The Side Hustle Thread (split from Bees with AZD)

Quote: Fleastiff

I'm told that there are some power lines that are simply too expensive to shut down and men work on them live. Well trained, reliable equipment and I assume very high pay.

When I was a kid, we (i.e., me and other neighborhood kids) found out that throwing wire coat hangers up on the power lines near our houses caused quite a show.

Lots of sparks, and some even burst into flames. It also caused the power in the neighborhood to go on and off -- so it wasn't too long before a savvy adult discovered what was going down, and came out and gave us the 3rd degree.

Fun while it lasted.

Pretty sure kids would set off a nuke if anyone left one around. Act first, think later.

Quote: rxwine

Pretty sure kids would set off a nuke if anyone left one around. Act first, think later.

Yeah, some pipeline burst and everyone for blocks could smell and even taste gasoline area.... then along came three kids and one of them wondered if a BBQ lighter would do anything... it did. Instantly.

Quote: rxwine

Pretty sure kids would set off a nuke if anyone left one around. Act first, think later.

When I was 8 we found a paper bag full
of 22 cartridges. Had to be at least 100
of them. So of course we got the burn
barrel going and threw them in. I've heard
that ammo going off that way has no
real power, but we didn't know that. The
barrel was full of bullet holes when it
was over, somebody must have shot
it at one time. We went around for years
telling our story of how we had escaped
death. Idiots.

I'm not certain. A barrel and rifling sure helps, but people have been killed by blanks.

Quote: Fleastiff

I'm not certain. A barrel and rifling sure helps, but people have been killed by blanks.

In a fire, cartridges are no more harmful
than firecrackers.

Quote: Evenbob

In a fire, cartridges are no more harmful
than firecrackers.

Intellectually I know there are several reasons this is true. However, if Jamie and Adam ask me to help prove it I will have them PM you instead.

Quote: Fleastiff

I'm told that there are some power lines that are simply too expensive to shut down and men work on them live. Well trained, reliable equipment and I assume very high pay.

Power lines get worked on live all the time. Depends on what needs to be done and what problems it will cause if shut down. Also lots of work can only be done with the line de-energized. Voltage eventually comes into to play, when it is a 500K volt transmission line not much can be done hot.

Quote: Evenbob

In a fire, cartridges are no more harmful
than firecrackers.

Seems like that would be mostly true.

You set a bullet straight up on a table and put a torch to it and see if it goes into the ceiling when it goes off? Seems like there's a good chance that would still be dangerous if you were in the way. If a bullet was positioned just right against a surface, doesn't seem like it would be too safe.

But maybe I'm wrong. Someone else can prove it.

Quote: rxwine

Seems like that would be mostly true.

You set a bullet straight up on a table and put a torch to it and see if it goes into the ceiling when it goes off? Seems like there's a good chance that would still be dangerous if you were in the way. If a bullet was positioned just right against a surface, doesn't seem like it would be too safe.

But maybe I'm wrong. Someone else can prove it.

A bullet acts similarly to a pressure vessel. When the powder is ignited, energy is released and exerts force spherically. When inside a gun, that forced is blocked on all sides but one by the structure of the gun. That one "side" is the barrel, and the bullet it propelled outwards in a controlled fashion.

Outside of a gun, it is little more than a very tiny pipe bomb. Pressure is exerted on all sides and all sides are open. It simply pops.

There is certainly a danger of shrapnel. All non combustible parts of a cartridge are metal, after all. But for something like a .22, about the only real danger is your eyes. Any other wound would likely be completely superficial.

I still have some vision left, so I need both eyes.