HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: technews@iitmax.iit.edu (Kevin Kadow)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: What about TBBOM updates?
Date: 16 Dec 92 20:03:30 GMT
Organization: Technology News, IIT, Chicago, IL

In article <BzBMK3.7Ko@acsu.buffalo.edu> v122kzkw@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (A FROOD WHO SURE KNOWS WHERE HIS TOWEL IS) writes:
)Greetings.
)I've seen TBBOM 1.3 on the system here.
)My question is, when is the next version going to be out, and will it 
)address the problems brought up in the last few posts? (ie, danger content,
)history, etc.)
)Just a few cents worth of bothering time :)
)T.

	The 1.3 edition is woefully out-of-date, but due to the author's
attempts to commercialize the book an updated release has not appeared on
the net in nearly a year.

	However, this may change in the near future, a 1.5 edition might
be released if enough people would be willing to read it and respond with
their comments on the changes, removed material, and suggestions.

	The biggest change would probably be the shift to distribution in
LaTeX and postscript formats.
-- 
HUNCH: The result of autmonatic reasoning below the conscious level on
data you did not know you possessed             (R. A. Heinlein)

technews@iitmax.iit.edu                           kadokev@harpo.iit.edu
                         My Employer Disagrees.
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: kng@pt.com (Ken Gravenstede)
Subject: Glycerin, Glycerol, ...
Organization: Performance Technologies, Incorporated
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 14:19:03 GMT

What are the differences between glycerin and glycerol?  I know that
potassium permanganate and glycerin will ignite when mixed but will
potassium permanganate and glycerol do the same?  I believe that glycerol
compounds are used in both brake fluid and antifreeze.  

So... what's the real story?

ken
-- 
__
Ken Gravenstede, Performance Technologies Incorporated	kng@pt.com
315 Science Parkway, Rochester, New York 14620            uupsi!ptsys1!kng
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 21:29:57 EST
From: <ACS110@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: Re : Plant explosions...

This should probably be in alt.tastless, but,...


    Can I buy an exploding plant at my local greenhouse? |-]
From: jws@billy.mlb.semi.harris.com (James W. Swonger)
Subject: Re: Clean Burning Liquid Needed
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 14:00:41 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Harris Semiconductor, Melbourne FL

 "Everclear", or straight ethanol, burns clean. I take it you're doing
some sort of fire-eating thing? I'd stick with a non-toxic or relatively-
so material. "151" rum will burn but less vigorously. Also, isopropyl
alcohol can be had in the 90-95% range at some drug stores - it will 
burn more energetically (although the taste is not likely to improve with
strength). There's also vegatable oils - a light vegetable oil will burn
with a large, sooty flame which may actually be more impressive than a
small bluish one (although burnt vegetable oil is not exactly a gourmet
delight either).
-- 
##########################################################################
#Irresponsible rantings of the author alone. Any resemblance to persons  #
#living or dead then yer bummin. May cause drowsiness. Alcohol may inten-#
#sify this effect. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. Billy!#
From: todd@csrnxt1.ae.utexas.edu (Todd W. Thompson)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: Jello Bombs, How to air burst?
Date: 15 Dec 92 11:36:31 GMT
Distribution: na

billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:

>jgd@dixie.com (John De Armond) writes:
>: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:
>: 
>: >However, how would you like to be hit on the head by a blob of jello
>: >that had had 12 stories to gain velocity. It would not be comfortable.

>: Methinks Bill wringeth the hands too much.  Field experience shows that
>: water balloons at terminal velocity are not fatal.  At least my experience
>: years ago at using our Funnelerator from the top of our dorm at Tn Tech
>: to target, ummm, civilians.  A 12" balloon accurately placed in the 
>: square of the back would exert powerful persuasion on the target to
>: assume the position and contemplate Mother Earth up close and 
>: personal.  No casualties any more serious than skinned knees and torn
>: nylons.  And wetbacks, of course.  Oops, was that politically 
>: incorrect?

>Note that I did not say anything about such a thing being fatal, or even
>that it would injure a person. I only stated that it would be uncomfortable.
>You have amply documented my belief - thank you.


I've heard something along the lines of it only taking 12 pounds of pressure
to snap the human spinal cord. And, from experience of being hit by a water
balloon in the head from a low height, I know that a water balloon from the
12th floor (where I live) is probably damn capable of exerting that 12 pounds.
Sure, it's not going to put a balloon sized hole in someone's torso if it
hits them in the back, but I'd personally rather not risk breaking someone's
neck for the sake of a laugh. Besides.. it's really not all that funny
in the first place. Maybe I've just never understood the humor in hurting
or humiliating unsuspecting victims. <shrug>

Todd
From: mccauley@vaxr.llnl.gov
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: Containment
Date: 16 Dec 92 19:27:27 GMT
Organization: LLNL_LIS

In article <1992Dec11.191044.21543@engage.pko.dec.com>, moroney@ramblr.enet.dec.com writes:
[stuff deleted]
> 
> For what it's worth, I've seen a picture in a National Geographic of some
> piece of Nevada desert that had these pockmark craters.  The craters were
> over underground test sites, where the bubble in the rock collapsed.
> 
> Then there's the stories of the systems used for data collection. They used to
> have 1 PDP-11/03 at the top of the hole collecting and processing data and
> sending it on.  But then there was the other 11/03, in the hole, which collected
> data until it was vaporized.
> 
> (wonder if they ever moved on to rtvax-300s.  I never had anything nuked before)
>
Usually, the use of computers downhole was pretty limited.  Data rates 
limit what you can transmit in nanoseconds to microseconds before the area 
where the data is acquired no longer exists.  Most of the data acquired 
downhole is picked up by various analog methods.  We've nuked lots of 
active electronics, including CCD arrays, streak cameras and so forth.  
Downhole computers were usually used for control of something, rather than 
data collection.  Computers were used on the surface in recording trailers 
though.
 
For many, many years, in fact until quite recently, the primary data 
recording method from underground explosions was an oscilliscope connected 
to a camera.  Although not elegant, the method is highly reliable.  
Traveling wave tube oscilliscopes were used to get the very fast writing 
speeds needed.  (Remember, we're talking nanoseconds for prompt 
diagnostics.)
 
To everyone in the newsgroup:  Yes, I'm an actual LLNL Mad Bomber, 
otherwise known as an MFWBB.  I was personally involved in the Nuclear Test 
Program here for many years.  To the extent I can, I'll be happy to comment 
on nuclear matters.  Just discovered this newsgroup, and look forward to 
further reading.
 
Happy bombing,
 
Bill 
-- 
_______________________________________________________________________________
(Bill McCauley			       |They told me I needed a signature.    )
)Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory|What is a signature?                  (
(P. O. Box 808, L-471		       |Who are "they" anyway?                )
)Livermore, CA   94550		       |I hope this makes "them" happy.       (
((510) 422-1189; BMCCAULEY@LLNL.GOV    |                                      )
_______________________________________________________________________________
From: markp@noncomf.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca (Mark A. Pitcher)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: munitions plants accidents
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 92 12:52:27 EST
Distribution: world
Organization: darkpark

billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:

> When AN is strongly heated, some of the decomposition gases are explosive.
> As best as I can tell from my references, it was these confined gases that
> exploded, triggering the explosion of the rest of the material.


	I know that Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) is produced
when Nitrous Oxide decomposes, and that supports combustion, but
isn't combustible by itself. As for the temperature, I used to
fill balloons with Nitrous Oxide (and sell it in
playgrounds...>:-)  just kidding....) buy putting Ammonium
Nitrate in a sealed jar with a tube leading to a balloon. I
would heat the stuff in a hot water bath, allowing the air to
expand in the jar to escape before putting the balloon on. After
a while the balloon would fill with Nitrous Oxide.



------------------------------------------------------------------darkpark BBS
markp@noncomf.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca (Mark A. Pitcher)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: beck@freia.inf.tu-dresden.de (Andre Beck)
Subject: Re: Sodium Nitrite
Organization: Dept. of Computer Science, TU Dresden, Germany.
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 20:26:22 GMT

Hi,

I agree with the statements about the reactivity of NaNO2.

We mixed it with Sulfur and powdered Mg at school time.
Even small quantities of this mix, filled into some confinment
casing, gave BIG kabooms... bigger than one awaits for this oxidizer.

The disadvantages are, the mix will

 - lost its power with time
 - set off nitrous gas, what is NASTY
 - as with all nitrites, NaNO2 is very toxic and kanzerogene.
   Especially its good soluability in water will cause it to be
   easy taken up through your skin.

So, if you have this stuff, use it anyhow. But be aware :) 

-- 
,------------------------+---------------------------------------------.
| Andre' Beck (ABPSoft)  |   TCP/IP-Mail: beck@freia.inf.tu-dresden.de |
| HG R 142               |   VMS        : hermes::beck                 |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
|       Windows is the best placebo against MS-DOOF headaches !        |
`----------------------------------------------------------------------'
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: Newbie idiot question
Date: 18 Dec 92 18:31:11 GMT
Article-I.D.: hpcvaac.1992Dec18.183111.21675
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA

radner@cray.com (Lauren Radner) writes:

: Anyway, my question. I was just in a toy store doing Christmas shopping
: (for my *parents*) and I bought this little packet of explosive doo-dads
: for a buck at the front counter. There's no indication of ingredients or 
: even of a company that makes it/them, just that they're from "Brazil".
: 
: In the plastic-fronted/cardboard-backed package were about six or seven
: little cotton bags - about the size of garden peas - tied with string. 
: Inside the bags it looked like little greyish brownish pieces of gravel - 
: a lot like the stuff people buy for their fish tanks. 

Wow - what a high price.  You can usually buy them wrapped in twists of
paper - at a cost of about $0.25 for 50 of them. They are variously called
"Snap Pops", "Pop Its", "Whipper Snaps" etc.

: You guys are probably all already nodding, "yeah, yeah, it's just <some
: abstruse chemical formulation of fermented ferrous fairy dust>. what
: about it?" Well, anyway, these little bag things explode gloriously
: with relatively little provocation (eg, impact with the floor) and I
: LIKE IT <glazed look of budding pyrotechnomanic>.

They are popular with the kids around the Fourth of July. The gravel has
a primary explosive called silver fulminate adsorbed onto the surface.
If you read the information on the package, you will find that the amount
of explosive is in the microgram range - in other words, very minute
quantities.

: My question is, how can I make equivalent miniature explosives like
: these of my own? Preferably out of ingredients that your average 
: not-connected-to-a-scientific-warehouse-type person can purchase ?

If you can get the concentrated nitric acid, the pure silver and the
190+ proof alcohol - it would be possible to make the compound. Making
it safely is another matter - you noticed how sensitive the stuff is.
Did you try simply squeezing one of the packages? If you did, then you
would have noticed that it exploded. The same thing happens if you rub
the explosive.

Manufacture of primary explosives, and the items making use of those
explosives is hazardous. That is part of the reason why they are made
in places like Brazil and China - life is regarded as less valuable
there than in the US. 

: Or do I have to move to Brazil?

Save your self a lot of effort and danger - just buy them.  They are
classified as a "Consumer Firewor - and are available in most states
around July 4th. They seem to keep fairly well, I have a box or two 
that are a couple of years old, and they don't seem to be deteriorating.

: I apologize for intruding on all the talk of REAL explosives (things that
: remove chunks of skyscraper as opposed to merely startling nearby crickets).

Those do contain REAL explosives. The amount is just kept very small. 

Bill
From: janv%fulgor@frcs.alt.za (Jan Vermaak)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: FAQ's, archives and Pyrotech books?
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 92 00:11:14 SAS

Hello All!

I have two main questions: 1) Where can I get the FAQ's for this newsgroup and
those of rec.models.rockets and also where can I get the archives of both
of these newsgroups.

2)
I have a catalog of Butokai in Cornville, Arizona, and it seems as if they
distribute Anarchists Cookbook, Poor Man's James Bond etc. They also have
one called "Advanced Homemade Fireworks". I got hold of a copy of this one
from a friend, but I found that it was a *verbatim* copy of George Weingart's
classic "Pyrotechnics" published in '47 - No credits or Bibliography though.

I have not been able to get hold of any recent pyrotechnics books here,
(except for that one) - are there new books that are really worthwile or
are most of them rehashed versions of the classics?

I have heard the Shimuzu has written a decent one - Any opinions about it?

Cheers ...
        jan

Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: Glycerin, Glycerol, ...
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 07:25:01 GMT

kng@pt.com (Ken Gravenstede) writes:
: What are the differences between glycerin and glycerol?  I know that
: potassium permanganate and glycerin will ignite when mixed but will
: potassium permanganate and glycerol do the same?  I believe that glycerol
: compounds are used in both brake fluid and antifreeze.  

Glycerin, glycerine and glycerol are all the same substance C3H8O3.

Might you have been thinking about glycol alcohols? Antifreeze uses ethylene
glycol. Brake fluids contain mixtures of polyglycol ethers and polyglycols.

Bill
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: bbs.byron@tsoft.net (Byron Reynolds)
Subject: pop rocks
Organization: The TSoft BBS and Public Access Unix, +1 415 969 8238
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 17:39:45 GMT

In reply to the query about "pavement poppers"...
 
I've experimented with various ways of producing shock-sensitive 
explosives, and have found that there is really no safe way to do it.  
The nature of the stuff is to explode when disturbed, and is therefore 
very unfriendly to work with.
 
If you are bound and determined however, there have been postings here 
about silver fulminate and gold fulminate being used in these little 
poppers.  I've experimented with silver fulminate...unpredictable stuff.
I assume gold fulminate is probably just as touchy.
 
I've had some limited success with chlorate powders and phosphorous...but
I don't recommend doing this.  In just about every pyrotechnics book you 
can find, it tells you NOT to mix phosporous and potassium chlorate.  My 
procedure involved mixing the two in a slurry solution with water and 
then letting them dry in little cakes.  They are certainly shock 
sensitive...almost too shock sensitive...and that is why I do not 
suggest you try this.
 
All in all, I've found that it's easier to just go buy the silly things.  
There's much less risk involved...we're only given one set of limbs in
this world...and no second chances.
 
Have Fun (but not too much).
 

--
Byron Reynolds (bbs.byron@tsoft.net)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: rex@otto.lvsun.com (Rex Jolliff)
Subject: Re: Re : Plant explosions...
Reply-To: rex@otto.lvsun.com (Rex Jolliff)
Organization: Las Vegas Sun 
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 92 19:48:40 GMT

In article <1992Dec11.140211.4560@titan.ksc.nasa.gov> hollis@titan.ksc.nasa.gov writes:

>>        If you are looking for a pretty large explosion one occured
>>in southern Nevada, in a city called Henderson (Near Las Vegas) in
>>1989(?). It was actually an oxidizer(I think) plant for producing
>>rocket fuel for NASA.

>It took out a candy factory that was across the way also. 8-<

Actually it was a marshmellow factory.  Cool explosion though.  Some
locals were climbing the hills around where the plant was and they
had a camcorder.  They turned and got a picture of the cloud rising
from the storage cells.  Then, they noticed 'wave' moving across the
valley and up the hill... then we got a nice view of the sky for a
while until they picked themselves up off the ground.

							Rex.


-- 
Rex Jolliff  N7PCF  (rex@otto.lvsun.com, {convex, texsun, mirror}!otto!rex)
Teleguide/Hospitality Network  |Disclaimer:  The opinions and comments in
Your In-Room Casino Cash Source| this article are my own and in no way
          $$$$$$$$$$           | reflect the opinions of my employers.
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: moroney@ramblr.enet.dec.com
Subject: Re: Containment
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 19:04:38 GMT

In article <1992Dec11.131645.3685@ryn.mro4.dec.com>, pierson@cimcad.enet.dec.com (Dave Pierson) writes...
>	The Containment of Underground Nuclear Explosions
>	Congess of United States/Office of Technology Assessment
>	1989
>	OTA-ISC-414
> 
>	Today ... depth of burial can be approximated...:
> 
>		Depth= 400(yield)**1/3

Interesting.

For what it's worth, I've seen a picture in a National Geographic of some
piece of Nevada desert that had these pockmark craters.  The craters were
over underground test sites, where the bubble in the rock collapsed.

Then there's the stories of the systems used for data collection. They used to
have 1 PDP-11/03 at the top of the hole collecting and processing data and
sending it on.  But then there was the other 11/03, in the hole, which collected
data until it was vaporized.

(wonder if they ever moved on to rtvax-300s.  I never had anything nuked before)

-Mike
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: neal@cmptrc.lonestar.org (Neal Howard)
Subject: Re: Anarchists' Handbook
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 20:54:51 GMT
Organization: CompuTrac Inc., Richardson TX

In article <1992Dec11.141028.24436@CERIS.Purdue.EDU> jheath@CERIS.Purdue.EDU (Jim Heath) writes:
>From article <1992Dec10.034233.3578@cobber.cord.edu>, by serhienk@cobber.cord.edu (David Serhienko):
>> 
>> 	What is this Anarchist's Cookbook?  It sounds VERY interesting.  Can
>> anybody out there in netland E-mail it to me or point me to an ftp site that
>> has it?
>> 
>
>The local bookstore that used to carry it will order it.  They stopped
>stocking it because the local anarchists would rather steal it than buy it
>;-{).

Interestingly, that's the same reason why the bookstore I bought my copy from
doesn't keep them out on the shelves, only behind the counter.... too many
punks shoplifted them whenever they were out in the open. 

P.S. IMHO my purchasing this book was a waste of a perfectly good twenty
     dollar bill, but at that time, I had to satisfy my curiosity ......
     I shoulda put the money towards a copy of a CRC handbook, Merk index,
     a Unix book, or a couple 12-packs of beer.
-- 
=============================================================================
Neal Howard   '91 XLH-1200      DoD #686      CompuTrac, Inc (Richardson, TX)
	      doh #0000001200
         "Let us learn to dream, gentlemen, and then perhaps
          we shall learn the truth." -- August Kekule' (1890)
=============================================================================
From: padecoo@flash.LakeheadU.Ca
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: Jello Bombs, How to air burst?
Date: 12 Dec 1992 04:11:40 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ont., Canada


     Ok...so you all think that hitting a human target with high velocity 
gelatin products is a bad idea.  I agree.  But the point is how do I get the
thing to air burst?

     Even if the distributed jello hit someone (which it won't) its mass and inertia will not be great enough to cause physical harm!  

     I have some rotten bean sprouts in my refrigerator.  You know they turn orange if you leave them there long enough.  I might incorperate them into the nestdesign.

     BUT, the whole point is how do I detonate it reliably???

     I really like seeing a parking lot covered in white snow, and big red
streaks of jello!!!!!  Help me to attain my dream!!! <grin>


					Pete "Jello Bomb" Decoo


--
* Pete "The Dragon" Decoo     : "Eat Right. Get Lots Of Sleep. Drink *
* Mechanical Engineering      :  Plenty Of Fluids. Go Like HELL!"    * 
*   Lakehead University       :                                      *
* padecoo@flash.lakeheadu.ca  :   ....And Remember Kids, ERTW!       *
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: radner@cray.com (Lauren Radner)
Subject: Newbie idiot question 
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 17 Dec 92 20:01:57 CST

Please forgive me for the high level of ignorance I have about pyrotechnics.
You folks seem like the right ones to ask about this, and I apologize if 
this is covered in your FAQ (which I couldn't find) or has been asked
10,000 times before. I know how annoying that is!

Anyway, my question. I was just in a toy store doing Christmas shopping
(for my *parents*) and I bought this little packet of explosive doo-dads
for a buck at the front counter. There's no indication of ingredients or 
even of a company that makes it/them, just that they're from "Brazil".

In the plastic-fronted/cardboard-backed package were about six or seven
little cotton bags - about the size of garden peas - tied with string. 
Inside the bags it looked like little greyish brownish pieces of gravel - 
a lot like the stuff people buy for their fish tanks. 

You guys are probably all already nodding, "yeah, yeah, it's just <some
abstruse chemical formulation of fermented ferrous fairy dust>. what
about it?" Well, anyway, these little bag things explode gloriously
with relatively little provocation (eg, impact with the floor) and I
LIKE IT <glazed look of budding pyrotechnomanic>.

My question is, how can I make equivalent miniature explosives like
these of my own? Preferably out of ingredients that your average 
not-connected-to-a-scientific-warehouse-type person can purchase ?

Or do I have to move to Brazil?

I apologize for intruding on all the talk of REAL explosives (things that
remove chunks of skyscraper as opposed to merely startling nearby crickets).

Thanks!

-Lauren

Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics