Now, THAT'LL get your attention!

[nicholst55]

I was smelting the last bit of wheel weights from the batch I got last week on my Coleman stove. I'd taken everything outside that I could possibly need - except a fire extinguisher.

I pumped the fuel tank up a bit, and hoisted my bucket of weights. As I poured the last few wheel weights into the pot and set the bucket down, I heard a 'whoosh!' Damn! My glove is on fire! Holy s**t, the stove is on fire!! :shock:

I quickly shook off the burning glove and tried to beat the fire out with a towel; no dice! I ran inside for a fire extinguisher and dashed back out. The fire had died down a bit, but it was still burning nicely. I managed to pull the pin on the FE and get the nozzle loose. One short blast did the trick, thank goodness!

I hoisted the 4-quart dutch oven off the stove, and assessed the damage. It turns out that I hadn't quite tightened the fuel cap completely when I filled the tank. The last little bit of air I pumped into the tank caused some pressurized fuel to spray out around the cap. Fortunately, there was no damage except to my pride, and I wasn't injured. I did a minimal cleanup and completed my smelting.

Next time, I'll take the fire extinguisher outside first! Let's stay safe out there! :drinks:

[VTDW]

WOW!!! That is scary stuff there. I am sure glad you were not injured nor your property. We can do the dangdust things sometimes eh?:-?

Dave

[Lucky Joe]

nicholst55,

Glad you're alright buddy, you taught us all a lesson.

[LarryM]

While I never had that happen the fuel tank and generator on my beater Coleman got to the point where they were a PITA to mess with so I picked up a propane converter and hooked it up to a 20lb bottle, no fuss no muss, turn a valve and go.

[nicholst55]

While I never had that happen the fuel tank and generator on my beater Coleman got to the point where they were a PITA to mess with so I picked up a propane converter and hooked it up to a 20lb bottle, no fuss no muss, turn a valve and go.

I definitely see some type of a propane stove/burner/conversion in my near future! I realize that probably hundreds of thousands of these stoves are in circulation and fires are few and far between. However, once was enough for me! While I will definitely double-check the fuel cap in the future, I will never trust the stove again.

[USARO4]

Reminds me of a story I heard in jump school. A GI's parachute doesnt open, as he's plunging towards certain death he sees a man flying up from the ground to save him. As they pass in midair the GI calls out " You know anything about parachutes?" The man replies " No, do you know anything about Coleman stoves?"

[44woody]

nicholst if I were you I would go to harbor freight and get one of there propane set up they will melt your ww a lot faster then a colman stove will or go to wall-mart and get a turkey fryer to do your smelting on :castmine: 44Woody

[floodgate]

We got one of the little pint-sized camp stoves and took it on a cross-country skiing trip, where we stayed in a little cabin with no utilities. In the morning, I assembled the stove to mely some snow for coffee, and it burst into a ball of flame; I drop-kicked it out the door into a snowbank - it sizzled awhile, then went out. Turns out one of the tank seams had not been properly soldered. Scary!

floodgate

[jdhenry]

I see Propane in you future:)

[nicholst55]

I see Propane in you future:)

Yup! I'm just glad I had a fire extinguisher! It's left over from the dry cleaners we closed last fall. Glad I kept it!

[EMC45]

+1 on the turkey frier. My father let me use his and kept it so long he went and bought a new one. Told me to keep it! What a guy.

[imashooter2]

Bah! Don't tighten the connections on a turkey fryer and you'll have the same issues. You know what you did wrong, just don't do it again.

[MT Gianni]

Bah! Don't tighten the connections on a turkey fryer and you'll have the same issues. You know what you did wrong, just don't do it again.

Right if you have ever sen a propane tank explode there is a lot of energy there. Gianni

[Ricochet]

I came across where a propane tanker truck got trapped on a railroad crossing with cars in front and behind, got hit by a train and exploded. Everything was still smoking when I came along. Looked like a small A-bomb had gone off. There were numerous fatalities. The vehicles were bare metal, no paint, no tires, no glass. The pavement on the road had melted like a lava field. Had to have all happened in a few seconds.

[MT Gianni]

16 years ago I was called out at night on a house fire. Hot embers from a wood stove went up the chimney, lit a astro turf rug on fire and it burned across a deck. The propane bbq on the deck got hot vented and started on fire. The 20 lb tank bleved [boiling liquid expanding vapor] and scorched the earth bare of grass for a 35 foot arc of about 270 degrees. The deck collapsed ontop of the gas meter breaking it and adding to the fire. I get to crawl under the burning deck while being fogged with water and shut the gas off. It was early Dec. with an inch or two of snow and about 15 degrees. Yes there are advantages to employers to hire the young, brawny and stupid.
2nd time was a homemade bbq contracted for the function I am attending. They turned a 30 lb bottle on it's side and grease from the steaks landed on the bottle, flamed and started the bottle venting. Water pressure and flow was not enough to do any thing and by the time the bottle started to make noises we got everybody away and told them to stay down. It split and vented with some huge fireballs. The cook was burned on the leg with 2nd degree burns but came out of it ok. There is a ton of energy in the things most of us take for granted in the garage. Gianni.