slater
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,390
Club RR Member Number: 78
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Carbide Lampslater
@slater
Club Retro Rides Member 78
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Just thought id post up what ive been making. If your unfamilar with this kind of lamp it runs on calcium carbide rock and water. The water is in the top part. It drips down on the rock in the bottom and reacts to form acetylene.      Ive brazed it but need to plate it with something really or its going to be a pile of rust after a few uses! Heres a couple of our french 'Arras' lamps in use  thought you might like the retroness, beats LEDs anyday! |
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Carter
Posted a lot
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Excellent!.. what sort of 'burning' life does it have?.. and where the hells you get calcium carbide rock?
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'77 Chevy G20
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slater
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,390
Club RR Member Number: 78
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Carbide Lampslater
@slater
Club Retro Rides Member 78
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It lasts quite a while, 1kg will easily last 24 hours normaly. One fill of the lamp is maybe 250g? Mine is smaller than ones ive use before tho so I'm guessing it will need filling alot more often.
Getting hold of the stuff is a bit of a problem at the mo, we get it from europe but it costs alot to buy via the internet, 60odd euros for 10kg. The french guys we know get it loads cheaper tho so we are trying to get it via them.
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Carter
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,535
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Cool. Using these while UE'ing?  |
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'77 Chevy G20
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rod
Posted a lot
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I have a old Lucas carbide lamp . Was told cavers used the calc carbide . A local caving club offered to sell me some,but have lost touch with them over the years.
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Ive heard of bike riders having to refill the water, er personally, at the side of the road
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slater
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,390
Club RR Member Number: 78
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Carbide Lampslater
@slater
Club Retro Rides Member 78
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Yeh they were used for quite a few things back in the day. Caving probably thier biggest use nowerdays.
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rod
Posted a lot
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Ive heard they were prone to the odd explosion!
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Apr 10, 2009 14:09:33 GMT
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so what comes off it?
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The Doctor
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 3,449
Club RR Member Number: 48
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Carbide LampThe Doctor
@thedoctor
Club Retro Rides Member 48
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Apr 10, 2009 21:56:30 GMT
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you can do nice things with that stuff!  put it in a milk can, add some water, stuck a ball/the lid/paper bag on top and wait. Then protect your ears and ignite. I haven't seen anything make a bigger bang than that! ;D its legal to do that over here, only not in the town, i think the blast is big enough to shatter windows ;D |
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tycho
Part of things
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Apr 10, 2009 22:02:17 GMT
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I've still got a tiny little round scar on my hand from a caving carbide lamp. I put my hand infront of it to try to see if it was on.
It was.
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rod
Posted a lot
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Apr 10, 2009 22:03:14 GMT
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Apparently there were accidents with them back in the day,when used for headlamps.
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purplevanman
Posted a lot
Way too orangey for crows
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Apr 11, 2009 22:06:00 GMT
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Years ago a m8 chucked some down a hole under a rock in his garden, waited a bit and lobed a match in, rock was mashed, nearly killed himself and he had to hide for a while as the cops were everywhere trying to find what happened and where!!
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Welder, fabricator, general resto work
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The Doctor
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 3,449
Club RR Member Number: 48
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Carbide LampThe Doctor
@thedoctor
Club Retro Rides Member 48
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Apr 11, 2009 23:24:33 GMT
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I can imagine that! ;D
and if it isn't loud enough...
UPSCALE! ;D
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Last Edit: Apr 11, 2009 23:32:04 GMT by The Doctor
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purplevanman
Posted a lot
Way too orangey for crows
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Apr 14, 2009 21:25:33 GMT
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so come on then how do you make a cannon?
How do you judge the quantities of carbide?
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Welder, fabricator, general resto work
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The Doctor
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 3,449
Club RR Member Number: 48
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Carbide LampThe Doctor
@thedoctor
Club Retro Rides Member 48
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Apr 14, 2009 23:13:09 GMT
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a milkcan is mostly used overhere (you get some serious bangs out of that allready, but you can try to learn to master the skillzzz in a smal food can). .JPG) drill a hole in the bottom (to ignite with a flame) or use a remote ignitor (something from an old heater will work). put a piece of tape over the hole, or set your ignitor. put a little bit of carbid inside, and a little bit of water (you need to try it out how much, 1 or 2 small rocks will be enough, and what's left after, can be reused) place a paper bag (a big farmers food bag) on top, strap it down with a bicycle tire. wait (again, try out, but at least a minute, so a good mix of acetylene is formed). put in earplugs and cover your ears and ignite the cannon. You'll be scared of the bang you hear! The youtube vids don't do justice to it, but on 31 december (when its legal to do this in the netherlands) it's WAR outside! ;D |
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Last Edit: Apr 14, 2009 23:15:12 GMT by The Doctor
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purplevanman
Posted a lot
Way too orangey for crows
Posts: 3,830
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that has just got to be tried  is there any recoil? they don't look nailed down |
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Welder, fabricator, general resto work
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The Doctor
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 3,449
Club RR Member Number: 48
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Carbide LampThe Doctor
@thedoctor
Club Retro Rides Member 48
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most of the time they dig a hole in the ground where they place the milkcan, but indeed, in the movie they are just sitting on the street ;D
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