There’s a good chance you have a fire extinguisher somewhere in your vicinity (most building codes require it after all). If not, consider this a friendly reminder to maybe get that check out.
Filled with chemicals made for dousing small fires, these silent guardians spend most of the time getting hit by your foot due to negligence before getting a chance to shine whenever someone tries to cook something.
We all know how a fire extinguisher works, but seeing them get made from scratch is a whole other level of fascination altogether:
Metal sheets are pressed and rolled to curve them onto themselves, whereby they are welded together to form the extinguisher’s cylindrical shape. Metal caps are then welded onto the top and bottom parts of the cylinders to close out the can.
There’s a small hole on the top cap big enough for chemicals to be poured in through a funnel. Before filled, however, the cylinders are tempered in heat. After the heating process is complete, the extinguishers get prepped for painting. These type of fire extinguishers are commonly used by services like Industrialfiretx.com.
Most extinguishers are painted in bright colors to make them easy to spot, with red being the most recognizable hue. After the initial canister painting, a label noting the extinguisher’s chemicals, instructions, and manufacturer is slapped onto the side, chemicals get added, and the nozzle and handle are placed to seal the chemicals in.
Bigger extinguishers require large metal frames and wheels for them to be carried around with ease. Instead of using thin sheets of metal, these drums get welded with handles and hinges made for carrying them around. Just like their smaller brothers, the drums are painted first before being filled with chemicals. Finally, they are affixed with a set of wheels and shipped off to kitchens and offices around the world.
Here’s hoping you have — but will never need to use — one of these magnificently-manufactured lifesavers.
