home built fire resistant safe

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Firestone

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Greetings: I have seen various threads which talk about the insulation value of wood ash, specifically about how long glowing coals can stay hot in a pail of ash. Has anyone ever used wood ash to construct a safe. I have access to a stainless steel 5 gallon pail with a lid. I am thinking of hanging a suitable metal container inside the pail, about halfway down and then filling the pail with wood ash and crimping the lid on. Any suggestions out there?
 
I think refractory casting or just plain ceramic combined with a high temp insulation in that bucket would give you a pretty good unit. The lye from wood ash will eventually eat through almost anything unless it's totally dry. I'm not too concerned about the SS pail, but what you hang in there might get eaten up over time.

Regards
Ugly
 
um, interesting. but for that matter, couldnt you use dirt?

and i beleive the ash keeps the coals longer not for its insulation, which i think to be bad, but rather it keeps coals long because it limits the air a coal gets.
i would think heat would pass through the ash to the internal container pretty easy.

but who am I, I was amazed how well ash works on my icey driveway.....sand is a waste of time compared to ash... never would have expected that either.

try it.
take a smaller pail/metal container, pack it with ash, stick an old credit card, or lame plastic, and a sheet of newspaper (dollar bill simulation) in the center.
top off with ash and close the pail, set it on an established fire for 5 minutes, preferably outside.
remove
let cool
open up and report back!
 
Greetings: Once we get some warmer weather, I am going to do exactly that, using the backyard fire pit. However we don't have dollar bills here, so I think I will throw in a 100 eh!!
 
I recently purchased a fireproof and secure safe for under $100 (U.S.). If you have actual valuables to store, aren't they worth $100?

Peace,
- Sequoia
 
TreePapa said:
I recently purchased a fireproof and secure safe for under $100 (U.S.). If you have actual valuables to store, aren't they worth $100?

Peace,
- Sequoia

well yea, but that takes away from
-the challange of making one.
-the feeling of triumph if it works.
-the potenital coolness of what cool things could happen..like things fusing together/minor explosions/creating new compounds ect.
all the same reasons most of us take on home repairs, strange ideas,.... and have sex! ahahaha
 
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