PhilS

I frequently see references to GAS and am myself often a victim. However, a recent clip I stumbled across on YouTube kind of put it into perspective. Although it doesn't specifically address photography, the principles apply equally. I found it to be interesting and thought-provoking.

https://youtu.be/-kIpX4MkMOs

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

I have a slow release valve for my GAS

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

I have tried Maalox for my GAS. It really doesn’t help. So when I want to go online and order something, my wife tells me to check my wallet. If I have enough money, no problem. But I usually don’t have anything other than single dollars.

Xinloi6870

Try Gas-X.

MrMophoto Loc: Rhode Island "The biggest little"

Great clip, I teach Photography and Video Production (new this year) in a public high school. I'm gong to include this clip in the unit I plan to do on commercials, should be fun.
Thanks again

Oh one other question, I've seen the anachronism GAS many, many times and I've got the general meaning but could someone tell me it actually stands for?

PhotogHobbyist Loc: Bradford, PA

I do my part to support the economy but not by replacing things too quickly. Years ago I read a little poem which I try to follow closely.

Use it up.
Wear it out.
Make it do
Or do without.

bleirer

Gear acquisition syndrome

MrMophoto Loc: Rhode Island "The biggest little"

That makes a lot of sense! I used to work as a carpenter and for a while it seemed that at least once a week I would be buying a new tool. At the time it was at least $100 a each. Now that I spend most of my time with photography I feel those old feelings starting grow. I try to to quell my desires, but.....

wjones8637 Loc: Burleson, TX

Before I retired I finally convinced our development group that we didn't need to be better just new. They finally convinced top management that was true and we were no longer expected to improve on the sectors' best product. Notice how often detergents, fabric softeners, dish soaps JD others just say new, not improved. Most of our minds assume that new is better.

Bill

dpfoto Loc: Cape Coral, FL

GAS: "Gotta Acquire Stuff"

Timmers Loc: San Antonio Texas.

Well, isn't this cut. Don't get me wrong now, I like 42, he is an internet hoot. The GAS issue is not really a part of planned ob. there is a much bigger issue involved. Let me offer an example. You need a place to put things in your home, a place that will almost totally guarantee to survive a fire, you know what I'm talking about. In addition, a place to store all those combustibles.

The answer is your old refrigerator. Yes, rip out all the old electrical and cooling system and discard it. So now you can 'store' all your files, papers, even money and keep it in that fridge, even keep it in the house, perfectly safe. Now, if you want to put flammables, gas paints, aerosols, all you do is paint it yellow, mark flammable on it and you now have a sealed flammable container to put your flammables in. Ah, one suggestion, park it out doors away from you building so it will not be hazaderious. Oh, if you are wondering, yes, it exceeds OSA and government requirements as a safe storage cabinet (much cheaper than $800 to $2000 cabinets, actually is better) and remember you have already paid for these things!

Think, a great place to store all your camera gear as well.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

The old refrigerator does make a good storage cabinet. Most of them have built-in shelves for convenience.

I would say the refrigerator would be good for light duty protection. If you rip out the electrical and cooling system (probably only the compressor) be sure to seal up the holes you leave behind that would let water (or insects) into the box. You might want to consider replacing the gasket around the door, as they do degrade with age.

I WOULD NOT TRUST a refrigerator in a fire. Having hacked a couple of refrigerators to make them usable as farm product storage, I note that the insulation in a refrigerator is a foam. A significant fire would melt that foam and destroy the insulating qualities thereof. Even if that didn't happen, a refrigerator is not perfect in the insulation department. There are no perfect insulators for heat, and the best you can do is slow down the transmission of heat energy through the refrigerator walls. Consequently the inside of a refrigerator will heat up if a fire develops around it. Also, the door gasket will probably not last long in a fire.

True, a refrigerator WILL slow down the heating of the contents when exposed to a fire, but I would not trust it to last more than a couple hours. Safe for a while, but not "perfectly safe".

Timmers Loc: San Antonio Texas.

Yes, experience is an excellent source of information. The information I am offering is from two sources. The first is from an engineer who made this recordation based on his own assessment being a leader in his field. He offered the information based on the assessment that a common refrigerator is as well insulated or better than the commercial available fire resistant containers offer by companies manufacturing fire proof cabinets for commercial use. His statement expressed that a refrigerator exceeds US Government requirements for fire proof containers/cabinets sold commercially.

The other source is The University of Texas System that has been converting expired refrigerators to fire proof cabinets for the UT System.

Finally, I have friends who work as fire fighters (fire departments) who tell me that in structural fires, both home and commercial the one location that survives a fire is the contents of a refrigerator, not the outside but all the things on the inside of that fridge. For me, that is a pretty great source of information and knowledge.

Do as you like, me I have both freezers and refrigerators that are converted to store my negatives, slides and prints.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

"...based on the assessment that a common refrigerator is as well insulated or better than the commercial available fire resistant containers offer by companies manufacturing fire proof cabinets for commercial use..."

I would say that speaks poorly of the quality of fire proof cabinets for commercial use.

"...fire fighters (fire departments) who tell me that in structural fires, both home and commercial the one location that survives a fire is the contents of a refrigerator, not the outside but all the things on the inside of that fridge..."

So just think about what you keep in your fridge. Most everything in there contains water. That will keep the temperature below the boiling point of water until the water is gone. After that the temperature can start to rise again.

If you keep negatives, slides, and prints in there and no water-based things, that buffer will not exist.

Don't get me wrong. A refrigerator will provide thermal protection up to a point. After that, the contents will heat up just like everything around the fridge. And once that happens, if the insulation has survived (some refrigerators may use fiberglass insulation) the refrigerator will work in reverse, keeping everything in there hot until the heat leaks out through the sides (or until the firefighters will let you in so you can open the door). A refrigerator will certainly provide more protection than a shelf. But thermodynamics can't be overcome. If the fire lasts long enough everything will be hot, even things inside the best "fireproof" safe ever made. The time it takes to get the insides hot may be long if the insulation is good, but firefighters don't always put out fires in minutes. It could easily take hours.

A refrigerator will be better than nothing. But don't call the contents "perfectly safe".

PS: when the refrigerator does become hot inside, most current refrigerators have plastic components that will start to melt and coat the contents.

PhotogHobbyist Loc: Bradford, PA

I would suggest that anyone using a refrigerator for storage have a lockable latch or closure to prevent children or anyone from getting into it. In the past there have been significant numbers of suffocation in refrigerators. I'm sure the old timers, like me, here recall those reports in years past.