dtels little fire

[dtel's wife]

I agree with Tom. Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee don't ever have gasoline anywhere NEAR the fire. I can't find my pics here at home (I know I have them at work). I started a "bonfire" about 100 times larger than that from a slash pile some loggers created. Thing was probably over 100' long, 50' wide and maybe 30' tall at it's peak. I started it with less than 2 gallons of diesel fuel AND didn't start it until a day when we had rain the ENTIRE night before and the morning OF the fire.

Christy... lay the law on them!!! You want toasted marshmellows, NOT toasted Dtels!!

Sorry if I misunderstood any facts and over reacted. I just take safety about as serious as anything and using gasoline.....[N]

I can assure you dtel was extremely careful with the diesel and gasoline. If I am not mistaken Coytee, your "slash fire" probably had lots of kindling (smaller branches, leave, etc). Most of this bonfire was constructed using small (believe it or not) oak trees that were cleared for the construction of dtel's sister's new home around the corner from our home. As you can see from the first pic, most (if not all) of the branches/leaves were removed before constructing the bonfire. For some reason, unbeknownest to me, dtel did not put much kindling on this fire, maybe because of the week of continuous rain prior to New Year's Eve.

As far as "laying the law down", when it comes to fire I don't have a shot... I told all of you a long time ago that dtel is a pyromaniac[:@], I guess you didn't believe me.

Everyone was shocked that it took dtel so much "fuel" to get this thing going and then it hardly stayed lit. The firemen in our area know dtel on a first name basis.[]

[TBrennan]

"I can assure you dtel was extremely careful with the diesel and gasoline."

There's no such thing as being careful starting a fire with gasoline. Take it from me, I know what I'm talking about, I do construction safety. If I saw somebody on a job lighting a fire like that I'd get his money.

[dtel's wife]

wot, couldn't find any smaller sticks to start the fire? lol

We put on a bonfire like this once a year at church. We gotta get permission from the fire department since there are so many houses nearby, but it's all well controlled. I'm sure the heat was killer within 10 feet of the blaze [] There's always a seperate small fire (more like just hot coals) for roasting marshmallows.

We actually roped off a thirty five foot circle around the fire.

[Coytee]

Here's a pic of one of my fires. (you wanna go toe to toe with a REAL Pyro Dtel??!!) lol

You can barely see my backhoe in the background for a form of perspective. Remember, this is a FULL sized JCB industrial backhoe/loader, digging depth 15 1/2 feet (largest one JCB made when they built it). Something like 90 HP.

I had something like 12/15 of these piles all over the farm to deal with. I enjoyed every one of them but they DID cause me to have the fire department out...on TWO occasions [:$]

[Coytee]

I had two of these piles, kind of back to back, with an access road between them. When it was dark and you looked out, all you could see was the sea of coals, glowing. Looked very surreal, almost like a moonscape or a vulcano lava flow.

And Christy, I know you don't think this, but I want to be sure it's said... no one is picking on anyone here (you all) but this stuff gives you a single chance to get it right and multiple chances to get it wrong. Any time you get it wrong the results can be really bad and no one wants that for anyone.

I'm still a bit nervous using diesel as if the fire is already warm/hot, the diesel can ignite very quickly as its sprayed on. Gasoline??? I'd rather NOT have a fire, than use gasoline. I don't even want the stuff in my garage for my lawn mower.

Best way I've found for me so far, is buy a garden type, pressure can and fill it with diesel. Use a propane torch to light fire off and then spray diesel from a distance if needed, to help, or walk flames.

[]

[Coytee]

Everyone was shocked that it took dtel so much "fuel" to get this thing going and then it hardly stayed lit..[]

It's not the volume of fuel, but that it was in part, gasoline. Using gasoline (in my book) is a golden rule to never ever do.

Only telling ya, cause we all luv ya baby!!

[{][}]

[dtel's wife]

And Christy, I know you don't think this, but I want to be sure it's said... no one is picking on anyone here (you all) but this stuff gives you a single chance to get it right and multiple chances to get it wrong. Any time you get it wrong the results can be really bad and no one wants that for anyone.

I'm still a bit nervous using diesel as if the fire is already warm/hot, the diesel can ignite very quickly as its sprayed on. Gasoline??? I'd rather NOT have a fire, than use gasoline. I don't even want the stuff in my garage for my lawn mower.

Best way I've found for me so far, is buy a garden type, pressure can and fill it with diesel. Use a propane torch to light fire off and then spray diesel from a distance if needed, to help, or walk flames.

[]

I do not think anyone is picking on me and I fully understand the consequences of "playing with fire".[] As a matter of fact, I don't "play with fire", that's dtel's job, so ya'll can pick on him.[]

Having said that, let me add this. Coytee, a good friend of ours, an elderly gentleman was burning brush as he cleared his property, he threw gasoline on the fire using some kind of can. The fire backed up all the way to his neck and caused third degree burns.

All joking aside and I can't speak for dtel, but having lived with him for twenty eight years and knowing his "pyro tendencies" I believe he is extremely cautious. Even with extreme caution accidents can occur and I fully understand that also.

[dtel's wife]

(you wanna go toe to toe with a REAL Pyro Dtel??!!) lol

Coytee, we don't have pictures to prove it, but here's one for you.

When we first purchased our six acres of land it was basically overgrown brush, weeds and pine trees. Dtel and I would come out here on weekends and clear about a 1/2 acre and pile it up. Our future neighbor, whom we affectionately call "The Mayor" would stop over every weekend and tell dtel, "I would torch it, let the fire clean it off".

Well, after the third weekend of cutting, chopping and piling...I bring dtel a couple of sandwiches for lunch, with a drink and some napkins. He says, "Go on get out of here, go next door (other neighbor)." As usual, I was going on and on about something and he looked at me and said, "Get out of here". Of course, I said some choice words, got in the truck and went next door.

The neighbor friend and I sat down at her dining room table (which overlooks our property) and within five minutes I see a six acre wall of flames heading towards us. It seems as though dtel took "The Mayor's Advice" and torched the six acres.

My neighbor friend almost had a heart attack. She was screaming and hollering that dtel was gone burn the entire neighborhood down. I was trying to calm her down and tell her don't worry, when the flames reached about fifty feet from her front porch and went completely out.

Seems dtel recalled the ditch which ran between our properties and used that as a fire line. I'll tell you six acres on fire at one time coming at you is something to see.

The reason dtel wanted me "to get out of there". Seems he lit his napkins (provided by me) and dropped them all along the edge of the property. He had already dropped the first two napkins when he started yelling for me to "get out of here".

[Jay481985]

man I just play with thermite

[Arky]

(you wanna go toe to toe with a REAL Pyro Dtel??!!) lol

Coytee, we don't have pictures to prove it, but here's one for you.

When we first purchased our six acres of land it was basically overgrown brush, weeds and pine trees. Dtel and I would come out here on weekends and clear about a 1/2 acre and pile it up. Our future neighbor, whom we affectionately call "The Mayor" would stop over every weekend and tell dtel, "I would torch it, let the fire clean it off".

Well, after the third weekend of cutting, chopping and piling...I bring dtel a couple of sandwiches for lunch, with a drink and some napkins. He says, "Go on get out of here, go next door (other neighbor)." As usual, I was going on and on about something and he looked at me and said, "Get out of here". Of course, I said some choice words, got in the truck and went next door.

The neighbor friend and I sat down at her dining room table (which overlooks our property) and within five minutes I see a six acre wall of flames heading towards us. It seems as though dtel took "The Mayor's Advice" and torched the six acres.

My neighbor friend almost had a heart attack. She was screaming and hollering that dtel was gone burn the entire neighborhood down. I was trying to calm her down and tell her don't worry, when the flames reached about fifty feet from her front porch and went completely out.

Seems dtel recalled the ditch which ran between our properties and used that as a fire line. I'll tell you six acres on fire at one time coming at you is something to see.

The reason dtel wanted me "to get out of there". Seems he lit his napkins (provided by me) and dropped them all along the edge of the property. He had already dropped the first two napkins when he started yelling for me to "get out of here".

Ole Dtel ain't no novice.

[just_like_dtel]

Novice...DTEL...same sentence...not possible when discussing PYROMANIA. I am his middle daughter and I'm here to tell you : if you smell smoke, dtel's been there! but he doesnt stop at lighting fires. I'll leave the details of childhood with dtel to dtels wife to explain! Simply put: fear is definitely a factor for me!!!!! (go ahead...tell 'em about those coke bottle bombs and all the other SCARE TACTICS he used)

[TBrennan]

"Ole Dtel ain't no novice."

What do they say in Arkansas, "Thank God for Mississippi", isn't it?

[oldtimer]

Maybe TB but Mississippi produced Faulkner.

[dtel's wife]

BTW, just like dtel it was propane (sp?) and oxygen in plastic baggies, not coke bottles. Anyone ever seen or heard those kind of "bombs" when they explode? They leave a nice size hole in the ground.[]

I'll never forget the day dtel set one of those off without my mother knowing. I thought she was going to have a heart attack, and my dad just stood there LHAO. It scared the cr*p out of my mom. It was funny, not to mention deafening.

Dtel does love to make sure your heart is still working. I wonder why none of our girls will help him when he is doing electrical wiring? Come to think of it, I refuse to help him also. We have all been intentionally shocked one too many times.[] No wonder my brain short circuits sometimes.

[Arky]

"Ole Dtel ain't no novice."

What do they say in Arkansas, "Thank God for Mississippi", isn't it?

[H]

[dtel]

The scary part is those good ole boys are testing rocket engines for NASA about 15 minutes from here !

Rednecks and rocket engines, now that's scary ![]

[Coytee]

I'll tell you six acres on fire at one time coming at you is something to see.

Dtel is my new heroooooooooooooooo

[<)]

[TBrennan]

Oldtimer----Faulkner yeah. You know he's one of those writers I know I'm supposed to give a shot to but I just can't get very far. Deepest I got into him was a story called "Barn Burning" or something like that, about this Snopes fella. Long time ago.

Now that I'm retired I reckon I should be reading stuff like Faulkner, Joyce, Meville and such but now I lack the patience for reading I find a little difficult or that doesn't grab me right off. Been slogging at "Dark Sun" by Richard Rhodes.

[theplummer]

Hey Dtel,

That's cool that Gretchen Wilson is you Niece.

[oldtimer]

Oldtimer----Faulkner yeah. You know he's one of those writers I know I'm supposed to give a shot to but I just can't get very far. Deepest I got into him was a story called "Barn Burning" or something like that, about this Snopes fella. Long time ago.

Now that I'm retired I reckon I should be reading stuff like Faulkner, Joyce, Meville and such but now I lack the patience for reading I find a little difficult or that doesn't grab me right off. Been slogging at "Dark Sun" by Richard Rhodes.

I hear ya. As I Lay Dying is a good one to try. In my younger years I had Moby Dick on the night stand and it would put me right to sleep. Then after about half way through it started really clicking and by the end I was in awe. Melville's short novels like Typee and Omoo are pretty accessible.