wd-40

[J. Clarke]

Geez, if you're using so much of it that filling up a 5 gallon can becomes a burden then call a distributer and have them deliver you a drum.

[Leon]

And you realize that the name WD40 stands for Water Displacement v. 40? You are right about it not being much of a lubricant as it does evaporate.

[Tom Watson]

diesel fuel.

Regards,

Tom Watson

[Robatoy]

Kerosine is a popular moderator (slows the burn down) in the burn between pure hydrogen and oxygen. Popular amongst rocket engines.

When pulling a charge of air into an air-rifle, a squirt of WD 40 turns it into a whole new experience. The fumes will 'diesel' the pellet with increased velocity, and a 'flame' is actually visible.

[notbob]

It's not just HD that's charging these prices. A well known farmer's supply chain is charging $10 gal in 2.5 gal jugs. Kerosene is so pricey, now, it's practically killed off the kerosene appliance industry. I had a 28K BTU kerosene heater, almost brand new. I couldn't even give it away, in CO, in Winter! Who can afford to feed it? I just tossed it.

If you can still find a Chevron/Standard station with a garage, they'll probably have bulk kerosene. Problem is, I haven't seen one in 10 yrs.

nb

[notbob]

...which completely defeats the whole concept of stealth assassination by BB.

nb

[Robatoy]

The squirrels have yet to file a complaint.

[Tanus]

Same here. I read the Times daily and nary a spam.

Tanus

[Lew Hodgett]

Not quite.

Diesel and #2 fuel oil are basically the same.

Closest thing to kerosene is jet A for aircraft.

Lew

[Lew Hodgett]

That's an extinct species.

There hasn't been a gas station with a kerosene pump in SoCal for at least the last 20 years.

Other than the occasional cook stove and a lamp now and then, can't think of a single application for kero onboard a boat.

has a list

The sources shown in that list are by and large commercial fueling stations which are totally unmanned.

Have never seen a kero pump at any of them.

Here in SoCal you have a thing called SCAQMD, South Coast Air Quality Management District, which supports itself by collecting fines it assesses.

They have made sure that cero is gone except for a gallon or so from places like Home Depot.

Good grief, they even went after charcoal lighter fluid a few years ago.

That attempt died, but you get the idea.

Lew

[David Nebenzahl]

On 7/22/2009 10:19 PM Lew Hodgett spake thus:

Izzat right? According to this discussion thread, there are (or at least were as of 1999) places to buy kerosene in SoCal:

'm guessing at least *some* of these places still sell it.

(Here in NoCal the number of places that sell kerosene has dropped significantly. The cheapest place around here is the Rotten Robbie's over to Hayward, a fur piece from here.)

[dpb]

Robatoy wrote: ...

Haven't tried that; don't have the air rifle, just use the .22 short instead...sounds like fun, however. :)

In a pinch I've applied it to rusted up stuff that needed torch heat to break loose--it sputters and burns half-assedly rather than steadily as does kerosene itself. I assume that's the effect of the other trace additives.

I've looked up the MSDS previously for it; it's a slightly lighter fraction than K-1; there's a trade/generic name for the base solvent that escapes me just now and I'm not motivated enough to look it up.... :)

Somebody once me sent an urban legend about how the stuff is made in individual batches by these specially-trained gurus who know "the secret formula" and are essentially brew masters. The "passer-on" was apparently nearly mortally offended when I pointed out they make the stuff in tank-car quantities from commercially produced and available standard industrial chemicals and add a few proprietary ingredients.

What a load of hooey has arisen over a mostly so-so product that has served them well in marketing.

--

[J. Clarke]

Lew, I have never seen anybody in my life who was so determined to fail.

[Lew Hodgett]

Wasn't looking for the stuff in the first place.

Only pointing out things aren't what they used to be here in SoCal.

Lew

[HeyBub]

Come to think on it, however, I do get solicitations from DailyKos, The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, ACORN, and The Communist Party USA...

[Lew Hodgett]

The weather get to you?

Sounds like too much of a good thing.

BTW, not sure if Honeywell still operates Torrance or not, but whatever remains of Huntingtin Beach has been absorbed by Boeing.

Lew

[10x]

When I come across a site that requires compulsory registration, I always try

to see if they have any login/passwords on file for the site.

Came up with this for the NY Times site:

are a number of good combinations here.

Joe aka10x

[Maxwell Lol]

[dpb]

On occasion, yes; _terribly_ smoggy many afternoons in those days. But, mostly just too d--d many people and too much asphalt and not enough ground...

Far too much of what turned an _originally_good_thing_ (tm) into a hellhole, actually... :(

Barnabey's was ok...it still there?

Overall, it's one of those places everybody should go to once but it's nowhere to have to live.

This was long ago; moved on to other areas after DOE finally pulled the plug on the enrichment centrifuge fiasco so never paid any attention to what became of AirResearch. Did run into a couple of the guys over the years in various places and kept in touch w/ BBN fella that used to drive down from Ventura weekly for quite a while but they were all even older than I and retired years and years ago now--I only "years ago" when returned to family farm in SW KS. Oh, and got to know the Delta LAX/ATL/TYS flight crews to the point of exchanging cards w/ some until both sets of kids were thru school. That's a clue you've been traveling far too regularly. :)

--

[Lew Hodgett]

Thanks to the efforts of organizations such as SCAQMD, smoggy afternoons are few and far between these days.

As far as people, you just learn to live with it.

The traffic can be a pain, especially during morning/afternoon commute if you work an 8-5 job.

I refer to the L/A basin as a paved dessert.

Trying to grow grass like an English garden is a total waste of time, money, and water, especially water.

The hotel in Manhattan Beach?

Never been there but they have a web site so assume they are still there.

No snow, low humidity, no bugs, I'll take it.

Spent far too much time with my rear end jammed into the center seat of a 727 myself.

Can certainly relate.

Thank heavens I don't have to fly any more, it has become a total PITA.

Lew