Saw an interesting "how it works" doc on refrigeration. The first to sucessfully build a commercial refrigeration unit, back in the late 1800's, was the Aussies to keep their beer cold. I couldn't help but laugh. Gotta have your priorities straight, mate!
Bloody oath!
And the best Aussie fridges that I used to see on the farms ran on kerosine, you used the kero for the lamps and the fridge. And what was the kero 'fuel tank', you guessed it, a beer bottle. No shortage of them in case you broke one.
Of course as a child I never could figure out how you made something cold by burning kerosine!
And another story about our keep it simple mentality, the old Sothern Cross diesels had a fuel filter bowl and like all glass things around heavy machinery they'd get broken pretty regularly but no sweat, an empty Vegemite jar was all they were.
Bob.