What did you do in the garden today?

[PopoMyers]

This is SO COOL.... And definitely an interesting way to deal with my pesky fire ant problem. If only it didn't leave a giant hole in its wake....

Have you ever tried pouring about 2 gallons of boiling water on their nest? Worked for me in TX. Glad I don't have those here.

 

[Ascholten]

View attachment 3253215

WE HAVE POWER!

They still need to come back tomorrow and finish up a few things. Still no power at the barn and shop yet so my automatic doors won't close for the duck coop and bachelor pen. I will need to leave the dogs outside overnight to dissuade predators as a deterrent.

They got the main stuff back on THAT is the good thing. Took a bit more than 8 hours too didn't it?

Aaron

 

[Ascholten]

This is SO COOL.... And definitely an interesting way to deal with my pesky fire ant problem. If only it didn't leave a giant hole in its wake....

Thats also very dangerous. What they don't tell you is, any liquid / humidity down there and that could all blow up in your face too. also chances are you'll end up with a plug about half a foot long or so it'll have solidified before it got down into all the little trickles and such. But yes, very cool if you get it to work.

aarm

 

[TJAnonymous]

Have you ever tried pouring about 2 gallons of boiling water on their nest? Worked for me in TX. Glad I don't have those here.

Haven't done that... But I also liked @WthrLady method of dumping ants from one nest on a different nest and watching them go to war... It's so wrong and so amusing at the same time.

 

[ChicksnMore]

This is SO COOL.... And definitely an interesting way to deal with my pesky fire ant problem. If only it didn't leave a giant hole in its wake....

Best use of a fire ant colony I've ever seen!

Thats also very dangerous. What they don't tell you is, any liquid / humidity down there and that could all blow up in your face too. also chances are you'll end up with a plug about half a foot long or so it'll have solidified before it got down into all the little trickles and such. But yes, very cool if you get it to work.

aarm

Just when I start wondering if I could do that, here you come reminding me I don't know what I'm doing...

 

[TJAnonymous]

Thats also very dangerous. What they don't tell you is, any liquid / humidity down there and that could all blow up in your face too. also chances are you'll end up with a plug about half a foot long or so it'll have solidified before it got down into all the little trickles and such. But yes, very cool if you get it to work.

aarm

Yes, I'm aware... I just recently purchased some books on homemade foundry and making your own crucibles. I'd love the ability to make small parts or bowls or whatever with old cans. From the research I've been doing, it seems pretty easy to do. I've learned to very important things in my studies -

1. Water or moisture is your enemy and can cause explosions so make sure cans are clean, empty, and dry.

2. It can also make concrete and other moisture-holding materials explode so do this on bare ground or sand.

 

[WthrLady]

Haven't done that... But I also liked @WthrLady method of dumping ants from one nest on a different nest and watching them go to war... It's so wrong and so amusing at the same time.

Biological warfare

 

[PopoMyers]

Haven't done that... But I also liked @WthrLady method of dumping ants from one nest on a different nest and watching them go to war... It's so wrong and so amusing at the same time.

So, how would one go about catching said ants? Not me!

 

[TJAnonymous]

So, how would one go about catching said ants? Not me!

Shovel with Vaseline on the lower part of the neck so they can't crawl up the handle. According to her, they will fight to the death.

 

[Ascholten]

Best use of a fire ant colony I've ever seen!

Just when I start wondering if I could do that, here you come reminding me I don't know what I'm doing...

Just to give you an idea. Aluminum melts about 1200 degrees F. You'll need some 'working heat' in that mass as well, meaning you don't want it immediately freezing the moment you pour it, so you'll probably want your starting temperature about 1800 degrees F or so.

Water boils at 212 degrees F. When water turns to steam, it expands 1680 times it's size. at that temperature Meaning roughly, a shot glass of water can instantly turn into the volume of 3 - 5 gallon buckets in the blink of an eye. Even if you just expand it to the size of a gallon of milk, it happens instantly, and all that 1200 degree aluminum on top of it, gets violently thrown out by the expanding steam like a volcano. Where are you standing when this happens?

Not trying to be a party pooper but this is not just throwing a firecracker down the toilet fun here, this has the potential to wreck you for life. Have fun but understand the consequences if you screw up.

Aaron