Most of you will already know about my bleating on about having decent stands under a car before getting beneath it but I saw the results of another garage accident yesterday . I hadn't seen a mate for a couple of weeks and bumped into his wife in town and she explained why . He had been putting fuel into his teenaged son's motorbike and spilt some (600ml's or so he thinks) on the concrete floor so he mopped it up with rags etc and went about what he was doing , put the fuel cap back on the jerry can and the bike and accidentally bumped a spanner and screwdriver off the bikes seat . They hit the concrete and must have sparked as the fuel vapours flashed and the remains of the fuel on his hands and right arm burnt . He has 2nd degree burns on his right hand and up the inside of his right arm past the elbow from the fuel on his skin . The garage door was closed at the time and a window open so the vapour hung around . Fortunately his son opened the door quickly and kicked the fuel soaked rags outside and then put the garden hose on his dad or the whole garage (attached to the house) could have gone up and his dad's burns would have been worse .

I often have rags with fuel or thinners on them sitting around for cleaning etc when doing things but after this will be very careful . Hopefully everyone else will do the same and only use raw fuel in ventilated areas .

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My son is a Firey and is always going on about keeping cans of fuel in the garage attached to the house or under the house. Says they should be in a separate shed. He says lawnmower type containers with screw on lids should be banned and fuel should be stored in lever action jerry cans - you can get small ones for small quantities of fuel like lawn mowers. I notice he hasn't bought me any replacements yet

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

ohh that made me feel sick ouch

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-jamie-
1963morris 850
1965 solid side van
1994 rover racecar

Might have to buy meh old man a few of these level actioned containers.... he still uses the good ole fuel container with the pull out funnel aka typical lawn mower type fuel container. We actually used some out of that last night to clean up the spark plugs that had a bit of build up as the car recently hasn't seen past idle with a quick rev or 4.

Stories like this make you cringe but I think that's only because in the back of your mind you know your own garage and way you do things in your garage aren't exactly safely done. I have now heard one too many stories and going make Dad's garage safer and try and convince him to become more health and safety conscience. I know my mum worries when he single handily get under the car with one jack, no tyre underneath or tyres, fuel anywhere and assorted tools in precarious places.

Well I nearly took my eye out this week using the wire wheel on my bench grinder. The gear lever boot gaiter ring caught and was thrown at full speed at my forehead. I have a big cut and bruise above my right eye and some mild concussion to show for it. YES I was wearing eye protection, but imagine if I didn't!!

Be careful people!!!

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

i dont have to be told to be careful, im naturally cautious.. but yea will be more careful with my fuel after hearing that..

jerry cans are great but they dont exactly fit real well in the boot of a mini..

what do you think about the plastic ones that sit on their side?

I think anything holding fuel that has a screw on lid has potential to be dangerous regardless of what "standards" are met. The jerry can is called that because the Germans developed it for fuel transport in the dessert during the 2nd world war. The British had rectangular (for stackability) cans with screw on lids and they kept popping off in the heat or the cans deformed with build up of pressure. They quickly adopted the "Jerry" can when it was realised it was very practical for the application. It is designed to withstand a pressure build up without distorting,blowing lids and seams and is stackable.

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

I think I'll seriously consider changing up from my red plastic type. It regularly takes on the shape of your avatars rear end Wombat. Then I carefully unscrew the lid outside.

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'98 Mpi Sportspack + 7 port alloy head

I mopped up a fuel spillage just the other day with a couple of wrags and then just left them in a bucket.
Better go back and check that bucket.

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I make sure I never rush. Thinking about everything you do and always a couple of steps ahead tends to keep you/me safe. Getting burnt really sux, we have a family freind who was burnt in a ESSO fire a few years ago. 3rd degree burns to 90% of his body.

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The RAN ships everynow and then have fires when rags are thrown into buckets still soaked in thinners and then left. Particularly in paint storage areas, as this is usually where you find thinners being used. The thinners react with the materials in the rags and produce heat. Then *poof* - up in smoke.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Must be mindfull of this also Cheers for the Heads up

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Stop Licking the Dog...I Don't Care Who Started It

when i was just a lil fella i used to play with petrol/fire alot[i still kinda do] an i had a 2l cordial bottle full of petrol i melted a hole in the side of it an then i want to put it out so i chucked a huge piece of cement onto it it exploded an gave me 3rd degree burns to my right ancle .. i still have the scar
my current burn waz from my potato/orange/apple/tennis ball cannon[its a CANNON not a gun[its pretty big.. 1.5m long ]] i had a hole in the back of it where the combustion chamber is an when i lit it the flames came out the hole and burnt my leg ... but the tennis ball went pretty far:) with a big tthhhooomp ..
its out of order atm so i cant use it

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'66 Morris Mini DeLuxe. In pieces.
'88 Honda EE2 4WDWagovan. DOHC.
'94 Honda EG4 Civic. -Daily-
'82 Toyota KE70 Corolla -Drifter- x2
'95 Honda DC2 Integra

1st safety lesson, ignore post above

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