Every three years the mufflers on my mom's car used to rust off. My dad started ordering mufflers and welded them together with an acetylene gas torch and CLOTHES HANGARS!!!
You talk about fugly welds... OMG. But, they'd last three years! I often wonder why my dad didn't buy proper brazing rods... Answer: He was a depression era kid.
At the time, we lived on Long Island. My dad was out in L.A. on business and my uncle asked dad if he wanted his torch and regulator set (which I still have). Dad said, "SURE!" My uncle had just bought the acetylene refill and offered it to my dad, who dutifully boxed it up and checked it as "luggage" for the flight back.
When dad's suitcase came down the chute at JFK he said we had to wait for one more item, and it was a heavy one... The luggage carousel was fed from a chute that came out of the ceiling. We heard...
zzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ...BAM!
as this tank wrapped in cardboard slammed into the edge of the carousel leaving a sizable dent. Being 16, I got to carry that beast to the car. Later, I told my shop teacher and he just looked at me with his jaw agape. He said you are not even supposed to lay tanks down once received.
I used to tell guys I was flying with that story on long legs and finish with, "You just never know what's downstairs..." LOL...