HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: 9111123@ul.ie
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: plastic explosive (how to?)
Date: 16 Nov 92 20:04:58 GMT
Organization: University of Limerick, Ireland

In article <BxMpsw.7uJ@bunyip.cc.uq.oz.au>, fernee@newton.physics.uq.oz.au (Mark Fernee) writes:
> In article <1992Nov10.080431.22624@ncsu.edu>, elada@eos.ncsu.edu (ERIC  LADA) writes:
> |> 
> |> 	BTW, How do you make plastic explosive?
> |> 
> |> How would I go about buying some if I didn't want to make it and how much would
> |> it cost?  How much would it take to blow up 30X40' classroom 8-)
> |> 
> |> 	Thanks
> 
> BTW, does anyone know the base explosive for that notorious plastic explosive,
> SEMTEX? I believe it is RDX, but then why is it less detectable than other
> plastics?

 Oh about 2ks of Modern plastics sould do (guesstimate) ,and the reason SEMTEX
is less detectable is because the cezh nation mutions plant leves out any 
 marking chemical ,from its mil. spec. SEM. which was sold to Libya for civil
engineering projects:),so it cannt be detected by sniffer dogs(remember all
 plastics are *naturally* scentless it just the compains add markers to civ.
explosives so it cannt be used with impunity) but can be found by spectral 
 anal.

********************************************************************************
* Coyote          *   "Four things greater than all things are,                *
*  9111123@ul.ie  *     Women and horses and power and War"                    *
*                 *      Rudyar Kipling(maker of exceedingly good cakes)       *
* I would be greatly susprised if anyone shared my views:disclaimer            *
********************************************************************************
  
 Remember kids DONT try this at home as the Feds will find you.
 Also I have no connects with any paramilitary,military or civilian 
organisations that infringe the defence of the state act 1939(?) or any 
 subsaquent law relating to the posession of firearms,explosives,pyrothenics,or
membership of a proscribed organisation nor do I wish  to at this time or at
 any time in the forseeable future nor do I wish to infrige any law which would
result in the destablising of the state,dead,injury,maiming of another,or in
 the damage or destructing of another persons,companys,or states properties.

                 **SO DONT BOTHER ME ABOUT ANY OF THESE**
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: Misc.
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 22:33:33 GMT

pdevri95@ursa.calvin.edu (Paul De Vries) writes:
: I just saw this newsgroup and had some questions I'd been saving for the right people... I'm hoping they're here!
: 
: 1) I've seen (and have bits and pieces of) The Anarchist's Cookbook (ppft)
:    Kitchen Improvised Plastic Explosives, Kitchen Improvised Fertilizer
:    Explosives, and the 1960's-era military manuals Improvised Munitions,
:    Booby Traps, Explosives, and one or two other books, not to mention having
:    seen (and subsiquently dismissed/deleted) hundreds of "anarchy" files
:    that friends of mine have gotten off underground BBSs.  I don't use 'em
:    at all and I suspect that much of the information is inaccurate or just
:    plain trash.  Any ideas?

You are correct. For the procedures that will actually work, they are all
"field expedient procedures" - meaning that injuries/deaths are an acceptable
hazard of the production of the products. Some of the processes listed are
downright dangerous - even under the best of conditions.

If you want to experiment with the manufacture of explosives, do some
serious research at your local university library. They will have books
on laboratory production of energetic materials. They will also list the
hazards and safety procedures to be followed - for example, proper blast
shielding, fume hoods, protective clothing etc.

: 2) I'm mildly interested in making homemade fireworks -- I've made potassium
:    nitrate smoke bombs before (gee, real heavy stuff!) and made nitrogen
:    tri-iodide and thermite in high school chem classes, but where can I get
:    info and supplies for fireworks?

Mild interest is really not good, when experimenting with firework 
compositions. There are far too many things that can go wrong. And,
you may not get a second chance - the first mistake may be your last.

Now, if you are seriously interested - there are a number of good books on
the subject. You could also consider joining Pyrotechnics Guild International.
I think it was Petri who posted a suggested reading list some time ago.
Maybe he will post it again. 

: 3) Awhile back, friends of mine were looking for ammonium nitrate -- our
:    school didn't have any, nor would chem supply companies sell them to 'em.
:    I recently saw some instant Quik-Freez ice packs in a camping supply
:    store and realized that -- since it is just a bag of water with an a.n.
:    pouch inside it -- this might be fairly pure stuff.  Any ideas?

For such a purpose, purity would not matter. I would not trust it - plus,
it is a rather expensive way to get the AN. Pyrotechnicians avoid AN
whenever possible - because it is so hygroscopic. This makes it a pain
to work with.

Bill
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: about that flash powder
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 18:56:34 GMT

Shawn.Pourchot@f99.n121.z1.FidoNet.Org (Shawn Pourchot) writes:
: Speaking of flash powder...
: Does anyone out there know what the exact percent and concentrations of acid are needed to make flash paper?  I believe it's 50% Nitric and sulfric, but am not sure.
: 
The percentage of acid depends on the initial concentration. It also depends
on just how much nitration you are attempting to do to the paper.

Homemade FP also tends to be unstable. It is not something that you would
want to store.

It is not worth the expense and hazard. Go to your local magicians supplies
store and buy your flash paper.

Bill
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: jimh@pacdata.uucp (Jim Harkins)
Subject: Re: Overpressure wavefront analysis
Keywords: explosive, explosion, overpressure, wavefront, theoretical
Organization: Pacific Data Products
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 01:02:47 GMT

In article <1ebtjmINNdjg@endeavor.ksu.ksu.edu> lyn@endeavor.ksu.ksu.edu (Myself) writes:
>  Is there anyone out there who can assist me in finding information on
>determining the shape of an advancing overpressure wave front caused by
>detonation/rapid deflagration of a chemical/nuclear 'explosive'?

Look into a book on Sonar.  In a previous life I wrote the signal processing
software for a submarine Sonar system.  One of the books I borrowed to find out
what the hell I was doing had lots of good explanation on explosion vs
detonation, wave fronts, pressure gradients, etc.  Sonar makers need this
stuff.

jim


-- 
So many women, so little charisma.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Jim Harkins                         [ucsd|uunet]!pacdata!jim
Pacific Data Products               jim@pacdata.com
--------------------------------------------------------------

Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: mvp@netcom.com (Mike Van Pelt)
Subject: Re: A Modest Proposal
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 03:14:33 GMT

In article <1992Nov11.033256.15496@engage.pko.dec.com> moroney@ramblr.enet.dec.com writes:
>In article <83314@ut-emx.uucp>, tzeking@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (chan tze-king) writes...
>[deleted; I'm not repeating that]

Can't say as I blame you.

>You may want to know that employees of various Federal agencies
>certainly read this group.  Many do not have a sense of humor
>whatsoever.  Perhaps you already know this...

Yup.  Does anyone out there know this idiot?  It might be amusing
and/or instructive for future idiots to hear how his "interview"
came out.

-- 
Mike Van Pelt          | It was a typical net.exercise -- a screaming
mvp@netcom.com         | mob pounding on a greasy spot on the pavement,
mvp@hsv3.lsil.com      | where used to lie the carcass of a dead horse.
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: moroney@ramblr.enet.dec.com
Subject: Re: fireworks?
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 16:59:47 GMT

In article <1992Nov13.222231.10785@hellgate.utah.edu>, mwcallah%peruvian.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Michael Callahan) writes...
>After reading that last batch of news, about 76 articles in all, and seeing
>only 2 posts on fireworks, I was wondering.  Should this newsgroup just be 
>relabeled alt.bombs?  Or maybe split?  Or would the newsgroup be too boring
>without all of the interesting traffic on explosives?  I am just more
>interested in pyrotechnics devices than bombs.  After a couple hundred salutes,
>they start to lose there appeal.  How about the recipe for strobe rockets or 
>some other such device instead?


The folks seriously interested in pyrotechnics have mostly given up on this
group and gone to a mailinglist.  Send mail to buda@star.enet.dec.com to
get on this list.

-Mike
From: pbray@envy.reed.edu (Peter Bray)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: sigh... once more: thermite
Date: 17 Nov 92 04:23:02 GMT
Article-I.D.: reed.1992Nov17.042302.19938
Organization: Reed College, Portland, OR



well i think that the general talk about splitting would be a good idea.   
i personally find all the firework nonsense a little tedious and i much  
prefer the good ol' talk of thermite and neat little tricks involving  
bubble gum etc.
i wanted to ask one more thing about thermite since *I* have never got the  
shit to ignite... how much should i make... i mean, should i make, say, a  
teensy weensy amount, like a thimbleful.... i know this will ignite but i  
am curious as to how long this will burn for etc.  also i imagine that a  
bigger amount will burn hotter than a smaller amount... could be wrong...
so what do you suggest?  the size of a golf ball, a tennis ball, or a  
football...


while on the subject of tennis balls i read an interesting article in the  
los angeles rag Ben Is Dead about tennis ball bombs.. apparently what  
someone did was to cut a whole bunch of heads of strike any where matches  
and stuff them inside a tennis ball.  they then threw this thing and it  
exploded on contact.  pretty interesting i thought.
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: khartman@fnalc.fnal.gov
Subject: Re: Frozen H2O2, O3
Organization: Fermi National Accelerator Lab
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 15:58:59 GMT
X-Posted-From: fnalc.fnal.gov
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

In article <1992Nov16.153915.23731@cubic.com>, hees@cubic.com (Phil Hees)
writes:

> In article <1992Nov15.083654.10497@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com>
> billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:
>>
>>Eyes are particularly sensitive to irritation by H2O2. 
> 
> Hmm... and millions of people use H2O2 to sterilize their contact lenses.
> 
> --
> Phil Hees
> hees@cubic.com


Phil:

	Go back and read Bill's post.  I think he was referring to 35% H2O2,
not the first aid type which is 3%.  35% (actually, I think it is 30%
commercially) H2O2 is a dangerously strong oxidizer.  It will damage the skin 
and eyes.


Ken
From: epasls@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: Toilet bowl cleaner bomb
Date: 15 Nov 92 00:52:59 CST
Organization: University of Kansas Academic Computing Services

In article <BxoMEB.G9J@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, jl52800@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (The Incredible Mr.Wong) writes:
> The bomb referred to in the subject header is made as follows. A two liter
> empty is filled about 1/4 to 1/3 full of crumpled aluminum foil. A toilet
> bowl cleaner is then poured in to cover the foil. The bottle is then capped
> tightly. I've played around with these for a couple years now, and the time
> for it to go off is unpredictablt (to me at least.) It's gone off anywhere 
> from 10 seconds to 10 minutes. Does anyone know why this is? And while I'm
> at it, does anyone know what the reaction is? I don't really know much about
> chemistry, but my guess is the foil reacts with the acid in the cleaner. All I
> know is that it gets pretty hot, and the liquid sprayed after the explosion
> stains asphalt....=) Oh yeah, right before it explodes, you can see a LOT of
> white smoke being produced inside the bottle.
> 
> Mr.Wong
> 

i'm a serious amateur pyro.
anyway, for people who intend on making this then please note
that you must use an acid base cleaner(I think there is one called
'the works' that works(bad pun)).  anyway, a couple of friends of 
mine got arrested becouse if you use 2 liter bottles and put it
in mail boxes then it totally demolishes the mail boxes.

anyway the reaction is between the acid and the al.
I didn't retain much from my chem class but that was
one of the labs we did.

later...
From: cd353@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Norman Spiney)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: nuke nuts
Date: 23 Nov 1992 03:46:16 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


To blame physics for the existance of weapons of mass destruction
is not only stupid but also pointless. Physics is the backbone
of all sciences and is subsequently responsible for virtually
all scientific achievement, either directly or indirectly. Most
physcists are not involved in weapons research. The dicipline
is so broad that there are many non-violent avenues open to
research. Furthermore, most physcists are capable of researching
across different areas. Physics provides you with a way of
approaching and solving problems which can be applied to almost
any area. I am a physcist and I am not involved in any form of
weapons research as I am also an environmentalist and a pacifist.
Albert Einstein was a great pacifist and humanitarian, who 
regretted his signing of the letter to the president which
proposed the making of the  "bomb".

"It is not the gun that kills, but the person pulling the 
trigger". I regard  the dropping of the "bomb" on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki, both without warning on obviously civilian targets,
as one of the greatest acts of barbarism of this century. I
wouldn't point the finger at others until you have a good look
at yourself first. Over the last thirty years the United States
have had one of the most viscious and immoral foreign policies
of any nation in the world. All in the name of democracy.
From the overthrow of the government of an ally to the 
saturation bombing of Cambodia between '73 - '75, the US has
a lot of blood on its hands and alot to answer for. It is 
ashame that the victors are never tried for war crimes.
Lastly let us not forget that the US supported Mr Hussein
up until he decided to invade Kuwait, even though there was
abundant evidence of his atrocities against the Kurds.
Hypocracy rears its ugly head.!!

Where are the "nuke nuts"? I haven't seen evidence of anyone
glorifying or condoning nuclear weapons. There has been some
factual information given but nothing to warrant your reply.
I find great pleasure in explosives and pyrotechnics, but I 
would never consider using them in an irresponsible,
destructive or harmful way. Furthermore, I find nuclear 
weapons and detonations repelent due to the environmental
carnage and their potential for mass-destruction. But what
I find even more distressing, is the attitude of the people
controlling the nukes.

:-{

Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: Detonation vs. deflagration
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 17:41:04 GMT

fernee@newton.physics.uq.oz.au (Mark Fernee) writes:
: 
: Initiation with high power rifle bullets depends on many factors;
: the size and shape of the charge, the effectiveness of the transfer of 
: shock and energy to the explosive. Cast TNT is reportedly sensitive to
: such initiation. However, C4 is a plasticised explosive, while the base
: explosive (92% RDX) is extremely shock sensitive, the effect of the
: plasticisers will modify the energy transfer somewhat, possibly even 
: to such an extent that it will not cause detonation. But again this
: will depend on the size and shape of the charge. It would be interesting
: to see some data on this.

I seem to recall, from tests, that the size and shape did not have a lot
to do with whether the material was inititated. More of a factor what what
was between the bullet and the explosive, and the thickness of that material.

You are right that the effectiveness of the energy transfer is part of the
initiation efficiency. There is also a minimum duration of impulse, for any
particular energy input - or initiation will not occur. That is why a
projectile is often inefficient at initiating an explosive - the shock
duration is too short.

Bill
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: rubin@skiing.cis.ohio-state.edu (Daniel Rubin)
Subject: Re: Flash (was Re: Ammonium Nitrate)
Organization: The Ohio State University Dept. of Computer and Info. Science
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1992 18:34:08 GMT

In article <1992Nov15.081502.9983@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com> billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:
>spiegl@rtsg.mot.com (Mark Spiegl) writes:
>: moroney@ramblr.enet.dec.com writes:
>: 
>: >First, I don't think they're flash, but something more sensitive for more
>: >reliable operation.  Something that's also less static sensitive, if they
>: >put the things in styrofoam.
>: 
>: I was under the impression that flash is not terribly static sensitive. 
>: Has anyone had problems with KClO4 & Al flash?
>
>The literature says that it is. I have not had problems, but I am very
>careful about static charges. I would rather not take the chance.
>
>: >Second, 50mg or less flash in a "device" is still class C, else no more
>: >firecrackers.
>: 
>: Just out of curiosity, does anyone know the amount of flash typically 
>: contained in various commercial exploding devices: 
>: 
>:    firecrackers, 
>
>Up to 50 mg.
>
>:    M80s,
>
>I don't recall for sure - about 5 grams?

I have heard that there was 2 grams in M80s, but that was about 6 months ago
from an article from this groups and I have no clue how accurate the source
is...

>
>:    1/4 sticks,
>:    1/2 sticks,
>
>No idea.
>
>:    air salutes,
>
>Class C - 120 mg. Class B - it is measured in ounces. For example, a
>three inch aerial salute may contain about 4 ounces of flash. Such
>amounts are lethal. Even a few grams can maim a hand.
>
>Bill

Neat...  I didn't know that there was such thing as a Class C salute.  

In the most recent issue of AFN there are some articles on ground bombs.
What is the legal limit of flash powder in a ground bomb.   The article 
describes ground bombs with a couple pounds of flash ( gasp! ) ignited at
ground level, but really doesn't give a legal limit the the size of one!
I have been to many shows here in Ohio and even in California and
Florida, but have never experienced any loud ground effects such as this.
I would love to "feel" one of these things at a show why aren't they done
more?

Thanks								- Dan


-- 

             Daniel Joseph Rubin     rubin@cis.ohio-state.edu 
     
                       GO BENGALS!      GO BUCKS!
From: tsa@cellar.org (The Silent Assassin)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Obtaining chemicals Mail-Order
Date: 17 Nov 92 00:38:36 GMT
Organization: The Cellar BBS and public access system

What chemicals will mail-order companies sell without a school letterhead
or some kind of official I.D.?  I am looking for sulfuric and nitric acid,
don't have to be that concentrated, I can purify 'em.  Also magnesium,
saltpeter, Magnesium peroxide.


Disclaimer: none. /earth is 98% full, please delete anyone you can.
tsa@cellar.org | weeks quote:"  Whenever 'A' attempts by law to impose his
moral standards on 'B', 'A' is most likely a scoundrel"-H.L. Mencken
"Mispelled?  Impossible!  I have an error-correcting modem."
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: explosive bullets
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 23:36:25 GMT

haba@lesti.hut.fi (Harri "Haba" Suomalainen) writes:
: 
: Actually all expanding bullets (plain hollow-points etc) are called dum-dums.
: It sure has more performance than plain round bullet but it cannot be compared
: with mercury/water bullets. They expand a *lot* more violently.
: 
: Real exploding bullets (bullets with explosives in them) are a lot more
: fun anyway. I was once impressed with .22 filled with lead azide. It made
: a sound like the gun had been fired *without* the good silencer it had..
: Manufacturing and use of those is quite dangerous and should be avoided.
: There are good safe commercial ones available.

They may be available in your country. Here in the US - the government is
more repressive. There is a $200 transfer tax required for the purchase of
a silencer. You cannot buy explosive filled ammo.

Bill
From: R_HUBBARD@unhh.unh.edu (Ronnie   Hubbard)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: howdy
Date: 19 Nov 1992 01:21:34 GMT
Organization: University of New Hampshire
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: unhh.unh.edu
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.12

Hi
I have been reading the psychotic adventures of your little clan for
a while now...And I just figured out how to post.  I have little to
no experience with pyrochemistry, but I am aching to learn.  The most
I have done is build home made cannons with the steel pipe from bar-bells
hammering one side flat and folding it over, and hammering it flat again
(This is a time consuming process, but the end result is fun :))
filling the end with liquid wax and letting it cool
(the wax prevents loss of compression)
drill a hole for cannon fuse (available from any good gun store)
cut a 2" length for the cannon fill the tube with about an inch of
PYRODEX brand smokeless gunpowder and stuff 4 sheets of news paper on top
compress the hell out of it! :)

stick one end of the tube in the ground light the fuse and run-like-hell
(just in case)
BOOM!
somebody post a response so i know i am around!
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: So ya wanna die?
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 08:54:00 GMT

tip@lead.aichem.arizona.edu (Tom Perigrin) writes:
: 
: Normal black pipe, etc.. is made by taking a flat sheet of metal, and 
: running it through a machine which forms it over a mandrel and then welds 
: it shut.  The thcikness of the tube formed this way is limited by the 
: welding process.  The welds are generally pretty good... certainly good enough
: to hold hot water or low pressure steam.   But I am not sure I would want
: to trust the welds to higher pressures of exploding black powder.

Welded pipe is used for pyrotechnics mortars. They are steel, rather than
iron - I do not know which schedule of pipe is normally used. Black  
powder is used for a propellant - with a loose fitting projectile, so
the pressures are kept quite low.

... nice exposition deleted ...

: When you hammer a welded tube, you put extra stress on the weld lines due to
: inhomogenities in the weld line.  This may cause early failure.  Most black
: iron is also not constructed for maximal malliability, nor heat treated
: to remove stresses.   These properties can vary from manufacturer to 
: manufacturer.  What might be safe for one person might be deadly with another
: tube from a different source.

Yep. It will also depend greatly on where the weld is in the fold geometry.

: Fortunately, MOST people make pipe guns don't use wadding.  But if you force
: the ball in well patched or with a good wadding, you can increase your pressure
: by 3 to 5 fold, easily!   For grins and chuckles calc how much windage (area
: for blow by) there is if a 1" tube is loaded with a 7/8" ball.    The 
: percentage is surprisingly high.   You close that windage off and the
: pressure goes up dramaticaly!  Not only is there less blowby,  but many 
: propellants have the neat property of burning faster as the pressure goes up.

Including black powder and pyrodex.

: If you are interested in this I might suggest you try to find a muzzle loader
: group near you.   

I expect they would shudder, as I do, at even the thought.

Bill