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What’s The Melting Point Of Plastic Again?

Submitted by: dunno source via Submit a Kludge!

Favorite Comment: Fixer Gideon Wells says, “I keep getting distracted by that red and white sphere. Thoughts of a redneck slow cooking a pokemon inside a Pokeball through a makeshift crock pot keep echoing in my head.”

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  1. ParadoX says:

    That looks safer than sliced bread!

    • Quackoid says:

      Yeah yeah. Its all fun and games before some high idiot knocks the trash can over and kills everyone.

      • Herb says:

        Agreed. When everyone is killed INCLUDING the high idiot, its not all fun and games anymore.. (PS: Herb is my nickname and I am a girl.)

  2. Pat says:

    Volkswagen Thing FTW!

  3. kc/cc says:

    Forget about plastic– how about the hair on one’s head and arms?

  4. Stu says:

    An Olympic hot tub.

  5. cayenne says:

    the fire is way more interesting than the luke warm water

  6. Dru says:

    I like the sign on the side of it “Jethro’s Hot Tub”

  7. linfosoma says:

    Dinner’s ready!

  8. slapch0p says:

    As night falls on the Happy Trails Mobile Home park, the resourceful natives practice redneck multi-tasking as they simultaneously cook a pot of beans, warm themselves, burn their trash and heat the community swimming pool.

  9. Kyle says:

    That’s one giant Pokeball in that thar’ pool. Either that or a giant’s going fishing.

  10. Aladdin Lee says:

    Could be worse: throw gas over the pool, then light it up.

  11. Wow says:

    I’m more amazed that it actually might work than anything else.

  12. Jessica says:

    Can someone explain how that flaming trashcan works? I’m in the market for a snow-melting kludge. I assume that little thing next to the trashcan is a pump, but how is the fire separated from the water?

    • Czernobog says:

      I imagine there’s a copper tube in there.

    • deitarion says:

      A loop of metal pipe running from one external fitting to the other through the burning material, if they have any sense at all.

    • slapch0p says:

      There would have to be coils wrapped up in the trash can, like a whiskey still.(not that I’d know anything about that.)

    • Murphy says:

      There is probably some copper pipe in there, either coiled flexible pipe or some regular pipe in a grid possibly. There appears to be a connector between the plastic and the metal piping in the photo.

    • TexasDan says:

      Yeah, I’m thinking they’ve dumped gasoline on the top of a trashcan mostly filled with water. Look at the sharp transition where the galvanizing has survived down below (can is still cooler) and the not-so-galvanized portion on top. I’m thinking that transition is the water line. The inlet from the pool is pouring water down from the upper connection to the water below, and the only way that wouldn’t be putting the fire out is if it was some sort of gas fire on the surface. I’m betting its totally ineffective at heating the water up, but it’s sure to be exciting when they add more lighter fluid.

      • anametamystik says:

        Could this be early on in the process? Also, the can might be kept cool lower down by the coil (possibly running right up against the walls.

        Depending on the amount of tubing inside, it’s probably ineffective. However, if they gutted a used tankless water heater or radiator and have a decent wood/trash pile going underneath, then it’s got a chance of making the water hot enough to skinny dip at midnight on a cool night in Texas or Mexico.

        The correct way to kludge this would be with a radiator and a small number of cinder blocks and some duct work to form a J-shaped combustion chamber with fuel fed into the lower end of the J and the radiator on top. This is a rocket stove.

        Actually, I think they should have added a fan. Blast furnace ftw.

        • TexasDan says:

          Could be. I have a hard time imagining that they really kludged up a good heat exchanger in there, and would solder survive open flame? I dunno.

          I’m thinking they pulled the radiator out of an old VW bug. ;)

          • anametamystik says:

            Monotube boilers use a pump to circulate the water, but would require (obviously) a lot of tube, but, with the right tube bent around in there, there would be only a few strictly mechanical connections inside or simply the two soldered connections outside. Remember, they’re intending to make hot water, not steam.

            By evidence of the galvanization and the levels of the connectors, I’m wondering if they have a second trash can of flaming stuff inside the large trashcan (e.g. on cinder blocks and weighted down). This would be a very similar to a locomotive boiler. The constant flow of water would likely keep it cool enough to not melt the plastic or the solder.

            Either way, I want to order up some training manuals to become a real steampunk and actually build this the right and safe way.

            • flaillomanz says:

              Who needs “right” and “safe” when you have duct tape?

              • jinxed: The DPH fairy that hails from texas says:

                What are you trying to do? Get featured on thereifixedit . com?

              • anametamystik says:

                Duct tape does not hold up to these temperatures. Seriously.

                If he’s using a monotube boiler with walls that are thin enough to leak before they blow, then it’s reasonably safe for what it is.

                K+Y jelly, however, will be a necessary purchase. A fireman who shoveled coal on a historic locomotive told me the engines require water based lubricant to fit the parts together so as to avoid a steam explosion for reasons that currently escape me. You can imagine the look of the clerk in a pharmacy where he bought out the entire stock of K+Y.

                • flaillomanz says:

                  I think the “explosion” that you’re talking about is when the superheated, superexpansive steam swiftly splinters the boiler into shrapnel when either the heat melts through the boiler or the boiler is breached. Alliteration is awesome. (and also annoying.)

                • Bah says:

                  KY or K-Y. The letters are meaningless (today), but the names is trademarked, so there is a correct and well-defined spelling.

                  What. Lube is serious business.

                • Janx says:

                  My friend who was working special FX for a movie shoot had to buy out a store’s supply of KY one night. They needed more to make the monster all drippy and shiny wet looking.

      • charles says:

        a smaller can inside it with the fire in the small can the water in between. this would work like a old boiler

  13. Czernobog says:

    Fire, bathe with me.

  14. TexasDan says:

    It would be a whole lot simpler if they’d just plug in the toaster and chuck it in the deep end. Next to the hairdryer.

  15. Dogmeat says:

    I smell a lawsuit in the works, followed by the manufacturer adding a 5th warning label to the side of their swimming pools…a circle with a slash through a flaming trash can attached to a water pump.

  16. panzi says:

    “What’s The Melting Point Of Plastic Again?”
    Depends on the plasitc. Some burn (e.g. plexigalss (pmma)), some only mel. Som at high temperatures, some at low ones.

  17. lovejones says:

    I spy with my little eye, something made during world war 2.

  18. Gideon Wells says:

    I keep getting distracted by that red and white sphere. Thoughts of a redneck slow cooking a pokemon inside a Pokeball through a makeshift crockpot keep echoing in my head.

  19. 4c3T says:

    Ghetto-mod =0D

  20. GuitarroGal says:

    Well, looks like someone is getting into hot water there…

  21. Cat18688 says:

    I bet the pokemon in the pokeball is a fire-type :D

  22. dono1 says:

    Take your pick: fifty-degree pool water or third-degree burns.

  23. masterofkludge says:

    Its very clear how it works it takes water from the pool pumps it into a copper coil in the trashcan, the pump as well as the heat makes the water raise to the top and back into the pool

    This is pretty awesome probably get the whole thing for under $200.00 beats paying 4K for a Jacuzzi and then a high water bill. It portable too! About 20 years ago I was camping in hawaii and some guys did something similiar to make hot showers.

  24. Sarkasm says:

    Save chlorine.
    Turn your filter into a hellish pit of fire to roasts those germs.

  25. TheAntiCat says:

    Darwin Award Candidate. Nuff said.

  26. TheAntiCat says:

    “We’ve secretly switched out the water in the pool with gasoline. Lets watch.”

  27. Sarge says:

    **cue the dueling banjos and rusting trailer-part dwellings.**

  28. Chip says:

    I’ve seen a similar rig at a camping event ages ago, only it was a clawfoot bathtub with a hose running from the drain to a car radiator set over a wood fire, and then another hose going back over the side of the tub. No pump; I assume it worked by convection. If I’d gotten a picture, I’d have submitted it here already. :-)

  29. TheUltamate says:

    Is his head on fire or is it just me?

  30. Orto says:

    They’re stealing those poor hobo’s heating!

  31. nobby stiles says:

    there’s a car radiator in the flames. I wonder how long before they ran out of fuel and how tepid the water got.

  32. nobby stiles says:

    he’s squirting charcoal lighter fluid for added drama

  33. Azkyroth says:

    “What’s The Melting Point Of Plastic Again?”

    …which kind?

    And speaking of Kludges, why did I just have to practically pull a gun on the site to get it to actually honor my “log out” requests?

  34. PosterGrampa says:

    Forget the hot tub I WANT THAT VW THING O-o

  35. FromRightField says:

    The fact that there’s an old VW Thing in the background makes this priceless.

  36. nic says:

    Am definitely printing this and sticking it on the corkboard at work. I work at a BIG BOX store that sells these pools and people constantly ask me if we sell heaters for the water. As the answer is NO (not sure why – because the buyer gods are too stupid to realize that it’s something they should clue in on) I would LOVE just to have a secret giggle to keep to myself the next time someone asks. (Well, you know… i did see this picture one time…)

  37. Chris says:

    Love the VW Thing in the background. Hippy’s are definitely involved.

  38. matt says:

    Looks like buddies head is on fire :\ Any one with a brain would know that all that is a bad idea…

  39. Tudor says:

    Well, this must be coast-living people’s version of “fireplace”.

  40. Chris Meyer says:

    I’d love to know when this photo was taken…those VWs rusted away as fast as 1978 Trans Am’s

    • Anna Rexia says:

      Palm trees in the background. Definitely the southern US, probably SoCal, where there is no ice on the roads, and thus no salt to rust vehicles.

      • kc/cc says:

        Palm trees and salty sea air, maybe? I’d be happy to deal with that instead of snow and road salt right about now…

        *sigh*

    • debirlfan says:

      I did a massive double take when I saw this pic. I live in Connecticut, and there’s a yellow VW Thing just like that which lives about half a mile up the road from me. I don’t know where the Thing has been since the 70′s, but for the last couple years it’s been going past the house on a fairly regular basis, leading me to believe it’s someone’s daily driver.

  41. flaillomanz says:

    What I wouldn’t give for a good sharp pin right now.

  42. blkgrrl says:

    Some people just invite death by doing “stoopid” stuff; Darwin Awards all around!

  43. herds789 says:

    Jethro is in heated competition with his dead neighbor who submitted the ‘Of Course, Beer Was Involved’ kludge.

  44. flutterby6 says:

    I read Jethro on that sign and I immediately though NCIS. ♥ I love that show.

  45. dono1 says:

    You know Iron Chef must really be running out of ideas when they decide to make the cooking competition’s theme ingredient “swimming pool water”.

  46. kc/cc says:

    I think an easier recipe for hot tub would be, 1) periodically aim torch at water in center of pool for a bit, then 2) get obnoxious neighborhood kid to stir.

  47. kc/cc says:

    What this yard needs is a big stock tank.

    What’s that, you say? That would be tacky? Sorry, but I have some bad news for you…

    • Dad'sLilGaragePal says:

      you know you live in Kansas when….

      teh kiddies klamour for a stock tank and swim suits in teh summer timze!

  48. Fang Voelturi says:

    My reaction to this was the same as Nick’s in Left 4 Speed 2 when he saw the Spitter.

  49. jinxed: The DPH fairy that hails from texas says:

    Notice the guy on the right appears to be catching fire. heh.

  50. dono1 says:

    The Food Network presents: “BBQ with Bobby Flayme

  51. Captain Video says:

    Later on, if the party goes in the right direction and the cops aren’t around, this thing becomes Jethro’s Own Soup Tureen.

  52. Cozakaxo says:

    why is Poland Ball in the pool?

  53. John says:

    It’s the ultimate ghetto hot tub! Now available at the Home Depot.

  54. punkydoll says:

    sad thing is…..I work in the pool industry…and I have to tell people no to this all the time….*facepalm……

  55. LMAO @ GIDEON.
    And yeeeaaaah…When plastic heats up a lot it tends to release fumes….
    Which could explain this picture, really.

  56. Bob9801 says:

    I was trying to figure out how this was supposed to work. Then I saw the VW and, owning one myself, I was suddenly enlightened. This process is extremely safe.

  57. miranda barnett says:

    look pa a grill and hot tub in one

  58. Archangel says:

    Looks almost like someone is planning to deep fry whole pigs!

  59. mkztg says:

    This looks like the same people who floated a power strip (plugged in) in the pool on a flip flop…

  60. jake olton says:

    douche nozzle


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