Here is the first of, "Things I'll never do again". Well, I decided to use dirt as a ground cover in some transition areas. I've read that you should sift it and then bake it at 500 degrees for about 15 minutes or so. So I asked my wife if I could use her oven to bake some dirt. She looked sideways at me. Then started laughing so hard she fell off her chair. Don't be concerned she's alright. But her interest was peeked and she said OK. I got a plastic container with about 3 or 4 pounds of dirt from the flower garden. Sifted some of it. But it was a pain so I decide to bake it first and shift later (everybody say uh-oh ). My wife programmed the over for 500 degrees. I covered an old cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spread the dirt out and put it in the oven. My wife went into her office and I sat down to watch the news and wait. About 10 minutes later I awoke, my eyes burning from the smoke pouring from the oven vents, the fire alarm buzzing. My wife all upset. After I had turned off the alarm, calmed my wife, she turned off the oven. I took the cookie sheet outside. The little pieces of burning wood smoldering embers, and other small flammable debris burned them selves out. But continued smoking for a while. I went back inside to clear out the smoke and pay attention to my wife's suggestion, of what I should do to my self, if I ever again, ask to bake dirt. While my wife was in the shower (not that I was afraid or anything, but discretion is the better part of valor) I went outside to bring the dirt upstairs. After all It's already well baked and waste not want not. See ya
I would certainly nominate this for one of Peter Nolans Stupid Mistake awards. These awards are I understand not handed out lightly and are very prestigious. LMAO great story
Thank goodness you don't have a smoke alarm that is monitored. The local FD responding to the alarm would want to document this for their "Now we've seen everything file."
Hummmmm. Makes me wonder what my wife has been making me for dinner lately. Looks like burnt dirt. Tastes like burnt dirt. Hummmmmmm.
It is a good thing you went to 500 degrees. At 350, the insects and microbes might have survived. Actually, are you really sure about 500? How does one clean the oven afterwards to make sure? I think this one passes Nolan's stuff and is on the way to maybe 10% of a Darwin Award.
Great story and I figure it has a moral there... somewhere! At least there isn't any combustible material left... I've already PM'd Pete regarding the issuance of a Stupid Mistake number. I think it qualifies, too!
I'm sort of awestruck by this. I had no idea dirt could burn. I roasted mine at 350. As I've said before, 72 hours in the freezer usually does the job too. I expect next week you will be extolling the subtle variances in hue of "toasted" dirt. Model railroader will feature an article. We will all utter the now famous phrase "I am not worthy" when in your presence.
You won't mind if I just stick to baking bread and cookies. No hurt feelings... right? Actually baking the dirt is the same as sanitizing it. Not a bad idea, as long as nothing that can be consumed by fire, is in it. But, then you now have the makings for a forest fire that went through a section of your layout. Grin! Darn railroad weed burner.
That's just hilarious! *rotflmbo* Now you know where all the vitamins, minerals & iron in your diet are coming from... Great idea! A weed burner, forest fire, use it at a burning/burnt building site, steam loco cinder pit, the possibilities are endless! In fact, on many routes with heavy grades, and heavy steam power, cinders are everywhere along the ROW. Would make a great way to replicate this....
Couldn't you microwave dirt instead? That would kill bugs, eh? Actually I think I did this a couple times...
The best place to cook earth is in the BBQ outside ! Freezing it like somebody suggest would not do the job ( I think ) , our soil are froozen for a good 4 months per year and year after year the insects come back in the summer !
Congrats, you now know the difference between dirt and soil. Soil is dirt plus lots of living stuff. At least you didn't put it on your layout and find out that you had nightcrawlers roaming around your layout! Hmmm, put in a film crew for "Tremors?" :teeth:
Soils are made up of minerals from below and organic decaded material from above(twigs, leaves, grass etc.) Some soils are so high in organic material they can catch on fire from lightning strikes and burn underground for year. Darker colored soils are higher in organic matter.
Thank goodness that you didn't have any feline remnants in the dirt - imagine it ! Should've went with your first instinct and sifted.
Fellow Members, Thank you for all the sage advise, suggestions, and commensuration with my plight. There is no doubt, it is/was a very stupid mistake. I never said that and you never heard it. I'm an awfully smart guy and surprised at myself for this slippage. Perhaps I meant it an example of how not to bake dirt. Yep, That's my story and I'm sticking to it. But I'll never try it again. The fact that my wife's warning, of what I can do to myself if I ever ask to do this again, sticks in my mind. And causes me extreme emotional distress, has absolutely nothing to do with it. After all we men are kings of our castles and leaders of the pack. But to suggest that my sad tale is even close to the realm of Mr. Pete Nolan or was it Niles, (all bow down with due respect and honor, I mean this. Can you tell I'm a retired yes man or as some clowns said a brown noser ) Stupid mistakes does me great honor. Is he related to the guy, that drops expensive cameras on layouts, he's trying to photograph? But I'll be sure to print off this thread, frame it and hang it on the wall. So that in my twilight years I can look at it with fond memories or fear that I almost burned the house down. Thank you one and all for your responses and I hope it brought a smile or two. BTW: If interested, I may post a tale of defective, Tree kits, paints, and paper towels. See ya
Very funny story! Do you mind if I try booking you on the "Rachel Ray Show" The topic would be, "Baking Dirt and eliminating all the Trans Fats." Who knows, Switchman, you could have come up with a new protein diet.
I hereby grant you Stupid Mistake #85: Baking Topsoil Instead of Dirt! I don't have topsoil here, just decomposed granite. It's the stuff you make adobe bricks out of. Adobe is nearly as hard as concrete, just much more brittle. I used it in places on my previous layout. If you put it down with diluted white glue, it becomes concrete. Try moving track after it dried? You need a miniature jackhammer. Enjoy your infamy!
