CO2 is maybe one of many most fascinating compounds in the world. Both in science, and everyday use. I recently published an article on using CO2 to freeze beer, which got me started on this article. Before you begin, you will need some basic knowledge about CO2. 1.) CO2 is about 1.5 times heavier than air.(This is why you'll see it swirling around on the ground at a rock concert)
2.) CO2 can take on the form of solid, liquid, or gas.
3.) CO2 is EXTREMELY COLD (about -109 F or -78 C) and gloves must be worn to handle it.
4.) CO2 will produce great pressures. (850 to 900 psi @ 75 to 80 Degrees F)
5.) CO2 in large volumes can (in a closed room) cause respiratory distress, and should be handled with adequate ventilation.
Now that we have some basic facts, here is what you will need:
1.) A 50 pound block of dry ice (a smaller block does not last as long)
2.) Several plastic containers ( 2 litre plasic bottles, plastic milk jugs, any PLASTIC container with a lid)
3.) A roll or two of teflon tape.
4.) Safety glasses or goggles
5.) Gloves
The containers you choose for this project should ONLY BE PLASTIC, and should have tight fitting, screw on type caps. Once you have chosen your containers, you will need to teflon tape the threads to make sure you have a tight seal. Tip: When applying teflon tape wrap the threads of the container clockwise, no more than two complete wraps.
Now that you have your containers ready (You generally can't reuse them), you will need some dry ice. Usually most compressed gas companies and some welding supply companies carry it. When transporting your dry ice DO NOT put it in a tight fitting cooler. And DO NOT put dry ice in your freezer (even at 32 degees F CO2 is still about 300psi, and will most likely blow the door open - or off!) A block of dry ice will usually last a few hours in a thick wall styrofoam cooler, provided it is not too hot outside. Unlike ice cubes, dry ice does not "melt;" it evaporates and gets smaller.
Now the fun part: Wearing gloves AND safety glasses, use a flat screwdriver or chisel to chip some pieces small enough to fit down the neck of your 2 litre plastic bottle. About 8 to 10 ounces of dry ice should be enough. Once you have the dry ice in the bottle, IMMEDIATELY screw the cap on (POINT IT AWAY FROM YOUR FACE). Place the container outside in an open area (a large yard or field). Get back at least 20 feet and wait. You will see one of a feww results. Either the cap will blow off straight up in theair like a rocket, or the plastic bottle will expand sometimes twice its size. DO NOT get close to the container until it has exploded.
You can try some variations here, such as adding more dry ice, and a few ounces of water, however water speeds up the evaporation process, so you have less time to get out of the way.
You can also experiment with wide mouth plastic containers, as they are easier to put the dry ice in. Remember safety first, have fun.
This is only intended as a science project, and misuse is the sole responsibility of the user.
Some things of note: The cause of the pressure build up is the dry ice trying to change states from solid to gas, to liquid. If the dry ice were to be refrigerated to 32 degrees F, it would pressurize to 300psi. If the dry ice were exposed to heat above 75 to 80 degrees F, the pressure would start to increase to over 1000psi! The more heat, the more pressure. (Charles Law?).
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Treasure Coast Radio Memories
It was 1984, in a small town in Florida, known as Ft. Pierce. Though there were not that many radio stations to choose from, the listeners were loyal to them. Times were sure different then. No cell phones going off every minute (with some absurd ring tone), no internet, and yes, most people didn’t even know what a CD was! (Imagine that).
Radio was fun in those days. You had independent stations that weren’t controlled by some syndicated “mega-corporation.” There were the little guys- like WFTP, a little AM station that kept it’s audience glued to the dial, even though it only had a signal that would barely get out of the parking lot! There were actual personalities, like George Gordon, and Robert Michael Green. WFTP was like the starting point of quite a few people who would eventually have the “dream come true” of getting on the FM dial. It almost seemed like a “prerequisite.” You had to work there first. I can’t remember all of the people who started their broadcasting careers at FTP, but some would go on to fame and notoriety. There were people like Glen Curtis, Jeff Brown, and Mike Michaels, to name a few.
Then there was the “rival to WFTP, WAVW. “Wave 105.” Affectionately known as “your Treasure Coast Hit Kicker.” Wave 105 was a 3,000 watt FM station that spun country music from Floyd Cramer and Patsy Cline, to Eddy Rabbit and Marshall Tucker. At the time, Wave 105 was the only FM country station in the area, and it remained that way for quite a few years. Some of the line up of “DJ’s included: Bill West in the morning, Jeff Brown on mid-day, Mike Mitchell in the afternoon, and Glenn Curtis on evening drive. There was a host of overnight people like: Brian Hardman, Jeff Major, and Mark Stafford. The news and traffic reports were done by Sheila Simmons. Wave 105 was a “family run” station, and had an extremely loyal audience. So loyal in fact, that when the station was sold, there was quite a protest (and even threats) because the format would be changing from country, to “adult contemporary.” Overnight personality Mark Stafford had the experience of playing the last “country record” before the station went off the air, April 17th 1986. Soon it would become “Lite 105.5 fm.
This brings into the picture, another station. WOVV 95.5 . They sold the equipment to Wave 105, that would make everything automated. This was the very beginning of syndicated radio on the Treasure Coast. Looking back now, the equipment was so primitive. There was a huge machine called a “carousel,” that would hold a hundred or so “carts.” These “carts,” had songs recorded on them. The machine was then loaded with the carts, and at the appropriate time, it would spin until it found the cart to be played. Then it would actually turn the cart and insert it into the player. It was like an overgrown cd changer.
WOVV, was an FM top 40 radio station, boasting 50,000 watts at the time, and there were personalities like: Linda Hendry, and Bill James. There were several format changes that took place at WOVV. At one time it was a rock station, then a top 40 station, and even a country station.
Toward the end of 1986, and the demise of WAVW ’s country format, there emerged a “new kid on the block.” It was only about a mile away from “wave 105,” and affectionately called: “Wave 105 North.” The station was WCXL “Crystal 101.7.” Crystal was a 3,000 watt FM station, which was billed as a cross between an “oldies” station, and an “adult contemporary station. Some of the personalities included: Mark St. John, Bill West, Mike Michaels, and Mark Stafford (who was the first one on the air to say anything). The equipment at this little station was state of the art. The audio processing equipment would probably rival some of today’s most advanced processors. Crystal 101.7 FM was promoted by a well known South Florida radio personality: Rick Shaw.
The 1980’ s saw another Treasure Coast radio transformation, WIZD “the wizard” (whose slogan was “kick- ass rock and roll). At one time this was a very popular 100,000 watt fm rock station, with personalities such as: Tom Stevens, Arvette, and Rick Brenner.
At the end of WIZD, there came WKGR. WKGR FM was billed as “gourmet rock.” They were still considered to be AOR (album oriented rock) by the industry terminology. 98.7 WKGR was a 100,000 watt powerhouse, which included air personalities such as: Tom Stevens,Terry Griffin, Mark Stafford, Rich Dickerson, Mike Mitchel, Glen Curtis, Alec Numan, and more.
There you have it. Some of the Treasure Coast radio memories.
Radio was fun in those days. You had independent stations that weren’t controlled by some syndicated “mega-corporation.” There were the little guys- like WFTP, a little AM station that kept it’s audience glued to the dial, even though it only had a signal that would barely get out of the parking lot! There were actual personalities, like George Gordon, and Robert Michael Green. WFTP was like the starting point of quite a few people who would eventually have the “dream come true” of getting on the FM dial. It almost seemed like a “prerequisite.” You had to work there first. I can’t remember all of the people who started their broadcasting careers at FTP, but some would go on to fame and notoriety. There were people like Glen Curtis, Jeff Brown, and Mike Michaels, to name a few.
Then there was the “rival to WFTP, WAVW. “Wave 105.” Affectionately known as “your Treasure Coast Hit Kicker.” Wave 105 was a 3,000 watt FM station that spun country music from Floyd Cramer and Patsy Cline, to Eddy Rabbit and Marshall Tucker. At the time, Wave 105 was the only FM country station in the area, and it remained that way for quite a few years. Some of the line up of “DJ’s included: Bill West in the morning, Jeff Brown on mid-day, Mike Mitchell in the afternoon, and Glenn Curtis on evening drive. There was a host of overnight people like: Brian Hardman, Jeff Major, and Mark Stafford. The news and traffic reports were done by Sheila Simmons. Wave 105 was a “family run” station, and had an extremely loyal audience. So loyal in fact, that when the station was sold, there was quite a protest (and even threats) because the format would be changing from country, to “adult contemporary.” Overnight personality Mark Stafford had the experience of playing the last “country record” before the station went off the air, April 17th 1986. Soon it would become “Lite 105.5 fm.
This brings into the picture, another station. WOVV 95.5 . They sold the equipment to Wave 105, that would make everything automated. This was the very beginning of syndicated radio on the Treasure Coast. Looking back now, the equipment was so primitive. There was a huge machine called a “carousel,” that would hold a hundred or so “carts.” These “carts,” had songs recorded on them. The machine was then loaded with the carts, and at the appropriate time, it would spin until it found the cart to be played. Then it would actually turn the cart and insert it into the player. It was like an overgrown cd changer.
WOVV, was an FM top 40 radio station, boasting 50,000 watts at the time, and there were personalities like: Linda Hendry, and Bill James. There were several format changes that took place at WOVV. At one time it was a rock station, then a top 40 station, and even a country station.
Toward the end of 1986, and the demise of WAVW ’s country format, there emerged a “new kid on the block.” It was only about a mile away from “wave 105,” and affectionately called: “Wave 105 North.” The station was WCXL “Crystal 101.7.” Crystal was a 3,000 watt FM station, which was billed as a cross between an “oldies” station, and an “adult contemporary station. Some of the personalities included: Mark St. John, Bill West, Mike Michaels, and Mark Stafford (who was the first one on the air to say anything). The equipment at this little station was state of the art. The audio processing equipment would probably rival some of today’s most advanced processors. Crystal 101.7 FM was promoted by a well known South Florida radio personality: Rick Shaw.
The 1980’ s saw another Treasure Coast radio transformation, WIZD “the wizard” (whose slogan was “kick- ass rock and roll). At one time this was a very popular 100,000 watt fm rock station, with personalities such as: Tom Stevens, Arvette, and Rick Brenner.
At the end of WIZD, there came WKGR. WKGR FM was billed as “gourmet rock.” They were still considered to be AOR (album oriented rock) by the industry terminology. 98.7 WKGR was a 100,000 watt powerhouse, which included air personalities such as: Tom Stevens,Terry Griffin, Mark Stafford, Rich Dickerson, Mike Mitchel, Glen Curtis, Alec Numan, and more.
There you have it. Some of the Treasure Coast radio memories.
How to Make Money From Hurricanes
I am writing this article from a couple of stand points: an observational standpoint,
and an opinionated standpoint. We all read about natural disasters in the news,
and at some point sooner or later will directly or indirectly feel the impact. One
type of natural disaster I and millions of other people are familiar with, is a
hurricane.
I am a native Floridian and have spent about 35 of my 40 years living in
Florida, and have experienced hurricanes first hand. Probably the most vivid
memory was September 2004, when we were hit with Frances and Jeanne only
weeks apart. This of course was a record breaking season and many people lost everything they had. Some however, were spared.
After the first storm hit, rescue and cleanup efforts were made, and lots of help
poured in (even though it wasn't the most organized). This is where I learned about
an agency called FEMA. It stands for Federal Emergency Management Agency. Up
until September of 2004, I had never heard of it, yet it would become a household
word very quickly.
"In a nutshell," here's how things worked: If you had damage to your property,
you could file a claim to FEMA by phone (ironic, as cell phones and landline phones
were down for weeks in some areas), or if you were able- you could file a claim online.
An agent/inspector would come out and "ascess" the damage and ask questions like: "How much do you think it would cost to replace the damaged property?" Or: " How
much worth of stuff was inside that was damaged?" (In a dollar amount). Then in a few weeks (or more), FEMA would send a letter saying if you were approved or not, and tell you how much you would be getting. Then they would send a check.
This sounds pretty simple right? It sure helped a lot of people who really needed
it, but it sure opened the door for scam artists and people that can only be called: THIEF(s). In one case, I heard of a guy in West Palm Beach who had only a shingle or two missing, but in his greed he put a garde hose in his attic and turned it on for a while,
and what do you know.... Over $15,000! That's insane! Another case involved a woman (who had nothing to start with) whose trailer and contents were destroyed. She didn't even own it (her landlord did) and most of the contents were being rented; yet another FEMA check to the tune of $15,000! There were people from making claims from areas that didn't even get hit! Fact is most of these people didn't even use their new found riches for anything except a spending spree. I mean- what good is a 62 inch t.v. if you have no place to put it? Well there you have it.... how to make money from hurricanes.
This is very alarming because hurricane season begins June 1st and I don't think
some of the many crooks out there are going to get away with the same things this time. Remember, that money is your hard working tax money, and its things like what I mentioned that make it bad for the people who really need it.
Here's another way to make money from hurricanes: A contractor would "inspect" a roof (most common) for damage for the storm. He goes to Joe Homeowner and asks for half of the money upfront to get materials for the job, only he never returns. The guy's
not even licensed in Florida (or anywhere else!). Whatch out!
I previously published this article on Triond, and they removed it because some crybaby complained that it
encouraged illegal activity.I do NOT. The people that get away with this stuff are crooks.
The guy that complained about this article was an insurance adjuster, and wrote me saying that neighbors would turn people in for the type of stuff I mentioned above.
Welcome to the real world. It's corrupt, evil, and someone somewhere will always find a way to scam the good guys.
and an opinionated standpoint. We all read about natural disasters in the news,
and at some point sooner or later will directly or indirectly feel the impact. One
type of natural disaster I and millions of other people are familiar with, is a
hurricane.
I am a native Floridian and have spent about 35 of my 40 years living in
Florida, and have experienced hurricanes first hand. Probably the most vivid
memory was September 2004, when we were hit with Frances and Jeanne only
weeks apart. This of course was a record breaking season and many people lost everything they had. Some however, were spared.
After the first storm hit, rescue and cleanup efforts were made, and lots of help
poured in (even though it wasn't the most organized). This is where I learned about
an agency called FEMA. It stands for Federal Emergency Management Agency. Up
until September of 2004, I had never heard of it, yet it would become a household
word very quickly.
"In a nutshell," here's how things worked: If you had damage to your property,
you could file a claim to FEMA by phone (ironic, as cell phones and landline phones
were down for weeks in some areas), or if you were able- you could file a claim online.
An agent/inspector would come out and "ascess" the damage and ask questions like: "How much do you think it would cost to replace the damaged property?" Or: " How
much worth of stuff was inside that was damaged?" (In a dollar amount). Then in a few weeks (or more), FEMA would send a letter saying if you were approved or not, and tell you how much you would be getting. Then they would send a check.
This sounds pretty simple right? It sure helped a lot of people who really needed
it, but it sure opened the door for scam artists and people that can only be called: THIEF(s). In one case, I heard of a guy in West Palm Beach who had only a shingle or two missing, but in his greed he put a garde hose in his attic and turned it on for a while,
and what do you know.... Over $15,000! That's insane! Another case involved a woman (who had nothing to start with) whose trailer and contents were destroyed. She didn't even own it (her landlord did) and most of the contents were being rented; yet another FEMA check to the tune of $15,000! There were people from making claims from areas that didn't even get hit! Fact is most of these people didn't even use their new found riches for anything except a spending spree. I mean- what good is a 62 inch t.v. if you have no place to put it? Well there you have it.... how to make money from hurricanes.
This is very alarming because hurricane season begins June 1st and I don't think
some of the many crooks out there are going to get away with the same things this time. Remember, that money is your hard working tax money, and its things like what I mentioned that make it bad for the people who really need it.
Here's another way to make money from hurricanes: A contractor would "inspect" a roof (most common) for damage for the storm. He goes to Joe Homeowner and asks for half of the money upfront to get materials for the job, only he never returns. The guy's
not even licensed in Florida (or anywhere else!). Whatch out!
I previously published this article on Triond, and they removed it because some crybaby complained that it
encouraged illegal activity.I do NOT. The people that get away with this stuff are crooks.
The guy that complained about this article was an insurance adjuster, and wrote me saying that neighbors would turn people in for the type of stuff I mentioned above.
Welcome to the real world. It's corrupt, evil, and someone somewhere will always find a way to scam the good guys.
How to Change a Freeze Plug
It’s been a while since I have written anything, as I have had lightning strike my computer, modem, and router, which put me down for awhile. (Why do people want to move to Florida again?). I am very grateful and fortunate to be blessed with abilities in music and science (machines). The two do have a co- relation. For example: I have long slender fingers with the coordination to play the piano, but this also comes in handy when I am working on engines. You may be able to relate to this, especially when you get to a nut or bolt that you just can’t get to!
Let’s face it. Some of the vehicles today are insane to work on. Either you have to be a contortionist and triple jointed, or have all of those “special tools” with some wacky number like 2a4487b24. Or a left hand threaded tap wrench with some ridiculous size like 6.5mm. I am sharing this in hopes that it may benefit the “do it yourselfer” or “shade tree mechanic.” For that matter, maybe this would interest a pro mechanic. Then, of course, I may not be the only one who has tried what follows.
I am first going to assume that whoever is reading this has some basic mechanical knowledge. I wish to shed a little light on the “freeze plug.’’ I have rebuilt and/or helped rebuild quite a few engines in my time, and have (like many before me) become familiar with the freeze plug. For those of us not familiar; a freeze plug is usually a round, dish shaped piece of metal, which is pressed or driven into the engine block and the engine head. There are multiple sizes, and usually multiple locations depending on the engine, and its maker.
A COMMON MYTH ABOUT THE FREEZE PLUG:
It is an expansion device made to prevent damage to the engine in case the water in the engine should freeze. The plug pops out, instead of the engine freezing.
FACT(s) ABOUT THE FREEZE PLUG:
Although it does function that way, in many cases the freeze plug is there to simply plug a hole. When a block or head is cast, there sometimes must be holes bored in various places, and filled with sand to prevent casting a big hunk of metal from being formed. The sand allows for things like water jackets and other “chambers” within the engine such as places for oil to travel and so on.
It just works out that the freeze plug has dual “functionality.”
Unfortunately, after an engine is fully assembled, it is quite often difficult or impossible for repair to be made when a freeze plug fails, without removing the engine and/or transmission. Commonly, freeze plugs are located in the back of a head or block (sometimes between the transmission and engine). They may also be found on the sides of an engine, under an exhaust or intake manifold, creating a very costly and labor intensive repair.
Although the actual freeze plug may only cost around $3 to $10, the time it takes to replace it may take up to 8 hours. Luckily, there are different types of freeze plugs available, depending on your situation.
I discovered a freeze plug problem in my 1993 Ford F-150 when it was running hot, and would not hold water. I had a hard time trying to see where the leak was coming from, but I found it to be rusted freeze plug behind the engine block! I thought for certain that I was going to have to take the truck to a shop to have it fixed, and at a price of $300 dollars or more! (All for a $6 part). I kept thinking that the engine was going to have to come out, and that would lead to more problems because the truck is old- and there were a lot of rusty and maybe frozen bolts.
After carefully looking things over, I decided that if I could see the plug, I could get it out and replace it with a new one. The “operation was a success, and here’s how I did it: First, I drained the water out of the radiator. Then I turned the wheel of the truck hard left. At this point I cut out the plastic cover under the fender well.
Then I positioned a mirror on the bell housing of the transmission, facing the engine block so that I could see the freeze plug to be removed. I was able to get a flat blade screwdriver into the hole (the freeze plug rusted through) of the plug and pry it out. Then, I cleaned out the “socket” where the new freeze plug would be installed. This was done with a rag and a wire brush. The new freeze plug was a two piece brass plug with a nut on one side. I simply pressed it into place, gently tapped it to insure it was in all the way, and tightened the nut. This expands the two pieces to fit tightly into the block. Below is the new plug.
Let’s face it. Some of the vehicles today are insane to work on. Either you have to be a contortionist and triple jointed, or have all of those “special tools” with some wacky number like 2a4487b24. Or a left hand threaded tap wrench with some ridiculous size like 6.5mm. I am sharing this in hopes that it may benefit the “do it yourselfer” or “shade tree mechanic.” For that matter, maybe this would interest a pro mechanic. Then, of course, I may not be the only one who has tried what follows.
I am first going to assume that whoever is reading this has some basic mechanical knowledge. I wish to shed a little light on the “freeze plug.’’ I have rebuilt and/or helped rebuild quite a few engines in my time, and have (like many before me) become familiar with the freeze plug. For those of us not familiar; a freeze plug is usually a round, dish shaped piece of metal, which is pressed or driven into the engine block and the engine head. There are multiple sizes, and usually multiple locations depending on the engine, and its maker.
A COMMON MYTH ABOUT THE FREEZE PLUG:
It is an expansion device made to prevent damage to the engine in case the water in the engine should freeze. The plug pops out, instead of the engine freezing.
FACT(s) ABOUT THE FREEZE PLUG:
Although it does function that way, in many cases the freeze plug is there to simply plug a hole. When a block or head is cast, there sometimes must be holes bored in various places, and filled with sand to prevent casting a big hunk of metal from being formed. The sand allows for things like water jackets and other “chambers” within the engine such as places for oil to travel and so on.
It just works out that the freeze plug has dual “functionality.”
Unfortunately, after an engine is fully assembled, it is quite often difficult or impossible for repair to be made when a freeze plug fails, without removing the engine and/or transmission. Commonly, freeze plugs are located in the back of a head or block (sometimes between the transmission and engine). They may also be found on the sides of an engine, under an exhaust or intake manifold, creating a very costly and labor intensive repair.
Although the actual freeze plug may only cost around $3 to $10, the time it takes to replace it may take up to 8 hours. Luckily, there are different types of freeze plugs available, depending on your situation.
I discovered a freeze plug problem in my 1993 Ford F-150 when it was running hot, and would not hold water. I had a hard time trying to see where the leak was coming from, but I found it to be rusted freeze plug behind the engine block! I thought for certain that I was going to have to take the truck to a shop to have it fixed, and at a price of $300 dollars or more! (All for a $6 part). I kept thinking that the engine was going to have to come out, and that would lead to more problems because the truck is old- and there were a lot of rusty and maybe frozen bolts.
After carefully looking things over, I decided that if I could see the plug, I could get it out and replace it with a new one. The “operation was a success, and here’s how I did it: First, I drained the water out of the radiator. Then I turned the wheel of the truck hard left. At this point I cut out the plastic cover under the fender well.
Then I positioned a mirror on the bell housing of the transmission, facing the engine block so that I could see the freeze plug to be removed. I was able to get a flat blade screwdriver into the hole (the freeze plug rusted through) of the plug and pry it out. Then, I cleaned out the “socket” where the new freeze plug would be installed. This was done with a rag and a wire brush. The new freeze plug was a two piece brass plug with a nut on one side. I simply pressed it into place, gently tapped it to insure it was in all the way, and tightened the nut. This expands the two pieces to fit tightly into the block. Below is the new plug.
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