Preparation of Contact Explosives
This is part of a series of files on pyrotechnics and explosives. It's
serious stuff, and can be really dangerous if you don't treat it seriously.
For you kids out there who watch too many cartoons, remember that if a
part of your body gets blown away in the REAL world, it STAYS blown away.
If you can't treat this stuff with respect, don't screw around with it.
Each file will start with a set of safety rules. Don't skip over them.
Read 'em and MEMORIZE 'em!! At the beginning, there will be a set of general
rules that always apply. Then there will be some things that you HAVE TO
KNOW about the materials you will be using and making this time. Read it
thoroughly before starting anything. Pyrotechnic preparations and explosives
are, by their very nature, unstable, and subject to ignition by explosion
or heat, shock, or friction. A clear understanding of their dangerous properties
and due care in the handling of ingredients or finished products is necessary
if accidents are to be avoided. Always observe all possible precautions,
particularly the following: 1. Mix only small batches at one time. This
means a few grams, or at most, an ounce or so. Don't go for big mixes --
they only make for bigger accidents. The power of an explosive cubes itself
with every ounce. (9 Ounces is 729 times as powerful as one ounce.) 2.
When weighing chemicals, use a clean piece of paper on the scale pan for
each item. Then discard the used paper into a bucket of water before weighing
the next ingredient. 3. Be a safe worker. Dispose of any chemicals spilled
on the workbench or equipment between weighings. Don't keep open containers
of chemicals on your table, since accidental spillage or mixing may occur.
When finished with a container, close it, and replace it on the storage
shelf. Use only clean equipment. 4. Where chemicals are to be ground, grind
them separately, NEVER TOGETHER. Thoroughly wash and clean equipment before
grinding another ingredient. 5. Mixing of batches should be done outdoors,
away from flammable structures, such as buildings, barns, garages, etc.
Mixes should also be made in NON METALLIC containers to avoid sparks. Glass
also should not be used since it will shatter in case of an accident. Handy
small containers can be made by cutting off the top of a plastic bottle
three or four inches from the bottom. Some mixes may most conveniently
be made by placing the ingredients in a plastic bottle and rolling around
until the mixture is uniform. In all cases, point the open end of the container
away from yourself. Never hold your body or face over the container. Any
stirring should be done with a wooden paddle or stick to avoid sparks or
static. Powdered or ground materials may also be mixed by placing them
on a large sheet of paper on a flat surface and then rolling them across
the sheet by lifting the sides and corners one at a time. 6. Never ram
or tamp mixes into paper or cardboard tubes. Pour the material in and gently
tap or shake the tube to settle the contents down. 7. Store ingredients
and finished mixes where they will not be a fire hazard away from heat
and flame. Finished preparations may be stored in plastic bottles which
will not shatter in case of an accident. Since many of the ingredients
and mixes are poisonous, they should be stored out of reach of children
or pets, preferably locked away. 8. Be sure threads of screw top containers
and caps are thoroughly cleaned. This applies also to containers with stoppers
of rubber or cork and to all other types of closures. Traces of mixture
caught between the container and closure may be ignited by the friction
of opening or closing the container. Throughout any procedure, WORK WITH
CLEAN CONDITIONS. 9. ALWAYS WEAR A FACE SHIELD OR AT LEAST SHATTERPROOF
SAFETY GLASSES. Any careful worker does when handling dangerous materials.
Be sure lenses and frames are not flammable. 10. Always wear a dust respirator
when handling chemicals in dust form. These small particles gather in your
lungs and stay there. They may cause serious illnesses later on in life.
11. Always wear gloves when working with chemicals. 12. Always wear a waterproof
lab apron. 13. If you must work indoors, have a good ventilation system.
14. Never smoke anywhere near where you are working. 15. Make sure there
are NO open flames present, and NO MOTORS (they produce sparks inside.)
No hot water heaters, furnaces, or pilot lights in stoves!! Sparks have
been known to very readily explode dust floating in the air. 16. ALWAYS
work with someone. Two heads are better than one. 17. Have a source of
water READILY available. (Fire extinguisher, hose, etc.) 18. Never, under
any circumstances, use any metal to load chemicals or put chemicals in.
Fireworks with metal casings are worse to handle than a live hand grenade.
Never use any metal container or can. This includes the very dangerous
CO2 cartridges. Many people have been KILLED because of flying fragments
from metal casings. Again, please do not use metal in any circumstance.
19. Always be thoroughly familiar with the chemicals you are using. Some
information will be included in each file, but look for whatever extra
information you can. Materials that were once thought to be safe can later
be found out to be dangerous stuff. 20. Wash your hands and face thoroughly
after using chemicals. Don't forget to wash your EARS AND YOUR NOSE. 21.
If any device you've built fails to work, leave it alone. After a half
hour or so, you may try to bury it, but never try to unload or reuse any
dud. 22. If dust particles start to form in the air, stop what you are
doing and leave until it settles. 23. Read the entire file before trying
to do anything. 24. NEVER strike any mixture containing Chlorates, Nitrates,
Perchlorates, Permanganates, Bichromates, or powdered metals don't drop
them, or even handle them roughly. These rules may all look like a lot
of silly nonsense, but let's look at one example. When the move "The Wizard
of OZ" was made, the actress who played the good witch was severely burned
when one of the exploding special effects got out of hand. The actress
who played the bad witch got really messed up by the green coloring used
on her face, and the original actor who played the Tin Man got his lungs
destroyed by the aluminum dust used to color his face. The actor we know
of as the tin man was actually a replacement. The point is, these chemicals
were being used under the direction of people a lot more knowlegable of
chemicals than you are, and terrible accidents still happened. Don't take
this stuff lightly. The contact explosives we will be describing use only
a few chemicals. Some do need extra caution to keep from causing trouble.
Iodine Crystals Though most people don't realize it, Iodine is not a brown
liquid, but a steel-grey solid. The tincture of iodine you buy at the drugstore
actually contains just a tiny bit of iodine dissolved in a jarful of inexpensive
alcohol, and resold at a huge mark up. We'll be using iodine in the crystalline
form. On contact with your skin, it will produce a dark stain that won't
wash off with soap and water. We'll talk about removing these stains later.
If it gets hot, it vaporizes into a purple cloud, that smells like the
chlorine in a swimming pool. This cloud is dangerous to inhale, since it
will condense in your lungs, and is corrosive. Since we won't need to heat
this stuff, it is not a problem, but you should make sure that you don't
let any iodine crystals spill onto a hot surface. If you don't touch it
and keep it away from your face, you shouldn't have any troubles. Ammonium
Hydroxide This is just good old household ammonia. Be sure to get the clear
kind. The sudsy stuff won't be too useful. It is made from ammonia gas
dissolved in water, and every time you open the bottle, it loses some of
its strength, so be sure to use fresh stuff. We need it to be as strong
as possible. Some of the formulas given here use lab grade concentrated
ammonium hydroxide. It is much stronger than the supermarket kind, and
is very unkind to skin or especially the eyes. It is a good idea to wear
eye protection with even the supermarket grade. Though we don't usually
worry about this when using household ammonia for cleaning, we usually
dilute it for that. Here we'll be using it straight out of the bottle,
and it is much more corrosive in that form. Never use this material if
you don't have real good ventilation, as the ammonia vapors can be overpowering.
Potassium Iodide This is a reasonably safe chemical. You get Potassium
ions in some of the fruit you eat, and Iodide ions (usually as Sodium Iodide)
are added to the table salt you buy at the store. So, while you don't directly
eat this chemical, you do eat the components that make it up. Don't be
scared of this stuff. Sodium Thiosulfate Otherwise known as photographic
hypo. When dissolved in water, this will remove the iodine stains left
by touching iodine crystals, and exploding contact explosive. Not particularly
nasty stuff, but make sure to wash it off after cleaning yourself with
it. General Information This is a powerful and highly sensitive explosive.
A dust sized particle will make a sharp crack or popping sound. A piece
the size of a pencil lead will produce an explosion as loud as any of the
largest firecrackers or cherry bombs. It cannot be exploded by any means
when wet, and therefore can be handled and applied with safety. When dry,
it will explode with the touch of a feather, or a breath of air. The strength
of the ammonia water you use will have a direct effect on the strength
of the final product. If you use supermarket ammonia, the explosive will
work, but not as spectacularly as if you use a 15% or higher (10 to 15
molar) solution. The stronger it is, the better. You'll also need filter
paper, and a funnel. A properly folded coffee filter will do nicely if
you don't have the filter paper. If you're not sure how to fold filter
paper, check an elementary chemistry textbook. Methods of Preparation 1.)
Granular Explosive. This is the easiest kind, and the only kind that will
work reasonably well with supermarket ammonia. Crush enough iodine crystals
to make a pile of powder equal to the volume of a pencil eraser. Do not
grind into a fine powder. Put about 4 ounces or 1/2 measuring cup of strong
ammonia water into a small container with the iodine, and seal it for about
5 to 10 minutes, shaking frequently. While the mixture is reacting, get
your filter paper ready. While it is best to consult a book that shows
how to do this, you take the circle of filter paper, fold it in half, fold
it again at right angles to the first fold, and then open it to form a
cone. Open or close it as needed to make it conform to the angle of the
funnel, and moisten it a little to make it stick in place. Place the funnel
over a container that will catch the waste liquid. Let the mixture settle
long enough for the sediment to settle, and pour off as much of the clear
liquid as possible before filtering the sediment. Pour the remaining liquid
and sediment into the filter. The sediment (and the filter paper covered
with it!!!) is your explosive. The small amount you have made will go a
lot farther than you realize. Particularly if you used good strong ammonia.
Place the explosive in an airtight leakproof pill bottle. As this explosive
is unstable by nature, fresh amounts give better results than stale ones
that have been sitting around for a day or so. Best results are obtained
with small fresh batches. But as you'll see, there are a few tricks you
can do with this material that do require it to sit for a day or more.
The explosive should be stored and applied while wet. 2.) Paint type explosive.
This will use up a lot of iodine crystals. Make up a strong tincture of
iodine using about 4 ounces or 1/2 measuring cup of rubbing alcohol, denatured
alcohol, or wood alcohol. Wood alcohol is preferable. Add iodine crystals
and shake thoroughly until no more will dissolve. Pour the liquid into
a fruit jar. Add the ammonium hydroxide and stir the mixture until the
mixture is a chocolate brown and shows a little of the original color of
the iodine. The amount of ammonia necessary will depend on its strength.
An equal volume of ammonia is usually sufficient for a 15% or higher solution.
The solution should be filtered at once, and shouldn't ever wait more than
10 or 15 minutes, because it starts to dissolve again. The explosive again
should be stored and applied while wet. This material is chemically the
same as the granular explosive, but because it was precipitated from a
solution, it is much more finely divided, and the reaction happens almost
simultaneously, so you can get it out before it all vanishes back into
the solution. 3.) Paint type #2. Dissolve 1 gram of potassium iodide in
about 90cc of 18%-22% ammonium hydroxide. Add 4 grams of pulverized iodine.
A deep black sediment should start forming. Let stand, and stir frequently
for five minutes. Then, filter as usual. While the potassium iodide is
not an integral part of the chemical reaction, the dissolved potassium
iodide will allow the iodine crystals in turn to dissolve, and its common
ion effect will cause less iodine crystals to be wasted. Since the iodine
is by far the most expensive ingredient, you'll save money in the long
run by using it. Care in Handling And Storage Because this material is
so unstable it deteriorates quickly. Don't make any more than you need
to use in the next 24 hours. If you can't use it all immediately, the container
you keep it in should be recapped tightly after use and the mouth wiped
clean. The explosive can cause dark stain damage to things as rugs, clothing,
chair seats, wallpaper, and light or clear plastics. A strong solution
of sodium thiosulfate is effective for removing stains from hands and clothing
before they set. Never leave the container of explosive in direct sunlight
for more than a few minutes, as it will weaken the strength. Do NOT attempt
to make a large explosion as it is dangerous and can cause deafness. All
equipment used should be thoroughly washed and the used filter paper flushed
down the toilet. Under no circumstances attempt to handle the dried material
which is extremely explosive and hazardous. If you can avoid storing the
material in a container at all, there will be no chance that a loose stopper
will let the material dry out and become a potential bomb. Tiny bits of
this can be great fun, but it has to be handled with care. Application
Although largely a scientific curiosity, this explosive finds itself well
suited for practical jokes. It may easily be painted on the bottom side
of light switches, sprinkled on floors, painted in keyholes, pencil sharpeners,
doorknobs and in hundreds of other unsuspected places. It is also ideal
for catching locker thieves and desk prowlers. It will leave a dark stain
on his hands when it explodes, and only you will know how to remove it.
Reaction Equations Ammonium Ammonium Ammonium Nitrogen Iodine Hydroxide
Iodide Tri Iodide Water 3I + 5NH OH ---> 3NH I + NH NI + 5H O 2 4 4 3 3
2 The theoretical yield of explosive from pure iodine is 54.1% by weight.
The remainder of the iodine may be recovered for reuse from the ammonium
iodide waste product by evaporating the waste liquid and treating with
chlorine if a chemistry lab is available. The contact explosive is Ammonium
Nitrogen Tri-Iodide, which explodes into iodine, nitrogen, and ammonia.
Ammonium Nitrigen Tri-Iodide Iodine Nitrogen Ammonia 2NH NI ---> 3I + N
+ 2NH 3 3 2 2 3 Some Clever Uses For This Material 1.) Contact Explosive
Torpedos. Get some gelatin capsules, the kind pills are made of. Fill the
small half with uncooked dry tapioca until it is half full. Then place
a wet blob of contact explosive about 4 times the size of a straight pin
head on top of it. Either the granular or paint type explosive will work.
The capsule is then filled the rest of the way up with tapioca until, when
the capsule is put together, the grains of tapioca are packed tightly,
and none are loose. If this is not done properly, the torpedos could go
off prematurely, and the joke would be on you. The torpedos are then moistened
at the joints to seal them and stored until the next day. They are not
sensitive enough until the next day and too sensitive the day after, so
plan your activities accordingly. These torpedos are the most fiendish
devices made. You can lay one on top of a door, where it will roll off
when the door is opened, and it will explode on contact with the floor.
If you toss one some distance away it will appear as if someone else was
responsible for the explosion. These torpedos are ideal as booby traps
or for pulling practical jokes with. They may be carried in a small box
filled with cotton until needed. Just treat the box gently, and all will
be well. 2.Contact Explosive Booby Traps. Prepare a small amount of contact
explosive. Cut strips of newspaper 1 1/2 inches wide and 1 foot long. Cut
a piece of string 1 foot long. Put a small amount of wet contact explosive
on the strip of paper 1 inch from the end. Double the string. Now pull
one end of the string back until there is a double loop in the string about
1 inch long. Do not tie. Lay this double loop across the wet contact explosive
and tightly roll the paper and glue the end. Put away for a few days until
thoroughly dry. When dry, pull the ends of the string and the booby trap
will explode. The strings, when pulled, rub against the dry contact explosive,
and make it explode. Getting The Materials There are quite a few chemical
supply houses that you can mail order the materials you need. You'll have
to sign a form stating that you're over 21 and won't use the chemicals
for the types of things we're learning here. Note that the people who run
these supply houses know what Iodine Crystals and Ammonium Hydroxide can
do when mixed together, and if you order both from the same place, or in
the same order, it may arouse some suspicion. Check the classified ads
in the back of magazines like Popular Science for the current supply houses.
Order as many catalogs as you can find. Not all sell every chemical that
you may want for this series. Also, you can break the orders up so as not
to look suspicious. Lastly, some houses are used to selling to individuals,
and will provide chemicals in 1 or 4 ounce lots, while others prefer to
sell to large institutions, and sell their wares in 1 or 5 pound jugs.
Split up your orders according to the quantities of each item you think
you will be needing. An ounce of Iodine Crystals will cost three or four
dollars an ounce, and an ounce bottle of iodine is pretty tiny, but it
goes a long way. If you had to buy that by the pound, you might just want
to forget the whole thing. PYRO2.TXT Touch Paper, Self Igniting Mixtures,
Percussion Explosives This is part of a series of files on pyrotechnics
and explosives. It's serious stuff, and can be really dangerous if you
don't treat it seriously. For you kids out there who watch too many cartoons,
remember that if a part of your body gets blown away in the REAL world,
it STAYS blown away. If you can't treat this stuff with respect, don't
screw around with it. Each file will start with a set of safety rules.
Don't skip over them. Read 'em and MEMORIZE 'em!! At the beginning, there
will be a set of general rules that always apply. Then there will be some
things that you HAVE TO KNOW about the materials you will be using and
making this time. Read it thoroughly before starting anything. Pyrotechnic
preparations and explosives are, by their very nature, unstable, and subject
to ignition by explosion or heat, shock, or friction. A clear understanding
of their dangerous properties and due care in the handling of ingredients
or finished products is necessary if accidents are to be avoided. Always
observe all possible precautions, particularly the following: 1. Mix only
small batches at one time. This means a few grams, or at most, an ounce
or so. Don't go for big mixes -- they only make for bigger accidents. The
power of an explosive cubes itself with every ounce. (9 Ounces is 729 times
as powerful as one ounce.) 2. When weighing chemicals, use a clean piece
of paper on the scale pan for each item. Then discard the used paper into
a bucket of water before weighing the next ingredient. 3. Be a safe worker.
Dispose of any chemicals spilled on the workbench or equipment between
weighings. Don't keep open containers of chemicals on your table, since
accidental spillage or mixing may occur. When finished with a container,
close it, and replace it on the storage shelf. Use only clean equipment.
4. Where chemicals are to be ground, grind them separately, NEVER TOGETHER.
Thoroughly wash and clean equipment before grinding another ingredient.
5. Mixing of batches should be done outdoors, away from flammable structures,
such as buildings, barns, garages, etc. Mixes should also be made in NON
METALLIC containers to avoid sparks. Glass also should not be used since
it will shatter in case of an accident. Handy small containers can be made
by cutting off the top of a plastic bottle three or four inches from the
bottom. Some mixes may most conveniently be made by placing the ingredients
in ÿ a plastic bottle and rolling around until the mixture is uniform.
In all cases, point the open end of the container away from yourself. Never
hold your body or face over the container. Any stirring should be done
with a wooden paddle or stick to avoid sparks or static. Powdered or ground
materials may also be mixed by placing them on a large sheet of paper on
a flat surface and then rolling them across the sheet by lifting the sides
and corners one at a time. 6. Never ram or tamp mixes into paper or cardboard
tubes. Pour the material in and gently tap or shake the tube to settle
the contents down. 7. Store ingredients and finished mixes where they will
not be a fire hazard away from heat and flame. Finished preparations may
be stored in plastic bottles which will not shatter in case of an accident.
Since many of the ingredients and mixes are poisonous, they should be stored
out of reach of children or pets, preferably locked away. 8. Be sure threads
of screw top containers and caps are thoroughly cleaned. This applies also
to containers with stoppers of rubber or cork and to all other types of
closures. Traces of mixture caught between the container and closure may
be ignited by the friction of opening or closing the container. Throughout
any procedure, WORK WITH CLEAN CONDITIONS. 9. ALWAYS WEAR A FACE SHIELD
OR AT LEAST SHATTERPROOF SAFETY GLASSES. Any careful worker does when handling
dangerous materials. Be sure lenses and frames are not flammable. 10. Always
wear a dust respirator when handling chemicals in dust form. These small
particles gather in your lungs and stay there. They may cause serious illnesses
later on in life. 11. Always wear gloves when working with chemicals. 12.
Always wear a waterproof lab apron. 13. If you must work indoors, have
a good ventilation system. 14. Never smoke anywhere near where you are
working. 15. Make sure there are NO open flames present, and NO MOTORS
(they produce sparks inside.) No hot water heaters, furnaces, or pilot
lights in stoves!! Sparks have been known to very readily explode dust
floating in the air. 16. ALWAYS work with someone. Two heads are better
than one. 17. Have a source of water READILY available. (Fire extinguisher,
hose, etc.) 18. Never, under any circumstances, use any metal to load chemicals
or put chemicals in. Fireworks with metal casings are worse to handle than
a live hand grenade. Never use any metal container or can. This includes
the very dangerous CO2 cartridges. Many people have been KILLED because
of flying fragments from metal casings. Again, please do not use metal
in any circumstance. 19. Always be thoroughly familiar with the chemicals
you are using. Some information will be included in each file, but look
for whatever extra information you can. Materials that were once thought
to be safe can later be found out to be dangerous stuff. 20. Wash your
hands and face thoroughly after using chemicals. Don't forget to wash your
EARS AND YOUR NOSE. 21. If any device you've built fails to work, leave
it alone. After a half hour or so, you may try to bury it, but never try
to unload or reuse any dud. 22. If dust particles start to form in the
air, stop what you are doing and leave until it settles. 23. Read the entire
file before trying to do anything. 24. NEVER strike any mixture containing
Chlorates, Nitrates, Perchlorates, Permanganates, Bichromates, or powdered
metals don't drop them, or even handle them roughly. These rules may all
look like a lot of silly nonsense, but let's look at one example. When
the move "The Wizard of OZ" was made, the actress who played the good witch
was severely burned when one of the exploding special effects got out of
hand. The actress who played the bad witch got really messed up by the
green coloring used on her face, and the original actor who played the
Tin Man got his lungs destroyed by the aluminum dust used to color his
face. The actor we know of as the tin man was actually a replacement. The
point is, these chemicals were being used under the direction of people
a lot more knowlegable of chemicals than you are, and terrible accidents
still happened. Don't take this stuff lightly. We will be using many more
chemicals this time, and some can be quite dangerous. Please read the following
information carefully. Sodium Azide - NaN 3 This white powder is very poisonous.
It is also a bit unstable, so treat it gently. Lead Nitrate - Pb(NO ) 3
2 This contains poisonous lead and is very water soluble so your body will
absorb it quickly, given the chance. The government has banned leaded paints
and is phasing out leaded gasoline because the stuff slowly accumulates
in your body and can screw up all sorts of important innards. If you are
careless with Lead Nitrate you can do a few lifetimes' worth of damage
in one afternoon. Ammonium Nitrate - NH NO 4 3 Commonly used as fertilizer,
this stuff is somewhat dangerous in large quantities, particularly if it
gets very hot. (Entire shiploads of this material have been known to go
up all at once.) When heated gently, it decomposes into water and nitrous
oxide (laughing gas). Farmers sometimes use it to blow up tree stumps by
mixing it with fuel oil and setting the gunk off with a detonator. We'll
have a very different use for it here. Potassium Nitrate - KNO 3 Also known
as saltpeter, this is commercially used as a diuretic for animals. It also
works as an oxidizing agent in various pyrotechnic mixtures. That is, when
heated it provides the oxygen needed to make the rest of the mixture burn.
Potassium Potassium Nitrate Nitrite Oxygen 2KNO ---> 2KNO + O 3 2 2 Potassium
Chlorate - KClO 3 A much more spectacular oxidizing agent than Potassium
Nitrate. It not only yields more oxygen than Potassium Nitrate, it does
so more easily. Pyrotechnic mixtures containing this chemical will require
much less of it, and yet burn more fiercely. Even percussion can readily
set the mixtures off. This can be useful, but it sometimes makes the mixtures
more sensitive than you'd like. Mixtures containing this chemical must
be handled carefully. Potassium Chlorate is also poisonous. Potassium Potassium
Chlorate Chloride Oxygen 2KClO ---> 2KCl + 3O 3 2 Aluminum Dust Very finely
divided aluminum. When put in a glass jar, it almost looks like a solid
piece of grey metal. In this form it is flammable. Also, it can seriously
damage your lungs if you inhale it. Be careful not to stir up any clouds
of dust, and it goes without saying that you shouldn't use it near an open
flame. Zinc Dust Very finely divided zinc. Not quite as flammable as Aluminum
Dust, but still worth handling carefully. Can also damage your lungs if
inhaled. Lampblack This is very finely divided carbon, usually obtained
as a soot from other manufacturing processes. It is much more effective
in pyrotechnic mixtures than powdered charcoal. Tiny spots of this are
almost unnoticeable, but they stick to your hands and smear incredibly
far. If you're not very tidy you should expect to find black smears all
over your face and hands after using this. Sulfur A yellow powder used
as a reducing agent in many pyrotechnic mixtures. Buy this in the finely
powdered form. You can also get it in hard lumps, but these will just waste
extra time as you have to grind them yourself. Potassium Permanganate An
oxidizing agent that's somewhat less vigorous than others mentioned here.
Not usually used in pyrotechnic mixtures because it's more expensive and
less effective than some of the alternatives. There are a few cases when
it's just the right thing. Don't let this accidentally come in contact
with glycerine. If such an accident happens, the resulting mess should
be immediately wiped up with wet paper towels and buried or flushed down
a toilet. It should NOT be thrown away in a dry waste receptacle!!! Gum
Arabic A white powder which is mixed with water to make a glue like substance.
Useful for coating various mixtures or binding them together into a solid
mass. Sodium Peroxide A very strange and dangerous oxidizer. Don't let
it get wet and don't let it touch your skin. Glycerine A thick liquid,
chemically similar to rubbing alcohol. Though harder to get burning, it
will burn in the right circumstances. Fairly safe stuff. Iodine Crystals
Pure Iodine is a steel grey solid, which is poisonous and which produses
poisonous vapors when heated. Smells similar to the chlorine used in bleaches
and swimming pools. If you accidentally should drop some on a hot surface
and notice the odor, you should leave the area. Touch Paper This is an
easily made material that acts like a slow burning fuse and is ideal for
testing small amounts of a pyrotechnic mixture. It is made by soaking a
piece of absorbent paper, like a paper towel, in a saturated solution of
Potassium Nitrate. (A saturated solution means that you have dissolved
as much of the chemical in water as is possible.) Hang the paper up to
dry, and be sure to wipe up any drips. When dry it is ready. Cut off a
small strip and light the edge to see how different it acts from ordinary
paper. This will ignite all but the most stubborn mixtures, and will ignite
gunpowder, which will in turn ignite most anything else. Don't dip the
towel in the Potassium Nitrate solution a second time to try to make it
"stronger". This will actually make it less effective. Some of the fancier
paper towels don't work too well for this. Best results are obtained from
the cheap folded paper towels found in public restrooms everywhere. Self
Igniting Mixtures Pulverize 1 gram of Potassium Permanganate crystals and
place them on an asbestos board or in an earthenware vessel. Let 2-3 drops
of glycerine fall onto the Potassium Permanganate. The mixture will eventually
sizzle and then flare. Potassium Permanganate is the oxidizing agent. The
glycerine is oxidized so quickly that heat is generated faster than it
can be dissipated. Consequently, the glycerine is ignited. Because this
mixture takes so long to catch on fire, it is sometimes useful when a time
delay is needed to set off some other mixture. If you lose patience with
this test, DO NOT THROW THE MIXTURE AWAY IN A WASTEBASKET!!! Either bury
it or flush it down a toilet. I know of at least one house fire that was
started because this was not done. Given time, this stuff WILL start to
burn. This demonstration produces a very nice effect, but sends out a lot
of poisonous fumes, so do it outside. Make a mound of equal volumes of
iodine crystals and aluminum dust. Make a small indentation at the top
of the mound and add a drop or two of water and move away. It will hiss
and burst into flame, generating thick purple smoke. The fumes are Iodine
vapor which is very caustic, so make sure you are upwind of the fire. Since
this is set off by moisture, you should not store the mixed material. Mix
it immediately before you plan to use it. Shred a small piece of newspaper
and place on it a small amount of sodium peroxide. Add two drops of hot
water. The paper will be ignited. CAUTION: Keep Sodium Peroxide from moisture
and out of contact with organic materials (your skin, for example.) Ammonium
Nitrate, 5 grams, 1 gram of Ammonium Chloride. Grind these SEPARATELY,
and add 1/4 gram of zinc dust. Form a cone and add 2-4 drops of water.
A bright blue flame with large volumes of smoke forms. Depending on the
quality of your zinc dust, you may need to increase the quantity of zinc.
Since this is ignited by moisture, you should not attempt to store this
mixture. Percussion Explosives This section will not only introduce a couple
of mixtures with interesting possibilities, but it will also demonstrate
how sensitive mixtures containing Potassium Chlorate can be. Keep in mind
that Chlorate mixtures can be a LOT more sensitive than the ones shown
here. Mix 1 part by weight of Sulfur, and 3 parts Potassium Chlorate. Each
should be ground separately in a mortar. They should be mixed lightly without
any pressure on a sheet of paper. A small amount of this mixture (less
than one gram!!) placed on a hard surface and struck with a hammer will
explode with a loud report. Mix the following parts by weight, the same
way as above, Potassium Chlorate 6 Lampblack 4 Sulfur 1 Both of these mixtures
are flammable. Mix small quantities only. Lead Azide Pb(N ) 3 2 Unlike
many explosives that must be enclosed in a casing to explode, and others
that require a detonator to set them off, Lead Azide will explode in open
air, either due to heat or percussion. Mixed with gum arabic glue, tiny
dots of it are placed under match heads to make trick exploding matches.
The same mixture coated onto 1/2 " wood splinters are used to "load" cigars.
In larger amounts, it is used as a detonator. A moderately light tap will
set it off, making it much more sensitive than the percussion explosives
already mentioned. It is very easy to make. Take about 1.3 grams of sodium
azide and dissolve it in water. It's best not to use any more water than
necessary. In a separate container, dissolve about 3.3 grams of Lead Nitrate,
again only using as much water as needed to get it to dissolve. When the
two clear liquids are mixed, a white precipitate of Lead Azide will settle
out of the mixture. Add the Lead Nitrate solution, while stirring, until
no more Lead Azide precipitates out. You may not need to use it all. Note
that the above weights are given only for your convenience if you have
the necessary scales, and give the approximate proportions needed. You
need only continue to mix the solutions until no more precipitate forms.
The precipitate is filtered out and rinsed several times with distilled
water. It is a good idea to store this in its wet form, as it is less sensitive
this way. It's best not to store it if possible, but if you do, you should
keep it in a flexible plastic container that wont produce sharp fragments
in case of an explosion. (NO MORE THAN A GRAM AT A TIME !!!!) Also, make
sure that the mouth of the container is wiped CLEAN before putting the
lid on. Just the shock of removing the lid is enough to set off the dry
powder if it is wedged between the container and the stopper. Don't forget
that after you've removed the precipitate from the filter paper, there
will still be enough left to make the filter paper explosive. Lead Azide
is very powerful as well as very sensitive. Never make more than a couple
of grams at one time. Reaction Equations Lead Sodium Lead Sodium Nitrate
Azide Azide Nitrate Pb(NO ) + 2NaN ---> Pb(N ) + 2NaNO 3 2 3 3 2 3 Don't
try to salvage the Sodium Nitrate that's left over (dissolved in the water).
Sodium nitrate is cheap, not really useful for good pyrotechnics, and this
batch will be contaminated with poisonous lead. It's worthless stuff. Dump
it out. To demonstrate the power of a little bit of Lead Azide, cut out
a piece of touch paper in the following shape -----------------------------
! ! ! ! ! --------------- ! ! ! --------------- ! ! ! ! -----------------------------
Where the size of the wide rectangle is no more than one inch x 1/2 inch,
and the length of the little fuse is at least 3/4 inch. Apply a thin layer
of wet Lead Azide to the large rectangle with a paint brush and let it
dry thoroughly. When done, set this tester out in the open, light the fuse
at the very tip and step back. If done properly, the tiny bit of white
powder will produce a fairly loud explosion. A Lead Azide Booby Trap Get
some string that's heavy enough so that it won't break when jerked hard.
A couple of feet is enough to test this out. You may want to use a longer
piece depending on what you plan to do with this. Fold a small "Z" shape
in the center of the string, as shown in figure 1. The middle section of
the "Z" should be about one inch long. -------------------------------------.
. . . -------------------------------------------------- Figure 1. Fold
string into a small Z Next, twist the Z portion together as tightly as
you can. Don't worry if it unwinds a bit when you let go, but it should
still stay twisted closely together. If it doesn't, you will need a different
kind of string. Figure 2 tries to show what this will look like. -------------//////////////////-----------------
Figure 2. Twist the Z portion tightly Next, apply some wet Lead Azide to
the twisted portion with a paint brush. The Lead Azide should have a bit
of Gum Arabic in it to make it sticky. Cut out a piece of paper, two inches
by 6 inches long, wrap it around the twisted portion, and glue the end
on so that it stays put. You should now have a two inch narrow paper tube
with a string sticking out each end, as shown in figure 3. -------------------------
! ! ----------! !------------------- ! ! ------------------------- Figure
3. The completed Booby Trap You should now set the booby trap aside for
at least two weeks so that the Lead Azide inside can dry completely. Don't
try to speed up the process by heating it. When the two ends of the string
are jerked hard, the friction in the wound up string will set off the Lead
Azide. The booby trap can be attatched to doors, strung out as tripwires,
or set up in any other situation that will cause a quick pull on the strings.
Be careful not to use too much Lead Azide. A little will go a long way.
Before trying this on an unsuspecting soul, make a test booby trap as explained
here, tie one end to a long rope, and set it off from a distance. The paper
wound around the booby trap serves two purposes. It keeps the Lead Azide
from flaking off, and it pads the stuff so it will be less likely to get
set off accidentally. A good vigorous swat will still set it off though,
so store these separately and keep them padded well. Getting The Chemicals
As always, be sure to use your brains when ordering chemicals from a lab
supply house. Those people KNOW what Sodium Azide and Lead Nitrate make
when mixed together. They also know that someone who orders a bunch of
chlorates, nitrates, metal dusts, sulfur, and the like, probably has mischeif
in mind, and they keep records. So break your orders up, order from different
supply houses, get some friends to order some of the materials, and try
to order the things long before you plan do do anything with them. It's
a pain, and the multiple orders cost a lot in extra shipping charges, but
that's what it costs to cover your tracks. DO it! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
HOW TO MAKE HOME EXPLOSIVES -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -=-=- Complied by: The
Outlaw =-=-=-= Received from: The Beta Pirate -=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Files in this File ------------------------------ T 081 IMPROVISED MUNITIONS
T 021 PIPE BOMBS T 008 SOFTDRINK BOMBS T 012 HOW TO MAKE A STINK BOMB T
014 HOW TO MAKE TNT T 007 SPLATTER BOMB T 008 PRYO FUN T 016 CHEM CLASS...HEH
HEH (>View: SPLATTER BOMB =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ \ WEEKLY
EXPLOSIVE \ __ __ _ ____ __ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ \ /_
/\ /_//\///\ // /_ /\ HOW TO MAKE A MINE \ / \// \/ // /// /_ /_/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
/ ___ __ __ _ _ __ CREATED AND TYPED BY / //\ /_// / / / \\ <__ THE
MAD BOMBER / / \/ /_//_/ \_ \_/ \_ __> AND / THE ARCHER / By WHITE CHINA
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Ok, here is a simple, but effective
mines to do on your enemy: 1. Get a pie tin. 2. Put some kind of explosive
powder on the bottom of it. 3. Put a hole near the very bottom, and stick
a model rocket igniter in it, so it touches the powder. 4. Next, put a
round piece of cardboard over the powder. 5. Put a layer of BB's or Buckshot
on top of the cardboard. 6. Finally, cover the pie tin with a piece of
aluminum foil. HERE'S A DRAWING(KINDA): \------------------------------/
<-FOIL \oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo/ <-BB'S \_________________________/<-CARDBOARD
\***********************/<-EXPLOSIVE \_____________________== <-IGNITER
Hook two wires to the igniter and run the wire back to safety When somebody
get near to it, touch the two wires to a 9-volt battery, and... BOOM...
BB'S fly everywhere! Possibly (probably) getting where it hurts the most.........
*Be sure you are a good distance away THE PHREAK SHOW.....(303) 979-7992
==> UPLOADED BY THE RAT <== (>READ: PRYO FUN _________________________________
[ ] [ HOME EXPLOSIVES ] [ ] [ FROM: INGY ] [