just a tish NE of central ND | That looks a bit different that I am used to seeing. That my friend, is an "Acetylene supply generator" for things like a acetylene cutting torch. It used Calcium carbide in the top to be dropped into the water with a crank handle into the lower half to generate acetylene gas for cutting torches and I believe in some cases bright lighting lamps. In cold climates, a lot of them had been frozen accidently.
Calcium carbide with some awesome stuff but you had to know what you were doing with it. It was quite explosive when wet as it generated gas when mixed with water. I personally have no experience but have friends that had a torch set up that used it growing up. It worked like any gas bottle supply but had to be self-maintained with water and Calcium carbide product. |
What is this thing? Moonshine still or waste oil heater?
