wash tub firepit explosion.

[repo man]

my buddy found a washing machine tub and used it for a fire pit..after about 15 minutes of fire time there was an explosion from the pit . there was shiney shit all over the yard that looked like sand. it seemes to have come from the inside of the tub.my question is what is it ? do they use it to ballance the tub? luckely they were gathering wood when it happened or they could've been hurt. any ideas?

[LASERRAY]

Was the tub still in one piece after the explosion?

[Mandelon]

Some kind of ceramic coating perhaps? Like porcelain on steel? Steel heated up and bang...the coating comes off???

[summerlove]

Originally posted by repo man
my buddy found a washing machine tub and used it for a fire pit..after about 15 minutes of fire time there was an explosion from the pit . there was shiney shit all over the yard that looked like sand. it seemes to have come from the inside of the tub.my question is what is it ? do they use it to ballance the tub? luckely they were gathering wood when it happened or they could've been hurt. any ideas?
can you say Darwin Awards...;)

[Kachina26]

I feel compelled to respond even though all I know is my uncle had it happen to him. You must prepare the tub first, I will ask him how if you don't get a good answer here.

[LASERRAY]

I've used these tubs for years and never had that happen.

[Mandelon]

Originally posted by summerlove
can you say Darwin Awards...;)
Ya mean like letting your kids bowride off the front of a boat??? ;)

[Ziggy]

Originally posted by LASERRAY
I've used these tubs for years and never had that happen.
Same here:confused: :confused: The porcelin works as the perfect heatolator.....have had many and seen many at various campgrounds too. Sure glad they didn't get hurt by it.:cool:
Must not have been a MAYTAG:D :D

[LASERRAY]

Originally posted by Ziggy
Same here:confused: :confused: The porcelin works as the perfect heatolator.....have had many and seen many at various campgrounds too. Sure glad they didn't get hurt by it.:cool:
Must not have been a MAYTAG:D :D After about an hour, that tub starts to glow and all is right with the world Zig. I think you know what I'm talkin' 'bout!;)

[summerlove]

Originally posted by Mandelon
Ya mean like letting your kids bowride off the front of a boat??? ;)
hey now....completely safe at no wake speed with life jackets and bow rail. checked with local pd. sherifff and cg - all ok.
that really bugs you doesn't it?;)

[Dr. Eagle]

Maybe it wasn't really a washtub... but a weapon casing found in the desert... ever see Joe Dirt?

[RiverToysJas]

Originally posted by Dr. Eagle
Maybe it wasn't really a washtub... but a weapon casing found in the desert... ever see Joe Dirt?
LOL! That was a septic tank! :p :D
RTJas :D

[repo man]

the unknown substance is in a ring around the top of the tub it wasn't the coating . the tub is double walled at the top and it was in there ,i only got to look at it after the fact. some one told me some of them can't be used 4 this reason but couldn't tell me what the stuf was.

[Ziggy]

Originally posted by LASERRAY
After about an hour, that tub starts to glow and all is right with the world Zig. I think you know what I'm talkin' 'bout!;)
Yaw Mon--Irie:cool:

[repo man]

Originally posted by LASERRAY
Was the tub still in one piece after the explosion? as far as i could tell not a scratch.

[Dr. Eagle]

What about the porcelan enamel coating...?

[Ziggy]

Originally posted by repo man
the unknown substance is in a ring around the top of the tub it wasn't the coating . the tub is double walled at the top and it was in there ,i only got to look at it after the fact. some one told me some of them can't be used 4 this reason but couldn't tell me what the stuf was.
Oh, I know what you're talking about...Mine had like a concrete ring inside the metal casing(centrifugal weighting) at the top edge....I jabbed and beat that crap out of mine, or at least the majority of it. I was just trying to lighten it up:D

[repo man]

Originally posted by Ziggy
Oh, I know what you're talking about...Mine had like a concrete ring inside the metal casing(centrifugal weighting) at the top edge....I jabbed and beat that crap out of mine, or at least the majority of it. I was just trying to lighten it up:D that's the shit what the hell is it?

[Ziggy]

Originally posted by repo man
that's the shit what the hell is it?
It may have been concrete like but I'm not really sure...Possibly plastic concrete....Its used to weight the tub so it spins nicely.
I could see how the heat would cause it to expand and literally explode out of the few holes it has to escape.

[Dr. Eagle]

Virtually any cement or concrete holds a lot of water. Concrete under extreme heat will pop or explode. I saw a bridge pier that was hit by a gasoline tanker and it looked like someone took a jackhammer to the thing... it just explodes. I am sure it is some kind of specialized concrete using sand and plastic or latex modified cement...

[dmontzsta]

Dan, I left you a voice mail. Let me know what works for you, my dads schedule is 100% clear for now.

[rvrjunkie]

Same thing happened to mine the first time I used it. Exploded through the hole on the top of it. Smelled like soap afterwards. No one got hurt but it messed up the steaks on the grill.

[repo man]

what ever it is it's shiney like glitter but very small particles just wondering if it's toxic or not. ti looks cool as hell at nite when you hit it with light.

[Ziggy]

Originally posted by rvrjunkie
No one got hurt but it messed up the steaks on the grill.
That just ain't right to "F" up good USDA Choice:( :D

[repo man]

that's why you allway start out with hot dogs

[rvrjunkie]

It happened in Pismo. The wind was blowing towards the RVs. That stuff got every where inside. Good thing they were rentals.

[repo man]

what did you guys think the stuff was?

[LASERRAY]

Originally posted by repo man
what did you guys think the stuff was? Souns like silica sand among other things.:confused:

[rvrjunkie]

Wasn't sure. Looked like little metal flakes and smelled like soap. I have used it many times since with no problems

[repo man]

i just called him he also said it smelled like soap . it must be ceramic

[Kachina26]

I remember it being sand of some sort, I left a message with my uncle.

[repo man]

Originally posted by Kachina26
I remember it being sand of some sort, I left a message with my uncle. thanks

[Kachina26]

OK, there is a ring on some wash tubs filled with sand for balancing he said. You can get it out by removing the "plug" and turning it upside down. You can also get it out like your friend did.:D

[Kachina26]

Looks like your grandkid ain't into sharing his popcicle with the pooches.

[Flying Tiger]

Many tubs use porcelan coatings - some of which are non high heat tollerant glass.
Porcelan coatings used in ovens and stoves are high heat tollerant.. Just like many other types of coatings.
The glass coating (porcelan) in the tub heated and vaporised to flashpoint and exploded.
It was non extreeme heat tollerant Porcelan.

[Ziggy]

Originally posted by titties and beer
THIS IS MIND:D thats my grand kid :D ISAAC;) :D
Didn't know Palms will grow it Utah...that one in the pic must be at leat 10 yrs old:D :D :D
You didn't dognap HDD's dogs did ya?:eek:

[HOSS]

I`m laughin my ass off! I did the same thing back in `85. There was a top panel on the tub(ring). It blew straight up. We are so damn lucky no one was killed. We were tubing. If someone would have been over this thing they would have died. It sounded like a cannon. All the trees above moved up so it was some serious air movement. Everyone in the campground was cheering. We all were freaking as to how close we came to dieing.
Its the soap that gets in it. Thats what blows. The shiny shit is the coating off the tub. Notice there ain`t no paint on it! At least that what I think it was. Whatever it was don`t let anyone use it for fire. That is some seriously dangerous sheeeeit.

[HOSS]

Just read some of the other posts. There was sand spewing out of the bottom of the thing just before it blew. And I mean just before. It sounded like a rocket firing of when they light it. Then BOOOOOM!. I remeber the sand spewing out the bottom for like 2 secs before. Silica sand. Noooooo shit! That gives me a good idea.

[Teediddlydee]

I found this post by googling 'washing machine fire pit explosion'...because, well I had the exact same thing happen to me about 10 years ago. We all had been standing around the 'new' fire pit for about 30 minutes when all of a sudden 'BOOM'! Scared all of us half to death, then all of a sudden it started raining that sandy sparkly stuff. I remember us girls had it all in our hair LOL. My question is, did this forum ever figure out what the cause of it is? Ten years later, I still love my washing machine fire pit, and am wanting to blog about it on my DIY site but I'm afraid this explosion might happen to someone else....would be nice to inform people that it's a possibility of happening and how to prevent it, and still enjoy their new fire pit without any mishaps...any suggestions?