

I've worked with lye before but never soaked anything in it. Yes, Thomas, no chloramine gas for me please. I always thought it was chlorine gas but google says chloramine.

I dont mean to pry, but what role does the temperature play? It is not well known but I am a big fan of corrosion/rust. The faster it happens the better. Except on my truck and mower deck. I wonder how sodium hydroxide would work.

Frosty, it's an old video but I would say 5 minutes. I used old broken industrial bandsaw blades on it and they have aggressive teeth. I had to use a plasma cutter on the blade mounting holes after destroying several drill bits. Thanks mutant. The motor currently on it is 1/4 hp but I think it had a old unknown washing machine motor on it to start with. Im really glad the link thing worked. I thought a you toob picture would show up with it though. Kind of fun.

Heres a power hacksaw I cobbled together years ago because I tired of using my arm and couldnt afford an Enco. There is no lift mech on the backstroke and isn't osha ok. I've never put anything on you tube, this is an experiment so delete/move if it chews up too much bandwidth or whatever. https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=UQ7YmcBbmaU

Rats! I might have to change my avatar photo. Ole whiskers is getting boring. Haha, I thought you were calling it Igor the Eyesore before I read on. I bet that lift comes in handy. I have nothing that high to reach. Now if it came with all terrain tires.....

If its inoperable at the moment, perhaps a couple of heavey duty come alongs or chainfalls would work. Just be careful! Looks like a job to take apart.

Almost our entire food supply depends on these chemicals and other "stuff". I drove past the city sewage plant today and the stench was unbelievable. They are selling the solid by-product as soil amendment to local gardeners and farmers. Horrific indeed Frosty. It blew their port and city to pieces.

I am not surprised. We used Hexane. There was a 6' vapor wall around the place to contain the fumes if there was a line break as it is heavier than air. I think some old ethanol plants still use conical screw presses to get the oil out. They are probably antiquated and doomed for bankruptcy.

They want rid of it in most cases! The problem lies in unloading it when YOU need to. I've been downsizing big time. I wish I'd have met someone like me when I was starting out. I quit picking that wreck some time ago but had fun there. I should have stated that I suppose....

I have been turned down more times than not. Preservation from rot, rust and decay is not very high on most owners priority list. Doesn't hurt to ask, though. I consider it a challenge.

I should say it "follows" me home, after every visit. I found a spot on a defunct rail line near me where a train hauling bentonite went off the tracks and they just pushed all the smaller debris off to the side and left it. Spikes, sleepers, rail, springs, car parts... you name it. It covers an area about 1/8 to 1/4 mile long and you can stand in one spot and scan the ground and take your pick. I make small piles to come back for later when I have too much to carry. I found a semi-buried coupler once. I stubbed my toe on it as it was in a grassey area. After it rains a few times there is always something new uncovered but you have to wait until it dries out because wet bentonite is slick and when you fall down in it, it's hard to get back up! I asked permission to scavenge the area and got some funny looks but it was worth it. I found a rr spike so corroded you could use it for a toothpick but still tell what it was. Sorry for all the photos but I compressed them the best I could. Scott.

You should partialy melt a junk one sometime and leave it in an obvious place. May have been suggested before? I can think of more ideas...

I'll have a grin on my face the rest of the day.... Thanks.

Its too bad most books and magazines dont retain their value. You can't give them away. Our library used to take them for their annual sale but I guess they got swamped and stopped. Im moving, so books are a big problem. I found a drive thru liquer store that takes them for a charitable cause, so we have just started dropping off our unwanted ones there. We are putting a few of the keepers in each box packed with lighter stuff to spread out the weight. I have totes of Rock and Gem magazines, Iron Men Albums, Old West and on and on. What to do with them all... I found that when deciding what to pitch and what to keep, do NOT start reading/browsing through them. "Why I can't part with this...." "I might like to read these on a cold, wintery old night". You must be impartial. Ruthless. Cold blooded even. I haven't gotten very far.

rocksrar.esq, thc is an oil so I assume it is extracted using the same process on a much smaller scale. We didn't have explosion proof doors, not to mention interlocks. Though, all components, motors, pumps, sensors, etc.. from start to finish were interlocked, so one broken cotter key or hot bearing and down she went. It was a behemoth to start back up. They did cable the steel building siding to the structural beams inside. No cell phones, key fobs, zippos and so on. All the electrical and mechanical components were "special construction". Very expensive. We had some hair raising adventures in there.

Right up until there is a colossal coronal mass ejection. Then... Ps - I found a can of rusty old hinges cleaning out the cellar today.

Tom Swift Jr had his atomic jet and I read his adventures in the 1960's. Does Johhny Sokko and His Flying Robot belong in this conversation? Who cares! Brain novacaine.... I like Verne too. Just look at the clothing and haircuts. Rotary phones. Ahh, the good ole days.

Tell me more....

I've read Isaac Asimov, H.G. Wells, Raybradbury and a few others, but I can tell I'm treading in deep water even posting this. I have heard of the Hitchikers Guide, but never read it. I will. I am but a neophyte in these smoky realms. Please forgive..... I did see a Rod Serling version of "How to serve man" on tee vee. So there.

I concur 100%. Theres a slew of interesting things I dont comment on, due to: priorities, time restraints, missed posts, but mostly lack of knowledge and experience on my part. I wasn't fishing, just blathering on and trying to have fun as usual. Thomas, is there a guidebook for us Tellurians? I sure could use one. Badly..... I googled "sol 3 guidebook" and came up with Sol Gel Synthesis and learned all about mechanical, optical, electrical and magnetic properties of sol-gel derived materials and the methods for their characterization such as diffraction methods and nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared and Raman spectroscopies.

I just noticed, my Pinocchio works in reverse. His nose grows when somebody else tells a whopper... Lol... It's been a long day. "I'm watching you... "Frosty"... or whatever your name really is.