On Fri, 6 Apr 2001, Randall Young wrote:
:
:Michael :
:
:You're right, Rex didn't say it happened to him. My bad.
:
:But let me ask you this : do you pick up the user's manual and read it every
:time you use a tool ? If not, what difference does it make whether you
:forget what's in the user's manual, or what was in the basic course in shop
:practice ? Do you even know where the user's manual for your grinder is ???
:(I don't)
I know where mine is: with the original owner, as it came from a pawn shop.
:
:Yes, I know that thermite is made from aluminum and iron, although the
:description that Rex posted sounds nothing like a thermite fire to me.
:Setting it off with hot sparks has to be fluke, it's usually tough to light
:(burning magnesium is one way). But any course on metalworking should tell
:you that aluminum will burn, clean up your aluminum chips.
Plain Al dust is explosive. I suspect this is what went Boom! in the posted
story, the fact that is was hot iron that caused the explosion is
incidental. I very distinctly remeber a chemistry class demonstation of an
Al dust fire. That was done with very fine dust and a richer oxygen
environment than normal. It was still quite impressive: a couple pinches
of Al dust caused a 3 foot fireball.
:
:And if I injure myself through carelessness or ignorance (or a Darwinian
:moment, whatever that may be), I'll take responsibility for it, not blame
:someone else because "they should've told me". I never planned on living
:forever, anyway.
Indeed, but it seems that far too many people don't believe this anymore.
--
dscheidt@tumbolia.com
Bipedalism is only a fad.
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