It's beginning to look a lot like The Apocalypse...

TheFunkHole · Post by **TheFunkHole** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:27 am

everywhere you go...

Have you ever felt like Burning Man is preparing you for life post-apocalypse. Of course you have!
* Migrating
* Building portable shelters
* Fostering community
* Living for the moment, not for retirement
* Abandoning currency
* Tearing down and re-migrating

Is this all a taste of things to come in our lives? Like maybe pretty soon?

Sure it's all sweetened up with loud electronic beats, goofy costumes, all-night dancing, and pills that make you act funny, but when you think about it... it's post-apocalypse summer camp for survivalist types who like to party.

Maybe all the years of training and gear will come in handy someday soon?

Post by **Elderberry** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:47 am

Oh Pa-leaze!

JK

chiefdanfox · Post by **chiefdanfox** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:53 am

Hunting? Farming? Pounding pennies into arrowheads? Stealing all of your neighbor's water and gasoline? Jacking a BLM ranger for his weapons? I guess I missed all of those post-apocalypse activities and camps this year.

motskyroonmatick · Post by **motskyroonmatick** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:08 pm

I'm going to need allot of fucking gas if I want to weld after the apocalypse.
Damn!
Maybe I could make a water wheel for energy and weld with it!

TheFunkHole · Post by **TheFunkHole** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:29 pm

Ok so it's more of a 101 level course, but it's a start. Sheesh...

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 1:57 pm

motskyroonmatick wrote:I'm going to need allot of fucking gas if I want to weld after the apocalypse.
Damn!
Maybe I could make a water wheel for energy and weld with it!

You can weld in a forge, using either coal or charcoal.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 2:40 pm

yup, in fact, certain forge welds are stronger than arc........

Part of what I like about BM is the "practice"............and the refreshing way people deal with one another.......makes me have hope post apocalypse...........

motskyroonmatick · Post by **motskyroonmatick** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 2:41 pm

I ruined many vice grips in a coal powered forge when I was a kid. I made all sorts of things like fire pokers and even hinges. I never did weld though. What's the basic process? Hammer flat and fold together? Then reshape? Stick welding just works so well!!
Maybe I could have a goat farm and put them all on treadmill generators for when I need to weld. That would be a strange contraption.

zabsinth · Post by **zabsinth** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:15 pm

Because of all the money I spent on my trip to the playa, I'm going to have to settle for an SKS instead of an AR-15 :(....

But at least I have plenty of eye protection!

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:18 pm

forge welding is pretty neat:

for two plates, you heat both dark red, pour powdered borax on one, put the other over it, and, clamp or hold together.
then, heat to almost melting, whitish.
remove from fire and pound starting at the center and working concentrically out to the edge using a large hammer.
At heat, the borax melts into glass and excludes oxygen from the surfaces.
as you beat it from the center out, the glass is forced out of the point of impact and the raw, unoxidized metals actually blend through force and vibration.
If done correctly, you end up with no seam and a single piece of metal......total coverage.

An arc weld to to that would require many holes to weld in and a perimeter weld as well, and, still not achieve adhesion/blending between welded spots.......

Then, temper as you wish......

The folding you mention creates "Damascus steel", which, has it's own great properties, and, in a sense, can be used to join metals.....

at least, the above is how I've done it and understand it......
a true blacksmith may correct me, though.........

Boijoy · Post by **Boijoy** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:23 pm

how did I know this was going to turn into a thread about welding?

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:35 pm

because you're jucking feenyus.............
or, a sucking fikek.........

Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 4:38 pm

weld with thermite... all the cool kids are doing it

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 6:19 pm

I've seen a program on explosive welding.
Quite interesting, they can bond dissimilar metals that way........

motskyroonmatick · Post by **motskyroonmatick** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 6:38 pm

Borax! There has to be some of that near the playa. I'm bringing my pick the next time I head to the black rock!

Interesting. Thanks!!

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:22 pm

motskyroonmatick wrote:Borax! There has to be some of that near the playa. I'm bringing my pick the next time I head to the black rock!

Then I'll bring 20 mules. And hope they don't end up powering someone's welding.

motskyroonmatick · Post by **motskyroonmatick** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:50 pm

20 Mule team and Mooper scoopers...Greening the burn!

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:53 pm

Hey, the dung makes a great camp fuel.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:17 pm

and plumps as you cook it..........

chiefdanfox · Post by **chiefdanfox** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:23 pm

theCryptofishist wrote:
motskyroonmatick wrote:Borax! There has to be some of that near the playa. I'm bringing my pick the next time I head to the black rock!
Then I'll bring 20 mules. And hope they don't end up powering someone's welding.

Fishy, given the context of this drift, them mules could either wind up in a stew, or as acting mayor of BRC.

I dunno Mots, I think the borax is south, down near Death Valley. At least that is where my ancestor ran his mule team.

Na2B4O5(OH)4Â·8(H2O) Molecular Weight = 381.37 gm

Composition:
Sodium 12.06 % Na 16.25 % Na2O
Boron 11.34 % B 36.51 % B2O3
Hydrogen 5.29 % H 47.24 % H2O
Oxygen 71.32 % O

From the Arabic buraq, for "white."

chiefdanfox · Post by **chiefdanfox** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:34 pm

Not my ancestor, but definitely someone who could put in a couple contiguous months on the playa.

http://www.owensvalleyhistory.com/bruce ... x_bill.jpg
Borax Bill. Fuck the fake fur. Man or Woman, whip, boots, campaign hat, bushy mustache, and pants that fit "just right" under the arm pits. Gotta love that button-on dickey.

motskyroonmatick · Post by **motskyroonmatick** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 2:49 pm

Shit! Since I'm traveling form the north I'll just not make it down to Death Valley. Time to start up a trade route. HEY! ANYONE IN DEATH VALLEY? Could you bring me some borax for my APOC.. stockpile. Thanks.

That driver is one bad dude! I wonder if those are Levis?

Anyone up for some bacon cooked over dung?

ZaphodBurner · Post by **ZaphodBurner** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 4:11 pm

Toolmaker wrote:weld with thermite... all the cool kids are doing it

Underwater, even.

There's a gun show in Portland where you can buy thermite, but if you can get powdered aluminum you can make it by cooking a bunch of steel wool pads with a blowtorch, collecting the dust and mixing it 1:1 with aluminum, and ignite it with magnesium.

When the apocy-clipse comes, make sure you have access to a good chemical distributor.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 5:56 pm

powdered magnesium and sulfur works good, too.......

Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 7:20 pm

ZaphodBurner wrote:
Toolmaker wrote:weld with thermite... all the cool kids are doing it
Underwater, even.

There's a gun show in Portland where you can buy thermite, but if you can get powdered aluminum you can make it by cooking a bunch of steel wool pads with a blowtorch, collecting the dust and mixing it 1:1 with aluminum, and ignite it with magnesium.

When the apocy-clipse comes, make sure you have access to a good chemical distributor.

8 grams iron oxide to 3 grams aluminum give or take a hair. The aluminum is lighter so this will look like the same size just different weights. I try to go by weights so I don't make any mistakes and to keep consistant.

Some interesting stuff here about thermite...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermite

EspressoDude · Post by **EspressoDude** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 7:02 am

motskyroonmatick wrote:I'm going to need allot of fucking gas if I want to weld after the apocalypse.
Damn!
Maybe I could make a water wheel for energy and weld with it!

is this some kind of "date rape" gas? like nitrous? or something even more Apokiliptik(a)?????

motskyroonmatick · Post by **motskyroonmatick** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 7:48 am

EspressoDude wrote:
motskyroonmatick wrote:I'm going to need allot of fucking gas if I want to weld after the apocalypse.
Damn!
Maybe I could make a water wheel for energy and weld with it!

is this some kind of "date rape" gas? like nitrous? or something even more Apokiliptik(a)?????

Err... Just gasoline for my generator. I haven't been preparing to that extent for the Apokiliptik(a) future to have that diabolical of a plan!

AmericanFremin1 · Post by **AmericanFremin1** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 3:22 pm

i think BM is training for a mission to mars.....

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 10:58 am

[youtube][/youtube]

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 3:17 pm

...more like the Planet of the Apes.