HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: Where are the FAQ's?
Organization: Hewlett-Parkard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1992 19:07:38 GMT

: The author (ME!) has gone pro, and is selling printed, bound copies for the
: minimal sum of $15.00 +$2.50 Postage/handling (in the USA)
: 
: More information will appear in this and other newsgroups on Wednesday, April
: 8: the official release date of the book.

What? And you didn't send me a pre-release, review copy? 

I am hurt and disappointed. :-(

Bill

Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: jks2x@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (Jason)
Subject: Re: Chemical Info
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 21:24:54 GMT

>
>I don't think that CCl4 was the problem, I think it was that it decomposed
>into nasty products when exposed to high temperatures. My memory on the
>matter could be faulty.
>
>Bill

	Actually the CCl4 _was_ the problem.  It is rather carcinogenic.
In my chemistry lab we have a bottle of it that stays ONLY under the fume
hood.  The bottle, incidentally, is marked with all kinds of bright yellow
safetly warning labels.  

-Jason

--
"One day I'll get what's mine through the persistence of time"
						    -Anthrax 'Time'
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: Info about HMTD difficult to find
Date: 6 Apr 92 19:22:25 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Parkard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA

john@lysator.liu.se (John Andersson) writes:
: I've been browsing the books at the library at my university for
: information about HMTD to not much avail. Even the hugest bands of
: chem. reference books which occupy several metres of bookshelves
: only mention this substance with a few words. I've found out that
: its chemical name is "Hexamethylenetriperoxydiamine", that it is
: friction and shock sensitive and that it explodes in contact with
: bromine or sulphuric acid. That's about it. I've been reading several
: books about explosives, and nowhere is HMTD mentioned. Why is this?
: Doesn't it have any use as explosive? I've found it easy to find
: detailed information about all imaginable explosives, their
: properties and methods of production, but nothing about HMTD.

Any good textbook on the chemistry of explosives should cover HMTD.
The reason many of them don't is that the explosive is unstable and
not really suitable for commercial usage. 

If you still want a biography, send me e-mail and I will dig them out
for you.

Bill
From: mingos@vax.oxford.ac.uk
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: curious about fullerene
Date: 8 Apr 92 08:36:15 GMT
Organization: Oxford University VAXcluster

In article <ulysses.702672461@mcl>, ulysses@mcl.mcl.ucsb.edu (Nebulous Enigma) writes:
> In <1706@nic.cerf.net> adler@nic.cerf.net (Bruce Adler) writes:
> 
>>Has anybody tried to make black powder with buckminsterfullerene
>>rather than charcoal? Did it work? What happened?
> 
> Using C-60 I think would be an exercise in futility. For one it would probably
> be about as useful as making BP with diamonds, and also I'm sure C-60 is way
> more expensive to make than diamonds. Why don't YOU try it and tell us how it 
> turned out? :-)
> 


  Agreed. A group in the lab here are now making the stuff on what is regarded
as a *big* scale, which means in milligram quantities.  In other words, even if
you could afford to make gunpowder with it, you couldn't get hold of it anyway
- at least not for a few years...
  On a theoretical level, it probably wouldn't be as good as charcoal, as part
of charcoal's effectiveness in black powder is due to small amounts of
hydrocarbon impurities.  Secondly, and more importantly, black powder relies on
some of the KNO3 and sulphur being inserted between the layers of the graphitic
molecular structure, to give REALLY intimate mixing and  so fast reaction. 
This is why commercial black powder will always be better than home made -
industrial processes allow the use of high pressure to effect the insertion
process.  The same would not be possible with buckyball, although you could get
an intimate mix - more so than with diamond.

  Buckyballs are over-rated.  They're an interesting structural curiosity but
not much more.  My own personal opinion.

Gavin
From: ulysses@mcl.mcl.ucsb.edu (Nebulous Enigma)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: curious about fullerene
Keywords: black powder
Date: 7 Apr 92 18:47:41 GMT

In <1706@nic.cerf.net> adler@nic.cerf.net (Bruce Adler) writes:

>Has anybody tried to make black powder with buckminsterfullerene
>rather than charcoal? Did it work? What happened?

Using C-60 I think would be an exercise in futility. For one it would probably
be about as useful as making BP with diamonds, and also I'm sure C-60 is way
more expensive to make than diamonds. Why don't YOU try it and tell us how it 
turned out? :-)


--
-ulysses@mcl.univ.of.ca.for.spoiled.brats.edu 
The Man Facing Southeast
From: mingos@vax.oxford.ac.uk
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: Salutes
Date: 11 Apr 92 15:36:56 GMT
Organization: Oxford University VAXcluster

In article <702711672@juliet.cs.duke.edu>, jek@duke.cs.duke.edu (Kittock) writes:
>>In article <1992Apr2.095228.5261@vax.oxford.ac.uk>, mingos@vax.oxford.ac.uk writes:
>>  Potash is the common name for potassium hydroxide (or maybe potassium oxide,
>> sometimes used as a shortening for "potash nitrate" (potassium nitrate) KMnO4
>> is potassium permanganate.  Which have you got?
>> 
>>   As I've never really used permanganate in fireworks, I'm afraid I can't help
>> on this one.  I can't find any serious reference to it's use in the books,
>> either - if you're going to use it, it may be a case of experimenting..
> 
> I haven't been following this discussion, but I just thought I would
> throw in a caveat that KMnO4 is supposedly not all that safe to work
> with in pyro comps.  Perhaps someone could post some info on KMnO4?  I
> just know that it is quite reactive.  A strong soln of potassium
> permanganate will oxidize paper or metal with little to no provocation
> (unlike, say, KClO4).  So I would be a bit leery of using it in pyro
> composition.
> -- 

 Agreed, I shouldn't have written that without a caution attatched. Sorry.
 
Having said that, I've used it myself in some experimental fireworks & 
didn't reckon much to it as an oxidiser from a practical point, it soon gets 
all over your hands leaving dark brown stains, not to mention everything else
it touches. You're much better off with perchlorates / nitrates.

 Regarding it's safety, I quote from the handbook "hazards in the chemical
laboratory", as regards potassium permanganate:

  - risk of explosion with acetic acid  or acetic anhydride.
  - Contact of glycerol with permanganate causes vigorous fire
  - reaction with concentated HCl is explosive
  - H2O2 reacts explosively with permanganate
  - mixtures with Phosphorous or sulphur explode on grinding -  NOTE WELL
 
 + other obscure possibilities with obscure chemicals

 

Gavin
From: kempmp@phoenix.oulu.fi (Petri Pihko)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: Coloured smoke
Date: 10 Apr 92 16:29:38 GMT
Organization: University of Oulu, Finland

> What's the easiest way of making thick, coloured smoke (red, blue, yellow)?

Making coloured smokes is almost always easy - provided that you have 
enough smoke dyes at your disposal. 

For red smoke, the following dyes can be used:

Rhodamine B
Brominated anthanthrone red
Oil red (C.I. Solvent Orange 7)

For blue smoke:

Copper phtalocyanine (Phtalo Blue, C.I. Pigment Blue 15)
Methylene Blue
Indigo

For yellow smoke:

Quinoline Yellow (Quinophtalone Yellow, C.I. Solvent Yellow 33)
Alizarin (actually orange)

These lists are by no means complete. The first entries in each list are easier
to use and yield more smoke than the others.

The preparation of smoke compositions has been discussed in detail in Shimizu's
Fireworks: The Art, Science and Technique. 

Since different dyes sublime and decompose at different temperatures, the
smoke compositions must be adjusted accordigly for each dye. For dyes
subliming at ca 300 oC (Rhodamine B, Quinoline Yellow, indigo), the
following composition should work:

52 parts of the dye in question
30 parts of potassium chlorate, should pass 100 mesh sieve
20 parts of lactose
3  parts of sodium hydrogen carbonate
2  parts of dextrin

Add water while mixing. Mix well and cut into small smoke stars. Coat the
dry stars with coarse meal powder by sparying some water on them in a bowl
and dusting them several times with meal. The coating should be at least
1 mm thick. It may be necessary to repeat the operation.

The smoke stars are used inside small metal or cardboard casings with a
small exit hole (nozzle) for the smoke. If the stars are burned in the open,
the smoke is likely to ignite, destroying the colour.

Use 39 parts of copper phtalocyanine instead of 52 parts in the above formula.
Copper phtalocyanine sublimes only above 400 oC. I would also use less
sodium hydrogen carbonate.

Have fun, and do not boil away all your dyes at once. Copper phtalocyanine
is used in paints - try to cooperate with your local paint manufacturer.
His/her stock might include many other interesting dyes. In principle, all
organic dyes with MW less than 400 and without any nitro, sulfonic or
carboxyl groups should work.

A final word of caution: Rhodamine B is extremely messy to handle. Last time
I used 40 minutes for making a small batch of red smoke stars - and 4 hours
for cleaning up! ;-(

> JoNo						|  My opinions are for sale.
> ee02jb@ee.surrey.ac.uk				|









-- 
 ___. .'*''.*        Petri Pihko    kem-pmp@         Mathematics is the Truth.
!___.'* '.'*' ' .    Pihatie 15 C    finou.oulu.fi   Physics is the Rule of
       ' *' .* '*    SF-90650 OULU  kempp@           the Game.
          *'  *  .*  FINLAND         tolsun.oulu.fi  -> Chemistry is The Game.
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: murphyed1@woods.ulowell.edu
Subject: Re: Homemade Explosive
Organization: University of Lowell
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 03:41:32 GMT

>>> Dry Ice in a PLASTIC 2 litre bottle, add some water...   wait....    
>>Where does one get dry ice?  The grocery stores around here no longer carry it  
>>(or, at least, won't give it out to the general public)
> 
> Thats odd...  Why do you suppose that is?  City ordinance?  lack of sales?
> I wonder...

Lack of sales, and difficulty in storage.  Look in the yellow pages under dry 
Ice, and you should find a few places that sell it.  With the advent of ice
packs, and wonderful things called refrigerators, (even portable ones).

Ed...

-- 
=====  Ed Murphy    (The University disclaims everything!)   --- | /  ---- 
  |    Internet Mail :: Murphyed1@woods.ulowell.edu          /|\ |/    \
=====  "Warning, Phi Kap's May Be Habit Forming!!!"          \|/ |\    /
  |    Groundmail (The Slow Way) 1 University Ave. Box 1136  --- | \  ----
===                             Lowell, Ma. 01854 U.S.A.    Phi Kappa Sigma
                                                         Gamma Upsilon Chapter
From: fsbgf@acad3.alaska.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Zinc Powder
Date: 6 Apr 92 20:46:25 GMT
Organization: University of Alaska Fairbanks

I've heard that powdered zinc and zulfer when mixed together in the right
proportions makes an excellent rocket propellent.  Does anyone out there know
the mixture to use and where one can get powdered zinc in reasonable
quantities?
				Thanks,
				Brandon
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: ulysses@mcl.mcl.ucsb.edu (Nebulous Enigma)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: Homemade Explosive
Date: 16 Apr 92 06:28:20 GMT

In <1992Apr15.191441.17398@usenet.ins.cwru.edu> ah157@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Rob Henry) writes:


>I don't care who it is,I'm not a fag so don't send me fag material.

I haven't actually seen any _proof_ of all this... could it be that you're
LYING? If you have the messages send them to my sysadmin (jim@mcl.ucsb.edu)
Otherwise shut up and leave me alone. 

Don't bother sending anything to me, it'll go in the circular file (garbage)




--
-ulysses@mcl.ucsb.edu
undeclared underfunded undergrad 
Department of Limbo
now UC it, now you don't 
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: philliph@velveeta.mfg.hou.compaq.com (Phillip Hutchinson)
Subject: Re: Big Gas Explosion in Texas?
Organization: Compaq Computer Corporation
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 20:08:30 GMT

In article <1992Apr7.095746.3930@bb1t.monsanto.com> tjfeue@bb1t.monsanto.com writes:
>Anybody know anything about the big natural gas explosion in Texas 
>this morning?
>
   All I know is that I heard it as I was getting dressed this morning, and
was convinced it was an earthquake!  I live in far northwest Houston so it was
a pretty good rumble.
   Early local radio reports (I haven't been home to see the news yet) say that
a salt dome natural gas storage facility blew up, flattening everything 
within a couple square miles.  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--      Phil Hutchinson  --  Compaq Computer Corp., Houston TX              --
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: Salutes
Organization: Hewlett-Parkard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 18:22:49 GMT

buda@star.dec.com (Mark A. Buda) writes:
: 
: In article <1992Apr13.172819.26213@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com>, billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes...
: >kempmp@phoenix.oulu.fi (Petri Pihko) writes:
: 
: >Good advice. However, it is interesting that the commercially produced flash
: >powders I have purchased came in plastic containers. They said to do the
: >mixing in those containers. The flash comp is not the best around, it is
: >rather slow - the aluminum is fairly course. Maybe they feel that this was
: >sufficient to eliminate any static danger.
: 
: How thick was the plastic?  Plastic is much like a capacitor.  The more mass it
: has the more energy it can store.  That is why plastic baggies are not much of
: a worry.
: 
: Many companies do not want to create the hotest flash, because that costs more. 

The plastic is about the thickness of the distilled water containers you find
at the store.

: They want the CHEAPEST flash possible.  You can tell that someone is being
: cheap when a salute can comes down with an end blown out!

Yep. That is exactly what tends to happen with the commercial flash - as I
said, it is rather weak.

: >I did not do so. I used a wooden cup and rolled the mixture together in the
: >cup. The cup is only used for mixing flash - it is not used for any other
: >purpose.
: 
: You would 'die' if you saw how commerical companies make it.  25lbs at a time
: (well the law now says 10lbs). SIFTED 3 times is very common.  The sifting
: really does make a difference in how hot the flash will be.

They have the capabilities for remote manipulation. I have not figured out
a way to make a similar inexpensive setup for myself.

: 	- mark

Bill
From: buda@star.dec.com (Mark A. Buda)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: Ammonium Triiodide...
Date: 14 Apr 92 07:29:55 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation; Nashua, NH


In article <040900231@flamer.hell.edu>, daemon@flamer.hell.edu (The Devil Himself) writes...
> 
>Can anyone provide instructions for making
>Ammonium Triiodide...?  (based on ordinary house-hold chemicals... or 

>The Devil!

Get a life...

	- mark

buda@star.enet.dec.com
...!decwrl!star.dec.com!buda
buda%star.enet.dec.com
From: ee02jb@ee.surrey.ac.uk (Jonathan Bennett)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Coloured smoke
Date: 6 Apr 92 14:23:57 GMT
Reply-To: ee02jb@ee.surrey.ac.uk (Jonathan Bennett)
Organization: University of Surrey, Guildford, England GU2 5XH.


Probably a FAQ:

What's the easiest way of making thick, coloured smoke (red, blue, yellow)?

Also, way of triggering it electrically would be nice.

Ta muchly

Jono

-- 
___________________________________________________________________________________
						|
JoNo						|  My opinions are for sale.
Electronic Engineering Student			|  Send your bids to:
University of Surrey				|  ee02jb@uk.ac.surrey
England.					|  Offer closes July `94
ee02jb@ee.surrey.ac.uk				|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics,alt.stagecraft
From: bernstei@caesar.cs.colorado.edu (Michael Bernstein)
Subject: unsafe theater
Organization: University of Colorado at Boulder
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 03:08:56 GMT

In article <1992Apr10.023257.382@raven.alaska.edu> wisner@steller.ims.alaska.edu (Bill Wisner) writes:
>What are all you people whining about?  Homemade flash pots are an
>accepted part of theater lore and have been for years.  In fact, a
>procedure for making them is described in at least one widely used
>text on lighting design.*
>
>Of course flash pots are dangerous.  There are lots of dangerous
>things in every theater around.  Part of learning stagecraft is
>learning how to use them safely.  Obviously, when a flash pot is
>fired, there shouldn't be anyone standing next to it, sitting on it,
>or using it as a hairpiece.*  But a properly constructed flash pot
>won't kill anybody, or burn the place down.  It'll just add a nice bit
>of pyrotechnic "bang" to your production.

Well, if people posting to this newsgroup are as sloppy at building their
stage effects as they are writing about them, I'd have to disagree.

Building your own safe* flashpot is not really a problem if you understand
the electronics and the physics involved.  But I've worked with too many
dangerous people -- who walked into my ladders, injured other actors, etc.

My favorite was an actor who helped out on some set work.  He spent the
entire play in a tree, on stage, and since it was his set piece, we had him
install his back rest.  In so doing he SAWED ALMOST COMPLETELY THROUGH 
THE STRUCTURAL MEMBER SUPPORTING HIS SEAT.  We caught him.  But what happens
when this guy is your TD?  (We had the guy doing carpentry because we're a
small company, and for labor, we use who we must.  Our main tech crew have
been our main actors for the past three years.)

So, TEST YOUR EFFECTS.

Beyond that, it seems some people have "safety sense" and some don't.

Michael
----------
*safe == as safe as an explosion can be, obviously.
From: jwl3885@summa.tamu.edu (THIS SPACE FOR RENT)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: Homemade Explosive
Date: 15 Apr 92 23:24:00 GMT
Organization: Texas A&M University, Academic Computing Services
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Apr15.090339.933@gacvx2.gac.edu>, bdellert@next-6.gac.edu writes...
>In article <1992Apr14.204353.1@woods.ulowell.edu>  writes:
>> Dry Ice in a PLASTIC 2 litre bottle, add some water...   wait....    
>Where does one get dry ice?  The grocery stores around here no longer carry it  
>(or, at least, won't give it out to the general public)

Thats odd...  Why do you suppose that is?  City ordinance?  lack of sales?
I wonder...

Cheers,
John

(just a few more lines)
(so this stupid news)
(program will let)
(me post my article...)
From: Jeremiah.Blatz@dartmouth.edu (Jeremiah Blatz)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: blowing up aerosol cans-NEED HELP!!!
Date: 9 Apr 92 03:28:02 GMT
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

Yes, you need help, but not blowing up cans. Did anybody ever tell you
that blowing up cans will throw shrapnel with enough force to kill?
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics,alt.stagecraft
From: whos@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Ben Feen)
Subject: Re: Help with "bomb"
Organization: ddsw1.MCS.COM Contributor, Chicago, IL
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 03:38:50 GMT

In article <1992Apr10.023257.382@raven.alaska.edu> wisner@steller.ims.alaska.edu (Bill Wisner) writes:
>What are all you people whining about?  Homemade flash pots are an
>accepted part of theater lore and have been for years.  In fact, a
>
>...or using it as a hairpiece.*  But a properly constructed flash pot
>won't kill anybody, or burn the place down.  It'll just add a nice bit
>of pyrotechnic "bang" to your production.
>
_I've_ made various pyrotechnic devices, and have built detonation systems,
but the person in question had no concept of how flash powders work, their com-
ponents, or the idea that you can't have such a pot go off beneath someone's
feet without a risk.

OBCRAFT:

Non-material reward offered for the name and mfgr. of any lighting instrument
which uses a CONCAVE (Plano-Concave) LENS.
-- 
Mail whos@ddsw1.mcs.com. | Whos at ddsw1? | Yes! | What? | No, whos! | Huh? |
Who? | Who what? | No, whos@ddsw1.mcs.com!  | Where? | DDSW1! | Who's there?|
Right! | Right? | Yes! | Oh, right@ddsw1.mcs.com? | No, WHOS@ddsw1.mcs.com! |
That's what I wanna find out! | What? | Who! | He's at ddsw1! | AAAAAAAAAGH!|
From: kd29+@andrew.cmu.edu (Kerry William Davis)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: Homemade Explosive
Date: 17 Apr 92 01:23:02 GMT
	<15APR199218245153@summa.tamu.edu>
Organization: Freshman, Drama, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

Dry Ice has to be made as it's needed, because it cannot be stored
easily for long periods of time.  If you buy dry ice, buy a small amount
because even in a freezer it will disappear in less than a day.

kwd
From: adler@nic.cerf.net (Bruce Adler)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: curious about fullerene
Keywords: black powder
Date: 7 Apr 92 11:56:22 GMT
Organization: CERFnet;  La Jolla, CA

Has anybody tried to make black powder with buckminsterfullerene
rather than charcoal? Did it work? What happened?
From: bdellert@next-6.gac.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: Homemade Explosive
Date: 15 Apr 92 15:03:37 GMT
Article-I.D.: gacvx2.1992Apr15.090339.933

In article <1992Apr14.204353.1@woods.ulowell.edu>  writes:
> Dry Ice in a PLASTIC 2 litre bottle, add some water...   wait....    
> 
Where does one get dry ice?  The grocery stores around here no longer carry it  
(or, at least, won't give it out to the general public)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: rubin@cis.ohio-state.edu (George Bush)
Subject: How are professional salutes physically constructed ?
Originator: rubin@beech.cis.ohio-state.edu
Organization: The Ohio State University, Department of Computer and Information Science
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 21:45:50 GMT

I was wondering how a salute is built in detail.  I know it is made up of
flash powder, but how is the shell constructed.  I know that flash powder
does not need any special confindment to detonate, but are there some trick
to create a shell that produces a more powerful effect or not.  Another 
question I have is in a salute is the flash placed in a flash powder bag
and then placed in the shell or is the shell just filled with flash and then
sealed up.  How many grams of flash are typically in a three inch round 
salute?

Thanks								- Dan

-- 
  Daniel Joseph Rubin    |  "...A good football team for the alumni, parking
rubin@cis.ohio-state.edu |  for the faculty and sex for the students."
      GO        GO       |  - President E. Gordon Gee on the three things that
    BENGALS  BUCKEYES    |  a great university president must provide.....
From: paetzold@sw.stratus.com (Kevin Paetzold)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: Homemade Explosive
Date: 15 Apr 92 20:42:25 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.

In order to obtain mass quantities of dry ice you can look in your phone book
yellow pages under "dry ice".  The Worcester Mass. phone book has three 
suppliers listed.  Someone I know was a boy scout leader and required dry ice
for some kind of ceremony.  It is actually quite cheap.