Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967
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Posts posted by Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967
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A buddy of mine expressed that very concern when I did the same with my then new '84 Ford Ranger.
When I bought the truck, it came sans rear bumper. Hank scored a length of 4130 CrMo pipe, 70" long and 4 1/2" diameter, 3/8" walls. We welded 1/2" plugs into the ends, drilled and tapped for a Shraeder valve and an outlet valve. Nice bumper! Extended past the tailgate far enough to use as a step!
"You can't DO that, Hardpan!" ol' Stewballs exclaimed. "If you get hit that danged thing will be a BOMB!"
Doh! Well, lessee... in this case, we'd be looking at prob'ly a bit less than half a cubic foot of volume. At 150 psi, this bumper would hold mebbe a bit under five cubic feet of compressed air. One of the truck's tires would take approximately 3 cu ft of air at 32 psi. So, as a tank, it would be useful within limits. But! Did not do a Shraeder valve. Rather, used a brass fitting and plumbed in a small 12-volt compressor. Might take a while, but as long as the li'l truck had gas and a working generator, it was good to go. And worked well!
But back to the "bomb" issue: A standard oxygen tank, with 1/2" walls, is typically filled to 2,000+ psi; well within the design burst pressure strength of 6,750 psi. With a mere 1/8" less wall thickness, at 150 psi or less I surely was not a bit concerned about my bumper blowing up. IF I got hit hard enough to crack that bumper, I think I'd have more to worry about than a li'l "Hisssss...."
Now, perspective: The brackets were 3/8" flat stock, welded to the bumper and secured to the frame with 5/8" Grade 5 bolts and nuts. The frame had one round hole and one elongated hole on each side, to allow angle adjustment. So, one day coming off the Benicia Bridge, I was stopped for an accident. The woman in the Buick behind me was too busy looky-looing to see me and plowed right into that bumper. Her car was crushed to just for'd of the windscreen. If it wasn't totalled, it was damned expensive to repair. Me? Other than a lump on the back of my haid from the rear window, I effected major repairs with four replacement bolts and a rattlecan o' spray paint ~ it hit so hard that the bumper swung through the arc allowed by the elongated hole and sheared half through the original bolts.
That gal was PI$$ED~!
The same year, I had just parked in a parking structure near the Concord BART structure. Got out, reached inside for my coat and briefcase, and before I could close the door, the rear tires skidded as the truck moved sideways about four inches. I casually closed the door, and as I walked past the gentleman in the business suit who had just "parked" next to me staring aghast at the nice long and deep crease he'd just put in his new Mercedes with the end of my bumper.
And I don't remember for sure, but I honestly don't think that I even read that magazine!
Still have the ol' beast... but she's "in the weeds," now, retired about 25 years ago. Thinking of restoring her.
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Heck... the girl was the show, but I thought the reedster did a fine job.
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Reminds me of back in the day when Sassparilla Kid started in T-ball. One li'l kid (not mine!) just could not grasp the concept of running to first base after he hit the ball - which, surprisingly, he actually could do. Whack! And he'd just stand there and grin.
Finally, the opposing team's coach would literally pick the kid up and trot off and deposit him on first base. Soon enough, other adults would get with the program and whatever base the kid happened to be on, the nearest parent would grab 'im up, tuck him under an arm, and haul 'im to the next base. It was hilarious!
The youngster was three or four games into his "career" before he figured out that free rides weren't part of the program. Then the only issue was making sure he ran in the right direction.
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Kinda timely question...
Just a few days ago I watched some old Western (golly gee, could it have been a 1968 Bonanaza, Season 10, Episode 2, "Child," with Yaphet Kotto playing the part of Child Barnett, a mysterious ranch hand who helps Hoss after he is wrongly accused of murder...?
)
Anyway, the sheriff and his posse of sidewinder townsfolk are pursuing Hoss and Child. They pull into a stage station, and swap their tuckered out horses for fresh stock - trained to harness only. Surprisingly, they actually had a brief discussion about it! And indeed had some difficulties with the critters.
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That sailor dude surely appears to be righteously focused.
And I wish I had ME a Colt Ace...
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38 minutes ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:
Kirksite?
Too heavy; pretty sure it's babbit. Dense stuff. Just like a former Secretary of the Interior of the same name.
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3 hours ago, Blackwater 53393 said:
Babbit metal, used for poured babbit bearings. You have the remnants of what is fast becoming a totally lost art!!
That's purty much what I figgered it was. Honestly, I've never seen any before, but I do recall when I was a young man listening with horrified fascination to old-timers describing the process of pouring bearings, and using prussian blue and scrapers to "true 'em."
We're SO spoiled with our "snap-in" bearing shells!
Hm. So, what to do with it ~ desk ornament?
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Was rummaging through a bucket of scrap metal tonight, putting together a "care package" for a Boy Scout camp's Metalwork/Blacksmith Merit Badge class.
Anyway, at the bottom of the bucket was a partial ingot of something... cast into the face is:
JOHN FINN METAL WORK
EMPIRE ANTI FRICTION METAL....
Fairly heavy, but seems to be a bit lighter than lead.
Anyone know what this stuff is? I have an idea, but might not be old enough to be sure... (Har!
)
When I Googled it, the first thing that popped up was a reference to an operation in San Francisco that was at one time a Superfund site interest....
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I likes okra ~ 'specially fried okra.
And I likes grits with redeye gravy.
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36 minutes ago, Rooster Ron Wayne said:
I'm adding some more of a deterrent.
Larg and heavy!
Make the jackasses work for it. That might give the lazy bastards pause ~ or a hernia!
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I reckon I'd plumb swoon just watchin' that....
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Uh... I think I'd rather walk. Hardpan Homey don't do heights!
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Hell, in these parts they lock up deodorant and toothpaste.
One of our supermarket chains even blocks off the toiletries aisle after eight or nine o'clock.
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I ain't sayin' where, but....
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There were a couple of omissions... favored hangouts for Kappa Phi Delta men "back in the day."
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That's a bummer. He was a character, but made mostly fun music! Mostly... "Que Sera Sera" back in '73 wasn't one of their funnest, but it did lead to rumors of Sly and Doris Day being an "item."
Uh... no.
Great memories of heading out deer hunting in Otto, my '73 Super Beetle, Woody the Wonder Dog in the back seat, a buddy riding shotgun, and Sly And the Family Stone blaring out of the Blaupunkt. Funky stuff!
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Sooo... I packaged up the 55" TCI ROKU TV. Bought it about three weeks ago when the last one died at two years of age. (This time I bought the 'extended warranty!')
Anyway, the old dead set worked well until it didn't; crisp, bright picture. The replacement I bought three weeks ago was terrible! Picture was dark and picture quality horrid - fresh, broadcast programs had the appearance of soap operas fifty or more years ago. So, finally I boxed it up and with dread hauled it back to Wally World.
Surprisingly painless! The actual return and credit took about five minutes ~ ten minutes later I was checking out with a new replacement. Had to argue with two young worker fellas that no, the old man really does not need help hauling it out and loading it in his truck.
For some reason, off in the distance I kept hearing the Twilight Zone theme....
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14 hours ago, Alpo said:
If I was a personal friend of Paul Newman - aside from making movies he also raced automobiles - and he let me take his personal race car out and drive it around the track a couple of times --- just because I drove a race car would not make me a race car driver.
As to the girl - both her name and her features say Chinese.
Well... you certainly were a race car driver at the time you were driving the race car.
Simple grammar!
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On 5/26/2025 at 5:43 PM, Yul Lose said:
Some of the ones in Escondido play mariachi music.
Here, too. Much louder than the tinkling of the "domestic" trucks. I've wondered what fares they sell... somehow I suspect not the orange sherbet "Push-Ups," Fudgesicles, Drumsticks, Eskimo Pies* and Popsicles I remember from my youth ~ when my teenaged Uncle Joe was the neighborhood Ice Cream Man.
*Still available, but now called "Edy's Pies;" the name was changed in 2020 'cuz some folks were offended by "Eskimo."
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I avoid it when possible; there are some things, though, that warrant a trip in - motor oil and such is significantly less than at the local auto stores. And I did buy a TV there about three weeks ago (TCL Roku). Which is going back, maybe tomorrow.
I hope this doesn't read too terribly, but often I can go in, shop, wait in line and pay then leave without hearing a word of English. I recently needed a staple gun - other stores were closed, I needed it pronto, so off to WW I went. Not surprisingly, staple guns (AND staples!) are locked up. It was a challenge finding someone with a key whom I could communicate with.
But then... this is the middle of california.
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49 minutes ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:
....If I cool down I'll tell y'all about my experience today. I made no friends and embarrassed some sissy customers.
We'll be waiting, with bated breath....
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From the 1987 Australian film "The Lighthorsemen." Somewhat lengthy clip, but remarkable filming. The title "Best cavalry charge filmed ever" might be fitting.
Just amazing... attacking with rifles slung and bayonets in hand.
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That is plumb cool~!
Edit: There are some really fun excerpts on Wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silence_Dogood
QuoteAt the time of my Birth, my Parents were on Ship-board in their Way from London to N. England. My Entrance into this troublesome World was attended with the Death of my Father, a Misfortune, which tho' I was not then capable of knowing, I shall never be able to forget; for as he, poor Man, stood upon the Deck rejoycing at my Birth, a merciless Wave entered the Ship, and in one Moment carry'd him beyond Reprieve. Thus was the first Day which I saw, the last that was seen by my Father; and thus was my disconsolate Mother at once made both a Parent and a Widow....
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I wonder if this would be safe
in SASS Wire Saloon
Posted
Just to clarify, the "spark plug tire inflators" do NOT fill tires with a fuel-air mixture. They use the engine's compression to power a small piston pump that draws in air from outside the engine, not from the combustion chamber, and then compresses and pumps it into the tire. I've had a couple of 'em, 50+ years ago; biggest challenge was using one to fill an 8-man raft. Took a while, but got it done!