Free washer or dryer, what to do...

[ScatterPlot]

So I'm driving along today with my g/f and lo and behold there is either a free washing machine or dryer, couldn't tell which but kinda think it's a dryer.

My Q for AO:
Should I take it? What could I do with such a thing? There is a motor inside it, but it's probably very weak. There is a motor control board too, that might be worth the stop, maybe the timer and all. Then also of course a heating element, blower, and miscellaneous bearings and stuff. But what could I do with it? You think it might be worth fixing and selling (assuming it's broken in the first place)?

[master_alexander]

well take it annyway.

if it works, great./ sell it.

if you fix it, great, sell it.

if you take it apart and its beyond repair :

either you just got some cool parts to screw with
or you had fun taking it apart

[wanna-b-ballin']

i'm pretty sure there is a little bit of mercury in them. inside a little glass tube. it works as a switch of somekind. i think they are in them.

i know they are in light switches though.

you could play with the mercury. its cool stuff.

[Archangel Kid]

i'm pretty sure there is a little bit of mercury in them. inside a little glass tube. it works as a switch of somekind. i think they are in them.

i know they are in light switches though.

you could play with the mercury. its cool stuff.

Yah, I hear if you rub it on your hands you get this cool stuff called cancer, sounds like fun. :D

[t33kyboy]

Yah, I hear if you rub it on your hands you get this cool stuff called cancer, sounds like fun. :D
my dad has cancer...

[BD_Paintball]

make it into a ghetto bunker

[kosmo]

I think the only responsible thing to do with it would be to blow it up.

[Warewolf50]

I think the only responsible thing to do with it would be to blow it up.


agreed

[stondroopy]

I think the only responsible thing to do with it would be to blow it up.

and get it on tape :D

[FreakBaller12]

and get it on tape :D
from a distance though, safety first!

[bleachit]

But what could I do with it?


there have been some great suggestions so far, especially the blowing up one..

but Im going to go out on a limb here.. it may not be very popular, but Im going to stick with it.





maybe you could try...











drying clothes in it.

[kosmo]

Yeah thats true, they make some pretty nifty explosives. Stuff that you could soak clothes in and then blow up the thing by drying it.

[Indignant]

I would use it to put all my enemies in. When authorities see the blood say that you washed it off your clothes from working at the meat-packaging plant. Then again, heavy-duty with 2 scoops of detergent leaves no blood.


That's what I do.

[skife]

i'm pretty sure there is a little bit of mercury in them. inside a little glass tube. it works as a switch of somekind. i think they are in them.

i know they are in light switches though.

you could play with the mercury. its cool stuff.


some kid at my school though it'd be a good idea to do that, the school ended up being evacuated and had to replace $40k worth of carpet and ALOT of work, a bunch of guys in hazmat suits came to decontaminate the school.


the kid was facing up to 7 years in prision, but got off with a 2k fine, wich his parents paied for him.



You could always scrap the dryer if it didn't work, steel prices are up.

[maxama10]

sweet i have a whole bottle of the stuff in my garage! Can you say no more school?
just kidding, not worth it really.....

[wanna-b-ballin']

well mercury alone isn't really that dangerous. yeah, if you leave it in your hand for a few hours it's bad, but why would you do that anyway?
it slowly evaporates into the air, so yeah, that kid that spilled it into the carpet was being stupid. you also never want to use a broom to sweep it up, because it scatters.

[evildead420]

use it for target pratice with real guns and m 1000's. thats always useful for that. :D

[ThePixelGuru]

well mercury alone isn't really that dangerous. yeah, if you leave it in your hand for a few hours it's bad, but why would you do that anyway?
it slowly evaporates into the air, so yeah, that kid that spilled it into the carpet was being stupid. you also never want to use a broom to sweep it up, because it scatters.
Don't vacuum it either...

[slade]

i'm pretty sure there is a little bit of mercury in them. inside a little glass tube. it works as a switch of somekind. i think they are in them.

i know they are in light switches though.

you could play with the mercury. its cool stuff.
its used as a heat control switch, like a thermostat. you know, since mercury is a liquid but still a metal?

itd probably only be in a dryer.

and yeah, the whole "no school" thing sounds good. i should try that.

[tropical_fishy]

its used as a heat control switch, like a thermostat. you know, since mercury is a liquid but still a metal?

itd probably only be in a dryer.

and yeah, the whole "no school" thing sounds good. i should try that.

Colin, you NEED more school. Any metallic substance can be "liquid and still a metal." Just because we picture metal as hard and shiny doesn't mean it can't have other states. Headpat.

[slade]

Colin, you NEED more school. Any metallic substance can be "liquid and still a metal." Just because we picture metal as hard and shiny doesn't mean it can't have other states. Headpat.
ehh, quiet you. having liquid steel in a glass tube wouldnt work out too well. you knew damn well i meant its a liquid at room temperature. the mercury rolls back in forth between the tube to make a connection between two wires, or break that connection. its attached to a metal coil that expands and rotates when the heat rises breaking the connection shutting off the heat.

http://home.comcast.net/~carlylorenzo/images/headpat.gif

[wanna-b-ballin']

no, i'm really sure they can be found in lightswitches. atleast in a few of mine. when you flip the switch, the mercury tube flips too, which then connects or de-connects the current.

[slade]

no, i'm really sure they can be found in lightswitches. atleast in a few of mine. when you flip the switch, the mercury tube flips too, which then connects or de-connects the current.
? hmm. you probably have a really old house.

[billybob_81067]

no, i'm really sure they can be found in lightswitches. atleast in a few of mine. when you flip the switch, the mercury tube flips too, which then connects or de-connects the current.

Yeah I'm also pretty sure they can be found in old light switches. The ones that are quiet and don't make the loud clunk noise when switched.

Newer switches are also quiet, but the old non-mercury switches would make a clunking noise when flipped.

So if you know a switch is ancient, but it's quiet, it's probably got some mercury in it. :)