Well, here it is, the long awaited even-less-self-destructive new release of The Big Book Of Mischief. Please send reviews to address above. PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THIS VERSION! The older, less accurate version is still on the FTP sites and many BBS systems, please upload this release, if only to propagate the new e-mail address. In all honesty, many of the changes have been from suggestions posted to rec.pyrotechnics, as well as some of the new material. I'd give credit to individuals but that would mean another section just for the Names. RELEASE 1.5 COPYRIGHT 1993 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Table of Contents SAFETY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Basic Safety Rules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 How To Mix Dry Ingredients. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 BUYING EXPLOSIVES AND PROPELLANTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Propellants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Explosives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 PREPARATION OF CHEMICALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 EXPLOSIVE FORMULAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Explosive Theory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Impact Explosives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Low Order Explosives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 High Order Explosives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Other Reactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 COMPRESSED GAS BOMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Bottled Gas Explosives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Dry Ice Bombs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 USING EXPLOSIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Ignition Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Impact Ignition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Electrical Ignition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Electro-mechanical Ignition . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Delays. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 EXPLOSIVE CASINGS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Paper Containers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Metal Containers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Primed Explosive Casings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Glass Containers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Plastic Containers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 ADVANCED USES FOR EXPLOSIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Tube Explosives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Atomized Particle Explosions. . . . . . . . . . . . 57 SPECIAL AMMUNITION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Primitive Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Firearms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Compressed Air/Gas Weapons. . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 ROCKETS AND CANNONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Rockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Cannon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 VISUAL PYROTECHNICS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Smoke Bombs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Colored Flames. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Fireworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 MORE INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 USEFUL CHEMICALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 FUEL-OXIDIZER MIXTURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 USEFUL PYROCHEMISTRY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 SAFETY Safety is an important concern in many activities, but it is even more important when working with explosives and related compounds. If you have an accident with a power tool you can permanently maim or kill yourself. An automobile accident can not only kill yourself, but a dozen or more others who have the bad luck to be on the same road as you. When an airplane crashes, it often kills not only the passengers on board, but anybody who happens to have lived near the crash site. An accidental explosion can be much destructive than any of these. Any accident involving explosives is likely to be fatal, and a serious accident can, under some circumstances circumstances, kill hundreds of people. There are no such things as truly "safe" explosive devices. While some explosives are less dangerous than others, all such compositions are, by their very nature, extremely hazardous. Basic Safety Rules 1) Don't smoke! (don't laugh- an errant cigarette wiped out the Weathermen). Avoid open flames, especially when working with flammable liquids or powdered metals. 2) Grind all ingredients separately. It is alarming how friction sensitive some supposedly safe compositions really are. Grinding causes heat and possibly sparks, both of which can initiate an explosion. 3) Start with very small quantities. Even small quantities of high explosives can be very dangerous. Once you have some idea of the power of the explosive, you can progress to larger amounts. Store high explosives separately from low explosives, and sensitive devices, such as blasting caps, should be stored well away from all flammable or explosive material. 4) Allow for a 20% margin of error. Never let your safety depend on the expected results. Just because the average burning rate of a fuse is 30 secs/foot, don't depend on the 6 inches sticking out of your pipe bomb to take exactly 15 seconds. 5) Never underestimate the range of your shrapnel. The cap from a pipe bomb can often travel a block or more at high velocities before coming to rest- If you have to stay nearby, remember that if you can see it, it can kill you. 6) At the least, take the author's precautions. When mixing sensitive compounds (such as flash powder) avoid all sources of static electricity. Work in an area with moderate humidity, good ventilation, and watch out for sources of sparks and flame, which can ignite particles suspended in the air. Always follow the directions given and never take shortcuts. 7) Buy quality safety equipment, and use it at all times. Always wear a face shield, or at the minimum, shatterproof lab glasses. It's usually a good idea to wear gloves when handling corrosive chemicals, and a lab apron can help prevent life-threatening burns. How To Mix Dry Ingredients The best way to mix two dry chemicals to form an explosive is to use a technique perfected by small-scale fireworks manufacturers: 1) Take a large sheet of smooth paper (for example a page from a newspaper that does not use staples) 2) Measure out the appropriate amounts of the two chemicals, and pour them in two small heaps near opposite corners of the sheet. 3) Pick up the sheet by the two corners near the piles, allowing the powders to roll towards the center of the sheet. 4) By raising one corner and then the other, rock the powders back and forth in the middle of the open sheet, taking care not to let the mixture spill from either of the loose ends. 5) Pour the powder off from the middle of the sheet, and use it immediately. Use airtight containers for storage, It's best to use 35mm film canisters or other jars which do not have screw-on tops. If you must keep the mixture for long periods, place a small packet of desiccant in the container, and never store near heat or valuable items. BUYING EXPLOSIVES AND PROPELLANTS Almost any city or town of reasonable size has a gun store and one or more drugstores. These are two of the places that serious pyrotechnicians can visit to purchase potentially explosive material. All that one has to do is know something about the mundane uses of the substances. Black powder, for example, is normally used in blackpowder firearms. It comes in varying grades, with each different grade being a slightly different size. The grade of black powder depends on what the calibre of the gun that it is intended for; a fine grade of powder could burn too fast in the wrong caliber weapon. The rule is: the smaller the grade, the faster the burn rate of the powder. Propellants There are many varieties of powder used as propellants, and many of these can be adapted for use in explosive devices. Propellants are usually selected for stability and high gas production, and can be very effective if used in a strong container. Some propellants, such as nitrocellulose, burn at a much higher rate when under pressure, while others burn at basically the same rate in the open and when confined. Black Powder Black powder is commonly available in four grades. The smaller, faster burning sizes are more difficult to find than the large, slow grades. The powder's burn rate is extremely important when it is to be used in explosives. Since an explosion is a rapid increase of gas volume in a confined environment, quick-burning powder is desired. The four common grades of black powder are listed below, along with the usual bore width (calibre) of the gun they would be used in. Generally, the fastest burning powder, the FFFF grade is desirable for explosives, and the larger grades are used as propellants. The FFFF grade is the fastest burning, because the smaller grade has more surface area exposed to the flame front, allowing the flame to propagate through the material much faster than it could if a larger sized powder was used. The price range of black powder is about $8.50 - $12.00 per pound. The price per pound is the same regardless of the grade, so you can save time and work by buying finer grade of powder. There are several problems with using black powder. It can be accidentally ignited by static electricity or friction, and that it has a tendency to absorb moisture from the air. To safely crush it, you should use a plastic or wooden spoon and a wooden salad bowl. Taking a small pile at a time, slowly apply pressure to the powder through the spoon and rub it in a series of light strokes or circles. It is fine enough to use when it reaches the consistency of flour. The particle size needed is dependent on the type of device it is going to be used in. The size of the grains is less important in large devices, and in large strong casings coarse grained powder will work. Any adult can purchase black powder, since anyone can own black powder firearms in the United States. PYRODEX* Pyrodex is a synthetic powder that is used like black powder, and which can be substituted by volume for standard blackpowder. It comes in the many of the standard grades, but it is more expensive per pound. However, a one pound container of pyrodex contains more material by volume than one pound of black powder. Pyrodex is much easier to crush to a very fine powder than black powder, and it is considerably safer and more reliable. This is because Pyrodex is less sensitive to friction and static electricity, and it absorbs moisture more slowly than black powder. Pyrodex can be crushed in the same manner as black powder, or it can be dissolved in boiling water and dried in the sun. Rifle/Shotgun Powder Rifle and shotgun propellants are usually nitrocellulose based with additives to modify the burning rate. They will be referred to as smokeless powder in all future references. Smokeless powder is made by the action of concentrated nitric and sulfuric acid upon cotton or some other cellulose material, a process that is described on page 19. This material is then dissolved by solvents and then reformed in the desired grain size. When dealing with smokeless powder, the grain size is not nearly as important as that of black powder. Both large and small grained powders burn fairly slowly compared to black powder when unconfined, but when it is confined, smokeless burns both hotter and produces a greater volume of gas, producing more pressure. Therefore, the grinding process that is often necessary for other propellants is not necessary for smokeless. Smokeless powder costs slightly more than black powder. In most states any citizen with a valid driver's license can buy it, since there are currently few restrictions on rifles or shotguns in the U.S. There are now ID checks in many states when purchasing powder at a retail outlet, however mail order purchases from another state are not subject to such checks. When purchased by mail order propellants must be shipped by a private carrier, since the Postal Service will not carry hazardous materials. Shipping charges will be high, due to Department Of Transportation regulations on packaging flammable and explosive materials. Rocket Engine Powder Model rocketry is an popular hobby in the United States and many other countries. Estes*, the largest producer of model rocket kits and engines, takes great pains to ensure that their engines are both safe and reliable. The simple design of these engines makes it very easy to extract the propellant powder. Model rocket engines contain a single large grain of propellant. This grain is encased in heavy cardboard tubing with a clay cap at the top and a clay or ceramic nozzle in the bottom. The propellant can be removed by slitting the tube lengthwise, and unwrapping it like you would a roll of paper towels. When this is done, the grey fire clay at either end of the propellant grain should be removed. This can be done by either cracking it off with a sharp bow, or by gently prying with a plastic or brass knife. The engine material consists of three stages. First the large fuel stage, which is at the end nearest the nozzle. Above this is the delay stage, which may not be found in some engines. This stage burns slowly and produces a large amount of smoke. Last is the ejection charge, which normally would produce gases to push the parachute out through the top of the rocket. The propellant material contains an epoxy which makes it exceptionally hard, so it must be crushed to a fine powder before it can be used.be used. By double bagging the propellant in small plastic bags and gripping it in a pliers or small vise, the powder can be carefully crushed without shattering all over. This process should be repeated until there are no remaining chunks, after which it may be crushed in the same manner as black powder. Model rocket engines come in various sizes, ranging from ¼A -2T to the incredibly powerful D engines. The larger engines are much more expensive, and each letter size contains about twice as much propellant as the previous one. The D engines come in packages of three, and contain more powder than lesser engines. These engines are also very useful without modification. Large engines can be used to create very impressive skyrockets and other devices. Explosives There are many commercially available materials which are either used as explosives, or which are used to produce explosives. Materials which are used to produce explosives are known as "precursors", and some of them are very difficult to obtain. Chemical suppliers are not stupid, and they will notice if a single person orders a combination of materials which can be used to produce a common explosive. Most chemicals are available in several grades, which vary by the purity of the chemical, and the types of impurities present. In most cases lab grade chemicals are more than sufficient. There are a few primitive mixtures which will work even with very impure chemicals, and a few which require technical grade materials. Ammonium Nitrate Ammonium nitrate is a high explosive material that is used as a commercial "safety explosive". It is very stable, and is difficult to ignite with a match, and even then will not explode under normal circumstances. It is also difficult to detonate; (the phenomenon of detonation will be explained later) as it requires a powerful shockwave to cause it act as a high explosive. Commercially, ammonium nitrate is sometimes mixed with a small amount of nitroglycerine to increase its sensitivity. A versatile chemical, ammonium nitrate is used in the "Cold-Paks" or "Instant Cold", available in most drug stores. The "Cold Paks" consist of a bag of water, surrounded by a second plastic bag containing the ammonium nitrate. To get the ammonium nitrate, simply cut off the top of the outside bag, remove the plastic bag of water, and save the ammonium nitrate in a well sealed, airtight container. It is hygroscopic, (it tends to absorb water from the air) and will eventually be neutralized if it is allowed to react with water, or used in compounds containing water. Ammonium nitrate may also be found in many fertilizers. Flash Powder Flash powder is a mixture of powdered aluminum or magnesium metal and one of any number of oxidizers. It is extremely sensitive to heat or sparks, and should be treated with more care than black powder, and under no circumstances should it be mixed with black powder or any other explosives. Small quantities of flash powder can be purchased from magic shops and theatrical suppliers in the form of two small containers, which must be mixed before use. Commercial flash powder is not cheap but it is usually very reliable. There are three speeds of flash powder commonly used in magic, however only the fast flash powder can be used to create reliable explosives. Flash powder should always be mixed according to the method given at the beginning of the book, and under no circumstances should it be shaken or stored in any packaging which might carry static electricity. PREPARATION OF CHEMICALS While many chemicals are not easily available in their pure form, it is sometimes possible for the home chemist to partially purify more easily available sources of impure forms of desired chemicals. Most liquids are diluted with water, which can be removed by distillation. It is more difficult to purify solids, but there are a few methods available.If the impurity is insoluble in water but the pure chemical is, then the solid is mixed into a large quantity of warm water, and the water (with the chemical dissolved in it) is saved. The undissolved impurities (dregs) are discarded. When the water is boiled off it leaves a precipitate of the desired material. If the desired chemical is not water soluble and the impurity is, then the same basic procedure is followed, but in this case the dregs are saved and the liquid discarded. Nitric acid (HNO3) There are several ways to make this most essential of all acids for explosives. It is often produced by the oxidation of ammonia per the following formula: 4NH3 + 5O2 4NO + 6H2O; 2NO + O2 2NO2; 3NO2 + H2O 2HNO3 + NO If the chemist has sodium and potassium nitrate available, they can be used to convert the much less useful sulfuric acid. While this method can be used to produce nitric acid, the process is extremely hazardous, and it should not be carried out unless there is no other way to obtain nitric acid. Do not attempt this on a larger scale without the use of remote manipulation equipment. Materials potassium nitrate ice bath stirring rod conc sulfuric acid distilled water retort collecting flask with stopper retort (300ml) heat source sodium nitrate mortar and pestle 1) Carefully pour 100 milliliters of concentrated sulfuric acid into the retort. 2) Weigh out exactly 185 grams of sodium nitrate, or 210 grams of potassium nitrate. Crush to a fine powder in a clean, dry mortar and pestle, then slowly add this powder to the retort of sulfuric acid. If all of the powder does not dissolve, carefully stir the solution with a glass rod until the powder is completely dissolved. 3) Place the open end of the retort into the collecting flask, and place the collecting flask in the ice bath. 4) Begin heating the retort, using low heat. Continue heating until liquid begins to come out of the end of the retort. The liquid that forms is nitric acid. Heat until the precipitate in the bottom of the retort is almost dry, or until no more nitric acid forms. CAUTION If the acid is heated too strongly, the nitric acid will decompose as soon as it is formed. This can result in the production of highly flammable and toxic gasses that may explode. It is a good idea to set the above apparatus up, and then get away from it. Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4) There are two common processes used to make sulfuric acid, unfortunately neither of them is suitable for small scale production outside of a laboratory or industrial plant. The Contact Process utilizes Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), an intensely irritating gas. 2SO2 + H2O 2SO3; SO3 + H2O H2SO4 The Chamber Process uses nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide. On contact with air, nitric oxide forms nitrogen dioxide, a deadly reddish brown gas. The reaction used for production is as follows: 2NO + O2 2NO2; NO2 + SO2 + H2O H2SO4 Sulfuric acid is far too difficult to make outside of a laboratory or industrial plant. However, it is readily available as it is a major component of lead-acid batteries. The sulfuric acid could be poured off from a new battery, or purchased from a battery shop or motorcycle store. If the acid is removed from a battery there will be pieces of lead from the battery which must be removed, either by boiling and filtration. The concentration of the sulfuric acid can also be increased by boiling it or otherwise removing some of the water from the solution. Very pure sulfuric acid pours slightly faster than clean motor oil. Ammonium Nitrate Ammonium nitrate is a very powerful but insensitive high explosive. It could be made very easily by pouring nitric acid into a large flask in an ice bath. Then, by simply pour household ammonia into the flask and keep a safe distance away until the reaction has completed. After the materials have stopped reacting, one simply has to leave the solution in a warm dry place until all of the water and any neutralized ammonia or acid have evaporated. Finely powdered crystals of ammonium nitrate would remain. These must be kept in an airtight container, because of their tendency to pick up water from the air. The crystals formed in the above process would have to be heated very gently to drive off the remaining water before they can be used. Potassium Nitrate Potassium nitrate can be obtained from black powder. Simply stir a quantity of black powder into boiling water. The sulfur and charcoal will be suspended in the water, but the potassium nitrate will dissolve. To obtain 68g of potassium nitrate, it would be necessary to dissolve about 90g of black powder in about one liter of boiling water. Filter the dissolved solution through filter paper until the liquid that pours through is clear. The charcoal and sulfur in black powder are insoluble in water, and so when the solution is allowed to evaporate, small crystals of potassium nitrate will be left in the container. EXPLOSIVE FORMULAS Once again, persons reading this material should never attempt to produce any of the explosives described here. It is illegal and extremely dangerous to do so. Loss of life and limbs could easily result from a failed (or successful) attempt to produce any explosives or hazardous chemicals. These procedures are correct, however many of the methods given here are usually scaled down industrial procedures, and therefore may be better suited to large scale production. Explosive Theory An explosive is any material that, when ignited by heat, shock, or chemical reaction, undergoes rapid decomposition or oxidation. This process releases energy that is stored in the material. The energy, in the form of heat and light, is released when the material breaks down into gaseous compounds that occupy a much larger volume that the explosive did originally. Because this expansion is very rapid, the expanding gasses displace large volumes of air. This expansion often occurs at a speed greater than the speed of sound, creating a shockwave similar to the sonic boom produced by high-speed jet planes. Explosives occur in several forms: high order explosives (detonating explosives),low order explosives (deflagrating explosives), primers, and some explosives which can progress from deflagrating to detonation. All high order explosives are capable of detonation. Some high order explosives may start out burning (deflagration) and progress to detonation. A detonation can only occur in a high order explosive. Detonation is caused by a shockwave that passes through a block of the high explosive material. High explosives consist of molecules with many high-energy bonds. The shockwave breaks apart the molecular bonds between the atoms of the material, at a rate approximately equal to the speed of sound traveling through that substance. Because high explosives are generally solids or liquids, this speed can be much greater than the speed of sound in air. Unlike low-explosives, the fuel and oxidizer in a high-explosive are chemically bonded, and this bond is usually too strong to be easily broken. Usually a primer made from a sensitive high explosive is used to initiate the detonation. When the primer detonates it sends a shockwave through the high-explosive. This shockwave breaks apart the bonds, and the chemicals released recombine to produce mostly gasses. Some examples of high explosives are dynamite, ammonium nitrate, and RDX. Low order explosives do not detonate. Instead they burn (undergo oxidation) at a very high rate. When heated, the fuel and oxidizer combine to produce heat, light, and gaseous products. Some low order materials burn at about the same speed under pressure as they do in the open, such as blackpowder. Others, such as smokeless gunpowder (which is primarily nitrocellulose) burn much faster and hotter when they are in a confined space, such as the barrel of a firearm; they usually burn much slower than blackpowder when they are ignited in the open. Blackpowder, nitrocellulose, and flash powder are common examples of low order explosives. Primers are the most dangerous explosive compounds in common use. Some of them, such as mercury fulminate, will function as a low or high order explosive. They are chosen because they are more sensitive to friction, heat, and shock, than commonly used high or low explosives. Most primers perform like a dangerously sensitive high explosive. Others merely burn, but when they are confined, they burn at a very high rate and with a large expansion of gasses that produces a shockwave. A small amount of a priming material is used to initiate, or cause to decompose, a large quantity of relatively insensitive high explosives. They are also frequently used as a reliable means of igniting low order explosives. The gunpowder in a bullet is ignited by the detonation of the primer. Blasting caps are similar to primers, but they usually include both a primer and some intermediate explosive. Compounds used as primers can include lead azide, lead styphnate, diazodinitrophenol or mixtures of two or more of them. A small charge of PETN, RDX, or pentolite may be included in the more powerful blasting caps, such as those used in grenades. The small charge of moderately-sensitive high explosive initiates a much larger charge of insensitive high explosive. Impact Explosives Impact explosives are often used as primers. Of the ones discussed here, only mercury fulminate and nitroglycerine are real explosives; Ammonium triiodide crystals decompose upon impact, but they release little heat and no light. Impact explosives are always treated with the greatest care, and nobody without an extreme death wish would store them near any high or low explosives. Ammonium triiodide crystals (nitrogen triiodide) Ammonium triiodide crystals are foul smelling purple colored crystals that decompose under the slightest amount of heat, friction, or shock, if they are made with the purest ammonia (ammonium hydroxide) and iodine. Such crystals are so sensitive that they will decompose when a fly lands on them, or when an ant walks across them. Household ammonia, however, has enough impurities, such as soaps and abrasive agents, so that the crystals will detonate only when thrown, crushed, or heated. The ammonia available in stores comes in a variety of forms. The pine and cloudy ammonia should not be used; only the strong clear ammonia can be used to make ammonium triiodide crystals. Upon detonation, a loud report is heard, and a cloud of purple iodine gas will appear. Whatever the unfortunate surface that the crystal was detonated upon, it will probably be ruined, as some of the iodine in the crystal is thrown about in a solid form, and iodine is corrosive. It leaves nasty, ugly, brownish-purple stains on whatever it contacts. These stains can be removed with photographer's hypo solution, or with the dechlorinating compound sold for use in fish tanks. Iodine fumes are also bad news, since they can damage your lungs, and they will settle to the ground,leaving stains there as well. Contact with iodine leaves brown stains on the skin that last for about a week, unless they are immediately and vigorously washed off. Ammonium triiodide crystals could be produced in the following manner: Materials iodine crystalsfunnel filter paperglass stirring rod paper towels clear ammoniatwo glass jarspotassium iodide 1) Place 5 grams of iodine into one of the glass jars. Because the iodine is very difficult to remove, use jars that you don't want to save. 2) Add enough ammonia to completely cover the iodine. Stir several times, then add 5 grams of potassium iodide. Stir for 30 seconds. 3) Place the funnel into the other jar, and put the filter paper in the funnel. The technique for putting filter paper in a funnel is taught in every basic chemistry lab class: fold the circular paper in half, so that a semicircle is formed. Then, fold it in half again to form a triangle with one curved side. Pull one thickness of paper out to form a cone, and place the cone into the funnel. 4) After allowing the iodine to soak in the ammonia for a while, pour the solution into the paper in the funnel through the filter paper. 5) While the solution is being filtered, put more ammonia into the first jar to wash any remaining crystals into the funnel as soon as it drains. 6) Collect all the crystals without touching the brown filter paper, and place them on the paper towels to dry. Make sure that they are not too close to any lights or other sources of heat, as they could well detonate. While they are still wet, divide the wet material into small pieces as large as your thumbnail. To use them, simply throw them against any surface or place them where they will be stepped on or crushed. When the crystals are disturbed they decompose into iodine vapor, nitrogen, and ammonia. 3I2 + 5NH4OH 3 NH4I + NH3NI3 + 5H2O iodine + ammonium hydroxide ammonium iodide + ammonium nitrogen triiodide + water The optimal yield from pure iodine is 54% of the original mass in the form of the explosive sediment. The remainder of the iodine remains in the solution of ammonium iodide, and can be extracted by extracting the water (vacuum distillation is an efficient method) and treating the remaining product with chlorine. Mercury Fulminate Mercury fulminate is perhaps one of the oldest known initiating compounds. It can be detonated by either heat or shock. Even the action of dropping a crystal of the fulminate can cause it to explode. This material can be produced through the following procedure: MATERIALS 5 g mercury glass stirring rod blue litmus paper 35 ml conc nitric acid filter paper small funnel 100 ml beaker (2) acid resistant gloves heat source 30 ml ethyl alcohol distilled water Solvent alcohol must be at least 95% ethyl alcohol if it is used to make mercury fulminate. Methyl alcohol may prevent mercury fulminate from forming. Mercury thermometers are becoming a rarity, unfortunately. They may be hard to find in most stores as they have been superseded by alcohol and other less toxic fillings. Mercury is also used in mercury switches, which are available at electronics stores. Mercury is a hazardous substance, and should be kept in the thermometer, mercury switch, or other container until used. At room temperature mercury vapor is evolved, and it can be absorbed through the skin. Once in your body mercury will cause damage to the brain and other organs. For this reason, it is a good idea not to spill mercury, and to always use it outdoors. Also, do not get it in an open cut; rubber gloves will help prevent this. 1) In one beaker, mix 5 g of mercury with 35 ml of concentrated nitric acid, using the glass rod. 2) Slowly heat the mixture until the mercury is dissolved, which is when the solution turns green and boils. 3) Place 30 ml of ethyl alcohol into the second beaker, and slowly and carefully add all of the contents of the first beaker to it. Red and/or brown fumes should appear. These fumes are toxic and flammable. 4) between thirty and forty minutes after the fumes first appear, they should turn white, indicating that the reaction is near completion. After ten more minutes, add 30 ml distilled water to the solution. 5) Carefully filter out the crystals of mercury fulminate from the liquid solution. Dispose of the solution in a safe place, as it is corrosive and toxic. 6) Wash the crystals several times in distilled water to remove as much excess acid as possible. Test the crystals with the litmus paper until they are neutral. This will be when the litmus paper stays blue when it touches the wet crystals. 7) Allow the crystals to dry, and store them in a safe place, far away from any explosive or flammable material. This procedure can also be done by volume, if the available mercury cannot be weighed. Simply use 10 volumes of nitric acid and 10 volumes of ethanol to every one volume of mercury. Nitroglycerin (C3H5N3O9) Nitroglycerin is one of the most sensitive explosives ever to be commercially produced. It is a very dense liquid, and is sensitive to heat, impact, and many organic materials. Although it is not water soluble, it will dissolve in 4 parts of pure ethyl alcohol. Heat of Combustion: 1580 cal/g Products of Explosion: Carbon Dioxide, Water, Nitrogen, Oxygen Human Toxicity: Highly toxic vasodilator, avoid skin contact! Although it is possible to make it safely, it is difficult to do so in small quantities. Many a young pyrotechnician has been killed or seriously injured while trying to make the stuff. When Nobel's factories make it, many people were killed by the all-to-frequent factory explosions. Usually, as soon as nitroglycerin is made, it is converted into a safer substance, such as dynamite. A person foolish enough to make nitroglycerine could use the following procedure: EQUIPMENT distilled water eyedropper thermometer 1 100 ml beaker 20 g sodium bicarbonate glycerine 3 300 ml beakers 13 ml concentrated nitric acid blue litmus paper 39 ml concentrated sulfuric acid 2 ice baths: 2 small non-metallic containers each filled halfway with: crushed ice 6 tablespoons table salt The salt will lower the freezing point of the water, increasing the cooling efficiency of the ice bath. 1) Prepare the two ice baths. While the ice baths are cooling, pour 150 ml of distilled water into each of the beakers. 2) Slowly add sodium bicarbonate to the second beaker, stirring constantly. Do not add too much sodium bicarbonate to the water. If some remains undissolved, pour the solution into a fresh beaker. 3) Place the 100 ml beaker into the ice bath, and pour the 13 ml of concentrated nitric acid into the 100 ml beaker. Be sure that the beaker will not spill into the ice bath, and that the ice bath will not overflow into the beaker when more materials are added to it. Be sure to have a large enough container to add more ice if it gets too warm. Bring the temperature of the acid down to 20° centigrade or less. 4) Slowly and carefully add 39 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid to the nitric acid. Mix well, then cool the mixture to 10° centigrade. Do not be alarmed if the temperature rises slightly when the acids are mixed. 5) With the eyedropper, slowly drip the glycerine onto the acid mixture, one drop at a time. Hold the thermometer along the top of the mixture where the mixed acids and glycerine meet. The glycerine will start to nitrate immediately, and the temperature will immediately begin to rise. Do not allow the temperature to rise above 30° celsius. If the temperature is allowed to get to high, the nitroglycerin may decompose spontaneously as it is formed. Add glycerine until there is a thin layer of glycerine on top of the mixed acids. 6) Stir the mixture for the first ten minutes of nitration, if neccessary adding ice and salt to the ice bath to keep the temperature of the solution in the 100 ml beaker well below 30°. The nitroglycerine will form on the top of the mixed acid solution, and the concentrated sulfuric acid will absorb the water produced by the reaction. 7) When the reaction is over, the nitroglycerine should be chilled to below 25°. You can now slowly and carefully pour the solution of nitroglycerine and mixed acid into the beaker of distilled water in the beaker . The nitroglycerine should settle to the bottom of the beaker, and the water-acid solution on top can be poured off and disposed of. Drain as much of the acid-water solution as possible without disturbing the nitroglycerine. 8) Carefully remove a small quantity of nitroglycerine with a clean eye-dropper, and place it into the beaker filled in step 2. The sodium bicarbonate solution will eliminate much of the acid, which will make the nitroglycerine less likely to spontaneously explode. Test the nitroglycerine with the litmus paper until the litmus stays blue. Repeat this step if necessary, using new sodium bicarbonate solutions each time. 9) When the nitroglycerine is as acid-free as possible, store it in a clean container in a safe place. The best place to store nitroglycerine is far away as possible from anything of value. Nitroglycerine can explode for no apparent reason, even if it is stored in a secure cool place. Picrates Although the procedure for the production of picric acid, or trinitrophenol has not yet been given, its salts are described first, since they are extremely sensitive, and detonate on impact. By mixing picric acid with a warm solution of a metal hydroxide, such as sodium or potassium hydroxide, metal picrates are formed. These picrates are easily soluble in warm water, (potassium picrate will dissolve in 4 parts water at 100° C), but relatively insoluble in cold water (potassium picrate will dissolve in 200 parts water at 10° C). While many of these picrates are dangerously impact sensitive, others are almost safe enough for a suicidal person to consider their manufacture. To convert picric acid into potassium picrate, you first need to obtain picric acid, or produce it by following the instructions given on page 26. If the acid is in solid form it should be mixed with 10% water (by weight). Prepare a moderately strong (6 mole) solution of potassium hydroxide, and heat it until it almost reaches a slow boil. Lower the temperature 10 degrees, and slowly add the picric acid solution. At first the mixture should bubble strongly, releasing carbon dioxide. when the bubbles cease stop adding picric acid. Cool the solution to 10° C. Potassium picrate will crystallize out. The solution should be properly disposed of. These crystals are impact-sensitive, and can be used as an initiator for any type of high explosive. The crystals should be stored in a plastic or glass container under distilled water. Low Order Explosives Low order explosives can be defined as a single compound of mixture of compounds which burns at a high rate producing a large amount of gas, which is usually accompanied by heat and light. Most have the following components. An oxidizer: This can be any chemical which contains a large amount of oxygen. When heated the oxidizer gives up this oxygen. A fuel: The fuel is often carbon, or a finely powdered metal. It is the material that does the actual burning. A catalyst: The catalyst makes it easier for the oxidizer to react with the fuel, and is mandatory for many of the less powerful explosives. Not all low explosives need a catalyst, and in many cases (such as flash powder) adding a catalyst can make the explosive dangerously sensitive. There are many low-order explosives that can be purchased in gun stores and used in explosive devices. However, it is possible that a wise store owner would not sell these substances to a suspicious-looking individual. Such an individual would then be forced to resort to making his own low-order explosives. There are many common materials which can be used to produce low explosives. With a strong enough container, almost any mixture of an oxidizer and a fuel can be used to make an explosive device. Black Powder First made by the Chinese for use in fireworks, black powder was first used in weapons and explosives in the 12th century. It is very simple to make, but it is not very powerful or safe. Only about half the mass of black powder is converted to hot gasses when it is burned; the other half is released as very fine burned particles. Black powder has one major danger: it can be ignited by static electricity. This is very hazardous, and it means that the material must be made with wooden or clay tools to avoid generating a static charge. MATERIALS 75 g potassium nitrate distilled water charcoal wooden salad bowl 10 g sulfur wooden spoon heat source breathing filter grinding bowl 3 plastic bags 500 ml beaker fine mesh screen 1) Place a small amount of the potassium or sodium nitrate in the grinding bowl and grind it to a very fine powder. Grind all of the potassium or sodium nitrate, and pass it through the screen to remove any large particles. Store the sifted powder in one of the plastic bags. 2) Repeat step one with the sulfur and charcoal, being careful to grind each chemical with a clean bowl and tool. store each chemical in a separate plastic bag. 3) Place all of the finely ground potassium or sodium nitrate in the beaker, and add just enough boiling water to the chemical to moisten it uniformly. 4) Add the contents of the other plastic bags to the wet potassium or sodium nitrate, and mix them well for several minutes. Do this until there is no more visible sulfur or charcoal, or until the mixture is universally black. 5) On a warm sunny day, put the beaker outside in the direct sunlight. Sunlight is really the best way to dry black powder, since it is seldom too hot, but it is usually hot enough to evaporate the water. 6) Using a wooden tool, scrape the black powder out of the beaker, and store it in a safe container. Static proof plastic is really the safest container, followed by paper. Never store black powder in a plastic bag, since plastic bags are prone to generate static electricity. If a small packet of desiccant is added the powder will remain effective indefinitely. Nitrocellulose Nitrocellulose is commonly called "gunpowder" or "guncotton". It is more stable than black powder, and it produces a much greater volume of hot gas. It also burns much faster than black powder when in a confined space. Although the acids used can be very dangerous if safety precautions are not followed, nitrocellulose is fairly easy to make, as outlined by the following procedure: MATERIALS cotton (cellulose) (2) 300 ml beakers small funnel blue litmus paper concentrated nitric acid concentrated sulfuric acid distilled water glass rod 1) Pour 10 cc of concentrated sulfuric acid into the beaker. Add to this 10 cc of concentrated nitric acid. 2) Immediately add 0.5 gm of cotton, and allow it to soak for exactly 3 minutes. 3) Remove the nitrated cotton, and transfer it to a beaker of distilled water to wash it in. 4) Allow the material to dry, and then re-wash it. 5) After the cotton is neutral when tested with litmus paper, it is ready to be dried and stored. One common formula specifies 3 parts sulfuric acid to one part nitric acid. This has not been demonstrated to be more effective than equal volumes of each. Runaway nitration is commonplace, but it is usually not disastrous. It has been suggested that pre-washing the cotton cloth in a solution of lye, and rinsing it well in distilled water before nitrating can help prevent runaway nitration. If the reaction appears to be more vigorous than expected, water will quench the runaway reaction of cellulose. WARNINGS All the usual warnings about strong acids apply. H2SO4 has a tendency to spatter. When it falls on the skin, it destroys tissue very painfully. It dissolves all manner of clothing. Nitric also damages skin, turning it bright yellow in the process of eating away at your flesh. Nitric acid is a potent oxidizer and it can start fires. Most strong acids will happily blind you if you get them in your eyes, and these are no exception. Nitrocellulose decomposes very slowly on storage if isn't correctly stabilized. The decomposition is auto-catalyzing, and can result in spontaneous explosion if the material is kept confined over time. The process is much faster if the material is not washed well enough. Nitrocellulose powders contain stabilizers such as diphenyl amine or ethyl centralite. Do not allow these to come into contact with nitric acid! A small amount of either substance added to the washed product will capture the small amounts of nitrogen oxides that result from decomposition. They therefore inhibit the autocatalysis. NC eventually will decompose in any case. Commercially produced Nitrocellulose is stabilized by spinning it in a large centrifuge to remove the remaining acid, which is recycled. It is then boiled in acidulated water and washing thoroughly with fresh water. If the NC is to be used as smokeless powder it is boiled in a soda solution, then rinsed in fresh water. The purer the acid used (lower water content) the more complete the nitration will be, and the more powerful the nitrocellulose produced. There are actually three forms of cellulose nitrate, only one of which is useful for pyrotechnic purposes. The mononitrate and dinitrate are not explosive, and are produced by incomplete nitration. The explosive trinatrate is only formed when the nitration is allowed to proceed to completion. Perchlorates As a rule, any oxidizable material that is treated with perchloric acid will become a low order explosive. Metals, however, such as potassium or sodium, become excellent bases for flash type powders. Some materials that can be perchlorated are cotton, paper, and sawdust. To produce potassium or sodium perchlorate, simply acquire the hydroxide of that metal, e.g. sodium or potassium hydroxide. It is a good idea to test the material to be treated with a very small amount of acid, since some of the materials tend to react explosively when contacted by picric acid. Solutions of sodium or potassium hydroxide are ideal. Perchlorates are much safer than similar chlorates, and equally as powerful. Mixtures made with perchlorates are somewhat more difficult to ignite than mixtures containing chlorates, but the increased safety outweighs this minor inconvenience. Flash Powder Flash powder is a fast, powerful explosive, and comes very close to many high explosives. It is a very hazardous mixture to work with, due to the sensitivity of the powder. It is extremely sensitive to heat or sparks, and should never be mixed with other chemicals or black powder. It burns very rapidly with a intense white flash, and will explode if confined. Large quantities may explode even when not confined. This is because a large pile of flash powder is self-confining, causing the explosion. Flash powder is commonly made with aluminum and/or magnesium. Other metals can be used, but most others are either two expensive (zirconium) or not reactive enough to be effective (zinc) Here are a few basic precautions to take if you're crazy enough to produce your own flash powder: 1) Grind the oxidizer (KNO3, KClO3, KMnO4, KClO4 etc) separately in a clean container. If a mortar and pestle is used, it should be washed out with alcohol before being used to grind any other materials. 2) NEVER grind or sift the mixed composition. Grinding and sifting can cause friction or static electricity. 3) Mix the powders on a large sheet of paper, by rolling the composition back and forth. This technique is described in detail on page 3 4) Do not store flash compositions for any amount of time. Many compounds, especially ones containing magnesium, will decompose over time and may ignite spontaneously. 5) Make very small quantities at first, so you can appreciate the power of such mixtures. Quantities greater than 10 grams should be avoided. Most flash powders are capable of exploding if a quantity of more than 50 grams is ignited unconfined, and all flash powders will explode even with minimal confinement (I have seen 10 g of flash wrapped in a single layer of waxed paper explode) 6) Make sure that all the components of the mixture are as dry as possible. Check the melting point of the substances, and dry them (separately) in a warm oven. If KNO3 is used it must be very pure and dry, or it will evolve ammonia fumes. Almost any potent oxidizer can be used for flash powder. Some materials may react with the fuel, especially if magnesium is used. KClO4 with Al is generally found in commercial fireworks, this does not mean that it is safe, but it is safer than KClO3 if handled correctly. The finer the oxidizer and the finer the metal powder the more powerful the explosive, except in the case of aluminum. This of course will also increase the sensitivity of the flash powder. Beyond a certain point, the finer the aluminum powder the less powerful the explosive, due to the coating of aluminum oxide which forms on the surface of the aluminum granules. NOTE: Flash powder in any container will detonate. This includes even a couple of layers of newspaper, or other forms of loosely confined flash. Potassium perchlorate is safer than sodium/potassium chlorate. High Order Explosives High order explosives can be made in the home without too much difficulty. The main problem is acquiring the nitric acid to produce the high explosive. Most high explosives detonate because their molecular structure is made up of some fuel and usually three or more nitrogen dioxide molecules. Trinitrotoluene is an excellent example of such a material. When a shock wave passes through an molecule of T.N.T., the nitrogen dioxide bond is broken, and the oxygen combines with the fuel, all in a matter of microseconds. This accounts for the great power of nitrogen-based explosives. Remembering that these procedures are never to be carried out, several methods of manufacturing high-order explosives in the home are listed. R.D.X. R.D.X., (also called cyclonite, or composition C-1 when mixed with plasticisers) is one of the most valuable of all military explosives. This is because it has more than 150% of the power of T.N.T., and is much easier to detonate. It should not be used alone, since it can be set off by a moderate shock. It is less sensitive than mercury fulminate or nitroglycerine, but it is still too sensitive to be used alone. R.D.X. can be produced by the method given below. It is much easier to make in the home than all other high explosives, with the possible exception of ammonium nitrate. MATERIALS hexamine or methenamine 1000 ml beaker ice bath glass stirring rod thermometer funnel filter paper distilled water ammonium nitrate nitric acid (550 ml) blue litmus paper small ice bath 1) Place the beaker in the ice bath, (see page 15) and carefully pour 550 ml of concentrated nitric acid into the beaker. 2) When the acid has cooled to below 20°, add small amounts of the crushed fuel tablets to the beaker. The temperature will rise, and it must be kept below 30°, or dire consequences could result. Stir the mixture. 3) Drop the temperature below zero degrees celsius, either by adding more ice and salt to the old ice bath, or by creating a new ice bath. Continue stirring the mixture, keeping the temperature below zero for twenty minutes. 4) Pour the mixture into 1 liter of crushed ice. Shake and stir the mixture, and allow it to melt. Once it has melted, filter out the crystals, and dispose of the corrosive liquid. 5) Place the crystals into one half a liter of boiling distilled water. Filter the crystals, and test them with the blue litmus paper. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the litmus paper remains blue. This will make the crystals more stable and safe. 6) Store the crystals wet until ready for use. Allow them to dry completely before using them. R.D.X. is not stable enough to use alone as an explosive. Composition C-1 can be made by mixing (measure by weight) R.D.X. 88% mineral oil11% lecithin 1% Knead these material together in a plastic bag. This is one way to desensitize the explosive. HMX. is a mixture of TNT and RDX; the ratio is 50/50, by weight. it is not as sensitive as unadultered RDX and it is almost as powerful as straight RDX. By adding ammonium nitrate to the crystals of RDX produced in step 5, it is possible to desensitize the R.D.X. and increase its power, since ammonium nitrate is very insensitive and powerful. Sodium or potassium nitrate could also be added; a small quantity is sufficient to stabilize the RDX. RDX. detonates at a rate of 8550 meters/second when it is compressed to a density of 1.55 g/cubic cm. Ammonium Nitrate (NH4NO3) Ammonium nitrate can be made by following the method given on page 10, or it could be obtained from a construction site, since it is commonly used in blasting, because it is very stable and insensitive to shock and heat. A well-funded researcher could also buy numerous "Instant Cold-Paks" from a drug store or medical supply store. The major disadvantage with ammonium nitrate, from a pyrotechnical point of view, is detonating it. A rather powerful priming charge must be used, or a booster charge must be added. [ ILLUSTRATIONS AVAILABLE ONLY IN COMMERICIAl PRINTED RELEASE ] The primer explodes, detonating the T.N.T., which detonates, sending a tremendous shockwave through the ammonium nitrate, detonating it. Ammonium Nitrate - Fuel Oil Solution Ammonium Nitrate - Fuel Oil Solution, also known as ANFO, is a commonly used high explosive. ANFO solves one of the major problem with ammonium nitrate: its tendency to pick up water vapor from the air. This absorption results in the explosive failing to detonate when fired. This is less of a problem with ANFO because it consists of 94% (by weight) ammonium nitrate mixed with 6% fuel oil (kerosene). The kerosene helps keep the ammonium nitrate from absorbing moisture from the air. This mixture, like straight ammonium nitrate, is very insensitive to shock. It requires a very powerful shockwave to detonate it, and is not very effective in small quantities. Usually a booster charge, consisting of dynamite or a commercial cast charge, is used for reliable detonation. Some commercial ANFO explosives have a small amount of aluminum added, increasing the power and sensitivity. These forms can often be reliably initiated by a No. 8 blasting cap. These disadvantages are outweighed by two important advantages of ammonium nitrate explosives- cost, and safety. In industrial blasting these factors are much more important than in recreational activities, and this has contributed to the popularity of these explosives. If the explosive is initiated without confinement it not propagate well, and most of the ammonium nitrate will burn and scatter, rather than detonation as most other high explosives would. Ammonium nitrate explosives are much cheaper per pound than most other explosives, with the price per pound at about 1/10 that of dynamite. Straight ammonium nitrate can be transported to the blasting site without the extract expenses incurred when transporting high explosives. At the site, the ammonium nitrate, in the form of small pellets, or prills, can be mixed with the fuel oil just prior to blasting. If too much oil is added the power of the mixture will decrease, because the extra oil will absorb some of the energy from the ammonium nitrate, and it tends to slow propagation. If commercial fertilizer is used to provide the ammonium nitrate, it must be crushed to be effective. This is because fertilizer grade ammonium nitrate is coated with a water resistant substance which helps keep moisture from decomposing the material. This material also keeps the fuel oil from soaking into the ammonium nitrate. If fertilizer grade material is poured into a vat of warm, liquified wax, the coating will be displaced by the wax, which can also serve as fuel for the ammonium nitrate. This form is more sensitive than the fuel oil mixture, and does not require as much confinement as ANFO. Trinitrotoluene T.N.T., or 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene, is perhaps the second oldest known high explosive. Dynamite, of course, was the first. T.N.T. is certainly the best known high explosive, since it has been popularized by early morning cartoons, and because it is used as a standard for comparing other explosives. In industrial production TNT is made by a three step nitration process that is designed to conserve the nitric and sulfuric acids, so that the only resource consumed in quantity is the toluene. A person with limited funds, however, should probably opt for the less economical two step method. This process is performed by treating toluene with very strong (fuming) sulfuric acid. Then, the sulfated toluene is treated with very strong (fuming) nitric acid in an ice bath. Cold water is added to the solution, and the T.N.T. is filtered out. Potassium Chlorate (KClO3) Potassium chlorate itself cannot be made in the home, but it can be obtained from labs and chemical supply houses. It is moderately water soluble, and will explode if brought into contact with sulfuric acid. It is toxic and should not be brought into contact with organic matter, including human skin. If potassium chlorate is mixed with a small amount of vaseline, or other petroleum jelly, and a shockwave is passed through it, the material will detonate, however it is not very powerful, and it must be confined to explode it in this manner. The procedure for making such an explosive is outlined below: MATERIALS potassium chlorate zip-lock plastic bag wooden spoon petroleum jelly grinding bowl wooden bowl 1) Grind the potassium chlorate in the grinding bowl carefully and slowly, until the potassium chlorate is a very fine powder. The finer the powder, the faster it will detonate, but it will also decompose more quickly. 2) Place the powder into the plastic bag. Put the petroleum jelly into the plastic bag, getting as little on the sides of the bag as possible, i.e. put the vaseline on the potassium chlorate powder. 3) Close the bag, and knead the materials together until none of the potassium chlorate is dry powder that does not stick to the main glob. If necessary, add a bit more petroleum jelly to the bag. Over time the this material will decompose, and if not used immediately the strength will be greatly reduced. Dynamite (various compositions) The name dynamite comes from the Greek word "dynamis", meaning power. Dynamite was invented by Nobel shortly after he made nitroglycerine. He tried soaking the nitroglycerine into many materials, in an effort to reduce its sensitivity. In the process, he discovered that Nitrocellulose would explode if brought into contact with fats or oils. A misguided individual with some sanity would, after making nitroglycerine would immediately convert it to dynamite. This can be done by adding one of a number of inert materials, such as sawdust, to the raw nitroglycerine. The sawdust holds a large weight of nitroglycerine. Other materials, such as ammonium nitrate could be added, and they would tend to desensitize the explosive, while increasing the power. But even these nitroglycerine compounds are not really safe. One way to reliably stabilize nitroglycerin is to freeze it. In its frozen state, nitroglycerine is much less sensitive to shock, and can safely be transported. The only drawback to this method is that the nitroglycerine may explode spontaneously while being thawed. Nitrostarch Explosives Nitrostarch explosives are simple to make, and are fairly powerful. All that need be done is treat any of a number of starches with a mixture of concentrated nitric and sulfuric acids. Nitrostarch explosives are of slightly lower power than T.N.T., but they are more readily detonated. MATERIALS filter paperpyrex container (100 ml)distilled water glass rod 20 ml concentrated sulfuric acidacid-resistant gloves 1 g starch20 ml concentrated nitric acid 1) Add concentrated sulfuric acid to an equal volume of concentrated nitric acid in the pyrex container. Watch out for splattering acid. 2) Add 1 gram of starch of starch to the mixture, stirring constantly with the glass rod. 3) Carefully add cold water to dilute the acids, then pour the mixture through the filter paper (see page 13). The residue consists of nitrostarch with a small amount of acid, and should be washed under cold distilled water. Picric Acid (C6H3N3O7) Picric acid, or 2,4,6-trinitrophenol is a sensitive compound that can be used as a booster charge for moderately insensitive explosives, such as T.N.T. It is seldom used for explosives anymore, but it still has applications in many industries, including leather production, copper etching, and textiles. Picric acid is usually shipped mixed with 20% water for safety, and when dried it forms pale yellow crystals. In small quantities picric acid deflagrates, but large crystals or moderate quantities of powdered picric acid will detonate with sufficient force to initiate high explosives (or remove the experimenter's fingers). Picric acid, along with all of it's salts, is very dangerous, and should never be stored dry or in a metal container. Contact with bare skin should be avoided, and ingestion is often fatal. Picric acid is fairly simple to make, assuming that one can acquire sulfuric and nitric acid in the required concentration. Simple procedures for it's manufacture are given in many college chemistry lab manuals. The main problem with picric acid is its tendency to form dangerously sensitive and unstable picrate salts. While some of these salts, such as potassium picrate are stable enough to be useful, salts formed with other metals can be extremely unstable. For this reason, it is usually made into a safer form, such as ammonium picrate, also called explosive D. A procedure for the production of picric acid is given below. MATERIALS variable heat source ice bathdistilled water 38 ml concentrated nitric acid filter paper500 ml flaskfunnel concentrated sulfuric acid (12.5 ml) 1 L pyrex beaker10g phenolglass rod 1) Place 9.5 grams of phenol into the 500 ml flask, and carefully add 12.5 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid and stir the mixture. 2) Put 400 ml of tap water into the 1000 ml beaker or boiling container and bring the water to a gentle boil. 3) After warming the 500 ml flask under hot tap water, place it in the boiling water, and continue to stir the mixture of phenol and acid for about thirty minutes. After thirty minutes, take the flask out, and allow it to cool for seven minutes. 4) After allowing the flask to cool for 10 minutes. Place the 500 ml flask with the mixed acid an phenol in the ice bath. Add 38 ml of concentrated nitric acid in small amounts, stirring the mixture constantly. A vigorous reaction should occur. When the reaction slows, take the flask out of the ice bath. 5) Warm the ice bath container, if it is glass, and then begin boiling more tap water. Place the flask containing the mixture in the boiling water, and heat it in the boiling water for 1.5 to 2 hours. 6) Add 100 ml of cold distilled water to the solution, and chill it in an ice bath until it is cold. 7) Filter out the yellowish-white picric acid crystals by pouring the solution through the filter paper in the funnel. Collect the liquid and dispose of it in a safe place, since it is highly corrosive. 8) Wash out the 500 ml flask with distilled water, and put the contents of the filter paper in the flask. Add 300 ml of water, and shake vigorously. 9) Re-filter the crystals, and allow them to dry. 10) Store the crystals in a safe place in a glass container, since they will react with metal containers to produce picrates that could explode spontaneously. Ammonium Picrate (C6H2.ONH4.(NO2)3) Ammonium picrate, also called ammonium piconitrate, Explosive D, or carbazoate, is a common safety explosive which can be produced from picric acid. It requires a substantial shock to cause it to detonate, slightly less than that required to detonate ammonium nitrate. In many ways it is much safer than picric acid, since it does not have the tendency to form hazardous unstable salts when placed in metal containers. It is simple to make from picric acid and clear household ammonia. All that need be done is to dissolve picric acid crystals by placing them in a glass container and adding 15 parts hot, steaming distilled water. Add clear ammonia in excess, and allow the excess ammonia to evaporate. The powder remaining should be ammonium picrate. The water should not be heated, as ammonium picrate is sensitive to heat. Vacuum distillation and open evaporation are relatively safe ways to extract the picrate. Ammonium picrate most commonly appears as bright yellow crystals, and is soluble in water. These crystals should be treated with the care due to all shock sensitive materials. Some illegal salutes have been found to contain ammonium picrate, which makes them much more hazardous. Nitrogen Chloride (NCl3) Nitrogen chloride, also known as nitrogen trichloride, chlorine nitride, or Trichloride nitride, is a thick, oily yellow liquid. It explodes violently when it is heated to 93° C, exposed to bright light (sunlight), when brought into contact with organic substances, grease, ozone, and nitric oxide. Nitrogen chloride will evaporate if left in an open vessel, and will decompose within 24 hours. It has the interesting quality of exploding 13 seconds after being sealed in a glass container at 60° C . It can produce highly toxic byproducts, and should not be handled or stored. Because of the hazards of chlorine gas, if this procedure should never be carried out without an adequate source of ventilation. If a fume hood is not available the procedure should be done outside, away from buildings, small children, and pets. MATERIALS ammonium nitrate 2 pyrex beakersheat source glass pipe hydrochloric acid one hole stopperlarge flask fume hood potassium permanganate 1) In a beaker, dissolve 5 teaspoons of ammonium nitrate in water. If too much ammonium nitrate is added to the solution and some of it remains undissolved in the bottom of the beaker, the solution should be poured off into a fresh beaker. 2) Collect a quantity of chlorine gas in a second beaker by mixing hydrochloric acid with potassium permanganate in a large flask with a stopper and glass pipe. 3) Place the beaker containing the chlorine gas upside down on top of the beaker containing the ammonium nitrate solution, and tape the beakers together. Gently heat the bottom beaker. When this is done, oily yellow droplets will begin to form on the surface of the solution, and sink down to the bottom. At this time, remove the heat source immediately. 4) Collect the yellow droplets with an eyedropper, and use them as soon as possible. Alternately, the chlorine can be bubbled through the ammonium nitrate solution, rather than collecting the gas in a beaker, but this requires timing and a stand to hold the beaker and test tube. The chlorine gas can also be mixed with anhydrous ammonia gas, by gently heating a flask filled with clear household ammonia. Place the glass tubes from the chlorine-generating flask and the tube from the ammonia generating flask in another flask that contains water. Lead Azide Lead Azide is a material that is often used as a booster charge for other explosive, but it does well enough on its own as a fairly sensitive explosive. It does not detonate too easily by percussion or impact, but it is easily detonated by heat from an ignition wire, or a blasting cap. It is simple to produce, assuming that the necessary chemicals can be procured. By dissolving sodium azide and lead acetate in water in separate beakers, the two materials are put into an aqueous state. Mix the two beakers together, and apply a gentle heat. Add an excess of the lead acetate solution, until no reaction occurs, and the precipitate on the bottom of the beaker stops forming. Filter off the solution, and wash the precipitate in hot water. The precipitate is lead azide, and it must be stored wet for safety. If lead acetate cannot be found, simply acquire acetic acid, and put lead metal in it. Black powder bullets work well for this purpose. Lead azide can also be produced by substituting lead nitrate for the acetate. the reaction is given below: lead nitrate + sodium azide lead azide + sodium nitrate Pb(NO3)2 + 2NaN3 Pb(N3)2 + 2NaNO3 The result is the same precipitate of lead azide, leaving behind the sodium nitrate and traces of lead. The contaminated water should be disposed of in an environmentally safe manner. Other Reactions This section covers the other types of materials that can be used in pyrotechnic reactions. although none of the materials presented here are explosives, they are often as hazardous as explosives, and should be treated with due respect. Thermite Thermite is a fuel-oxidizer mixture that is used to generate tremendous amounts of heat. It was not presented earlier because it does not react nearly as readily as most mixtures. The most common form of thermite is a mixture of ferric oxide and aluminum, both coarsely powdered. When ignited, the aluminum burns by extracting oxygen from the ferric oxide. The thermite reaction is is really two very exothermic reactions that produce a combined temperature of about 2200° C. It is difficult to ignite, however, but once it is ignited, thermite is one of the most effective fire starters around. To produce thermite you will need one part powdered aluminum and three parts powdered iron oxide (ferric oxide or Fe2O3), measured by weight. There is no special procedure or equipment required to make thermite. Simply mix the two powders together. Take enough time to make the mixture as homogenous as possible. The ratio of iron oxide to aluminum isn't very important, and if no weighing equiptment is available a 1/1 mixture by volume will work. If a small amount of finely powdered material is used as a starter, the bulk of the thermite mixture can be made up of larger sized material, in the same ratio. There are very few safety hazards in making thermite. The aluminum dust can form an explosive mixture in air, and inhaling powdered metals can be very bad for your health. It is important to take precautions to insure that the powdered metals are very dry, or the water vapor produced during the reaction will cause the thermite to spray droplets of molten steel in a large radius. Ignition of thermite can be accomplished by adding a small amount of potassium chlorate to a teaspoon of thermite, and pouring a few drops of sulfuric acid on it. This method and others are discussed on page 49. Another method of igniting thermite is with a magnesium strip. The important factor in igniting thermite is having a material that will produce concentrated heat in a very small region. For this reason, matches will not work, but sparklers and other aluminum based flares will. Molotov Cocktails One of the simplest incendiary devices invented, The Molotov cocktail is now employed in the defense of oppressed people worldwide. They range in complexity from the simple bottle and rag to complicated self-igniting firebombs, but in any form a molotov cocktail can produce devastating results. By taking any highly flammable material, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, ethyl or methyl alcohol, lighter fluid, turpentine, or any mixture of the above, and putting it into a large glass bottle, anyone can make an effective firebomb. After putting the flammable liquid in the bottle, simply put a piece of cloth that is soaked in the liquid in the top of the bottle so that it fits tightly. Then, wrap some of the cloth around the neck and tie it, but be sure to leave a few inches of lose cloth to light. Light the exposed cloth, and throw the bottle. If the burning cloth does not go out, and if the bottle breaks on impact, the contents of the bottle will spatter over a large area near the site of impact, and burst into flame. Flammable mixtures such as kerosene and motor oil should be mixed with a more volatile and flammable liquid, such as gasoline, to insure ignition. A mixture such as tar or grease and gasoline will stick to the surface that it strikes, burn hotter and longer, and be more difficult to extinguish. A a bottle contain a mixture of different fuels must be shaken well before it is lit and thrown. Other interesting additives can include alcohol, acetone or other solvents, which will generally thin the contents and possibly increase the size of the fireball. By adding a gelling agent such as disk soap, polystyrene, or other material the flaming material can be made sticky enough that it will adhere to a vertical surface, such as a wall or the side of a vehicle. Chemical Fire Bottle The chemical fire bottle is really nothing more than an advanced molotov cocktail. Rather than using burning cloth to ignite the flammable liquid, which has at best a fair chance of igniting the liquid, the chemical fire bottle utilizes the very hot and violent reaction between sulfuric acid and potassium chlorate. When the container breaks, the sulfuric acid in the mixture of gasoline sprays onto the paper soaked in potassium chlorate and sugar. The paper, when struck by the acid, instantly bursts into a white flame, igniting the gasoline. The chance of failure to ignite the gasoline is very low, and can be reduced further if there is enough potassium chlorate and sugar to spare. MATERIALS potassium chlorate (2 teaspoons)12 oz.glass bottle w/lined capplastic spoon gasoline (8 ounces) sugar (2 teaspoons) cooking pan baking soda (1 teaspoon) sulfuric acid ( 4 ounces)paper towels glass cup glass or teflon coated funnelrubber cement 1) Test the cap of the bottle with a few drops of sulfuric acid to make sure that the acid will not eat away the bottle cap during storage. If the acid eats through it, a new top must be found and tested, until a cap that the acid does not eat through is found. A glass top is excellent. 2) Carefully mix the gasoline with the sulfuric acid. This should be done in an open area and preferably from a distance. There is a chance that the sulfuric acid could react with an impurity in the gasoline, igniting it. 3) Using a glass funnel, slowly pour the mixture into the glass bottle. Wipe up any spills of acid on the sides of the bottle, and screw the cap on the bottle. Wash the outside with a solution of baking soda in cold water. Then carefully rinse the outside with plenty of cold water. Set it aside to dry. 4) Put about two teaspoons of potassium chlorate and about two teaspoons of sugar into the glass cup. Add about ½ cup of boiling water, or enough to dissolve all of the potassium chlorate and sugar. 5) Place a sheet of paper towel in the raised edge cooking pan. Fold the paper towel in half, and pour the solution of dissolved potassium chlorate and sugar on it until it is wet through, but not soaked. Allow the towel to dry. 6) When it is dry, put a line of cement about 1" wide down the side of the glass bottle. Starting halfway across the line of cement, wrap the paper towel around the bottle, with the bottom edge of the towel lining up with the bottom edge of the bottle. Coat the inside of the remaining edge of the towel with cement before pressing it into place. Store the bottle in a place where it will not be broken or tipped over. 7) When finished, the solution in the bottle should appear as two distinct liquids, a dark brownish-red solution on the bottom, and a clear solution on top. The two solutions will not mix. To use the chemical fire bottle, simply throw it at any hard surface. 8) NEVER OPEN THE BOTTLE, SINCE SOME SULFURIC ACID MIGHT BE ON THE CAP, WHICH COULD TRICKLE DOWN THE SIDE OF THE BOTTLE AND IGNITE THE POTASSIUM CHLORATE, CAUSING A FIRE AND/OR EXPLOSION. 9) To test the device, tear a small piece of the paper towel off the bottle, and put a few drops of sulfuric acid on it. The paper towel should immediately burst into a white flame. If you intend to subsitute other flammable liquids for the gasoline, first make sure that they will not react with the sulfuric acid. This can be done by mixing a small amount in a bottle, then testing the Ph after several days have passed. COMPRESSED GAS BOMBS Compressed gas bombs come in several forms, but all of them utilize the square pressure law- as the temperature of the gas increases, the pressure increases at a much higher rate. Eventually the pressure will exceed the rating of the container, and it will burst, releasing the gas. Bottled Gas Explosives Bottled gas, such as butane for refilling lighters, propane for propane stoves or for bunsen burners, can be used to produce a powerful explosion. To make such a device, all that a destructive person would have to do would be to take his container of bottled gas and place it above a can of Sterno or other gelatinized fuel, light the fuel and leave the area in a hurry. Depending on the amount of gas, the fuel used, and on the thickness of the fuel container, the liquid gas will boil and expand to the point of bursting the container in anywhere from a few seconds to five minutes or more. In theory, the gas would immediately be ignited by the burning gelatinized fuel, producing a large fireball and explosion. Unfortunately, the bursting of the bottled gas container often puts out the fuel, thus preventing the expanding gas from igniting. By using a metal bucket half filled with gasoline, however, the chances of ignition are better, since the gasoline is less likely to be extinguished. Placing a canister of bottled gas on a bed of burning charcoal soaked in gasoline would probably be the most effective way of securing ignition of the expanding gas, since although the bursting of the gas container may blow out the flame of the gasoline, the burning charcoal should immediately re-ignite it. Nitrous oxide, hydrogen, propane, acetylene, or any other flammable gas will do nicely. Another interesting use of compressed flammable gases is in the production of explosive mixtures of gases. By mixing a flammable gas with the appropriate amount of oxygen, a very loud explosive combustion can be achieved. The simplest form of gas device is based on the common oxygen- acetylene cutting torch. First the torch is lit and the mixture of gases is adjusted for a hot, bright flame. Next, the gas is diverted into some form of container. This can be a soft, expandable container, such as a child's balloon or a rigid, inflexible container, such as a garbage can or metal pipe. It is much safer to use flexible containers that won't produce (much) shrapnel, however if a rigid container is used, it can be used to lauch all sorts of interesting projectiles. A major danger in using mixed gases is the high chance of stray sparks igniting the gases. A few simple safety measures can help reduce this dangerous problem: 1) Always store the gases in seperate containers! This is the most important rule in working with flammable gases. Pressurizing oxygen with a flammable gas is askng for trouble, as under pressure the gases may react spontaneously, and compressing mixed gases greatly increases the chances of flashback. 2) Always work in the open. Flammable gases should never be used indoors. Large quantities of heavier or lighter than air gases could accumulate near the floor or ceiling. 3) Avoid static electricity. Static is less of a problem on humid days, and it can be reduced by wearing clothing made of natural fibers, removing all metal (such as jewelry, riveted clothes, etc) and wearing shoes with crepe soles. 4) Keep your distance. Gas explosions can be very powerful and unpredictable. A 55 gallon trash bag filled with the optimum mixture of oxygen and acetylene 100 feet away can blow out eardrums and crack brick walls. 6) Start out small. Work your way up from small plastic bags or children's balloons. The best method for safe ignition is to mount a spark plug into a length of heavy steel pipe, and imbed this pipe 2-3 feet into the ground, with less than 2 feet above ground. If desired, a sealed (to prevent any sparks) switch can be wired across the wires to short the cable when you're working at the site. Run heavy cable underground from the pipe to a ditch or bunker at a safe distance, and terminate the cable in a pair of large alligator clips, like the ones used on auto jumper cables. The outer edge of these jumpers and the last foot of wire should be painted bright red. Now drive a second pipe 2 feet into the ground, leaving 3-4 feet above ground. While working at the site, the shorting switch should be thrown and the two alligator clips attached to the top of the pipe at the bunker. Once the gas equiptment is set up, check to ensure that both clips are on the pipe, then turn off the shorting switch and retreat to the bunker. At the bunker, remove the clips from the pipe and take cover. The wires can now be attached to a high-voltage source. The spark plug will create a short electrical arc, igniting the gases. If the gas fails to ignite on the first try, wait a few seconds then power up the spark plug a second time. If this fails do not approach the site until all the gases have dispersed. With the use of buried gas piping and anti-flashback devices, safety can be greatly improved. The safest method is two have 2 bunkers equidistant from the site, with one unmanned bunker containing the gas cylinders and remotely controlled valves, and the second bunker containing the controls and personnel. During the recent gulf war, fuel/air bombs were touted as being second only to nuclear weapons in their devastating effects. These are basically similar to the above devices, except that an explosive charge is used to rupture the fuel container and disperse its contents over a wide area. a delayed second charge is used to ignite the fuel. The reaction is said to produce a massive shockwave and to burn all the oxygen in a large area, causing suffocation. Another benefit of fuel-air explosives is that the vaporized gas will seep into fortified bunkers or other partially-sealed spaces, so a large bomb placed in a building would result in the destruction of the majority of surrounding rooms. Dry Ice Bombs (Or: How to recycle empty soda bottles) Dry ice bombs have been discovered and rediscovered by many different people, and there is no sure way to know who first came up with the idea of putting dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) into an empty plastic soda bottle. There is no standard formula for a dry ice bomb, however a generic form is as follows: Take a 2-liter soda bottle, empty it completely, then add about 3/4 Lb of dry ice (crushed works best) and (optional) a quantity of water. twist cap on tightly, and get as far away from it as possible. Depending on the condition of the bottle, the weather, and the amount and temperature of the water added, the bottle may go off anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 minutes from when it was capped. Without any water added, the 2-liter bottles generally take from 3 to 7 minutes if dropped into a warm river, and 45 minutes to 1½ hours in open air. It is possible for the bottle to reach an extreme pressure without reaching the bursting point, in which case any contact with the bottle would cause it to explode. This effect has resulted in several injuries, and is difficult to reliably reproduce. The explosion sounds equivalent to an M-100, and usually results in the bottle breaking into several large, sharp pieces of frozen plastic, with the most dangerous projectile being the top section with the screw-on cap. Plastic 16 oz. soda bottles and 1 liter bottles work almost as well as do the 2-liters, however glass bottles aren't nearly as loud, and can produce dangerous shrapnel. Remember, these are LOUD! Dorian, a classmate of mine, set up 10 bottles in a nearby park without adding water. After the first two went off (there was about 10 minutes between explosions) the Police arrived and spent the next hour trying to find the guy who they thought was setting off M-100's all around them... Using anything other than plastic to contain dry ice bombs is suicidal. Even plastic 2-liter bottles can produce some nasty shrapnel: One source tells me that he caused an explosion with a 2-liter bottle that destroyed a metal garbage can. Because of the freezing temperatures, the plastic can become very hard and brittle, and when the bottle ruptures it may spray shards of sharp, frozen plastic. While plastic bottles can be dangerous, glass bottles may be deadly. It is rumored that several kids have been killed by shards of glass resulting from the use of a glass bottle. For some reason, dry ice bombs have become very popular in the state of Utah. As a result, dry ice bombs have been classified as infernal devices, and in utah possession of a completed bomb is a criminal offense. Most other states do not have specific laws on the books outlawing these devices. There are several generic offenses which you could be charged with, including disturbing the peace, reckless endangerment, destruction of property, and construction of a nefarious device. It is interesting to note that dry ice bombs are not really pyrotechnic devices. As the carbon dioxide sublimes into it's gaseous state, the pressure inside the bottle increases. When the bottle ruptures, the gas is released. This sudden release of pressure causes the temperature of the gases to drop. It is noticed that right after detonation, a cloud of white vapor appears. This may be the water vapor in the surrounding air suddenly condensing when it contacts the freezing cold gas. Almost any reaction that produces large amounts of gas from a much smaller volume can be used. One common variation is the use of Drano* crystals and shredded aluminum foil. When water is added the Drano, which is mainly lye (an extremely caustic substance), dissolves in the water and reacts with the aluminum, producing heat and hydrogen gas. If the heat doesn't melt the bottle the pressure will eventually cause it to rupture, spraying caustic liquid and releasing a large quantity of (flammable) hydrogen gas, as well as some water vapor. Another interesting reaction is adding managanese dioxide to hydrogen peroxide. The manganese dioxide is a catalyst that allows the hydrogen peroxide to release the extra oxygen atom, yielding free oxygen and water: 2H2O2 + MgO2 2H2O +O2 + MgO2 It may be possible to combine the drain opener reaction with the hydrogen peroxide reaction, yielding heat, oxygen, and hydrogen. When mixed in the proper proportion these three components can yield a very powerful explosion from the violently exothermic reaction of the hydrogen and oxygen. Preliminary experiments have shown that the drain opener reaction tends to proceed much more quickly than the peroxide reaction, and it often produces enough excess heat to cause the bottle to rupture prematurely. Another possible reaction is pool chlorine tablets (usually calcium hypochlorite) and household ammonia. This reaction produces poisonous chlorine gas. Baking soda and vinegar have been tried, but the reaction seems to become inhibited by the rising pressure. There are also many variations possible when using dry ice. If a bottle that is not dissolved by acetone (such as most 2-L soda bottles) is used, the curshed dry ice can be mixed with acetone. This will greatly speed up the reaction, since unlike water, acetone remains a liquid at very low temperatures. One hazard (benefit?) of adding acetone is that the rupturing bottle will spray cold acetone around in liquid form. This can be very hazardous, since acetone is a very powerful solvent, and is extremely flammable. USING EXPLOSIVES Once a person has produced his explosives, the next logical step is to apply them. Explosives have a wide range of uses, from entertainment to extreme destruction. NONE OF THE IDEAS PRESENTED HERE ARE EVER TO BE CARRIED OUT, EITHER IN PART OR IN FULL. PLANNING OR EXECUTING ANY OF THESE IDEAS CAN LEAD TO PROSECUTION, FINES, AND IMPRISONMENT! The first step a person that would use explosive would take would be to determine how big an explosive device would be needed to achieve the desired effect. Then, he would have to decide what materials to use, based on what is currently available. He would also have to decide on how he wanted to initiate the device, and determine where the best placement for it would be. Finally, one must produce the device without unacceptable risk to ones own life. Ignition Devices There are many ways to ignite explosive devices. There is the classic "place on ground, light fuse and get away" approach, and there are position or movement sensitive switches, and many things in between. Generally, electrical detonation systems are safer than fuses, but there are times when fuses are more appropriate than electrical systems; it is difficult to carry a sophisticated electrical detonation system into a stadium, for instance, without being caught. A device with a fuse or impact detonating fuze would be easier to hide. Fuse Ignition The oldest form of explosive ignition, fuses are perhaps the favorite type of ignition system. By simply placing a piece of waterproof fuse in a device, one can have almost guaranteed ignition. Fuses are certainly the the most economical and commonyl available means of ignition. Modern waterproof fuse is extremely reliable, burning at a rate of about 2.5 seconds to the inch. It is available as model rocketry fuse in most hobby shops, and costs about $3.00 for a package of ten feet. Cannon fuse is a popular ignition system for use in pipe bombs because of its simplicity and reliability. All that need be done is light it with a match or lighter. Of course, if the Army had only fuses like this, then the grenade, which uses a form of fuse ignition, would be very impractical. If a grenade ignition system can be acquired, by all means use it, it is the most effective. There are several varieties of pull-ring igniters available, sources for some are listed in the appendices. The next best thing to a pull-ring system is to prepare a fuse system which does not require the use of a match or lighter, but still retains a level of simplicity. One such method is described below: MATERIALS strike-on-cover type matches electrical tape waterproof fuse 1) To determine the burn rate of a particular type of fuse, simply measure a 6 inch or longer piece of fuse and ignite it. With a stopwatch, press the start button the at the instant when the fuse lights, and stop the watch when the fuse reaches its end. Divide the time of burn by the length of fuse, and you have the burn rate of the fuse, in seconds per inch. This will be shown below: Suppose an eight inch piece of fuse is burned, and its complete time of combustion is 20 seconds. 20 seconds / 8 inches = 2.5 seconds per inch. If a delay of 10 seconds was desired with this fuse, divide the desired time by the number of seconds per inch: 10 seconds / 2.5 seconds per inch = 4 inches Note: The length of fuse here means length of fuse to the powder. Some fuse, at least an inch, should extend inside the device. always add this extra inch, and always put it inside the device. 2) After deciding how long a delay is desired before the explosive device is to go off, add about ½ inch to the pre-measured amount of fuse, and cut it off. 3) Carefully remove the cardboard matches from the paper match case. Do not pull off individual matches; keep all the matches attached to the cardboard base. Take one of the cardboard match sections, and leave the other one to make a second igniter. 4) Wrap the matches around the end of the fuse, with the heads of the matches touching the very end of the fuse. Tape them there securely, making sure not to put tape over the match heads. Make sure they are very secure by pulling on them at the base of the assembly. They should not be able to move. 5) Wrap the cover of the matches around the matches attached to the fuse, making sure that the striker paper is below the match heads and the striker faces the match heads. Tape the paper so that is fairly tight around the matches. Do not tape the cover of the striker to the fuse or to the matches. Leave enough of the match book to pull on for ignition. The match book is wrapped around the matches, and is taped to itself. The matches are taped to the fuse. The striker will rub against the match heads when the match book is pulled. 6) When ready to use, simply pull on the match paper. It should pull the striking paper across the match heads with enough friction to light them. In turn, the burning match heads will light the fuse, since it adjacent to the burning match heads. Making Blackmatch Fuse Take a flat piece of plastic or metal (brass or aluminum are easy to work with and won't rust). Drill a 1/16th inch hole through it. This is your die for sizing the fuse. You can make fuses as big as you want, but this is the right size for pipe bombs and other rigid casings. To about ½ cup of black powder add water to make a thin paste. Add ½ teaspoon of corn starch. Cut some one foot lengths of cotton thread. Use cotton, not silk or thread made from synthetic fibers. Put these together until you have a thickness that fills the hole in the die but can be drawn through very easily. Tie your bundle of threads together at one end. Separate the threads and hold the bundle over the black powder mixture. Lower the threads with a circular motion so they start curling onto the mixture. Press them under with the back of a teaspoon and continue lowering them so they coil into the paste. Take the end you are holding and thread it through the die. Pull it through smoothly in one long motion. To dry your fuse, lay it on a piece of aluminum foil and bake it in your 250° oven or tie it to a grill in the oven and let it hang down. The fuse must be baked to make it stiff enough for the uses it will be put to later. Air drying will not do the job. If you used Sodium Nitrate, it will not dry completely at room temperatures. Cut the dry fuse with scissors into 2 inch lengths and store in an air tight container. Handle this fuse careful to avoid breaking it. You can also use a firecracker fuse if you have any available. The fuses can usually be pulled out without breaking. To give yourself some running time, you will be extending these fuses (blackmatch or firecracker fuse) with sulfured wick. Finally, it is possible to make a relatively slow-burning fuse in the home. By dissolving about one teaspoon of black powder in about ¼ cup of boiling water, and, while it is still hot, soaking in it a long piece of all cotton string, a slow-burning fuse can be made. After the soaked string dries, it must then be tied to the fuse of an explosive device. Sometimes, the end of the slow burning fuse that meets the normal fuse has a charge of black powder or gunpowder at the intersection point to insure ignition, since the slow-burning fuse does not burn at a very high temperature. A similar type of slow fuse can be made by taking the above mixture of boiling water and black powder and pouring it on a long piece of toilet paper. The wet toilet paper is then gently twisted up so that it resembles a firecracker fuse, and is allowed to dry. Making Sulfured Wick There are several ways to make sulfured wick, One method is to use heavy cotton string about 1/8th inch in diameter. You can find it at a garden supply or hardware store, it is often used for tieing up tomatoes. Be sure the string is cotton, and not some form of synthetic fabric. You can test it by lighting one end. It should continue to burn after the match is removed and when blown out will have a smoldering coal on the end. Put a small quanitity of sulfur in a small container (a small pie pan works well) and melt it in the oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit. The sulfur will melt into a transparent yellow liquid. If it starts turning brown, it is too hot. Coil about a one foot length of string into it. The melted sulfur will soak in quickly. When saturated, pull it out and tie it up to cool and harden. It can be cut to desired lengths with scissors. 2 inches is about right. These wicks will burn slowly with a blue flame and do not blow out easily in a moderate wind. They will not burn through a hole in a metal pipe, but are great for extending your other fuse. They will not throw off many sparks. This is quite unlike blackmatch, which generates sparks which can ignite it along its length causing much less predictable burning times. Making Quickmatch Fuse Sometimes it is desirable to have a reliable, fast burning fuse, rather than to use slow fuse. Quickmatch fuse burns almost instantaneously, and is useful when two items, located some distance apart, need to be ignited at the same time. The simplest way to make quickmatch is to enclose a length of blackmatch fuse in a tube with an inside diameter about twice the diameter of the fuse. When one end is lit, the fuse will burn through the tube within a couple seconds. This is because the tube helps the sparks from the blackmatch to propagate down the length of the fuse. Another simple method of making quickmatch is to purchase a roll of extra-wide masking tape (1½-2 inches works well). Unwind a few feet of tape, then pour a trail of blackpowder or pyrodex down the middle, making sure to leave ½" of the tape on the right side clean of powder. When the rest of the tape is completely covered with powder, fold the left side over to within ¼" of the right edge, then fold the (clean) right side over the left and press it in place. The finished quickmatch should now be held by one end to allow the excess powder to drain out. If multiple devices are to be attached to the quickmatch, a small hole can be poked at the appropriate spot and an inch of blackmatch fuse should be inserted at that point. Quickmatch is easily damaged by water, and should not be flattened out as that will limit its effectiveness. If the fuse has a tendency to go out, coarser grained powder should be used. Impact Ignition Impact ignition is an excellent method of ignition for any device that is intended to be employed as a projectile. The problem with an impact igniting device is that it must be kept in a very safe container so that it will not explode while being transported to the place where it is to be used. This can be done by having a removable impact initiator. The best and most reliable impact initiator is one that uses factory made initiators or primers. A no. 11 cap for black powder firearms is one such primer. They usually come in boxes of 100, and cost about $2.50. To use such a cap, however, one needs a nipple that it will fit on. Black powder nipples are also available in gun stores. All that a person has to do is ask for a package of nipples and the caps that fit them. Nipples have a hole that goes all the way through them, one of the ends is threaded, and the other end has a flat area to put the cap on. A cutaway of a nipple is shown below: [ ILLUSTRATIONS AVAILABLE ONLY IN COMMERICIAl PRINTED RELEASE ] When making using this type of initiator, a hole must be drilled into whatever container is used to make the bomb out of. The nipple is then screwed into the hole so that it fits tightly. Then, the cap can be carried and placed on the bomb when it is to be thrown. The cap should be bent a small amount before it is placed on the nipple, to make sure that it stays in place. The only other problem involved with an impact detonating bomb is that it must strike a hard surface on the nipple to set it off. By attaching fins or a small parachute on the end of the bomb opposite the primer, the bomb, when thrown, should strike the ground on the primer, and explode. Of course, a bomb with mercury fulminate in each end will go off on impact regardless of which end it strikes on, but mercury fulminate is also likely to go off if the person carrying the bomb is bumped hard. MAGICUBE* Ignitor A very sensitive and reliable impact initiator can be produced from the common MAGICUBE type camera flashbulbs. Simply crack the plastic cover off, remove the reflector, and you will see 4 bulbs, each of which has a small metal rod holding it in place. Carefully grasp this rod with a pair of needle-nose pliers, and pry gently upwards, making sure that no force is applied to the glass bulb. Each bulb is coated with plastic, which must be removed for them to be effective in our application. This coating can be removed by soaking the bulbs in a small glass of acetone for 30-45 minutes, at which point the plastic can be easily peeled away. The best method of using these is to dissolve some nitrocellulose based smokeless powder (or make your own nitrocellulose see page 19)in a small quantity of acetone and/or ether, forming a thick glue-like paste. Coat the end of the fuse with this paste, then stick the bulb (with the metal rod facing out) into the paste. About half the bulb should be completely covered, and if a VERY THIN layer of nitrocellulose is coated over the remainder of the bulb then ignition should be very reliable. To insure that the device lands with the bulb down, a small streamer can be attached to the opposite side, so when it is tossed high into the air the appropriate end will hit the ground first. Electrical Ignition Electrical ignition systems for detonation are usually the safest and most reliable form of ignition. Electrical systems are ideal for demolition work, if one doesn't have to worry so much about being caught. With two spools of 500 ft of wire and a car battery, one can detonate explosives from a comfortable and relatively safe distance, and be sure that there is nobody around that could get hurt. With an electrical system, one can control exactly what time a device will explode, within fractions of a second. Detonation can be aborted in less than a second's warning, if a person suddenly walks by the detonation sight, or if a police car chooses to roll by at the time. The two best electrical igniters are military squibs and model rocketry igniters. Blasting caps for construction also work well. Model rocketry igniters are sold in packages of six, and cost about $1.00 per pack. All that need be done to use them is connect it to two wires and run a current through them. Military squibs are difficult to get, but they are a little bit better, since they explode when a current is run through them, whereas rocketry igniters only burst into flame. Most squibs will NOT detonate KClO3/petroleum jelly or RDX. These relatively insensitive explosives require a blasting cap type detonation in most cases. There are, however, military explosive squibs which will do the job. Igniters can be used to set off black powder, mercury fulminate, HMDT, or guncotton, which in turn, can set of a high order explosive. A Simple Electric Fuze Take a flashlight bulb and place it glass tip down on a file. Grind it down on the file until there is a hole in the end. Solder one wire to the case of the bulb and another to the center conductor at the end. Fill the bulb with black powder or powdered match head. One or two flashlight batteries will heat the filament in the bulb causing the powder to ignite. Another Electric Fuze Take a medium grade of steel wool and pull a strand out of it. Attach it to the ends of two pieces of copper wire by wrapping it around a few turns and then pinch on a small piece of solder to bind the strand to the wire. You want about ½ inch of steel strand between the wires. Number 18 or 20 is a good size wire to use. Cut a ½ by 1 inch piece of thin cardboard of (the type used in match covers is ideal). Place a small pile of powdered match head in the center and press it flat. place the wires so the steel strand is on top of and in contact with the powder. Sprinkle on more powder to cover the strand. The strand should be surrounded with powder and not touching anything else except the wires at its ends. Place a piece of blackmatch in contact with the powder. Now put a piece of masking tape on top of the lot, and fold it under on the two ends. Press it down so it sticks all around the powder. The wires are sticking out on one side and the blackmatch on the other. A single flashlight battery will set this off. Electro-mechanical Ignition Electro-mechanical ignition systems are systems that use some type of mechanical switch to set off an explosive charge electrically. This type of switch is typically used in booby traps or other devices in which the person who places the bomb does not wish to be anywhere near the device when it explodes. Several types of electro-mechanical detonators will be discussed. Mercury Switches Mercury switches are a switch that uses the fact that mercury metal conducts electricity, as do all metals, but mercury metal is a liquid at room temperatures. A typical mercury switch is a sealed glass tube with two electrodes and a bead of mercury metal. It is sealed because of mercury's nasty habit of giving off brain-damaging vapors. The diagram below may help to explain a mercury switch. When the drop of mercury ("Hg" is mercury's atomic symbol) touches both contacts, current flows through the switch. If this particular switch was in its present position, A---B, current would not be flowing. If the switch was rotated 90 degrees so the wires were pointed down, the mercury would touch both contacts in that vertical position. If, however, it was in the vertical position, the drop of mercury would only touch the + contact on the A side. Current, then couldn't flow, since mercury does not reach both contacts when the switch is in the vertical position. This type of switch is ideal to place by a door. If it were placed in the path of a swinging door in the versicle position, the motion of the door would knock the switch down, if it was held to the ground by a piece if tape. This would tilt the switch into the versicle position, causing the mercury to touch both contacts, allowing current to flow through the mercury, and to the igniter or squib in an explosive device. Trip wire Switches A trip wire is an element of the classic booby trap. By placing a nearly invisible line of string or fishing line in the probable path of a victim, and by putting some type of trap there also, nasty things can be caused to occur. If this mode of thought is applied to explosives, how would one use such a trip wire to detonate a bomb. The technique is simple. By wrapping the tips of a standard clothespin with aluminum foil, and placing something between them, and connecting wires to each aluminum foil contact, an electric trip wire can be made, If a piece of wood attached to the trip wire was placed between the contacts on the clothespin, the clothespin would serve as a switch. When the trip wire was pulled, the clothespin would snap together, allowing current to flow between the two pieces of aluminum foil, thereby completing a circuit, which would have the igniter or squib in it. Current would flow between the contacts to the igniter or squib, heating the igniter or squib and causing it to explode. Make sure that the aluminum foil contacts do not touch the spring, since the spring also conducts electricity. [ ILLUSTRATIONS AVAILABLE ONLY IN COMMERICIAl PRINTED RELEASE ] Radio Control Detonators In the movies, every assassin and criminal uses a radio controlled detonator to set off explosives. With a good radio detonator, one can be several miles away from the device, and still control exactly when it explodes, in much the same way as an electrical switch. The problem with radio detonators is that they are rather costly. However, there could possibly be a reason that one would be willing to spend the amounts of money involved with a radio control system and use it as a detonator. If such an individual wanted to devise an radio controlled detonator, all he would need to do is visit the local hobby store or toy store, and buy a radio controlled toy. Taking it back to his/her abode, all that he/she would have to do is detach the solenoid/motor that controls the motion of the front wheels of a car, or detach the solenoid/motor of the elevators/rudder of a radio controlled airplane, or the rudder of a boat, and re-connect the squib or rocket engine igniter to the contacts for the solenoid/motor. The device should be tested several times with squibs or igniters, and fully charged batteries should be in both he controller and the receiver (the part that used to move parts before the device became a detonator). One interesting variation on this method is to adapt a mundane device to serve as a remote detonator. Radio pagers are ideal for this purpose. Alpha-numeric display pagers can be rented for around $20 per month, and the display can easily be wired to a detonation device. The pager number can be called from anywhere in the world, and when the appropriate message is entered the device is triggered. Similarly, a cellular telephone could be adapted to respond in the same manner. Delays A delay is a device which causes time to pass from when a device is set up to the time that it explodes. A regular fuse is a delay, but it would cost quite a bit to have a 24 hour delay with a fuse. This section deals with the different types of delays that can be employed by an antisocial person who wishes to be sure that his bomb will go off, but wants to be out of the country when it does. Fuse Delays It is extremely simple to delay explosive devices that employ fuses for ignition. Perhaps the simplest way to do so is with a cigarette. An average cigarette burns for between 8-11 minutes. The higher the tar and nicotine rating, the slower the cigarette burns. Low tar and nicotine cigarettes burn quicker than the higher tar and nicotine cigarettes, but they are also less likely to go out if left unattended, i.e. not smoked. Depending on the wind or draft in a given place, a high tar cigarette is better for delaying the ignition of a fuse, but there must be enough wind or draft to give the cigarette enough oxygen to burn. People who use cigarettes for the purpose of delaying fuses will often test the cigarettes that they plan to use in advance to make sure they stay lit and to see how long it will burn. Once the burning rate of a brand of cigarette is determined, it is a simple matter of carefully putting a hole all the way through a cigarette with a toothpick at the point desired, and pushing the fuse for a device in the hole formed. Improved Cigarette Delay A variation on the standard cigarette display was invented by my good friend John A. (THE Pyromaniac). Rather than inserting the fuse into the SIDE of the cigarette (and risk splitting it) half of the filter is cut off, and a small hole is punched THROUGH the remainder of the filter and into the tobacco. The fuse is inserted as far as possible into this hole, then taped or glued in place, or the cigarette can be cut and punched ahead of time and lit as if you intended to smoke it, then attached to the fuse at the scene. Taking a few puffs can help prevent the cigarette from going out, as well as improving your chances of dying from lung cancer. A similar type of device can be make from powdered charcoal and a sheet of paper. Simply roll the sheet of paper into a thin tube, and fill it with powdered charcoal. Punch a hole in it at the desired location, and insert a fuse. Both ends must be glued closed, and one end of the delay must be doused with lighter fluid before it is lit. Or, a small charge of gunpowder mixed with powdered charcoal could conceivably used for igniting such a delay. A chain of charcoal briquettes can be used as a delay by merely lining up a few bricks of charcoal so that they touch each other, end on end, and lighting the first brick. Incense, which can be purchased at almost any novelty or party supply store, can also be used as a fairly reliable delay. By wrapping the fuse about the end of an incense stick, delays of up to an hour are possible. Random Electronic Delay An interesting delay mechanism that provides an random delay can be produced from the following items: Relay (2) 9V batteries Wire Soldering Iron(2) 9V battery connectors(2) SPST switches 1) Solder 2 wires to the relay. The first wire should be soldered to one side of the coil (or the appropriate contact) and the other wire should be soldered to the center contact of the ralay switch. 2) Solder a SPST switch to each of the wires, and solder the red wire from each of the 9V battery connectors to the other pole of each switch. 3) Solder the other wire from the 9V connector that is attached to the switch for the relay coil to the other side of the relay coil. 4) solder the other wire from the second 9V connector to one wire from an electric squib or detonator. The other wire from the squib is soldered to the normally closed contact of the relay. 5) Making sure that both switches are open, attach both batteries to their respective connector. When you're ready to use the device, close the first switch (the one that energizes the relay's coil). Make sure that you hear a CLICK! The click signifies that it is safe to throw the second switch. The squib will blow when the 9V battery that is powering the relay's coils runs out of power, or if the first switch (the one powering the relay) is thrown before the second switch. [ ILLUSTRATIONS AVAILABLE ONLY IN COMMERICIAl PRINTED RELEASE ] Timer Delays Timer delays, or "time bombs" are usually employed by an individual who wishes to preset the exact moment of detonation. There are several ways to build a timer delay. By simply using a screw as one contact at the time that detonation is desired, and using the hour hand of a clock as the other contact, a simple timer can be made. The minute hand of a clock should be removed, unless a delay of less than an hour is desired. One problem with this method is that many new alarm clocks do not have sufficent torque to make a good contact between the hour hand and the screw or metal pin. Also, many clocks have plstic hands, or the metal hands may be coated with an insulating substance. Any timer made in this manner should be tested several times to ensure that the circuit closes consistently. The main disadvantage with this type of timer is that it can only be set for a maximum time of 12 hours. If an electronic timer is used, such as that in an electronic clock, then delays of up to 24 hours are possible. First the speaker should be removed and a meter attached to the wires, to check if there is any current flowing when the alarm is not active. You should also check to see how much current is provided when the alarm goes off.The wires should be attached to a small switch, and then to a squib or igniter. In this manner a timer with a delay of over 23 hours can be made. All that one has to do is set the alarm time of the clock to the desired time, connect the leads, and leave the area. This could also be done with an electronic watch, if a larger battery were used, and the current to the speaker of the watch was stepped up via a transformer. This could be very effective, since such a timer could be extremely small. There are a few dangers inherent in this method of making timers. Sveral people have blown themselves up by not taking into account some of the factors. Some clocks will activate the speaker when the time is set, or when the power is turned on or off. The timer in a VCR (Video Cassette Recorder) is ideal. VCR's can usually be set for times of up to a week. The leads from the timer to the recording equipment would be the ones that an igniter or squib would be connected to. Also, one can buy timers from electronics stores that would be work well. Finally, one could employ a digital watch, and use a relay, or electro-magnetic switch to fire the igniter, and the current of the watch would not have to be stepped up. Chemical Delays Chemical delays are uncommon, but they can be extremely effective in some cases. These were often used in the bombs the Germans dropped on England. The delay would ensure that a bomb would detonate hours or even days after the initial bombing raid, thereby increasing the terrifying effect on the British citizenry. If a glass container is filled with concentrated sulfuric acid, and capped with several thicknesses of aluminum foil, or a cap that it will eat through, then it can be used as a delay. Sulfuric acid will react with aluminum foil to produce aluminum sulfate and hydrogen gas, and so the container must be open to the air on one end so that the pressure of the hydrogen gas that is forming does not break the container. The aluminum foil is placed over the bottom of the container and secured there with tape. When the acid eats through the aluminum foil, it can be used to ignite an explosive device in several ways. Sulfuric acid is a good conductor of electricity. If the acid that eats through the foil is collected in a glass container placed underneath the foil, and two wires are placed in the glass container, a current will be able to flow through the acid when both of the wires are immersed in the acid. The acid will also react with potassium chlorate or potassium permanganate, see below. Spontaneous Combustion Some of the ingredients for these can only be had from a chemical supply while others can be obtained with a little effort. Scatter out approx. 5 g of chromic anhydride. add 2 drops of ethyl alcohol. It will burst into flame immediately. Measure by weight, four parts ammonium chloride, one part ammonium nitrate, four parts powered zinc. Make sure that all the powders are very dry, and mix in a clean dry vessel. Pour out a small pile of this and make a depression on top. Put one or two drops of water in the depression. Stay well back from this. Spoon out a small pile of powdered aluminum. Place a small amount of sodium peroxide on top of this. A volume the size of a small pea is about right. One drop of water will cause this to ignite in a blinding flare. Measure by volume 3 parts concentrated sulfuric acid with 2 parts concentrated nitric acid. Mix the two acids in a large pyrex beaker. Hold a dropper of turpentine about 2 feet above the mixture. When drops strike the acid they will burst into flame. Sulfuric acid reacts very violently with potassium chlorate and potassium permanganate. If a few drops of sulfuric acid are added to a pile of either of these oxidizers, the pile will burst into flame within seconds. Most of the above mixtures can have other chemicals added to them (oxidizers, powdered metals) and can be placed on the top of a pile of a flammable substance, or used to start a fuse. EXPLOSIVE CASINGS This section will cover everything from making a simple firecracker to a complicated scheme for detonating an insensitive high explosive, both of which are methods that could be utilized by protectors of the rights of the common man. Paper Containers Paper was the first container ever used for explosives, since it was first used by the Chinese to make fireworks. Paper containers are usually very simple to make, and are certainly the cheapest. There are many possible uses for paper in containing explosives, and the two most obvious are in firecrackers and rocket engines. Simply by rolling up a long sheet of paper, and gluing it together, one can make a simple rocket engine. Perhaps a more interesting and dangerous use is in the firecracker. The firecracker shown here is one of Mexican design. It is called a "polumna", meaning "dove". The process of their manufacture is not unlike that of making a paper football. If one takes a sheet of paper about 16 inches in length by 1.5 inches wide, and folds one corner into a triangle which lines up on the top of the sheet, then folds that end of the paper over in another triangle, a pocket is formed. This pocket can be filled with black powder, pyrodex, flash powder, gunpowder, or any of the quick-burning fuel-oxidizer mixtures that occur in the form of a fine powder. A fuse is then inserted, and one continues the triangular folds, being careful not to spill out any of the explosive. When the polumna is finished, it should be taped together very tightly, since this will increase the strength of the container, and produce a louder and more powerful explosion when it is lit. The finished polumna should look like a thin triangle of paper, less than ½ inch thick. Metal Containers The classic pipe bomb is the best known example of a metal-contained explosive. Less fortunate pyrotechnicians take white tipped matches and cut off the heads. They pound one end of a pipe closed with a hammer, pour in the white tipped matches, and then pound the other end closed. This process often kills the fool, since when he pounds the pipe closed, he could very easily cause enough friction between the match heads to cause them to ignite and explode the unfinished bomb. By using pipe caps, the process is somewhat safer, and any person who desires to retain of their limbs would never use white tipped matches in a bomb. Regular matches may still be ignited by friction, but it is far less likely than with "strike-anywhere" matches. First, one needs to obtain a length of water pipe and two caps. For obvious reasons, it is best not to buy all three items from the same store. The pipe should not be more than six times as long as its diameter. Next, the pipes and caps are cleaned with rubbing alcohol, and rubber gloves are put on. The pipe is allowed to dry, and never handled with bare hands. If the outside of a glove it touched, and then the pipe is handled with that glove, it is possible to transfer a fingerprint onto the pipe. A hole is drilled one pipe cap, and a fuse is placed through the hole. If a bit of tissue paper is packed around the fuse on the inside of the cap, the fuse will not come out during handling, and powder will be unable to escape if the pipe is inverted. The fuse would extend at least an inch inside the pipe. There are several possible variations in fusing pipes. One bomber in New York City used 3 inch diameter pipes, each a foot long. He would solder a six inch piece of copper tubing to the inside of the pipe cap, and extend the fuse down this tube. The end of the fuse was tied into a knot, just big enough to block the copper pipe so powder would not enter. This added some delay once the fuse burned down into the pipe, and it also caused the powder to start burning from the center outward, creating a more uniform blast effect. One famous pipe bomber used large diameter pipes with four holes drilled into each of the end caps. Each hole had a length of threaded steel rod run through it, and extending about ½ inch from both end caps. These rods were held in place by heavy nuts on both ends of all four rods. The intention of this was to help the pipe stay intact until all the powder had burned, to increase the effective power of the bomb. Once the fused end cap is prepared, the cap would be screwed on tightly. To help secure it, a drop of Loctite* could be added to the threads. The pipe could now be filled with any fast burning powder. Packing the powder down is very dangerous, and does not increase the force of the explosion. It will increase the amount of smoke and flames produced by the bomb. The pipe is usually filled to within an inch of the end, and a large wad of tissue paper ( Many brands of tissue paper, including Kleenex*, are moisturized and should not be used) is packed into the pipe to keep any powder from getting onto the threads. Finally, the other pipe cap would be screwed in place. If the tissue paper is not used, some of the powder could be caught in the threads of the pipe or pipe cap. This powder would be crushed, and the friction can ignite the powder, which could be very detrimental to the health of the builder. NOTE: The metal caps are very difficult to drill holes in, it is much easier to drill a hole into the middle of the pipe (before it is filled!) and thread the fuse through this opening. Many people have had great success with this design. According to an old german by the name of Lionel. After detonating one of these inside a cookie tin, found the lid about 1/2 block away, the sides of the tin blown out, and an impression of the pipe, (which was later found blown flat) threads and all on the bottom of the tin... it seems that the welded seam gives out on most modern rolled pipes, however a cast pipe (no seam) would produce more shrapnel (which may or may not be desirable). This is one possible design. If, however, one does not have access to threaded pipe with end caps, you could always use a piece of copper or aluminum pipe, since it is easily bent into a suitable configuration. A major problem with copper piping, however, is bending and folding it without tearing it; if too much force is used when folding and bending copper pipe, it will split along the fold. The safest method for making a pipe bomb out of copper or aluminum pipe is similar to the method with pipe and end caps. Pipe Bombs From Soft Metal Pipes First, one flattens one end of a copper or aluminum pipe carefully, making sure not to tear or rip the piping. Then, the flat end of the pipe should be folded over at least once, carefully so as not to rip the pipe. A fuse hole should be drilled in the pipe near the now closed end, and the fuse should be inserted. Next, the bomb-builder would partially fill the casing with a low order explosive, and pack the remaining space with a large wad of tissue paper. He would then flatten and fold the other end of the pipe with a pair of pliers. If he was not too dumb, he would do this slowly, since the process of folding and bending metal gives off heat, which could set off the explosive. Carbon Dioxide "Pellet Gun" or Seltzer cartridges. A CO2 cartridge from a B.B gun is another excellent container for a low- order explosive. It has one minor disadvantage: it is time consuming to fill. But this can be rectified by widening the opening of the cartridge with a pointed tool. Then, all that would have to be done is to fill the CO2 cartridge with any low-order explosive, or any of the fast burning fuel- oxidizer mixtures, and insert a fuse. These devices are commonly called "crater makers". A cartridge is easiest to fill if you take a piece of paper and tape it around the opening to form a sort of funnel. A new,full cartridge must be emptied before it can be used. Once the gas is released, some condensation may form on the inside. Use a punch or sharp phillips (+) screwdriver to enlarge the pin-hole opening on a used cartridge. You can place the empty cartridge in a warm oven to drive out any moisture.It may not be necessary to seal the hole, but if you must do so, epoxy and electrical tape should work quite well. These cartridges also work well as a container for a thermite incendiary device, but they must be modified. The opening in the end must be widened, so that the ignition mixture, such as powdered magnesium, does not explode. The fuse will ignite the powdered magnesium, which, in turn, would ignite the thermite. The burning thermite will melt the container and release liquid iron. Primed Explosive Casings The previously mentioned designs for explosive devices are fine for low order explosives, but are unsuitable for high order explosives, since the latter requires a shockwave to be detonated. A design employing a smaller low order explosive device inside a larger device containing a high order explosive would probably be used. If the large high explosive container is relatively small, such as a CO2 cartridge, then a segment of a hollow radio antenna can be made into a detonator and fitted with a fuse. THis tiny detonator can be inserted into the cartridge. Glass Containers Glass containers can be suitable for low order explosives, but there are problems with them. First, a glass container can be broken relatively easily compared to metal or plastic containers. Secondly, in the not too unlikely event of an "accident", the person making the device would probably be seriously injured, even if the device was small. A bomb made out of a sample perfume bottle-sized container exploded in the hands of one boy, and he still has pieces of glass in his hand. He is also missing the final segment of his ring finger, which was cut off by a sharp piece of flying glass. Nonetheless, glass containers such as perfume bottles can be used by a demented individual, since such a device would not be detected by metal detectors in an airport or other public place. All that need be done is fill the container, and drill a hole in the plastic cap that the fuse fits tightly in, and screw the cap-fuse assembly on. Large explosive devices made from glass containers are not practical, since glass is not an exceptionally strong container. Much of the explosive that is used to fill the container is wasted if the container is much larger than a 16 oz. soda bottle. Also, glass containers are usually unsuitable for high explosive devices, since a glass container would probably not withstand the explosion of the initiator; it would shatter before the high explosive was able to detonate. Plastic Containers Plastic containers are perhaps the best containers for explosives, since they can be any size or shape, and are not fragile like glass. Plastic piping can be bought at hardware or plumbing stores, and a device much like the ones used for metal containers can be made. The high-order version works well with plastic piping. If the entire device is made out of plastic, it is not detectable by metal detectors. Plastic containers can usually be shaped by heating the container, and bending it at the appropriate place. They can be glued closed with epoxy or other cement for plastics. Epoxy alone can be used as an end cap, if a wad of tissue paper is placed in the piping. Epoxy with a drying agent works best in this type of device. One end must be made first, and be allowed to dry completely before the device can be filled with powder and fused. Then, with another piece of tissue paper, pack the powder tightly, and cover it with plenty of epoxy. PVC pipe works well for this type of device, but it cannot be used if the pipe had an inside diameter greater than 3/4 of an inch. Other plastic putties can be used in this type of device, but epoxy with a drying agent works best. In my experience, epoxy plugs work well, but epoxy is somewhat expensive. One alternative is auto body filler, a grey paste which, when mixed with hardener, forms into a rock-like mass which is stronger than most epoxy. The only drawback is the body filler generates quite a bit of heat as it hardens, which might be enough to set of a overly sensitive explosive. One benefit of body filler is that it will hold it's shape quite well, and is ideal for forming rocket nozzles and entire bomb casings. Film Canisters For a relatively low shrapnel explosion, you could try pouring it into an empty 35mm film canister. Poke a hole in the plastic lid for a fuse. These goodies make an explosion that is easily audible a mile away, but creates almost no shrapnel. One a day with no wind, adding extra fuel (like fine charcoal) can produce the classic mushroom cloud. There are several important safety rules to follow, in addition to the usual rules for working with flash powder. 1) Make a hole and insert the fuse before putting any powder into the canister. 2) Don't get any powder on the lip of the canister. 3) Only use a very small quantity to start with, and work your way up to the desired effect. 4) Do not pack the powder, it works best loose and firction can cause ignition. 5) Use a long fuse, these are very dangerous close up. Book Bombs One approach to disguising a bomb is to build what is called a book bomb; an explosive device that is entirely contained inside of a book. Usually, a relatively large book is required, and the book must be of the hardback variety to hide any protrusions of a bomb. Dictionaries, law books, large textbooks, and other such books work well. When an individual makes a book into a bomb, he/she must choose a type of book that is appropriate for the place where the book bomb will be placed. The actual construction of a book bomb can be done by anyone who possesses an electric drill and a coping saw. First, all of the pages of the book must be glued together. By pouring an entire container of water-soluble glue into a large bucket, and filling the bucket with boiling water, a glue-water solution can be made that will hold all of the book's pages together tightly. After the glue-water solution has cooled to a bearable temperature, and the solution has been stirred well, the pages of the book must be immersed in the glue- water solution, and each page must be thoroughly soaked. It is extremely important that the covers of the book do not get stuck to the pages of the book while the pages are drying. Suspending the book by both covers and clamping the pages together in a vise works best. When the pages dry, after about three days to a week, a hole must be drilled into the now rigid pages, and they should drill out much like wood. Then, by inserting the coping saw blade through the pages and sawing out a rectangle from the middle of the book, the individual will be left with a shell of the book's pages. The rectangle must be securely glued to the back cover of the book. After building his/her bomb, which usually is of the timer or radio controlled variety, the bomber places it inside the book. The bomb itself, and whatever timer or detonator is used, should be packed in foam to prevent it from rolling or shifting about. Finally, after the timer is set, or the radio control has been turned on, the front cover is glued closed, and the bomb is taken to its destination. ADVANCED USES FOR EXPLOSIVES The techniques presented here are those that could be used by a person who had some degree of knowledge of the use of explosives. Advanced uses for explosives usually involved shaped charges, or utilize a minimum amount of explosive to do a maximum amount of damage. They almost always involve high- order explosives. Shaped Charges A shaped charge is an explosive device that, upon detonation, directs the explosive force of detonation at a small target area. This process can be used to breach the strongest armor, since forces of literally millions of pounds of pressure per square inch can be generated. Shaped charges employ high-order explosives, and usually electric ignition systems. Keep in mind that all explosives are dangerous, and should never be made or used!! all the procedures described in this book are for informational purposes only. If a device such as this is screwed to a safe, for example, it would direct most of the explosive force at a point about 1 inch away from the opening of the pipe. The basis for shaped charges is a cone-shaped opening in the explosive material. This cone should be formed with a 45° angle. A device such as this one could also be attached to a metal surface with a powerful electromagnet. Tube Explosives A variation on shaped charges, tube explosives can be used in ways that shaped charges cannot. If a piece of ½ inch diameter plastic tubing was filled with a sensitive high explosive like R.D.X., and prepared as the plastic explosive container on page 53, a different sort of shaped charge could be produced; a charge that directs explosive force in a circular manner. This type of explosive could be wrapped around a column, or a doorknob, or a telephone pole. The explosion would be directed in and out, and most likely destroy whatever it was wrapped around. When the user wishes to use a tube bomb, it must first be wrapped around the object to be demolished, after which the ends are connected together. The user can connect wires to the squib wires, and detonate the bomb with any method of electric detonation. Atomized Particle Explosions If a highly flammable substance is atomized, or, divided into very small particles, and large amounts of it is burned in a confined area, an explosion similar to that occurring in the cylinder of an automobile is produced. The vaporized gasoline/air mixture burns explosively, and the hot gasses expand rapidly, pushing the cylinder up. Similarly, if a gallon of gasoline was atomized and ignited in a building, it is very possible that the expanding gassed could push the walls of the building down. This phenomenon is called an atomized particle explosion if a solid is used, or a fuel/air explosive if the material is a gas or liquid. If a person can effectively atomize a large amount of a highly flammable substance and ignite it, he could bring down a large building, bridge, or other structure. Atomizing a large amount of gasoline, for example, can be extremely difficult, unless one has the aid of a high explosive. If a gallon jug of gasoline was placed directly over a high explosive charge, and the charge was detonated, the gasoline would instantly be atomized and ignited. If this occurred in a building, for example, an atomized particle explosion would surely occur. Only a small amount of high explosive would be necessary to accomplish this, 7 ounces of T.N.T. or 3 ounces of R.D.X should be sufficient to atomize the contents of a gallon container. Also, instead of gasoline, powdered aluminum, coal dust or even flour could be used for a similar effect. It is necessary that a high explosive be used to atomize a flammable material, since a low-order explosion does not occur quickly enough to atomize and will simply ignite the flammable material. SPECIAL AMMUNITION FOR PROJECTILE WEAPONS Explosive and/or poisoned ammunition is an important part of a social deviant's arsenal. Such ammunition gives the user a distinct advantage over individual who use normal ammunition, since a grazing hit can cause extreme damage. Special ammunition can be made for many types of weapons, from crossbows to shotguns. Special Ammunition For Primitive Weapons For the purposes of this publication, we will call any weapon primitive that does not employ burning gunpowder to propel a projectile forward. This means blowguns, bows and crossbows, and slingshots. Primitive weapons can be made from commonly available materials, and a well made weapon will last for years. Bow and Crossbow Ammunition Bows and crossbows both fire arrows or bolts as ammunition. It is extremely simple to poison an arrow or bolt, but it is a more difficult matter to produce explosive arrows or bolts. If, however, one can acquire aluminum piping that is the same diameter of an arrow or crossbow bolt, the entire segment of piping can be converted into an explosive device that detonates upon impact, or with a fuse. All that need be done is find an aluminum tube of the right length and diameter, and plug the back end with tissue paper and epoxy. Fill the tube with any type of low-order explosive or sensitive high-order explosive up to about ½ inch from the top. Cut a slot in the piece of tubing, and carefully squeeze the top of the tube into a round point, making sure to leave a small hole. Place a no. 11 percussion cap over the hole, and secure it with super glue or epoxy. Finally, wrap the end of the device with electrical or duct tape, and make fins out of tape. Or, fins can be bought at a sporting goods store, and glued to the shaft. When the arrow or bolt strikes a hard surface, the percussion cap explodes, igniting or detonating the explosive. Special Ammunition for Blowguns The blowgun is an interesting weapon which has several advantages. A blowgun can be extremely accurate, concealable, and deliver an explosive or poisoned projectile. The manufacture of an explosive dart or projectile is not difficult. Perhaps the most simple design for such involves the use of a pill capsule, such as the kind that are taken for headaches or allergies. Empty gelatin pill capsules can be purchased from most health-food stores. Next, the capsule would be filled with an impact-sensitive explosive, such as mercury fulminate. An additional high explosive charge could be placed behind the impact sensitive explosive, if one of the larger capsules were used. Finally, the explosive capsule would be reglued back together, and a tassel or cotton would be glued to the end containing the high explosive, to insure that the impact-detonating explosive struck the target first. Care must be taken- if a powerful dart went off in the blowgun, you could easily blow the back of your head off. Special Ammunition for Slingshots A modern slingshot is a formidable weapon. It can throw a shooter marble about 500 ft. with reasonable accuracy. Inside of 200 ft., it could well be lethal to a man or animal, if it struck in a vital area. Because of the relatively large sized projectile that can be used in a slingshot, the sling can be adapted to throw relatively powerful explosive projectiles. A small segment of aluminum pipe could be made into an impact- detonating device by filling it with an impact sensitive explosive material. Also, such a pipe could be filled with a low order explosive, and fitted with a fuse, which would be lit before the device was shot. One would have to make sure that the fuse was of sufficient length to insure that the device did not explode before it reached its intended target. Finally, .22 caliber caps, such as the kind that are used in .22 caliber blank guns, make excellent exploding ammunition for slingshots, but they must be used at a relatively close range, because of their light weight. One company, Beeman, makes an extremely powerful slingshot which can fire short arrows, as well as the usual array of ball ammo. These slingshots can be used with the modified crossbow ammunition. [ ILLUSTRATIONS ARE AVAILABLE WITH THE COMMERICIAL PRINTED RELEASE ] Special Ammunition For Firearms Firearms were first invented by the ancient chinese. They soon realized that these weapons, even in a primitive form, were one of the most potent to overthrow a government. The authorities encouraged the metalworkers to apply their skills to less socially threatening weapons, upon pain of death. When special ammunition is used in combination with the power and rapidity of modern firearms, it becomes very easy to take on a small army with a single weapon. It is possible to buy explosive ammunition, but that can be difficult to do. Such ammunition can also be manufactured in the home. There is, however, a risk involved with modifying any ammunition. If the ammunition is modified incorrectly, in such a way that it makes the bullet even the slightest bit wider, an explosion in the barrel of the weapon will occur. For this reason, nobody should ever attempt to manufacture such ammunition. Pipe Guns (zip guns) Commonly known as "zip" guns, guns made from pipe have been used for years by juvenile punks. Today's militants make them just for the hell of it or to shoot once in an assassination or riot and throw away if there is any danger of apprehension. They can often be used many times before exploding in the user's face. With some designs, a length of dowel is needed to force out the spent shell. There are many variations but the illustration shows the basic design. First, a wooden stock is made and a groove is cut for the barrel to rest in. The barrel is then taped securely to the stock with a good, strong tape. The trigger is made from galvanized tin. A slot is punched in the trigger flap to hold a roofing nail, which is wired or soldered onto the flap. The trigger is bent and nailed to the stock on both sides. The pipe is a short length of one-quarter inch steel gas or water pipe with a bore that fits in a cartridge, yet keeps the cartridge rim from passing through the pipe. The cartridge is put in the pipe and the cap, with a hole bored through it, is screwed on. Then the trigger is slowly released to let the nail pass through the hole and rest on the primer. To fire, the trigger is pulled back with the left hand and held back with the thumb of the right hand. The gun is then aimed and the thumb releases the trigger and the thing actually fires. Pipes of different lengths and diameters are found in any hardware store. All caliber bullets, from the .22 to the .45 are used in such guns. Some zip guns are made from two or three pipes nested within each other. For instance, a .22 shell will fit snugly into a length of a car's copper gas line. Unfortunately, the copper is too weak to withstand the pressure of the firing. So the length of gas line is spread with glue and pushed into a wider length of pipe. This is spread with glue and pushed into a length of steel pipe with threads and a cap. Using this method, you can accommodate any cartridge, even a rifle shell. The first (innermost) size of pipe for a rifle shell accommodates the bullet. The second or outermost layer accommodates its wider powder chamber. A simple and very dangerous (to the user and to the target) 12-gauge shotgun can be made from a 3/4 inch steel pipe. If you want to reduce the number of gun law violations, the barrel should be at least eighteen inches long. The shotgun's firing mechanism is the same as that for the pistol. It naturally has a longer stock and its handle is lengthened into a rifle butt. Also, a small nail is driven half way into each side of the stock about four inches in the front of the trigger. The rubber band is put over one nail and brought around the trigger and snagged over the other nail. In case a person actually made a zip gun, he would test it before firing it by hand. This is done by securely mounting gun to a tree or post, pointed to where it will do no damage. Then a long string is tied to the trigger and the maniac holds it from several yards away. The string is then pulled back and let go. If the barrel does not blow up, the gun might be safe to fire by hand. Repeat firings may weaken the barrel, so NO zip gun can be considered "safe" to use. Special Ammunition for Handguns If an individual wished to produce explosive ammunition for his/her handgun, he/she could do it, provided that the person had an impact- sensitive explosive and a few simple tools. One would first purchase all lead bullets, and then make or acquire an impact-detonating explosive. By drilling a hole in a lead bullet with a drill, a space could be created for the placement of an explosive. After filling the hole with an explosive, it would be sealed in the bullet with a drop of hot wax from a candle. This hollow space design also works for putting poison in bullets. In many spy thrillers, an assassin is depicted as manufacturing "exploding bullets" by placing a drop of mercury in the nose of a bullet. Through experimentation it has been found that this will not work. Mercury reacts with lead to form a inert silvery compound, which may be poisonous, but will not affect the terminal ballistics of the bullet. Special Ammunition for Shotguns Because of their large bore and high power, it is possible to create some extremely powerful special ammunition for use in shotguns. If a shotgun shell is opened at the top, and the shot removed, the shell can be re-closed. Special grenade-launching blanks can also be purchased. Then, if one can find a very smooth, lightweight wooden dowel that is close to the bore width of the shotgun, a person can make several types of shotgun- launched weapons. With the modified shell in the firing chamber, lightly insert the dowel into the barrel of the shotgun. Mark the dowel about six inches above the muzzle, and remove it from the barrel. The dowel should be cut at this point, and the length recorded. Several rods can be cut from a single length of dowel rod. Next, a device should be chosen. Moderately impact-sensitive igniters are ideal, or a long fuse can be used. This device can be a chemical fire bottle (see page 31), a pipe bomb (page 52), or a thermite bomb (page 30). After the device is made, it must be securely attached to the dowel. When this is done, place the dowel back in the shotgun when ready to fire. After checking that the device has a long enough fuse, or that the impact igniter is armed, light the fuse (if necessary), and fire the shotgun at an angle of 45 degrees or greater. If the projectile is not too heavy, ranges of up to 300 ft are possible if special "grenade-launcher blanks" are used- use of regular blank ammunition may cause the device to land perilously close to the user. Special Ammunition for Compressed Air/Gas Weapons This section deals with the manufacture of special ammunition for compressed air or compressed gas weapons, such as pump B.B guns, gas powered B.B guns, and .22 cal pellet guns. These weapons, although usually thought of as kids toys, can be made into rather dangerous weapons. Special Ammunition for BB Guns A BB gun, for this manuscript, will be considered any type of rifle or pistol that uses compressed air or gas to fire a projectile with a caliber of .177, either B.B, or lead pellet. Such guns can have almost as high a muzzle velocity as a modern firearm rifle. Because of the speed at which a .177 caliber projectile flies, an impact detonating projectile can easily be made that has a caliber of .177. Most ammunition for guns of greater than .22 caliber use primers to ignite the powder in the bullet. These primers can be bought at gun stores, since many people like to reload their own bullets. Such primers detonate when struck by the firing pin of a gun. They will also detonate if they impact any a hard surface at high speed. Usually, they will also fit in the barrel of a .177 caliber gun. If they are inserted flat end first, they will detonate when the gun is fired at a hard surface. If such a primer is attached to a piece of thin metal tubing, such as that used in an antenna, the tube can be filled with an explosive, be sealed, and fired from a B.B gun. A diagram of such a projectile appears below: (Ill. 5.31) [ ILLUSTRATIONS AVAILABLE ONLY IN COMMERICIAl PRINTED RELEASE ] The front primer is attached to the tubing with a drop of super glue. The tubing is then filled with an explosive, and the rear primer is glued on. Finally, a tassel, or a small piece of cotton is glued to the rear primer, to insure that the projectile strikes on the front primer. The entire projectile should be about 3/4 of an inch long. Special Ammunition for .22 Caliber Pellet Guns A .22 caliber pellet gun usually is equivalent to a .22 cal rifle, at close ranges. Because of this, relatively large explosive projectiles can be adapted for use with .22 caliber air rifles. A design based on glycerine medicne capsules is suitable, since some capsules are about .22 caliber or smaller. Or, a design similar to that in section 5.31 could be used, only one would have to purchase black powder percussion caps, instead of ammunition primers, since there are percussion caps that are about .22 caliber. A #11 cap is too small, but anything larger will do nicely. ROCKETS AND CANNONS Rockets and cannon are generally thought of as heavy artillery. Private citizens do not usually employ such devices, because they are difficult or impossible to acquire. They are not, however, impossible to make. Any individual who can make or buy black powder or pyrodex can produce and fire long range cannons and rockets. Rockets Rockets were first developed by the Chinese several hundred years before the myth of christ began. They were used for entertainment, in the form of fireworks. They were not usually used for military purposes because they were inaccurate, expensive, and unpredictable. In modern times, however, rockets are used constantly by the military, since they are cheap, reliable, and have no recoil. Perpetrators of violence, fortunately, cannot obtain military rockets, but they can make or buy rocket engines. Model rocketry is a popular hobby of the space age, and to launch a rocket, an engine is required. Estes, a subsidiary of Damon, is the leading manufacturer of model rockets and rocket engines. Their most powerful engine, the "D" engine, can develop almost 12 lbs. of thrust; enough to send a relatively large explosive charge a significant distance. Other companies, such as Centuri, produce even larger rocket engines, which develop up to 30 ft lbs. of thrust. These model rocket engines are quite reliable, and are designed to be fired electrically. Most model rocket engines have three basic sections. [ ILLUSTRATIONS AVAILABLE ONLY IN COMMERICIAl PRINTED RELEASE ] The clay nozzle at the bottom is where the igniter is inserted. When the area labelled "thrust" is ignited, the "thrust" material, usually a large single grain of a propellant such as black powder or pyrodex, burns, forcing large volumes of hot, rapidly expanding gasses out the narrow nozzle, pushing the rocket forward. After the material has been consumed, the smoke section of the engine is ignited. It is usually a slow burning material, similar to black powder that has had various compounds added to it to produce visible smoke, usually black, white, or yellow in color. This section exists so that the rocket will be seen when it reaches its maximum altitude, or apogee. When it is burned up, it ignites the ejection charge. The ejection charge consists of finely powdered black powder. It burns very rapidly, and produce a large volume of hot gases. The explosion of the ejection charge pushes out the parachute of the model rocket. It could also be used to ignite a second stage, or to start a fuse. Rocket engines have their own peculiar labeling system. Typical engine labels are: ¼A-2T, ½A-3T, A8-3, B6-4, C6-7, and D12-5. The letter is an indicator of the power of an engine. "B" engines are twice as powerful as "A" engines, and "C" engines are twice as powerful as "B" engines, and so on. The number following the letter is the approximate thrust of the engine, in pounds. the final number and letter is the time delay, from the time that the thrust period of engine burn ends until the ejection charge fires; "3T" indicates a 3 second delay. NOTE: an extremely effective rocket propellant can be made by mixing aluminum dust with ammonium perchlorate and a very small amount of iron oxide. The mixture is usually bound together by an epoxy. Basic Rocket Bomb A rocket bomb is simply what the name implies: a bomb that is delivered to its target by means of a rocket. Most people who would make such a device would use a model rocket engine to power the device. By cutting fins from balsa wood and gluing them to a large rocket engine, such as the Estes "C" engine, a basic rocket could be constructed. Then, a small explosive device would be added. To insure that the fuse of the device is ignited, the clay over the ejection charge of the engine should be scraped off with a plastic tool. Duct tape is the best way to attach an explosive charge to the rocket engine. Note in the diagram the absence of the clay over the ejection charge Many different types of explosive payloads can be attached to the rocket, such as a high explosive, an incendiary device, or a chemical fire bottle. Either four or three fins must be glued to the rocket engine to insure that the rocket flies straight. The fins should be symmetrically spaced.The leading edge and trailing edge should be sanded with sandpaper so that they are rounded. This will help make the rocket fly straight. A two inch long section of a plastic straw can be attached to the rocket to launch it from. A clothes hanger can be cut and made into a launch rod. The segment of a plastic straw should be glued to the rocket engine adjacent to one of the fins of the rocket. By cutting a coat hanger and straightening it, a launch rod can be made. After a fuse is inserted in the engine, the rocket is simply slid down the launch rod, which is put through the segment of plastic straw. The rocket should slide easily along a coat hanger. Long Range Rocket Bomb Long range rockets can be made by using multi stage rockets. Model rocket engines with an "0" for a time delay are designed for use in multi- stage rockets. An engine such as the D12-0 is an excellent example of such an engine. Immediately after the thrust period is over, the ejection charge explodes. If another engine is placed directly against the back of an "0" engine, the explosion of the ejection charge will send hot gasses and burning particles into the nozzle of the engine above it, and ignite the thrust section. This will push the used "0" engine off of the rocket, causing an overall loss of weight. The main advantage of a multi-stage rocket is that it loses weight as travels, and it gains velocity. A multi-stage rocket must be designed somewhat differently than a single stage rocket, since, in order for a rocket to fly straight, its center of gravity must be ahead of its center of drag. This is accomplished by adding weight to the front of the rocket, or by moving the center of drag back by putting fins on the rocket that are well behind the rocket. The fuse is put in the bottom engine. Two, three, or even four stages can be added to a rocket bomb to give it a longer range. It is important, however, that for each additional stage, the fin area gets larger. Cannon The cannon is a piece of artillery that has been in use since the 11th century. It is not unlike a musket, in that it is filled with powder, loaded, and fired. Cannons of this sort must also be cleaned after each shot, otherwise, the projectile may jam in the barrel when it is fired, causing the barrel to explode. Basic Pipe Cannon Almost anyone can make a simple cannon can be made from a thick pipe. The only difficult part is finding a pipe that is extremely smooth on its interior. This is absolutely necessary; otherwise, the projectile may jam. Copper or aluminum piping is usually smooth enough, but it must also be extremely thick to withstand the pressure developed by the expanding hot gasses in a cannon. If one uses a projectile, such as a modified M-100 or similar device, a pipe that is about 1.5 - 2 feet long is ideal. Such a pipe must have walls that are at least ½ inch thick, and be very smooth on the interior. If possible, screw an end plug into the pipe. Otherwise, the pipe must be crimped and folded closed, without cracking or tearing the pipe. A small hole is drilled in the back of the pipe near the crimp or end plug. Then, all that need be done is fill the pipe with about two teaspoons of grade blackpowder or pyrodex, insert a fuse, pack it lightly by ramming a wad of tissue paper down the barrel, and drop in a CO2 cartridge. Brace the cannon securely against a strong structure, light the fuse, and run. If the person is lucky, he will not have overcharged the cannon, and he will not be hit by pieces of exploding barrel. An exploding projectile can be made for this type of cannon with a CO2 cartridge. It is relatively simple to do. Just make a crater maker, and construct it such that the fuse projects about an inch from the end of the cartridge. Then, wrap the fuse with duct tape, covering it entirely, except for a small amount at the end. Put this in the pipe cannon without using a tissue paper packing wad. When the cannon is fired, it will ignite the end of the fuse, and launch the cartridge. The explosive-filled cartridge will explode in about three seconds, if all goes well. Rocket Firing Cannon A rocket firing cannon can be made exactly like a normal cannon; the only difference is the ammunition. A rocket fired from a cannon will fly further than a rocket launched alone, since the action of shooting it overcomes the initial inertia. A rocket that is launched when it is moving will go further than one that is launched when it is stationary. Such a rocket would resemble a normal rocket bomb, except it would have no fins. The fuse on such a device would, obviously, be short, but it would not be ignited until the rocket's ejection charge exploded. Thus, the delay before the ejection charge, in effect, becomes the delay before the bomb explodes. Note that no fuse need be put in the rocket; the burning powder in the cannon will ignite it, and simultaneously push the rocket out of the cannon at a high velocity. Reinforced Pipe Cannon In high school, a friend of mine built cannons and launched CO2 cartridges, etc. However, the design of the cannon is of interest here. It was made from two sections of plain steel water pipe reinforced with steel wire, and lead. The first section had in inside diamter of one inch, and an outside diameter of an inch less than the inside diamter of the second length of pipe. The smaller pipe was wrapped with steel wire and placed inside the larger section. They dug into the side of a sand pile and built a chimney out of firebrick. Then they stood the assembled pipe and wire on end in the chimney, sitting on some bricks. By using a blowtorch to heat up the chimney, the pipe was heated until it was red hot. Then molten lead was poured into the space between the pipes. If the caps aren't screwed on tight, some of the lead will leak out. If that happens, turn off the blowtorch and the pipe will cool enough and the lead will stiffen and stop the leak. They used both homemade and commercial black powder, and slow smokeless shotgun powder in the cannon. Fast smokeless powder is not reccomended, as it can generate pressures which will transform your cannon into a large bomb. After hundreds of shots they cut the cannon into several sections, and cut two of these the long way and seperated the components. There was no visible evidence of cracking or swelling of the inner pipe. VISUAL PYROTECHNICS There are many other types of pyrotechnics that can be used. Smoke bombs can be purchased in magic stores, and large military smoke bombs can be bought through advertisements in gun and military magazines. Even the "harmless" pull-string fireworks, which consists of a sort of firecracker that explodes when the strings running through it are pulled, could be placed inside a large charge of a sensitive explosive. Smoke Bombs One type of pyrotechnic device that might be deployed in many way would be a smoke bomb. Such a device could conceal the getaway route, or cause a diversion, or simply provide cover. Such a device, were it to produce enough smoke that smelled bad enough, could force the evacuation of a building, for example. Smoke bombs are not difficult to make. Although the military smoke bombs employ powdered white phosphorus or titanium compounds, these raw materials are difficult to obtain. Instead, these devices can often be purchased through surplus stores, or one might make the smoke bomb from scratch. Most homemade smoke bombs usually employ some type of base powder, such as black powder or pyrodex, to support combustion. The base material will burn well, and provide heat to cause the other materials in the device to burn, but not completely or cleanly. Table sugar, mixed with sulfur and a base material, produces large amounts of smoke. Sawdust, especially if it has a small amount of oil in it, and a base powder works well also. Other excellent smoke ingredients are small pieces of rubber, finely ground plastics, and many chemical mixtures. The material in road flares can be mixed with sugar and sulfur and a base powder produces much smoke. Most of the fuel-oxidizer mixtures, if the ratio is not correct, produce much smoke when added to a base powder. The list of possibilities goes on and on. The trick to a successful smoke bomb also lies in the container used. A plastic cylinder works well, and contributes to the smoke produced. The hole in the smoke bomb where the fuse enters must be large enough to allow the material to burn without causing an explosion. This is another plus for plastic containers, since they will melt and burn when the smoke material ignites, producing an opening large enough to prevent an explosion. Simple Smoke There are many ways to produce moderate quantities of dense smoke from simple materials. Motor oil works well, but is not good for the environment. You can also mix six parts powdered zinc with one part powdered sulfur. This mixture can be ignited by safety fuse or a red hot wire.this formula is very similar to the zinc and sulfur rocket propellants used in some amateur rocketry, and will produce pressure and much less smoke if confined. Colored Flames Colored flames can often be used as a signaling device. by putting a ball of colored flame material in a rocket; the rocket, when the ejection charge fires, will send out a burning colored ball. The materials that produce the different colors of flames appear below. COLOR MATERIAL USED IN red strontium nitrate road flares green barium nitrate green sparklers yellow Sodium nitrate salt blue copper (+ PVC) old pennies white magnesium (use alone!) fire starters, tubing purple potassium permanganate treating sewage Fireworks While fireworks are becoming much more difficult to obtain, it isn't very difficult to produce quality hand-made pieces. The most important factor in achieving a reliable firework is practice. While your first few attempts are likely to be spectacular failures, you can learn from your mistakes. There is no fast way to become proficient at hand production- patient practice is the key to consistent, reliable displays. Firecrackers A simple firecracker can be made from cardboard tubing and epoxy. The common spiral wound tubes are not very effective for firecrackers made from slower burning powders, though they will work with flash powder. The tubing used should be reasonably thick-walled, and can be produced by winding kraft paper on a steel core. after winding two layers on the core the paper should be coated with a thin layer of glue (any light glue will work) for the remaining layers. The core should be removed after winding, as the tube will shrink slightly as it dries. 1) Cut a small piece of cardboard tubing from the tube you are using. "Small" means anything less than 4 times the diameter of the tube. 2) Set the section of tubing down on a piece of wax paper, and fill it with epoxy and the drying agent to a height of 3/4 the diameter of the tubing. Allow the epoxy to dry to maximum hardness, as specified on the package. 3) When it is dry, put a small hole in the middle of the tube, and insert a desired length of fuse. 4) Fill the tube with any type of flame sensitive explosive. Flash powder, pyrodex, black powder, nitrocellulose, or any of the fast burning fuel-oxidizer mixtures will do nicely. Fill the tube almost to the top. 5) Fill the remainder of the tube with the epoxy and hardener, and allow it to dry. 6) For those who wish to make spectacular firecrackers, use flash powder, mixed with a small amount of other material for colors. By adding powdered iron, orange sparks will be produced. White sparks can be produced from magnesium shavings, or from small, LIGHTLY crumpled balls of aluminum foil. Skyrockets Impressive skyrockets can be easily produced from model rocket engines, with a few minor modifications. While rocket engines for rockets can be made from scratch, it is difficult to produce a reliable product. MATERIALS Model Rocket engine (see below) Paper tubing flash powder Bamboo stick glue plastic scraper Commercially produced model rocket engines are available from most hobby stores. They are discussed in detail on page 65. If bamboo rods are not available, any thin dowel rod can be used. The rod serves as a stabilizer to help maintain the skyrocket's path. If the rod is too heavy it will cause the rocket to spiral, or even to double back. Either buy a section of body tube for model rockets that exactly fits the engine, or make a tube from several thicknesses of paper and glue. Scrape out the clay backing on the back of the engine, so that the powder is exposed. Glue the tube to the engine, so that the tube covers at least half the engine. Pour a small charge of flash powder in the tube, about ½ an inch. By adding materials as detailed in the section on firecrackers, various types of effects can be produced. By putting Jumping Jacks or bottle rockets with the stick removed in the tube, spectacular displays with moving fireballs can be produced. Finally, by mounting many home made firecrackers on the tube with the fuses in the tube, multiple colored bursts can be made. Roman Candles Roman candles are impressive to watch. They are relatively difficult to make, compared to the other types of home-made fireworks, but they are well worth the trouble. 1) Buy a ½ inch thick model rocket body tube, and reinforce it with several layers of paper and/or masking tape. This must be done to prevent the tube from exploding. Cut the tube into about 10 inch lengths. 2) Put the tube on a sheet of wax paper, and seal one end with epoxy and the drying agent. Half an inch is sufficient. 3) Put a hole in the tube just above the bottom layer of epoxy, and insert a desired length of water proof fuse. Make sure that the fuse fits tightly. 4) Pour an inch of pyrodex or gunpowder down the open end of the tube. 5) Make a ball by powdering about two 6 inch sparklers of the desired color. Mix this powder with a small amount of flash powder and a small amount of pyrodex, to have a final ratio (by volume) of: 60% sparkler material 20% flash powder 20% pyrodex. After mixing the powders well, add water, one drop at a time, and mixing continuously, until a damp paste is formed. This paste should be moldable by hand, and should retain its shape when left alone. Make a ball out of the paste that just fits into the tube. Allow the ball to dry. 6) When it is dry, drop the ball down the tube. It should slide down fairly easily. Put a small wad of tissue paper in the tube, and pack it gently against the ball with a pencil. 7) Repeat steps 4 through 6 for each "shot" the candle will have. 8) When ready to use, put the candle in a hole in the ground, pointed in a safe direction, light the fuse, and run. If the device works, a colored fireball should shoot out of the tube. The height can be increased by adding a slightly larger powder charge in step 4, or by using a slightly longer tube. If the ball does not ignite, add slightly more pyrodex to thepaste made in step 5. The balls made for roman candles also function very well in rockets, producing an effect of colored falling fireballs. LISTS OF SUPPLIERS AND MORE INFORMATION Most, if not all, of the information in this publication can be obtained through a public or university library. There are also many publications that are put out by people who want to make money by telling other people how to make explosives at home. Advertisements for such appear frequently in paramilitary magazines and newspapers. This list is presented to show the large number of places that information and materials can be purchased from. This listing also includes fireworks companies. The fact that a company is listed here does not imply any endorsement or relationship with them. COMPANY NAME AND ADDRESS WHAT COMPANY SELLS Full Auto Co. Inc. Explosive Formulas P.O. Box 1881 paper tubing,plugs MURFREESBORO, TN 37133 MJ Distributing Fireworks Formulas P.O. Box 10585 YAKIMA,WA 98909 American Fireworks News Fireworks News Magazine. SR Box 30 sources and techniques DINGMAN'S FERRY, accurate source of info PENNSYLVANIA 18328 Barnett Int'l Inc. Bows, Crossbows, archery 125 Runnels St. equipment, some air rifles P.O. Box 226 quality varies by price PORT HURON, MICHIGAN 48060 Crossman Air Guns Large assortment of air P.O. Box 22927 guns, quality varies. ROCHESTER, NEW YORK 14692 R. Allen Professional Construction P.O. BOX 146 books and formulas WILLOW GROVE, PA 19090 Executive Protection gas grenades, cutlery Products and protection devices 316 California Ave. RENO, NEVADA 89509 Unlimited Chemicals Box 1378-SN Cannon Fuse HERMISTON, OREGON 97838 Badger Fireworks Co. Class "B" and "C" Fireworks Box 1451 Janesville, WISCONSIN 53547 New England Fireworks Class "C" Fireworks P.O. Box 3504 STANFORD, CONNECTICUT 06095 Rainbow Trail Class "C" Fireworks Box 581 EDGEMONT, PENNSYLVANIA 19028 Stonington Fireworks Inc. Class "C" and "B" Fireworks 4010 New Wilsey Bay U.25 Road RAPID RIVER, MICHIGAN 49878 Windy City Fireworks Class "C" and "B" Fireworks P.O. BOX 11 ROCHESTER, INDIANA 46975 Loompanics Books on Explosives, P.O. Box 1197 Survival, etc Port Townsend, WA 98368. Sierra Supply Army Surplus, PO Box 1390 Technical Manuals Durrango, CO 81302 (303)-259-1822. Paladin Press The most well known P.O. Box 1307 dealer of books on Boulder, CO 80306 explosives, etc Delta Press Ltd Books P.O. Box 1625 Dept. 893 El Dorado, AR 71731 Phoenix Systems Cannon Fuse, Mil surplus P.O. Box 3339 and many books Evergreen CO 80439 Wide selection U.S. Cavalry Military and adventure 2855 Centennial Ave. equipment Radcliff, KY 40160-9000 (502)351-1164 BOOKS The Anarchist's Cookbook (highly inaccurate) Blaster's Handbook [Dynamite user's manual] Dupont (explosives manufacturer) This manual is reasonably priced at around $20, and has a lot of material on rock removal and other common blasting operations. Includes information on propagation blasting and charge calculation. Manual Of Rock Blasting [Dynamite user's manual] This manual from Atlas is a bit expensive at $60, but it covers everything found in the Blaster's Handbook, as well as demolition and other operations. The Anarchist Arsenal: Incendiary and Explosive Techniques [Erroneous] 112p. 1990, ISBN 0-585-38217-6, Paladin Press Ragnar's Guide to Home and Recreational Use of High Explosives Benson, Ragnar. 120p. 1988, ISBN 0-87364-478-6, Paladin Press Part of a series of very inaccurate books, anything with Benson Ragner's name on it should be taken with a grain of salt. Deadly Brew: Advanced Improvised Explosives [highly unsafe] Lecker, Seymour. 64p. 1987, ISBN 0-87364-418-2, Paladin Press Explosive Dust: Advanced Improvised Explosives [death trap] Lecker, Seymour. 60p. 1991 ISBN 0-87364-587-1, Paladin Press Improvised Explosives: How to Make Your Own [almost correct] Lecker, Seymour. 80p. 1985 ISBN 0-87364-320-8, Paladin Press The Poor Man's James Bond: Homemade Poisons, Explosives, Improvised Firearms, Pyrotechnics... [Criminology series] Saxon, K. 1986 ISBN 0-8490-3675-5 Atlan Formularies The New Improved Poor Mans's James Bond, No. 1 (6th ed.) [lab manual] Saxon, Kurt 477p. 1988 ISBN 0-318-41070-2 Atlan This volume includes material from Weingarts Pyrotechnics as well as some original material. This is one of the most well known books in the field. The Poor Man's James Bond, Vol 2 [lab manual, reprints from asstd. sources] Saxon, K. 484p. 1987 ISBN 0-318-41071-0 Atlan Explosives and Demolitions U.S. Army Staff. 188p. 1967 ISBN 0-87364-077-2 Paladin Press. This manual is US Army, and is very complete and accurate, although it is somewhat outdated. Prices range from $5.00 to $15.00 . Improvised Munitions Handbook U.S. Army Staff, Technical Manual 31-210 The procedures given are feasible, but they written are with the presumption that the maker is willing to accept a high degree of risk. Pyrotechnics George W. Weingart. Gives ingredients, proper handling techniques, and several formulas for the production of a numbeer of professional pyrotechnic devices. Explosives Arthur Marshall - Chemical Inspector, Ordnance Dept. England Published by P. Blakiston's Son & Co. in 2 volumes Volume one covers production and volume two covers properties and tests. Both are illustrated, very comprehensive and well written. Hazardous Chemical Desk Reference N. Irving Sax and R.J. Lewis, SR. Reinhold Press 1096pp A quick reference guide to 4,700 of the most commonly used hazardous chemicals and compounds, includes incompatibilities and hazards. The Merck Index [11th Edition] S. Budavari et al Eds: Merck, Rahway, Nj 2368pp Covers more than 10,000 chemicals with information on properties, production, uses, and other essential facts. The ultimate desk reference for all chemists, this volume is available for $44 from a number of sources. CRC Handbook of Laboratory Safety [2nd Edition] Ed. N.U. Steere, CRC Press 864pp The CRC Handbook is a valuable resource, and includes standard laboratory safety measures as well as procedures for using and disposing of many commonly encountered materials. Well worth the $90 list price. Explosives R. Meyer. 3rd Edition UCH Publisher, Weinheim, FRG 1987 452pp Covers the entire field, with nearly 500 entries including formulas and descriptions for 120 explosive chemicals as well as 60 fuels and oxidizing agents. This softcover manual is available from Aldrich Chemical for $128 LIST OF USEFUL HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS Anyone can get many chemicals from hardware stores, supermarkets, and drug stores to get the materials needed to produce explosives or other dangerous compounds. Household sources often contain impurities which can have an adverse effect when used in pyrotechnic reactions. The presence of impurities will often change the sensitivity of an explosive. Whenever possible, it is best to use pure technical grade supplies. Chemical Used In Available at acetone nail polish rmvr,paint thnr Hardware,Drug alcohol, ethyl alcoholic drinks, solvents liquor,hardware aluminum (foil) packaging, baking grocery aluminum (pwdr/dust) bronzing powder paint store ammonium hydroxide CLEAR household ammonia supermarkets ammonium nitrate cold packs,fertilizer drug stores butane Cig. lighter refills drug store calcium chloride sidewalk de-icer hardware carbon carbon batter hardware ethanol denatured alcohol drug store ethyl ether auto quick start fluid auto supply fuel oil diesel vehicles gas stations glycerine drug stores hexamine Hexamine camp stoves camping, surplus hydrochloric acid muriatic acid (cleaning) hardware hydrogen peroxide hair bleaching solution salon iodine disinfectant(soln in alcohol)drug store magnesium fire starters, heater anodes camping,plumbing methenamine hexamine camp stoves camping,surplus nitrous oxide whipped cream cans,poppers Gas suppliers, head shops potassium permanganate water purification purification supplier propane bottled stove gas camping,hardware sulfuric acid Car battery (refills) automotive sulfuric acid Root destroyer (with solids) hardware,garden sulfur gardening (many impurities) hardware sodium hydroxide Lye, oven cleaners hardware,grocery sodium nitrate fertilizer "nitre" gardening sodium perchlorate solidox (torch pellets) hardware toluene lacquer thinner paint supply CHECKLIST OF USEFUL CHEMICALS The serious explosives researcher soon realizes that if he wishes to make a truly useful explosive, he will have to obtain the chemicals through any of a number of channels. Many chemicals can be ordered through chemical supply companies. To avoid embarassment, place an order for large quantities of a few unrelated chemicals at each of several companies, and if possible, use seperate addresses for each order. A list of useful chemicals in order of priority would probably resemble the following: LIQUIDS SOLIDS Nitric Acid Potassium Perchlorate Sulfuric Acid Potassium Chlorate 95% Ethanol Picric Acid (powder) Toluene Ammonium Nitrate Perchloric Acid Powdered Magnesium Hydrochloric Acid Powdered Aluminum Potassium Permanganate GASES Sulfur (flowers of) Mercury Potassium Nitrate Hydrogen Potassium Hydroxide Oxygen Phosphorus Chlorine Sodium Azide Carbon Dioxide Lead Acetate Nitrogen Barium Nitrate Helium FUEL-OXIDIZER MIXTURES There are nearly an infinite number of fuel-oxidizer mixtures that can be produced in the home. Some are very effective and dangerous, while others are safer and (usually) less effective. A list of working fuel- oxidizer mixtures is presented, but the exact measurements of each compound are not set in stone. A rough estimate is given of the percentages of each fuel and oxidizer. NOTE: Mixtures that uses substitutions of sodium perchlorate for potassium perchlorate become moisture-absorbent and less stable. In general, sodium compounds are much more hygroscopic than their potassium equivalents. Magnesium can usually be substituted for aluminum. Using magnesium makes the mixture more powerful, but it also increases instability and makes it more shock sensitive. There are some chemicals with which magnesium will react spontaneously, and it decomposes in the presence of any moisture. Perchlorates can usually be substituted for chlorates. The perchlorate is much more stable, and has a lower safety risk than chlorates. If chlorates must be used they should never be mixed with sulfur or gunpowder. It is a good idea to add a small amount of calcium carbonate to any mixture containing chlorates. The higher the speed number, the faster the fuel-oxidizer mixture burns after ignition. Also, as a rule, the finer the powder, the faster the burn rate. Extremely fine aluminum powder is detrimental because the layer of aluminum oxide becomes a significant fraction of the weight when particle size is very small. As one can easily see, there is a wide variety of fuel-oxidizer mixtures that can be made at home. By altering the amounts of fuel and oxidizer(s), different burn rates can be achieved, but this also can change the sensitivity of the mixture. USEFUL PYROCHEMISTRY In general, it is possible to make many chemicals from just a few basic ones. A list of useful chemical reactions is presented. It assumes knowledge of general chemistry; any individual who does not understand the following reactions would merely have to read the first few chapters of a high school chemistry book. potassium perchlorate from perchloric acid and potassium hydroxide K(OH) + HClO4 KClO4+ H2O potassium nitrate from nitric acid and potassium hydroxide K(OH) + HNO3 KNO3+ H2O ammonium perchlorate from perchloric acid and ammonium hydroxide NH3OH + HClO4 NH3ClO4+ H2O ammonium nitrate from nitric acid and ammonium hydroxide NH3OH + HNO3 NH3NO3 + H2O powdered aluminum from acids, aluminum foil, and magnesium aluminum foil + 6HCl3 2AlCl + 3H2; 2AlCl3(aq) + 3Mg 3MgCl2 (aq) + 2Al The Al will be a very fine silvery powder at the bottom of the container which must be filtered and dried. This same method works with nitric and sulfuric acids, but these acids are too valuable in the production of high explosives to use for such a purpose, unless they are available in great excess. Reactions of assorted fuel-oxidizer mixtures Balanced equations of some oxidizer/metal reactions. Only major products are considered. Excess metal powders are generally used. This excess burns with atmospheric oxygen. 2KNO3 + 5Mg K2O + N2 + 5MgO + energy KClO3 + 2Al KCl + Al2O3 + energy 3KClO4 + 8Al 3KCl + 4Al2O3 + energy 6KMnO4 + 14Al 3K2O + 7Al2O3 + 6Mn + energy ## The Terrorist Encyclopedia by METAMORPHOSIS of The Psycho Department ## Special greetings to all those guys whose work have been used in ## this encyclopedia ## THE PSYCHO DEPARTMENT is a subgroup of <\ THE CORPORATION /> ## Version 1.02 special AmigaGuide version Table of Contents: 1 CHEMICALS {"1.1 ACQUIRING CHEMICALS " Link CHEMICALS} {"1.2 LIST OF USEFUL HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS AND AVAILABILITY " Link LIST} 1.3 PREPARATION OF CHEMICALS {"1.31 Nitric Acid " Link NITRIC} {"1.32 Sulfuric Acid " Link SULFURIC} {"1.33 Ammonium Nitrate " Link AMMONIUM} {"2 EXPLOSIVES " Link EXPLOSIVES} {"2.1 BUYING EXPLOSIVES AND PROPELLANTS " Link BUYING} {"2.11 Black Powder " Link BLACK} {"2.12 Pyrodex " Link PYRODEX} {"2.13 Rocket Engine Powder " Link ROCKET} {"2.14 Rifle/Shotgun Powder " Link RIFLE} {"2.15 Flash Powder " Link FLASH} {"2.16 Ammonium Nitrate " Link NITRATE} {"2.2 EXPLOSIVE RECIPIES " Link RECIPIES} {"2.21 IMPACT EXPLOSIVES " Link IMPACT} {"2.211 Ammonium Triiodide Crystals " Link CRYSTALS} {"2.212 Mercury Fulminate " Link MERCURY} {"2.213 Nitroglycerine " Link NITRO} {"2.214 Picrates " Link PICRATES} {"2.22 LOW ORDER EXPLOSIVES " Link LOW} {"2.221 Black Powder " Link POWDER} {"2.2211 Black Powder:Grandpas Recipe " Link GPOWDER} {"2.222 Nitrocellulose " Link CELL} {"2.223 Fuel + Oxodizer mixtures " Link FUEL} {"2.224 Perchlorates " Link PERCH} {"2.225 Red or White powder " Link RORW} {"2.226 Acetone Peroxide Explosive " Link ACE} {"2.23 HIGH ORDER EXPLOSIVES " Link HIGH} {"2.231 R.D.X. (Cyclonite) " Link RDX} {"2.2311 R.D.X. II " Link RDX2} {"2.232 Ammonium Nitrate " Link AMM} {"2.233 ANFOS " Link ANFOS} {"2.234 T.N.T. " Link TNT} {"2.2341 T.N.T. II " Link TNT2} {"2.235 Potassium Chlorate " Link POT} {"2.236 Dynamite " Link DYNAMITE} {"2.237 Nitrostarch Explosives " Link STARCH} {"2.238 Picric Acid " Link PICRIC} {"2.239 Ammonium Picrate (Explosive D) " Link D} {"2.2391 Nitrogen Trichloride " Link GEN} {"2.2392 Lead Azide " Link LEAD} {"2.2393 Astrolite " Link ASTRO} {"2.24 OTHER 'EXPLOSIVES' " Link OTHER} {"2.241 Thermite " Link THERMITE} {"2.242 Molotov Cocktails " Link MOLCOCK} {"2.243 Chemical Fire Bottle " Link CFIRE} {"2.244 Bottled Gas Explosives " Link BGAS} {"2.3 USING EXPLOSIVES " Link USING} {"2.31 SAFETY " Link SAFETY} {"2.32 IGNITION DEVICES " Link IGNITION} {"2.321 Fuse Ignition " Link FUSE} {"2.3211 Blackmatch Fuse " Link BFUSE} {"2.322 Impact Ignition " Link IMPACT} {"2.323 Electrical Ignition " Link EL-IGN} {"2.324 Electro - Mechanical Ignition " Link EL-MEK} {"2.325 Mercury Switches " Link MERC} {"2.326 Tripwire Switches " Link TRIPWIRE} {"2.327 Radio Control Detonators " Link RADIO} {"2.328 Mini-Compound Detonator's " Link MINI-C} {"2.33 DELAYS " Link DELAY} {"2.331 Fuse Delays " Link DFUSE} {"2.332 Timer Delays " Link TIMER} {"2.333 Chemical Delays " Link CHEMD} {"2.34 EXPLOSIVE CONTAINERS " Link EXPCON} {"2.341 Paper Containers " Link PAPCON} {"2.342 Metal Containers " Link METCON} {"2.343 Glass Containers " Link GLACON} {"2.344 Plastic Containers " Link PLACON} {"2.35 ADVANCED USES FOR EXPLOSIVES " Link ADEXPLO} {"2.351 Shaped Charges " Link SHACHA} {"2.352 Tube Explosives " Link TUEXPL} {"2.353 Atomized Particle Explosions " Link ATPAR} {"2.354 Lightbulb Bombs " Link LIGHT} {"2.355 Book Bombs " Link BOOK} {"2.356 Phone Bombs " Link PHONE} 3 WEAPONS {"3.1 SPECIAL AMMUNITION FOR PROJECTILE WEAPONS " Link SPECIAL} {"3.11 PROJECTILE WEAPONS (PRIMITIVE) " Link PROWEAP} {"3.111 Bow and Crossbow Ammunition " Link BOW} {"3.112 Blowgun Ammunition " Link BLOW} {"3.113 Wrist Rocket and Slingshot Ammunition " Link WRIST} {"3.114 Portable Grenade Launcher " Link PORTABLE} {"3.12 PROJECTILE WEAPONS (FIREARMS) " Link FIREARMS} {"3.121 Handgun Ammunition " Link HANDGUNS} {"3.122 Shotguns " Link SHOTGUNS} {"3.13 PROJECTILE WEAPONS (COMPRESSED GAS) " Link AIR} {"3.131 .177 Caliber B.B Gun Ammunition " Link BB} {"3.132 .22 Caliber Pellet Gun Ammunition " Link PELLET} 3.2 IMPROVISED WEAPONS 3.21 BOMBS {"3.211 Expedient Grenades " Link GRENADES} {"3.212 Milk Carton Bomb " Link MILK} {"3.213 Carbide Bomb " Link CARBIDE} {"3.214 Soft Drink Can Bomb " Link SOFT} {"3.215 How to Make a Pipe Bomb " Link PIPE} {"3.216 Miniature Claymore Mine " Link MINE} 3.22 GUNS {"3.221 How to make a Ice Gun " Link ICE} {"4 ROCKETS, CANNONS & LAUNCHERS " Link ROCCAN} {"4.1 ROCKETS " Link ROCKETS} {"4.11 Basic Rocket-Bomb " Link BASIC} {"4.12 Long Range Rocket-Bomb " Link LONG} {"4.13 Multiple Warhead Rocket-Bombs " Link MULTI} {"4.2 CANNONS " Link CANNONS} {"4.21 Basic Pipe Cannon " Link BCAN} {"4.22 Rocket-Firing Cannon " Link FIRE} {"4.23 Tennis Ball Cannons " Link TENNIS} {"5 PYROTECHNICA ERRATA " Link PYRO} {"5.1 SMOKE BOMBS " Link SMOKE} {"5.11 Simple Smoke/Stink Bomb " Link SIMPLE} {"5.12 Simple Smoke Bomb " Link SSMOKE} {"5.13 Smoke Smoke Smoke.... " Link SSS} {"5.2 Colored Flames " Link COLOR} {"5.3 Tear Gas " Link TEAR} {"5.31 Laughing Gas " Link GAS} {"5.4 FIREWORKS " Link FWORKS} {"5.41 Firecrackers " Link CRACKERS} {"5.42 Skyrockets " Link SKY} {"5.43 Roman Candles " Link ROMAN} 6 USEFUL CHEMISTRY {"6.1 POISONS " Link POISONS} {"6.11 List of Poisons " Link LPOISONS} {"6.2 DRUGS " Link DRUGS} {"6.21 Banandine " Link BANAN} {"6.22 Peanuts " Link PEANUTS} {"6.23 Marijuana " Link MARI} 7 USEFUL TECHNIQUES {"7.1 LOCKPICKING " Link LOCK} {"7.11 Picking Locks The Easy Way " Link WAY} {"7.12 Picking Combination Locks " Link COMBI} {"7.13 How to Pick MASTER Locks " Link MASTER} {"7.2 HOW TO CONTERFEIT " Link FEIT} {"8 USEFUL PYROCHEMISTRY " Link USEFUL} 9 USEFUL INFORMATION {"9.1 Fun with Alarms " Link FUN} EndNode Node CHEMICALS "1.1 ACQUIRING CHEMICALS" The first section deals with getting chemicals legally. This section deals with "procuring" them. The best place to steal chemicals is a college. Many state schools have all of their chemicals out on the shelves in the labs, and more in their chemical stockrooms. Evening is the best time to enter lab buildings, as there are the least number of people in the buildings, and most of the labs will still be unlocked. One simply takes a bookbag, wears a dress shirt and jeans, and tries to resemble a college freshman. If anyone asks what such a person is doing, the thief can simply say that he is looking for the polymer chemistry lab, or`some other chemistrymrelated department other than the one they are in. One can usually find out where the various labs and departments in a building are by calling the university. There are, of course other techniques for getting into labs after hours, such as placing a piece of cardboard in the latch of an unused door, such as a back exit. Then, all one needs to do is come back at a later hour. Also, before this is done, terrorists check for security systems. If one just walks into a lab, even if there is someone there, and walks out the back exit, and slip the cardboard in the latch before the door closes, the person in the lab will never know what happened. It is also a good idea to observe the building that one plans to rob at the time that one plans to rob it several days before the actual theft is done. This is advisable since the would- be thief should know when and if the campus security makes patrols through buildings. Of course, if none of these methods are successful, there is always section 2.11, but as a rule, college campus security is pretty poor, and nobody suspects another person in the building of doing anything wrong, even if they are there at an odd hour. LIST OF USEFUL HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS AND THEIR AVAILABILITY" Anyone can get many chemicals from hardware stores, supermarkets, and drug stores to get the materials to make explosives or other dangerous compounds. A would-be terrorist would merely need a station wagon and some money to acquire many of the chemicals named here. Chemical Used In Available at ________ _______ ____________ alcohol, ethyl * alcoholic beverages liquor stores solvents (95% min. for both) hardware stores ammonia + CLEAR household ammonia supermarkets/7-eleven ammonium instant-cold paks, drug stores, nitrate fertilizers medical supply stores nitrous oxide pressurizing whip cream party supply stores poppers (like CO2 ctgs.) Head shops, The Alley Belmont/Clark, Chgo magnesium firestarters surplus/camping stores lecithin vitamins pharmacies/drug stores mineral oil cooking, laxative supermarket/drug stores mercury mercury thermometers supermarkets/hardware stores sulfuric acid uncharged car batteries automotive stores glycerine ? pharmacies/drug stores sulfur gardening gardening/hardware store charcoal charcoal grills supermarkets/gardening stores sodium nitrate fertilizer gardening store cellulose (cotton) first aid drug/medical supply stores strontium nitrate road flares surplus/auto stores, fuel oil kerosene stoves surplus/camping stores, bottled gas propane stoves surplus/camping stores, potassium permanganate water purification purification plants hexamine or hexamine stoves surplus/camping stores methenamine (camping) nitric acid ^ cleaning printing printing shops plates photography stores Iodine disinfectant (tinture) Pharmacy, OSCO sodium perchlorate solidox pellets hardware stores (VERY impure) for cutting torches notes: * ethyl alcohol is mixed with methyl alcohol when it is used as a solvent. Methyl alcohol is very poisonous. Solvent alcohol must be at least 95% ethyl alcohol if it is used to make mercury fulminate. Methyl alcohol may prevent mercury fulminate from forming. + Ammonia, when bought in stores comes in a variety of forms. The pine and cloudy ammonias should not be bought; only the clear ammonia should be used to make ammonium triiodide crystals. @ Mercury thermometers are becoming a rarity, unfortunately. They may be hard to find in most stores as they have been superseded by alcohol and other less toxic fillings. Mercury is also used in mercury switches, which are available at electronics stores. Mercury is a hazardous substance, and should be kept in the thermometer or mercury switch until used. It gives off mercury vapors which will cause brain damage if inhaled. For this reason, it is a good idea not to spill mercury, and to always use it outdoors. Also, do not get it in an open cut; rubber gloves will help prevent this. ^ Nitric acid is very difficult to find nowadays. It is usually stolen by bomb makers, or made by the process described in a later section. A desired concentration for making explosives about 70%. & The iodine sold in drug stores is usually not the pure crystaline form that is desired for producing ammonium triiodide crystals. To obtain the pure form, it must usually be acquired by a doctor's prescription, but this can be expensive. Once again, theft is the means that terrorists result to. NITRIC "1.31 NITRIC ACIDØ There are several ways to make this most essential of all acids for explosives. One method by which it could be made will be presented. Once again, be reminded that these methods SHOULD NOT BE CARRIED OUT!! Materials: Equipment: ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ sodium nitrate or adjustable heat source potassium nitrate retort distilled water ice bath concentrated sulfuric acid stirring rod collecting flask with stopper 1) Pour 32 milliliters of concentrated sulfuric acid into the retort. 2) Carefully weigh out 58 grams of sodium nitrate, or 68 grams of potassium nitrate. and add this to the acid slowly. If it all does not dissolve, carefully stir the solution with a glass rod until it does. 3) Place the open end of the retort into the collecting flask, and place the collecting flask in the ice bath. 4) Begin heating the retort, using low heat. Continue heating until liquid begins`to come out`of the end of the`retort. The liquid that forms is nitric acid. Heat until the precipitate in the bottom of the retort is almost dry, or until no more nitric acid is forming. CAUTION: If the acid is headed too strongly, the nitric acid will decompose as soon as it is formed. This can result in the production of highly flammable and toxic gasses that may explode. It is a good idea to set the above apparatus up, and then get away from it. Potassium nitrate could also be obtained from store-bought black powder, simply by dissolving black powder in boiling water and filtering out the sulfur and charcoal. To obtain 68 g of potassium nitrate, it would be necessary to dissolve about 90 g of black powder in about one litre of boiling water. Filter the dissolved solution through filter paper in a funnel into a jar until the liquid that pours through is clear. The charcoal and sulfur in black powder are insoluble in water, and so when the solution of water is allowed to evaporate, potassium nitrate will be left in the jar. SULFURIC "1.32 SULFURIC ACID" Sulfuric acid is far too difficult to make outside of a laboratory or industrial plant. However, it is readily available in an uncharged car battery. A person wishing to make sulfuric acid would simply remove the top of a car battery and pour the acid into a glass container. There would probably be pieces of lead from the battery in the acid which would have to be removed, either by boiling or filtration. The concentration of the sulfuric acid can also be increased by boiling it; very pure sulfuric acid pours slightly faster than clean motor oil. AMMONIUM "1.33 AMMONIUM NITRATE" Ammonium nitrate is a very powerful but insensitive high-order explosive. It could be made very easily by pouring nitric acid into a large flask in an ice bath. Then, by simply pouring household ammonia into the flask and running away, ammonium nitrate would be formed. After the materials have stopped reacting, one would simply have to leave the solution in a warm place until all of the water and any unneutralized ammonia or acid have evaporated. There would be a fine powder formed, which would be ammonium nitrate. It must be kept in an airtight container, because of its tendency to pick up water from the air. The crystals formed in the above process would have to be heated VERY gently to drive off the remaining water. EXPLOSIVES "2 EXPLOSIVES" An explosive is any material that, when ignited by heat or shock, undergoes rapid decomposition or oxidation. This process releases energy that is stored in the material in the form of heat and light, or by breaking down into gaseous compounds that occupy a much larger volume that the original piece of material. Because this expansion is very rapid, large volumes of air are displaced by the expanding gasses. This expansion occurs at a speed greater than the speed of sound, and so a sonic boom occurs. This explains the mechanics behind an explosion. Explosives occur in several forms: high-order explosives which detonate, low order explosives, which burn, and primers, which may do both. High order explosives detonate. A detonation occurs only in a high order explosive. Detonations are usually incurred by a shockwave that passes through a block of the high explosive material. The shockwave breaks apart the molecular bonds between the atoms of the substance, at a rate approximately equal to the speed of sound traveling through that material. In a high explosive, the fuel and oxodizer are chemically bonded, and the shockwave breaks apart these bonds, and re-combines the two materials to produce mostly gasses. T.N.T., ammonium nitrate, and R.D.X. are examples of high order explosives. Low order explosives do not detonate; they burn, or undergo oxidation. when heated, the fuel(s) and oxodizer(s) combine to produce heat, light, and gaseous products. Some low order materials burn at about the same speed under pressure as they do in the open, such as blackpowder. Others, such as gunpowder, which is correctly called nitrocellulose, burn much faster and hotter when they are in a confined space, such as the barrel of a firearm; they usually burn much slower than blackpowder when they are ignited in unpressurized conditions. Black powder, nitrocellulose, and flash powder are good examples of low order explosives. Primers are peculiarities to the explosive field. Some of them, such as mercury filminate, will function as a low or high order explosive. They are usually more sensitive to friction, heat, or shock, than the high or low explosives. Most primers perform like a high order explosive, except that they are much more sensitive. Still others merely burn, but when they are confined, they burn at a great rate and with a large expansion of gasses and a shockwave. Primers are usually used in a small amount to initiate, or cause to decompose, a high order explosive, as in an artillery shell. But, they are also frequently used to ignite a low order explosive; the gunpowder in a bullet is ignited by the detonation of its primer. BUYING "2.1 BUYING EXPLOSIVES AND PROPELLANTS" Almost any city or town of reasonable size has a gun store and a pharmacy. These are two of the places that potential terrorists visit in order to purchase explosive material. All that one has to do is know something about the non- explosive uses of the materials. Black powder, for example, is used in blackpowder firearms. It comes in varying "grades", with each different grade being a slightly different size. The grade of black powder depends on what the calibre of the gun that it is used in; a fine grade of powder could burn too fast in the wrong caliber weapon. The rule is: the smaller the grade, the faster the burn rate of the powder. BLACK "2.11 BLACK POWDER" Black powder is generally available in three grades. As stated before, the smaller the grade, the faster the powder burns. Burn rate is extremely important in bombs. Since an explosion is a rapid increase of gas volume in a confined environment, to make an explosion, a quick-burning powder is desirable. The three common grades of black powder are listed below, along with the usual bore width (calibre) of what they are used in. Generally, the fastest burning powder, the FFF grade is desirable. However, the other grades and uses are listed below: GRADE BORE WIDTH EXAMPLE OF GUN ÄÄÄÄÄ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ F .50 or greater model cannon; some rifles FF .36 - .50 large pistols; small rifles FFF .36 or smaller pistols; derringers The FFF grade is the fastest burning, because the smaller grade has more surface area or burning surface exposed to the flame front. The larger grades also have uses which will be discussed later. The price range of black powder, per pound, is about $8.50 - $9.00. The price is not affected by the grade, and so one saves oneself time and work if one buys the finer grade of powder. The major problems with black powder are that it can be ignited accidentally by static electricity, and that it has a tendency to absorb moisture from the air. To safely crush it, a bomber would use a plastic spoon and a wooden salad bowl. Taking a small pile at a time, he or she would apply pressure to the powder through the spoon and rub it in a series of strokes or circles, but not too hard. It is fine enough to use when it is about as fine as flour. The fineness, however, is dependant on what type of device one wishes to make; obviously, it would be impracticle to crush enough powder to fill a 1 foot by 4 inch radius pipe. Anyone can purchase black powder, since anyone can own black powder firearms in America. PYRODEX "2.12 PYRODEX" Pyrodex is a synthetic powder that is used like black powder. It comes in the same grades, but it is more expensive per pound. However, a one pound container of pyrodex contains more material by volume than a pound of black powder. It is much easier to crush to a very fine powder than black powder, and it is considerably safer and more reliable. This is because it will not be set off by static electricity, as black can be, and it is less inclined to absorb moisture. It costs about $10.00 per pound. It can be crushed in the same manner as black powder, or it can be dissolved in boiling water and dried. ROCKET "2.13 ROCKET ENGINE POWDER" One of the most exciting hobbies nowadays is model rocketry. Estes is the largest producer of model rocket kits and engines. Rocket engines are composed of a single large grain of propellant. This grain is surrounded by a fairly heavy cardboard tubing. One gets the propellant by slitting the tube length- wise, and unwrapping`it like a paper towel roll. When this is done, the grey fire clay at either end of the propellant grain must be removed. This is usually done gently with a plastic or brass knife. The material is exceptionally hard, and must be crushed to be used. By gripping the grain on the widest setting on a set of pliers, and putting the grain and powder in a plastic bag, the powder will not break apart and shatter all over. This should be done to all the large chunks of powder, and then it should be crushed like black powder. Rocket engines come in various sizes, ranging from 1/4 A - 2T to the incredibly powerful D engines. The larger the engine, the more expensive. D engines come in packages of three, and cost about $5.00 per package. Rocket engines are perhaps the single most useful item sold in stores to a terrorist, since they can be used as is, or can be cannibalized for their explosive powder. RIFLE "2.14 RIFLE/SHOTGUN POWDER" Rifle powder and shotgun powder are really the same from a practicle standpoint. They are both nitrocellulose based propellants. They will be referred to as gunpowder in all future references. Gunpowder is made by the action of concentrated nitric and sulfuric acid upon cotton. This material is then dissolved by solvents and then reformed in the desired grain size. When dealing with gunpowder, the grain size is not nearly as important as that of black powder. Both large and small grained gunpowder burn fairly slowly compared to black powder when unconfined, but when it is confined, gunpowder burns both hotter and with more gaseous expansion, producing more pressure. Therefore, the grinding process that is often necessary for other propellants is not necessary for gunpowder. Gunpowder costs about $9.00 per pound. Any idiot can buy it, since there are no restrictions on rifles or shotguns in the U.S. FLASH "2.15 FLASH POWDER" Flash powder is a mixture`of powdered zirconium metal and various oxidizers. It`is extremely sensitive to heat or sparks, and should be treated with more care than black powder, with which it should NEVER be mixed. It is sold in small containers which must be mixed and shaken before use. It is very finely powdered, and is available in three speeds: fast, medium, and slow. The fast flash powder is the best for using in explosives or detonators. It burns very rapidly, regardless of confinement or packing, with a hot white "flash", hence its name. It is fairly expensive, costing about $11.00. It is sold in magic shops and theatre supply stores. NITRATE "2.16 AMMONIUM NITRATE" Ammonium nitrate is a high explosive material that is often used as a commercial "safety explosive" It is very stable, and is difficult to ignite with a match. It will only light if the glowing, red-hot part of a match is touching it. It is also difficult to detonate; (the phenomenon of detonation will be explained later) it requires a large shockwave to cause it to go high explosive. Commercially, it is sometimes mixed with a small amount of nitro- glycerine to increase its sensitivity. Ammonium nitrate is used in the "Cold- Paks" or "Instant Cold", available in most drug stores. The "Cold Paks" consist of a bag of water, surrounded by a second plastic bag containing the ammonium nitrate. To get the ammonium nitrate, simply cut off the top of the outside bag, remove the plastic bag of water, and save the ammonium nitrate in a well sealed, airtight container, since it is rather hydroscopic, i.e. it tends to absorb water from the air. It is also the main ingredient in many fertilizers. RECIPIES "2.2 EXPLOSIVE RECIPES" Once again, persons reading this material MUST NEVER ATTEMPT TO PRODUCE ANY OF THE EXPLOSIVES DESCRIBED HEREIN. IT IS ILLEGAL AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO ATTEMPT TO DO SO. LOSS OF LIFE AND/OR LIMB COULD EASILY OCCUR AS A RESULT OF ATTEMPTING TO PRODUCE EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS. These recipes are theoretically correct, meaning that an individual could conceivably produce the materials described. The methods here are usually scaled-down industrial procedures. IMPACT "2.21 IMPACT EXPLOSIVES" Impact explosives are often used as primers. Of the ones discussed here, only mercury fulminate and nitroglycerine are real explosives; Ammonium triiodide crystals decompose upon impact, but they release little heat and no light. Impact explosives are always treated with the greatest care, and even the stupidest anarchist never stores them near any high or low explosives. CRYSTALS "2.211 AMMONIUM TRIIODIDE CRYSTALS" Ammonium triiodide crystals are foul-smelling purple colored crystals that decompose under the slightest amount of heat, friction, or shock, if they are made with the purest ammonia (ammonium hydroxide) and iodine. Such crystals are said to detonate when a fly lands on them, or when an ant walks across them. Household ammonia, however, has enough impurities, such as soaps and abrasive agents, so that the crystals will detonate when thrown,crushed, or heated. Upon detonation, a loud report is heard, and a cloud of purple iodine gas appears about the detonation site. Whatever the unfortunate surface that the crystal was detonated upon will usually be ruined, as some of the iodine in the crystal is thrown about in a solid form, and iodine is corrosive. It leaves nasty, ugly, permanent brownish-purple stains on whatever it contacts. Iodine gas is also bad news, since it can damage lungs, and it settles to the ground and stains things there also. Touching iodine leaves brown stains on the skin that last for about a week, unless they are immediately and vigorously washed off. While such a compound would have little use to a serious terrorist, a vandal could utilize them in damaging property. Or, a terrorist could throw several of them into a crowd as a distraction, an action which would possibly injure a few people, but frighten almost anyone, since a small crystal that not be seen when thrown produces a rather loud explosion. Ammonium triiodide crystals could be produced in the following manner: Materials Equipment ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ iodine crystals funnel and filter paper paper towels clear ammonia (ammonium hydroxide, two throw-away glass jars for the suicidal) 1) Place about two teaspoons of iodine into one of the glass jars. The jars must both be throw away because they will never be clean again. 2) Add enough ammonia to completely cover the iodine. 3) Place the funnel into the other jar, and put the filter paper in the funnel. The technique for putting filter paper in a funnel is taught in every basic chemistry lab class: fold the circular paper in half, so that a semi-circle is formed. Then, fold it in half again to form a triangle with one curved side. Pull one thickness of paper out to form a cone, and place the cone into the funnel. 4) After allowing the iodine to soak in the ammonia for a while, pour the solution into the paper in the funnel through the filter paper. 5) While the solution is being filtered, put more ammonia into the first jar to wash any remaining crystals into the funnel as soon as it drains. 6) Collect all the purplish crystals without touching the brown filter paper, and place them on the paper towels to dry for about an hour. Make sure that they are not too close to any lights or other sources of heat, as they could well detonate. While they are still wet, divide the wet material into about eight chunks. 7) After they dry, gently place the crystals onto a one square inch piece of duct tape. Cover it with a similar piece, and gently press the duct tape together around the crystal, making sure not to press the crystal itself. Finally, cut away most of the excess duct tape with a pair of scissors, and store the crystals in a cool dry safe place. They have a shelf life of about a week, and they should be stored in individual containers that can be thrown away, since they have a tendency to slowly decompose, a process which gives off iodine vapors, which will stain whatever they settle on. One possible way to increase their shelf life is to store them in airtight containers. To use them, simply throw them against any surface or place them where they will be stepped on or crushed. MERCURY "2.212 MERCURY FULMINATE" Mercury fulminate is perhaps one of the oldest known initiating compounds. It can be detonated by either heat or shock, which would make it of infinite value to a terrorist. Even the action of dropping a crystal of the fulminate causes it to explode. A person making this material would probably use the following procedure: MATERIALS EQUIPMENT ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ mercury (5 g) glass stirring rod concentrated nitric 100 ml beaker (2) acid (35 ml) adjustable heat ethyl alcohol (30 ml) source distilled water blue litmus paper funnel and filter paper 1) In one beaker, mix 5 g of mercury with 35 ml of concentrated nitric acid, using the glass rod. 2) Slowly heat the mixture until the mercury is dissolved, which is when the solution turns green and boils. 3) Place 30 ml of ethyl alcohol into the second beaker, and slowly and carefully add all of the contents of the first beaker to it. Red and/or brown fumes should appear. These fumes are toxic and flammable. 4) After thirty to forty minutes, the fumes should turn white, indicating that the reaction is near completion. After ten more minutes, add 30 ml of the distilled water to the solution. 5) Carefully filter out the crystals of mercury fulminate from the liquid solution. Dispose of the solution in a safe place, as it is corrosive and toxic. 6) Wash the crystals several times in distilled water to remove as much excess acid as possible. Test the crystals with the litmus paper until they are neutral. This will be when the litmus paper stays blue when it touches the wet crystals 7) Allow the crystals to dry, and store them in a safe place, far away from any explosive or flammable material. This procedure can also be done by volume, if the available mercury cannot be weighed. Simply use 10 volumes of nitric acid and 10 volumes of ethanol to every one volume of mercury. NITRO "2.213 NITROGLYCERINE" Nitroglycerine is one of the most sensitive explosives, if it is not the most sensitive. Although it is possible to make it safely, it is difficult. Many a young anarchist has been killed or seriously injured while trying to make the stuff. When Nobel's factories make it, many people were killed by the all- to-frequent factory explosions. Usually, as soon as it is made, it is converted into a safer substance, such as dynamite. An idiot who attempts to make nitroglycerine would use the following procedure: MATERIAL EQUIPMENT ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ distilled water eye-dropper table salt 100 ml beaker sodium bicarbonate 200-300 ml beakers (2) concentrated nitric ice bath container acid (13 ml) ( a plastic bucket serves well ) concentrated sulfuric centigrade thermometer acid (39 ml) blue litmus paper glycerine 1) Place 150 ml of distilled water into one of the 200-300 ml beakers. 2) In the other 200-300 ml beaker, place 150 ml of distilled water and about a spoonful of sodium bicarbonate, and stir them until the sodium bicarbonate dissolves. Do not put so much sodium bicarbonate in the water so that some remains undissolved. 3) Create an ice bath by half filling the ice bath container with ice, and adding table salt. This will cause the ice to melt, lowering the overall temperature. 4) Place the 100 ml beaker into the ice bath, and pour the 13 ml of concentrated nitric acid into the 100 ml beaker. Be sure that the beaker will not spill into the ice bath, and that the ice bath will not overflow into the beaker when more materials are added to it. Be sure to have a large enough ice bath container to add more ice. Bring the temperature of the acid down to about 20 degrees centigrade or less. 5) When the nitric acid is as cold as stated above, slowly and carefully add the 39 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid to the nitric acid. Mix the two acids together, and cool the mixed acids to 10 degrees centigrade. It is a good idea to start another ice bath to do this. 6) With the eyedropper, slowly put the glycerine into the mixed acids, one drop at a time. Hold the thermometer along the top of the mixture where the mixed acids and glycerine meet. DO NOT ALLOW THE TEMPERATURE TO GET ABOVE 30 DEGREES CENTIGRADE; IF THE TEMPERATURE RISES ABOVE THIS TEMPERATURE, RUN LIKE HELL!!! The glycerine will start to nitrate immediately, and the temperature will immediately begin to rise. Add glycerine until there is a thin layer of glycerine on top of the mixed acids. It is always safest to make any explosive in small quantities. 7) Stir the mixed acids and glycerine for the first ten minutes of nitration, adding ice and salt to the ice bath to keep the temperature of the solution in the 100 ml beaker well below 30 degrees centigrade. Usually, the nitroglycerine will form on the top of the mixed acid solution, and the concentrated sulfuric acid will absorb the water produced by the reaction. 8) When the reaction is over, and when the nitroglycerine is well below 30 degrees centigrade, slowly and carefully pour the solution of nitroglycerine and mixed acid into the distilled water in the beaker in step 1. The nitroglycerine should settle to the bottom of the beaker, and the water-acid solution on top can be poured off and disposed of. Drain as much of the acid- water solution as possible without disturbing the nitroglycerine. 9) Carefully remove the nitroglycerine with a clean eye-dropper, and place it into the beaker in step 2. The sodium bicarbonate solution will eliminate much of the acid, which will make the nitroglycerine more stable, and less likely to explode for no reason, which it can do. Test the nitroglycerine with the litmus paper until the litmus stays blue. Repeat this step if necessary, and use new sodium bicarbonate solutions as in step 2. 10) When the nitroglycerine is as acid-free as possible, store it in a clean container in a safe place. The best place to store nitroglycerine is far away from anything living, or from anything of any value. Nitroglycerine can explode for no apparent reason, even if it is stored in a secure cool place. PICRATES "2.214 PICRATES" Although the procedure for the production of picric acid, or trinitrophenol has not yet been given, its salts are described first, since they are extremely sensitive, and detonate on impact. By mixing picric acid with metal hydroxides, such as sodium or potassium hydroxide, and evaporating the water, metal picrates can be formed. Simply obtain picric acid, or produce it, and mix it with a solution of (preferably) potassium hydroxide, of a mid range molarity. (about 6-9 M) This material, potassium picrate, is impact-sensitive, and can be used as an initiator for any type of high explosive. LOW "2.22 LOW-ORDER EXPLOSIVES" There are many low-order explosives that can be purchased in gun stores and used in explosive devices. However, it is possible that a wise wise store owner would not sell these substances to a suspicious-looking individual. Such an individual would then be forced to resort to making his own low-order explosives. POWDER "2.221 BLACK POWDER" First made by the Chinese for use in fireworks, black powder was first used in weapons and explosives in the 12th century. It is very simple to make, but it is not very powerful or safe. Only about 50% of black powder is converted to hot gasses when it is burned; the other half is mostly very fine burned particles. Black powder has one major problem: it can be ignited by static electricity. This is very bad, and it means that the material must be made with wooden or clay tools. Anyway, a misguided individual could manufacture black powder at home with the following procedure: MATERIALS EQUIPMENT ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ potassium clay grinding bowl nitrate (75 g) and clay grinder or or sodium wooden salad bowl nitrate (75 g) and wooden spoon sulfur (10 g) plastic bags (3) charcoal (15 g) 300-500 ml beaker (1) distilled water coffee pot or heat source 1) Place a small amount of the potassium or sodium nitrate in the grinding bowl and grind it to a very fine powder. Do this to all of the potassium or sodium nitrate, and store the ground powder in one of the plastic bags. 2) Do the same thing to the sulfur and charcoal, storing each chemical in a separate plastic bag. 3) Place all of the finely ground potassium or sodium nitrate in the beaker, and add just enough boiling water to the chemical to get it all wet. 4) Add the contents of the other plastic bags to the wet potassium or sodium nitrate, and mix them well for several minutes. Do this until there is no more visible sulfur or charcoal, or until the mixture is universally black. 5) On a warm sunny day, put the beaker outside in the direct sunlight. Sunlight is really the best way to dry black powder, since it is never too hot, but it is hot enough to evaporate the water. 6) Scrape the black powder out of the beaker, and store it in a safe container. Plastic is really the safest container, followed by paper. Never store black powder in a plastic bag, since plastic bags are prone to generate static electricity. GPOWDER "2.2211 BLACK POWDER:GRANDPAS RECIPE TEXT BY, EL PIRATA'" IF YA WANT TO MAKE SOME LOW EXPLOSIVE BOMBS THEN YOU PICKED THE RIGHT CHOICE! FIRST OF ALL, THIS RECIPE WILL SHOW HOW TO MAKE BLACK POWDER IN A SIMPLE AND SAFE MANNER YET HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE SOME STRONG LOW EXPLOSIVE BOMBS. NOTE: THE BELOW AMOUNTS WILL YIELD TWO POUNDS (THAT'S 900 GRAMS FOR YOU METRIC USERS) OF BLACK POWDER. HOWEVER, ONLY THE RATIOS OF THE AMOUNTS OF INGREDIENTS ARE IMPORTANT. THUS, FOR TWICE AS MUCH BLACK POWDER, DOUBLE ALL QUANTITIES USED. MATERIAL REQUIRED large wooden stick cloth, 2 ft. sq. flat window screening, 1 ft. sq. heat source water, 3 cups alcohol, 5 pints (any kind) sulfer, powdered, 1/2 cup (flowers wood charcoal, powdered, 2 cups of sulfer, at a drug store) potassium nitrate, granulatd, 3 cups 2 buckets, both 2 gallon, one must (saltpeter, at drug stores) be heat resistant PROCEDURE: 1. PLACE ALCOHOL IN ONE OF THE BUCKETS. 2. PLACE POTASSIUM NITRATE, CHARCOAL, AND SULFUR IN THE HEAT RESISTANT BUCKET. ADD 1 CUP WATER AND MIX THOROUGHLY WITH WOODEN STICK UNTIL ALL INGREDIENTS ARE DISSOLVED. 3. ADD REMAINING WATER (2 CUPS) TO MIXTURE. PLACE BUCKET ON HEAT SOURCE AND STIR UNTIL SMALL BUBBLES BEGIN TO FORM. CAUTION: DO NOT BOIL MIXTURE. BE SURE ALL MIXTURE STAYS WET. IF ANY IS DRY, AS ON SIDES OF PAN, IT MAY IGNITE. 4. REMOVE BUCKET FROM HEAT AND POUR MIXTURE INTO ALCOHOL WHILE STIRRING VIGOROUSLY. 5. LET ALCOHOL MIXTURE STAND ABOUT 5 MINUTES. STRAIN MIXTURE THROUGH CLOTH TO OBTAIN BLACK POWDER. DISCARD LIQUID. WRAP CLOTH AROUND BLACK POWDER AND SQUEEZE TO REMOVE ALL EXCESS LIQUID. 6. PLACE SCREENING OVER DRY BUCKET. PLACE WORKABLE AMOUNT OF DAMP POWDER ON SCREEN AND GRANULATE BY RUBBING SOLID THROUGH SCREEN. NOTE: IF GRANULATED PARTICLES APPEAR TO STICK TOGETHER AND CHANGE SHAPE, RECOMBINE ENTIRE BATCH OF POWDER AND REPEAT STEPS 5 AND 6. 7. SPREAD GRANULATED BLACK POWDER ON FLAT DRY SURFACE SO THAT LAYER ABOUT 1/2 INCH IS FORMED. ALLOW TO DRY. USE RADIATOR, OR DIRECT SUNLIGHT. THIS SHOULD BE DRIED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, PREFERABLY IN ONE HOUR. THE LONGER THE DRYING PERIOD, THE LESS EFFECTIVE THE BLACK POWDER. CAUTION: REMOVE FROM HEAT AS SOON AS GRANULES ARE DRY. BLACK POWDER IS NOW READY FOR USE! CELL "2.222 NITROCELLULOSE" Nitrocellulose is usually called "gunpowder" or "guncotton". It is more stable than black powder, and it produces a much greater volume of hot gas. It also burns much faster than black powder when it is in a confined space. Finally, nitrocellulose is fairly easy to make, as outlined by the following procedure: MATERIALS EQUIPMENT ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ cotton (cellulose) two (2) 200-300 ml beakers concentrated funnel and filter paper nitric acid blue litmus paper concentrated sulfuric acid distilled water 1) Pour 10 cc of concentrated sulfuric acid into the beaker. Add to this 10 cc of concentrated nitric acid. 2) Immediately add 0.5 gm of cotton, and allow it to soak for exactly 3 minutes. 3) Remove the nitrocotton, and transfer it to a beaker of distilled water to wash it in. 4) Allow the material to dry, and then re-wash it. 5) After the cotton is neutral when tested with litmus paper, it is ready to be dried and stored. Addendum 4/12/91... true experience From andrew at cmu.edu (internet) > I used to make nitrocellulose, though. It was not guncotton grade, because I >didn't have oleum (H2SO4 with dissolved SO3); nevertheless it worked. At >first I got my H2SO4 from a little shop in downtown Philadelphia, which sold >soda-acid fire extinguisher refills. Not only was the acid concentrated, >cheap and plentiful, it came with enough carbonate to clean up. I'd add KNO3 >and a little water (OK, I'd add the acid to the water - but there was so >little water, what was added to what made little difference. It spattered >concentrated H2SO4 either way). Later on, when I could purchase the acids, I >believe I used 3 parts H2SO4 to 1 part HNO3. For cotton, I'd use cotton wool >or cotton cloth. > >Runaway nitration was commonplace, but it is usually not so disasterous with >nitrocellulose as it is with nitroglycerine. For some reason, I tried washing >the cotton cloth in a solution of lye, and rinsing it well in distilled >water. I let the cloth dry and then nitrated it. (Did I read this somewhere?) >When that product was nitrated, I never got a runaway reaction. BTW, water >quenched the runaway reaction of cellulose. > >The product was washed thoroughly and allowed to dry. It dissolved (or turned >into mush) in acetone. It dissolved in alcohol/ether. > >Warnings: > >All usual warnings regarding strong acids apply. H2SO4 likes to spatter. When >it falls on the skin, it destroys tissue - often painfully. It dissolves all >manner of clothing. Nitric also destroys skin, turning it bright yellow in >the process. Nitric is an oxidant - it can start fires. Both agents will >happily blind you if you get them in your eyes. Other warnings also apply. >Not for the novice. > > Nitrocellulose decomposes very slowly on storage. The decomposition is auto- >catalyzing, and can result in spontaneous explosion if the material is kept >confined over time. The process is much faster if the material is not washed >well enough. Nitrocellulose powders contain stabilizers such as diphenyl >amine or ethyl centralite. DO NOT ALLOW THESE TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH >NITRIC ACID!!!! A small amount of either substance will capture the small >amounts of nitrogen oxides that result from decomposition. They therefore >inhibit the autocatalysis. NC eventually will decompose in any case. > >Again, this is inherently dangerous and illegal in certain areas. I got away >with it. You may kill yourself and others if you try it. > > -Larry Commercially produced Nitrocellulose is stabilized by: 1. Spinning it in a large centrifuge to remove the remaining acid, which is recycled. 2. Immersion in a large quantity of fresh water. 3. Boiling it in acidulated water and washing it thoroughly with fresh water. If the NC is to be used as smokeless powder it is boiled in a soda solution, then rinsed in fresh water. The purer the acid used (lower water content) the more complete the nitration will be, and the more powerful the nitrocellulose produced. There are actually three forms of cellulose nitrate, only one of which is useful for pyrotechnic purposes. The mononitrate and dinitrate are not explosive, and are produced by incomplete nitration. If nitration is allowed to proceed to complete the explosive trinatrate is formed. CH OH CH ONO | 2 | 2 2 | | C-----O HNO C-----O /H \ 3 /H \ -CH CH-O- --> -CH CH-O- \H H/ H SO \H H/ C-----C 2 4 C-----C | | | | OH OH ONO ONO 2 2 CELLULOSE CELLULOSE TRINITRATE *End Addendum FUEL "2.223 FUEL-OXODIZER MIXTURES" There are nearly an infinite number of fuel-oxodizer mixtures that can be produced by a misguided individual in his own home. Some are very effective and dangerous, while others are safer and less effective. A list of working fuel- oxodizer mixtures will be presented, but the exact measurements of each compound are debatable for maximum effectiveness. A rough estimate will be given of the percentages of each fuel and oxodizer: oxodizer, % by weight fuel, % by weight speed # notes ================================================================================ potassium chlorate 67% sulfur 33% 5 friction/impact sensitive; unstable potassium chlorate 50% sugar 35% 5 fairly slow burning; charcoal 15% unstable potassium chlorate 50% sulfur 25% 8 extremely magnesium or unstable! aluminum dust 25% potassium chlorate 67% magnesium or 8 unstable aluminum dust 33% sodium nitrate 65% magnesium dust 30% ? unpredictable sulfur 5% burn rate potassium permanganate 60% glycerine 40% 4 delay before ignition depends WARNING: IGNITES SPONTANEOUSLY WITH GLYCERINE!!! upon grain size potassium permanganate 67% sulfur 33% 5 unstable potassium permangenate 60% sulfur 20% 5 unstable magnesium or aluminum dust 20% potassium permanganate 50% sugar 50% 3 ? potassium nitrate 75% charcoal 15% 7 this is sulfur 10% black powder! potassium nitrate 60% powdered iron 1 burns very hot or magnesium 40% Oxidizer, % by weight fuel, % by weight speed # notes ================================================================================ potassium chlorate 75% phosphorus 8 used to make strike- sesquisulfide 25% anywhere matches ammonium perchlorate 70% aluminum dust 30% 6 solid fuel for and small amount of space shuttle iron oxide potassium perchlorate 67% magnesium or 10 flash powder (sodium perchlorate) aluminum dust 33% potassium perchlorate 60% magnesium or 8 alternate (sodium perchlorate) aluminum dust 20% flash powder sulfur 20% barium nitrate 30% aluminum dust 30% 9 alternate potassium perchlorate 30% flash powder barium peroxide 90% magnesium dust 5% 10 alternate aluminum dust 5% flash powder potassium perchlorate 50% sulfur 25% 8 slightly magnesium or unstable aluminum dust 25% potassium chlorate 67% red phosphorus 27% 7 very unstable calcium carbonate 3% sulfur 3% impact sensitive potassium permanganate 50% powdered sugar 25% 7 unstable; aluminum or ignites if magnesium dust 25% it gets wet! potassium chlorate 75% charcoal dust 15% 6 unstable sulfur 10% ================================================================================ NOTE: Mixtures that uses substitutions of sodium perchlorate for potassium perchlorate become moisture-absorbent and less stable. The higher the speed number, the faster the fuel-oxodizer mixture burns AFTER ignition. Also, as a rule, the finer the powder, the faster the rate of burning. As one can easily see, there is a wide variety of fuel-oxodizer mixtures that can be made at home. By altering the amounts of fuel and oxodizer(s), different burn rates can be achieved, but this also can change the sensitivity of the mixture. PERCH "2.224 PERCHLORATES" As a rule, any oxidizable material that is treated with perchloric acid will become a low order explosive. Metals, however, such as potassium or sodium, become excellent bases for flash-type powders. Some materials that can be perchlorated are cotton, paper, and sawdust. To produce potassium or sodium perchlorate, simply acquire the hydroxide of that metal, e.g. sodium or potassium hydroxide. It is a good idea to test the material to be treated with a very small amount of acid, since some of the materials tend to react explosively when contacted by the acid. Solutions of sodium or potassium hydroxide are ideal. RORW "2.225 RED OR WHITE POWDER" "RED OR WHITE POWDER" PROPELLANT Red or White Powder" Propellant may be preppared in a simple, safe manner. The formulation described below will result in approxi- mately 2-1/2 pounds of powder. This is a small arms propellant and should only be used in weapons with 1/2 in. inside diameter or less, such as the Match Gun or the 7.62 Carbine, but not pistols. MATERIAL REQUIRED: ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Heat source (Kitchen stove or open fire) 2 gallon metal bucket Measuring cup (8 ounces) Wooden spoon or rubber spatula Metal sheet or aluminium foil (at least 18 in. sq) Flat window screen (at least 1 ft. sq.) Potassium nitrate (granulated) 2-1/3 cups White sugar (granulated) 2 cups Powdered ferric oxide (rust) 1/8 cup (if available) Clear water, 3-1/2 cups PROCEDURE: ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ 1. Place the sugar,potassium nitrate, and water in the bucket. Heat with a low flame, stirring occasionally until the sugar and potassium nitrate dissolve. 2. If available, add the ferric oxide (rust) to the solution. Increase the flame under the mixture until it boils gently. NOTE: The mixturewill retain the rust coloration. 3. Stir and scrape the bucket sides occasionally until the mixture is reduced to one quarter of its original volume, then stir continuosly. 4. As the water evaporates, the mixture will become thicker until it reaches the consistency of cooked breakfast cereal or homemade fudge. At this stage of thickness, remove the bucket from the heat source, and spread the mass on the metal sheet. 5. While the material cools, scoreit with the spoon or spatulain in crisscrossed furrows about 1 inch apart. 6. Allow the material to air dry, preferably in the sun. As it dries, rescore it occasionally (about every 20 minutes) to aid drying. 7. When the material has dried to a point where it is moist and soft but not sticky to the touch, place a small spoonful on the screen. Rub the material back and forth against the screen mash with spoon or other flat object until the material is granulated into small worm- like particles. 8. After granulation, return the material to the sun to dry completely. ACE "2.226 ACETONE PEROXIDE EXPLOSIVE" _______________________________________________________________________________ | | | Acetone Peroxide Explosive | | | | Brought to you by - | | | | Jack The Ripper | | | |_____________________________________________________________________________| This explosive can not only be used as an explosive, but also as a detonater. I will go into this one very detailed. -=-=-=-=-=- -MATERIALS- -=-=-=-=-=- Name Source ---- ------ Hydrogen Peroxide Hair Bleach, Drug Stores and Hair supply Stores Acetone Hardware Stores and Drug Stores Sulfuric Acid Clear battery acid boiled until white fumes appear. Eye Dropper or Syringe w/ glass tube Graduated Cylinder (cc or ml) Thermometer (0 to 100 degrees C) Glass Containers Large Pan Ice and Salt Water Paper Towels All the above can easily be commandeered from your school laboratory for your own purposes. -=-=-=-=-=- -PROCEDURE- -=-=-=-=-=- 1) Mix 30 ml of Acetone and 50ml of Hydrogen Peroxide into a glass container and mix thoroughly. 2) Cool it by plaicing it in a larger container containing ice, salt, and water. Now cool it to 5 degrees Celcius. 3) Add 2.5 ml of concentrated ulfuric acid to the mixture slowly (drop by drop w/ the eye dropper). Stir the mixture w/the thermometer keeping the the temperature between 5-10 degrees celcius. If the temperature rises don't shit just stop adding the sulfuric acid until it cools down then start adding it again. 4) Now that you got all the acid into the mixture continue stirring for another 5 minutes. 5) Now let the mixture stand for 12 to 24 hours in the ice/salt bath. 6) After 12 hours the crystals of acetone peroxide will precipitate out of the once clear solution. Precipitation should be done after 24 hours. 7) Now filter out the crystals through a paper towel attached to a jar with a rubber band. Then after that wash the crystals by pouring ice cold water over them, letting the water rinse the crystals and filter down through the paper towel into the jar. 8) Select a container and allow them to dry. -=-=-=- -USES!- -=-=-=- Now this can be used as an explosive however it is the simplest detonater that I have ever encountered. It works best in 2.5 inch lengths of brass tubing with one end sealed. The only drawback is that it must be used quickly as Acetone Peroxide deteriorates quickly. I have found that keeping it refrigerated seems to make it last longer however for optimum effects it should be used 7 days after manufacture at the latest. It also can be used to detonate almost every Ammonium Nitrate compound, and Ammonium Nitrate itself for that matter. Later... Jack The Ripper HIGH "2.23 HIGH-ORDER EXPLOSIVES" High order explosives can be made in the home without too much difficulty. The main problem is acquiring the nitric acid to produce the high explosive. Most high explosives detonate because their molecular structure is made up of some fuel and usually three or more NO2 ( nitrogen dioxide ) molecules. @{"T.N.T." Link TNT}, or Tri-Nitro-Toluene is an excellent example of such a material. When a shock wave passes through an molecule of T.N.T., the nitrogen dioxide bond is broken, and the oxygen combines with the fuel, all in a matter of microseconds. This accounts for the great power of nitrogen-based explosives. Remembering that these procedures are NEVER TO BE CARRIED OUT, several methods of manufacturing high-order explosives in the home are listed. RDX "2.231 R.D.X." R.D.X., also called cyclonite, or composition C-1 (when mixed with plasticisers) is one of the most valuable of all military explosives. This is because it has more than 150% of the power of @{"T.N.T." Link TNT}, and is much easier to detonate. It should not be used alone, since it can be set off by a not-too severe shock. It is less sensitive than mercury fulminate, or nitroglycerine, but it is still too sensitive to be used alone. R.D.X. can be made by the surprisingly simple method outlined hereafter. It is much easier to make in the home than all other high explosives, with the possible exception of ammonium nitrate. See also @{"R.D.X. II" Link RDX2} MATERIALS EQUIPMENT ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ hexamine 500 ml beaker or methenamine glass stirring rod fuel tablets (50 g) funnel and filter paper concentrated nitric acid (550 ml) ice bath container (plastic bucket) distilled water centigrade thermometer table salt blue litmus paper ice ammonium nitrate 1) Place the beaker in the ice bath, (see section 3.13, steps 3-4) and carefully pour 550 ml of concentrated nitric acid into the beaker. 2) When the acid has cooled to below 20 degrees centigrade, add small amounts of the crushed fuel tablets to the beaker. The temperature will rise, and it must be kept below 30 degrees centigrade, or dire consequences could result. Stir the mixture. 3) Drop the temperature below zero degrees centigrade, either by adding more ice and salt to the old ice bath, or by creating a new ice bath. Or, ammonium nitrate could be added to the old ice bath, since it becomes cold when it is put in water. Continue stirring the mixture, keeping the temperature below zero degrees centigrade for at least twenty minutes 4) Pour the mixture into a litre of crushed ice. Shake and stir the mixture, and allow it to melt. Once it has melted, filter out the crystals, and dispose of the corrosive liquid. 5) Place the crystals into one half a litre of boiling distilled water. Filter the crystals, and test them with the blue litmus paper. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the litmus paper remains blue. This will make the crystals more stable and safe. 6) Store the crystals wet until ready for use. Allow them to dry completely using them. R.D.X. is not stable enough to use alone as an explosive. 7) Composition C-1 can be made by mixing 88.3% R.D.X. (by weight) with 11.1% mineral oil, and 0.6% lecithin. Kneed these material together in a plastic bag. This is a good way to desensitize the explosive. 8) H.M.X. is a mixture of T.N.T. and R.D.X.; the ratio is 50/50, by weight. it is not as sensitive, and is almost as powerful as straight R.D.X. 9) By adding ammonium nitrate to the crystals of R.D.X. after step 5, it should be possible to desensitize the R.D.X. and increase its power, since ammonium nitrate is very insensitive and powerful. Soduim or potassium nitrate could also be added; a small quantity is sufficient to stabilize the R.D.X. 10) R.D.X. detonates at a rate of 8550 meters/second when it is compressed to a density of 1.55 g/cubic cm. RDX2 "2.2311 RDX EXPLOSIVE METHOD II" _______________________________________________________________________________ | | | RDX Explosive | | | | Brought to you by - | | | | Jack The Ripper | | | |_____________________________________________________________________________| The reason I wrote this is because the other file I saw on how to make RDX was so shabby and lame it was probably written by an eight year old mental patient. So here is mine easy! Straightforward! Comphrehendible! -=-=-=-=-=- -MATERIALS- -=-=-=-=-=- Name Source ---- ------ Hexamethylenetetramine (Hexamin) Drug stores under the names Hexamin, Urotropine, and Methenamine Strong Nitric Acid Chemical Supply House or some Hardware stores Acetone Drug Stores and Hardware Stores Scale with gram accuracy Graduated Cylinder (cc or ml) or measuring cups Thermometer 20-100 degrees celcius or 68-212 degrees farenheit Several large quart canning jars Two large basins or bowls made of metal or some other heatable metal Paper Towels -=-=-=-=-=- -PROCEDURE- -=-=-=-=-=- 1) Place one half cup or 120 ml or cc of nitric acid in a large canning jar and bring the temperature to between 20 and 30 degrees celcius (68-86 F) by putting the jar in a basin of cold water. 2) Keep the thermometer in the jar so you can closely maintain the temperature between your basins of hot and cold water. 3) Weigh out 70 grams by weight or 18 teaspoons by volume of hexamine. Then start adding the hexamin slowly at 1/2 teaspoon at a time over a 15 minute time period. All the while maintaining the temperature between 20 and 30 degrees celcius by moving it in and out of the cold water basins. 4) When all the hexamin is dissolved in the acid heat the solution to 55 degrees celcius (131 F) by placing the jar in a basin of hot water. Then maintain this temperature for about ten minutes. 5) Now remove the jar from the basin of hot water and place it in the basin of cold water and cool the jar to 20 degrees celcius (68 F). Now when the solution reaches 20 degrees celcius add 3 cups (750ml) of cold water and white salt will appear. 6) Now the white salt is RDX and should be handled with care. Now filter the Acid/Water/RDX solution through a paper towel covering the mouth of another jar. 7) Wash the RDX crystals off the paper towel and add an additional 3 cups of fresh cold water and a teaspoon of sodium carbonate to neutralize the acid. Now stir rapidly for 3 minutes and then filter it out again. 8) It is now usable, but I prefer purifying it by filling a quart canning jar 2/3 full of acetone and heating the acetone then adding the RDX crystals to it a half teaspoon at a time until it completely dissolves in the acetone. 9) Now that it is all dissolved let the solution cool to room temperature and let it stand for one hour. The RDX will then precipitate again into it's salt. Then you must filter it through a paper towel around anothr jar and rinse it with cold water the same way you did before. Now you have the finished product roguhly 1 and 1/2 ounces of RDX. 10) Now store your finished product (after it dries) in a jar with a air tight lid for future use. Seeing that RDX does not lose it's effectiveness for months. -=-=-=- -USES!- -=-=-=- RDX is a very powerful explosive however it can be compressed into tubes to make detonaters. Later in this newsletter I will prescribe a method for making detonaters inwhich RDX will be used along with other explosives before mentioned. RDX however is sensitive to friction, and can be used as an explosive by itself. It is also commonly refered to as Clyclonite. Later... Jack The Ripper AMM "2.232 AMMONIUM NITRATE" Ammonium nitrate could be made by a terrorist according to the hap-hazard method in section 2.33, or it could be stolen from a construction site, since it is usually used in blasting, because it is very stable and insensitive to shock and heat. A terrorist could also buy several Instant Cold-Paks from a drug store or medical supply store. The major disadvantage with ammonium nitrate, from a terrorist's point of view, would be detonating it. A rather powerful priming charge must be used, and usually with a booster charge. The diagram below will explain. _________________________________________ | | | ________| | | | | T.N.T.| ammonium nitrate | |primer |booster| | |_______| | | | | | |_______|_______________________________| The primer explodes, detonating the T.N.T., which detonates, sending a tremendous shockwave through the ammonium nitrate, detonating it. ANFOS "2.233 ANFOS" ANFO is an acronym for Ammonium Nitrate - Fuel Oil Solution. An ANFO solves the only other major problem with ammonium nitrate: its tendency to pick up water vapor from the air. This results in the explosive failing to detonate when such an attempt is made. This is rectified by mixing 94% (by weight) ammonium nitrate with 6% fuel oil, or kerosene. The kerosene keeps the ammonium nitrate from absorbing moisture from the air. An ANFO also requires a large shockwave to set it off. * Addendum From hayes.ims.alaska.edu (internet) > > Lately there was been a lot said about various ANFO mixtures. These are >mixtures of Ammonium Nitrate with Fuel Oil. This forms a reasonably powerful >commercial explosive, with its primary benifit being the fact that it is >cheap. Bulk ANFO should run somewhere around 9-12 cents the pound. This is >dirt cheap compared to 40% nitro gel dynamites at 1 to 2 dollars the pound. >To keep the cost down, it is frequently mixed at the borehole by a bulk >truck, which has a pneumatic delivery hopper of AN prills (thats pellets to >most of the world) and a tank of fuel oil. It is strongly recommended that a >dye of some sort, preferably red be added to the fuel oil to make it easier >to distinguish treated AN explosive from untreated oxidizer. > > ANFO is not without its problems. To begin with, it is not that sensitive >to detonation. Number eight caps are not reliable when used with ANFO. >Booster charges must be used to avoid dud blast holes. Common boosters >include sticks of various dynamites, small pours of water gel explosives, >dupont's detaprime cast boosters, and Atlas's power primer cast explosive. >The need to use boosters raises the cost. Secondly, ANFO is very water >susceptable. It dissolves in it, or absorbes it from the atmosphere, and >becomes quite worthless real quick. It must be protected from water with >borehole liners, and still must be shot real quick. Third, ANFO has a low >density, somewhere around .85. This means ANFO sacks float, which is no >good, and additionally, the low density means the power is somewhat low. >Generally, the more weight of explosive one can place in a hole, the more >effective. ANFO blown into the hole with a pneumatic system fractures as it >is places, raising the density to about .9 or .92. The delivery system adds >to the cost, and must be anti static in nature. Aluminum is added to some >commercial, cartridge packaged ANFOs to raise the density---this also raises >power considerable, and a few of these mixtures are reliablly cap sensitive. > > Now than, for formulations. An earlier article mentioned 2.5 kilos of >ammonium nitrate, and I believe 5 to 6 liters of diesel. This mixture is >extremely over fueled, and I'd be surprised if it worked. Dupont recommends >a AN to FO ratio of 93% AN to 7% FO by weight. Hardly any oil at all. More >oil makes the mixture less explosive by absorbing detonation energy, and >excess fuel makes detonation byproducts health hazzards as the mixture is >oxygen poor. Note that commercial fertilizer products do not work as well as >the porous AN prills dupont sells, because fertilizers are coated with >various materials meant to seal them from moisture, which keep the oil from >being absorbed. > Another problem with ANFO: for reliable detonation, it needs confinement, >either from a casing, borehole, etc, or from the mass of the charge. Thus, >a pile of the stuff with a booster in it is likely to scatter and burn rather >than explode when the booster is shot. In boreholes, or reasonable strong >casings (cardboard, or heavy plastic film sacks) the stuff detonated quite >well. So will big piles. Thats how the explosive potential was discovered: >a small oil freighter rammed a bulk chemical ship. Over several hours the >cargoes intermixed to some degree, and reached critical mass. Real big >bang. A useful way to obtain the containment needed is to replace the fuel >oil with a wax fuel. Mix the AN with just enough melted wax to form a >cohesive mixture, mold into shape. The wax fuels, and retains the mixture. >This is what the US military uses as a man placed cratering charge. The >military literature states this can be set off by a blasting cap, but it >is important to remember the military blasting caps are considerable more >powerful than commercial ones. The military rightly insists on reliability, >and thus a strong cap (maybe 70-80 percent stronger than commercial). They >also tend to go overboard when calculating demolition charges...., but then >hey, who doesn't.... > > Two manuals of interest: Duponts "Blaster's Handbook", a $20 manual >mainly useful for rock and seismographic operations. Atlas's "Powder Manual" >or "Manual of Rock Blasting" (I forget the title, its in the office). This >is a $60 book, well worth the cash, dealing with the above two topics, plus >demolitions, and non-quarry blasting. > > Incidently, combining fuel oil and ammonium nitrate constitutes the >manufacture of a high explosive, and requires a federal permit to manufacture >and store. Even the mines that mix it on site require the permit to >manufacture. Those who don't manufacture only need permits to store. Those >who don't store need no permits, which includes most of us: anyone, at least >in the US may purchase explosives, provided they are 21 or older, and have no >criminal record. Note they ought to be used immediately, because you do need >a liscence to store. Note also that commercial explosives contain quantities >of tracing agents, which make it real easy for the FBI to trace the explosion >to the purchaser, so please, nobody blow up any banks, orphanages, or old >folks homes, okay. > > Dean Syta, Civil Engineer at large. *End Addendum TNT "2.234 T.N.T." T.N.T., or Tri-Nitro-Toluene, is perhaps the second oldest known high explosive. @{"Dynamite" Link DYNAMITE}, of course, was the first. It is certainly the best known high explosive, since it has been popularized by early morning cartoons. It is the standard for comparing other explosives to, since it is the most well known. In industry, a T.N.T. is made by a three step nitration process that is designed to conserve the nitric and sulfuric acids which are used to make the product. A terrorist, however, would probably opt for the less economical one step method. The one step process is performed by treating toluene with very strong (fuming) sulfuric acid. Then, the sulfated toluene is treated with very strong (fuming) nitric acid in an ice bath. Cold water is added the solution, and it is filtered. TNT2 "2.2341 T.N.T. II By THE SCREAMER" Probably the most important explosive compond in use today is TNT (trinitrotoluene). This and other very similar types of high explosives ar all used by the military, because of their fantastic power- about 2.25 millions pounds per square inch, and there great stability. TNT also has the great advantage of being ableto be melted at 82 degrees F., so that it can be poured into shells, mortars, or any other projectiles. Military TNT comes in containers which resemble dryu cell batteries, and are usually ingnited by an electrical charge, coupled with an electical blasting cap, although there are other methods. Preparation of TNT 1. Take two beakers. In the first prepare a solution of 76 percent sulfuric acid, 23 percent nitric acid and 1 percent water. In the other beaker, prepare another solution of 57 percent nitric acid and 43 percent sulfuric acid (percentages are on a weig ht ratio rather than volume). 2. Ten grams of the first solutions are poured into an empty beaker and placed in an ice bath. 3. Add ten grams of toluene, and stir for several minutes. 4. remove this beaker from the ice bath and gently heat until it reaches 50 degrees C. The solution is stirred constantly while being heated. 5. Fifty additional grams of the acid, from the first beaker, are added and the temperature is held for the next ten minutes, and an oily liquid will begin to form on the top of the acid. 6. After 10 or 12 minutes, the acid solution is returned to the ice bath, and cooled to 45 degrees C. when reaching this temperature, the oily liquid will sink and collect at the bottom of the beaker. At this point, the remaining acid solution should be drawn off, by using a syringe. 7. Fifty more grams of the first acid solution are added to the oily liquid while the temperature is SLOWLY being raised to 83 degrees C. After this temperature is reached, it is maintaind for a full half hour. 8. At the end of this period, he solution is allowed to cool to 60 degrees C>, and is held at this temperature for another full half hour. After this, the acid is again drawn off, leaving once more only the oily liquid at the bottom. 9. Thirty grams of sulfuric acid are added, while the oily liquid is gently heated to 80 degrees C. All temperature increases must be accoumplished slowly and gently. 10.Once the desired temperature is reached, 30 grams of the second acid solution are added, and the temperature is raised from 80 dgregrees C> to 104 degrees C., and is held for three hours. 11.After this three hour period, the mixture is lowered to 100 degrees C. and held there for a half hour. 12.After this half hour, the oil is removed form the acid and washed with boiling water. 13.After the washing with boiling water, while being stired constantly, the TNT will begin to solidify. 14.When the solidification has started, cold water is added to the beaker, so that the TNT will form into pellets. Once this is done, you have a good quality TNT. NOTE: the temperatures used in the preparation of TNT are EXACT, and must be used as such. DO NOT estimate or use aproximations. Buy a good centigrade thermometer. The author take NO RESPONSIBILITY for any damage to persons or property for this formula. It is supplied for STUDY PURPOSES ONLY. POT "2.235 POTASSIUM CHLORATE" Potassium chlorate itself cannot be made in the home, but it can be obtained from labs. If potassium chlorate is mixed with a small amount of vaseline, or other petroleum jelly, and a shockwave is passed through it, the material will detonate with slightly more power than black powder. It must, however, be confined to detonate it in this manner. The procedure for making such an explosive is outlined below: MATERIALS EQUIPMENT ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ potassium chlorate zip-lock plastic bag (9 parts, by volume) petroleum jelly clay grinding bowl (vaseline) or (1 part, by volume) wooden bowl and wooden spoon 1) Grind the potassium chlorate in the grinding bowl carefully and slowly, until the potassium chlorate is a very fine powder. The finer that it is powdered, the faster (better) it will detonate. 2) Place the powder into the plastic bag. Put the petroleum jelly into the plastic bag, getting as little on the sides of the bag as possible, i.e. put the vaseline on the potassium chlorate powder. 3) Close the bag, and kneed the materials together until none of the potassium chlorate is dry powder that does not stick to the main glob. If necessary, add a bit more petroleum jelly to the bag. 4) The material must me used within 24 hours, or the mixture will react to greatly reduce the effectiveness of the explosive. This reaction, however, is harmless, and releases no heat or dangerous products. DYNAMITE "2.236 DYNAMITE" The name dynamite comes from the Greek word "dynamis", meaning power. Dynamite was invented by Nobel shortly after he made @{"nitroglycerine" Link NITRO}. It was made because nitroglycerine was so dangerously sensitive to shock. A misguided individual with some sanity would, after making nitroglycerine (an insane act) would immediately convert it to dynamite. This can be done by adding various materials to the nitroglycerine, such as sawdust. The sawdust holds a large weight of nitroglycerine per volume. Other materials, such as ammonium nitrate could be added, and they would tend to desensitize the explosive, and increase the power. But even these nitroglycerine compounds are not really safe. STARCH "2.237 NITROSTARCH EXPLOSIVES" Nitrostarch explosives are simple to make, and are fairly powerful. All that need be done is treat various starches with a mixture of concentrated nitric and sulfuric acids. 10 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid is added to 10 ml of concentrated nitric acid. To this mixture is added 0.5 grams of starch. Cold water is added, and the apparently unchanged nitrostarch is filtered out. Nitrostarch explosives are of slightly lower power than T.N.T., but they are more readily detonated. PICRIC "2.238 PICRIC ACID" Picric acid, also known as Tri-Nitro-Phenol, or T.N.P., is a military explosive that is most often used as a booster charge to set off another less sensitive explosive, such as @{"T.N.T." Link TNT} It another explosive that is fairly simple to make, assuming that one can acquire the concentrated sulfuric and nitric acids. Its procedure for manufacture is given in many college chemistry lab manuals, and is easy to follow. The main problem with picric acid is its tendency to form dangerously sensitive and unstable picrate salts, such as potassium picrate. For this reason, it is usually made into a safer form, such as @{"ammonium picrate" Link D}, also called explosive D. A social deviant would probably use a formula similar to the one presented here to make picric acid. MATERIALS EQUIPMENT ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ phenol (9.5 g) 500 ml flask concentrated adjustable heat source sulfuric acid (12.5 ml) 1000 ml beaker concentrated nitric or other container acid (38 ml) suitable for boiling in distilled water filter paper and funnel glass stirring rod 1) Place 9.5 grams of phenol into the 500 ml flask, and carefully add 12.5 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid and stir the mixture. 2) Put 400 ml of tap water into the 1000 ml beaker or boiling container and bring the water to a gentle boil. 3) After warming the 500 ml flask under hot tap water, place it in the boiling water, and continue to stir the mixture of phenol and acid for about thirty minutes. After thirty minutes, take the flask out, and allow it to cool for about five minutes. 4) Pour out the boiling water used above, and after allowing the container to cool, use it to create an ice bath, similar to the one used in section 3.13, steps 3-4. Place the 500 ml flask with the mixed acid an phenol in the ice bath. Add 38 ml of concentrated nitric acid in small amounts, stirring the mixture constantly. A vigorous but "harmless" reaction should occur. When the mixture stops reacting vigorously, take the flask out of the ice bath. 5) Warm the ice bath container, if it is glass, and then begin boiling more tap water. Place the flask containing the mixture in the boiling water, and heat it in the boiling water for 1.5 to 2 hours. 6) Add 100 ml of cold distilled water to the solution, and chill it in an ice bath until it is cold. 7) Filter out the yellowish-white picric acid crystals by pouring the solution through the filter paper in the funnel. Collect the liquid and dispose of it in a safe place, since it is corrosive. 8) Wash out the 500 ml flask with distilled water, and put the contents of the filter paper in the flask. Add 300 ml of water, and shake vigorously. 9) Re-filter the crystals, and allow them to dry. 10) Store the crystals in a safe place in a glass container, since they will react with metal containers to produce picrates that could explode spontaneously. D "2.239 AMMONIUM PICRATE" Ammonium picrate, also called Explosive D, is another safety explosive. It requires a substantial shock to cause it to detonate, slightly less than that required to detonate ammonium nitrate. It is much safer than picric acid, since it has little tendency to form hazardous unstable salts when placed in metal containers. It is simple to make from picric acid and clear household ammonia. All that need be done is put the picric acid crystals into a glass container and dissolve them in a great quantity of hot water. Add clear household ammonia in excess, and allow the excess ammonia to evaporate. The powder remaining should be ammonium picrate. GEN "2.2391 NITROGEN TRICHLORIDE" Nitrogen trichloride, also known as chloride of azode, is an oily yellow liquid. It explodes violently when it is heated above 60 degrees celsius, or when it comes in contact with an open flame or spark. It is fairly simple to produce. 1) In a beaker, dissolve about 5 teaspoons of ammonium nitrate in water. Do not put so much ammonium nitrate into the solution that some of it remains undissolved in the bottom of the beaker. 2) Collect a quantity of chlorine gas in a second beaker by mixing hydrochloric acid with potassium permanganate in a large flask with a stopper and glass pipe. 3) Place the beaker containing the chlorine gas upside down on top of the beaker containing the ammonium nitrate solution, and tape the beakers together. Gently heat the bottom beaker. When this is done, oily yellow droplets will begin to form on the surface of the solution, and sink down to the bottom. At this time, remove the heat source immediately. Alternately, the chlorine can be bubbled through the ammonium nitrate solution, rather than collecting the gas in a beaker, but this requires timing and a stand to hold the beaker and test tube. The chlorine gas can also be mixed with anhydrous ammonia gas, by gently heating a flask filled with clear household ammonia. Place the glass tubes from the chlorine-generating flask and the tube from the ammonia-generating flask in another flask that contains water. 4) Collect the yellow droplets with an eyedropper, and use them immediately, since nitrogen trichloride decomposes in 24 hours. LEAD "2.2392 LEAD AZIDE" Lead Azide is a material that is often used as a booster charge for other explosive, but it does well enough on its own as a fairly sensitive explosive. It does not detonate too easily by percussion or impact, but it is easily detonated by heat from an igniter wire, or a blasting cap. It is simple to produce, assuming that the necessary chemicals can be procured. By dissolving sodium azide and lead acetate in water in separate beakers, the two materials are put into an aqueous state. Mix the two beakers together, and apply a gentle heat. Add an excess of the lead acetate solution, until no reaction occurs, and the precipitate on the bottom of the beaker stops forming. Filter off the solution, and wash the precipitate in hot water. The precipitate is lead azide, and it must be stored wet for safety. If lead acetate cannot be found, simply acquire acetic acid, and put lead metal in it. @{"Black powder" Link POWDER} bullets work well for this purpose. ASTRO "2.2393 ASTROLITE By: Future Spy & The Fighting Falcon" Note: Information on the Astrolite Explosives were taken from the book 'Two Component High Explosive Mixtures' By Desert Pub'l Some of the chemicals used are somewhat toxic, but who gives a fuck! Go ahead! I won't even bother mentioning 'This information is for enlightening purposes only'! I would love it if everyone made a gallon of astrolite and blew their fucking school to kingdom scum! Astrolite The astrolite family of liquid explosives were products of rocket propellant research in the '60's. Astrolite A-1-5 is supposed to be the world's most powerful non-nuclear explosive -at about 1.8 to 2 times more powerful than TNT. Being more powerful it is also safer to handle than TNT (not that it isn't safe in the first place) and Nitroglycerin. Astrolite G "Astrolite G is a clear liquid explosive especially designed to produce very high detonation velocity, 8,600MPS (meters/sec.), compared with 7,700MPS for nitroglycerin and 6,900MPS for TNT...In addition, a very unusual characteristic is that it the liquid explosive has the ability to be absorbed easily into the ground while remaining detonatable...In field tests, Astrolite G has remained detonatable for 4 days in the ground, even when the soil was soaked due to rainy weather" know what that means?....Astrolite Dynamite! To make (mix in fairly large container & outside) Two parts by weight of ammonium nitrate mixed with one part by weight 'anhydrous' hydrazine, produces Astrolite G...Simple enough eh? I'm sure that the 2:1 ratio is not perfect,and that if you screw around with it long enough, that you'll find a better formula. Also, dunno why the book says 'anhydrous' hydrazine, hydrazine is already anhydrous... Hydrazine is the chemical you'll probably have the hardest time getting hold of. Uses for Hydrazine are: Rocket fuel, agricultural chemicals (maleic hydra-zide), drugs (antibacterial and antihypertension), polymerization catalyst, plating metals on glass and plastics, solder fluxes, photographic developers, diving equipment. Hydrazine is also the chemical you should be careful with. Astrolite A/A-1-5 Mix 20% (weight) aluminum powder to the ammonium nitrate, and then mix with hydrazine. The aluminum powder should be 100 mesh or finer. Astrolite A has a detonation velocity of 7,800MPS. Misc. info You should be careful not to get any of the astrolite on you,if it happens though, you should flush the area with water. Astrolite A&G both should be able to be detonated by a #8 blasting cap. OTHER "2.24 OTHER 'EXPLOSIVES'" The remaining section covers the other types of materials that can be used to destroy property by fire. Although none of the materials presented here are explosives, they still produce explosive-style results. THERMITE "2.241 THERMITE" Thermite is a fuel-oxodizer mixture that is used to generate tremendous amounts of heat. It was not presented in section 3.23 because it does not react nearly as readily. It is a mixture of iron oxide and aluminum, both finely powdered. When it is ignited, the aluminum burns, and extracts the oxygen from the iron oxide. This is really two very exothermic reactions that produce a combined temperature of about 2200 degrees C. This is half the heat produced by an atomic weapon. It is difficult to ignite, however, but when it is ignited, it is one of the most effective firestarters around. MATERIALS ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ powdered aluminum (10 g) powdered iron oxide (10 g) 1) There is no special procedure or equipment required to make thermit. Simply mix the two powders together, and try to make the mixture as homogenous as possible. The ratio of iron oxide to aluminum is 50% / 50% by weight, and be made in greater or lesser amounts. 2) Ignition of thermite can be accomplished by adding a small amount of potassium chlorate to the thermite, and pouring a few drops of sulfuric acid on it. This method and others will be discussed later in section 4.33. The other method of igniting thermite is with a magnesium strip. Finally, by using common sparkler-type fireworks placed in the thermit, the mixture can be ignited. MOLCOCK "2.242 MOLOTOV COCKTAILS" First used by Russians against German tanks, the Molotov cocktail is now exclusively used by terrorists worldwide. They are extremely simple to make, and can produce devastating results. By taking any highly flammable material, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, ethyl or methyl alcohol, lighter fluid, turpentine, or any mixture of the above, and putting it into a large glass bottle, anyone can make an effective firebomb. After putting the flammable liquid in the bottle, simply put a piece of cloth that is soaked in the liquid in the top of the bottle so that it fits tightly. Then, wrap some of the cloth around the neck and tie it, but be sure to leave a few inches of lose cloth to light. Light the exposed cloth, and throw the bottle. If the burning cloth does not go out, and if the bottle breaks on impact, the contents of the bottle will spatter over a large area near the site of impact, and burst into flame. Flammable mixtures such as kerosene and motor oil should be mixed with a more volatile and flammable liquid, such as gasoline, to insure ignition. A mixture such as tar or grease and gasoline will stick to the surface that it strikes, and burn hotter, and be more difficult to extinguish. A mixture such as this must be shaken well before it is lit and thrown CFIRE "2.243 CHEMICAL FIRE BOTTLE" The chemical fire bottle is really an advanced molotov cocktail. Rather than using the burning cloth to ignite the flammable liquid, which has at best a fair chance of igniting the liquid, the chemical fire bottle utilizes the very hot and violent reaction between sulfuric acid and potassium chlorate. When the container breaks, the sulfuric acid in the mixture of gasoline sprays onto the paper soaked in potassium chlorate and sugar. The paper, when struck by the acid, instantly bursts into a white flame, igniting the gasoline. The chance of failure to ignite the gasoline is less than 2%, and can be reduced to 0%, if there is enough potassium chlorate and sugar to spare. MATERIALS EQUIPMENT ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ potassium chlorate glass bottle (2 teaspoons) (12 oz.) sugar (2 teaspoons) cap for bottle, w/plastic inside with plastic inside conc. sulfuric acid (4 oz.) cooking pan with raised edges gasoline (8 oz.) paper towels glass or plastic cup and spoon 1) Test the cap of the bottle with a few drops of sulfuric acid to make sure that the acid will not eat away the bottle cap during storage. If the acid eats through it in 24 hours, a new top must be found and tested, until a cap that the acid does not eat through is found. A glass top is excellent. 2) Carefully pour 8 oz. of gasoline into the glass bottle. 3) Carefully pour 4 oz. of concentrated sulfuric acid into the glass bottle. Wipe up any spills of acid on the sides of the bottle, and screw the cap on the bottle. Wash the bottle's outside with plenty of water. Set it aside to dry. 4) Put about two teaspoons of potassium chlorate and about two teaspoons of sugar into the glass or plastic cup. Add about 1/2 cup of boiling water, or enough to dissolve all of the potassium chlorate and sugar. 5) Place a sheet of paper towel in the cooking pan with raised edges. Fold the paper towel in half, and pour the solution of dissolved potassium chlorate and sugar on it until it is thoroughly wet. Allow the towel to dry. 6) When it is dry, put some glue on the outside of the glass bottle containing the gasoline and sulfuric acid mixture. Wrap the paper towel around the bottle, making sure that it sticks to it in all places. Store the bottle in a place where it will not be broken or tipped over. 7) When finished, the solution in the bottle should appear as two distinct liquids, a dark brownish-red solution on the bottom, and a clear solution on top. The two solutions will not mix. To use the chemical fire bottle, simply throw it at any hard surface. 8) NEVER OPEN THE BOTTLE, SINCE SOME SULFURIC ACID MIGHT BE ON THE CAP, WHICH COULD TRICKLE DOWN THE SIDE OF THE BOTTLE AND IGNITE THE POTASSIUM CHLORATE, CAUSING A FIRE AND/OR EXPLOSION. 9) To test the device, tear a small piece of the paper towel off the bottle, and put a few drops of sulfuric acid on it. The paper towel should immediately burst into a white flame. BGAS "2.244 BOTTLED GAS EXPLOSIVES" Bottled gas, such as butane for refilling lighters, propane for propane stoves or for bunsen burners, can be used to produce a powerful explosion. To make such a device, all that a simple-minded anarchist would have to do would be to take his container of bottled gas and place it above a can of Sterno or other gelatinized fuel, light the fuel and run. Depending on the fuel used, and on the thickness of the fuel container, the liquid gas will boil and expand to the point of bursting the container in about five minutes. In theory, the gas would immediately be ignited by the burning gelatinized fuel, producing a large fireball and explosion. Unfortunately, the bursting of the bottled gas container often puts out the fuel, thus preventing the expanding gas from igniting. By using a metal bucket half filled with gasoline, however, the chances of ignition are better, since the gasoline is less likely to be extinguished. Placing the canister of bottled gas on a bed of burning charcoal soaked in gasoline would probably be the most effective way of securing ignition of the expanding gas, since although the bursting of the gas container may blow out the flame of the gasoline, the burning charcoal should immediately re-ignite it. Nitrous oxide, hydrogen, propane, acetylene, or any other flammable gas will do nicely. Addendum 4/12/91: During the recent gulf war, fuel/air bombs were touted as being second only to nuclear weapons in their devastating effects. These are basically similar to the above devices, except that an explosive charge is used to rupture the fuel container and disperse it over a wide area. a second charge is used to detonate the fuel. The reaction is said to produce a massive shockwave and to burn all the oxygen in a large area, causing suffocation. Another benefit of a fuel-air explosive is that the gas will seep into fortified bunkers and other partially-sealed spaces, so a large bomb placed in a building would result in the destruction of the majority of surrounding rooms, rendering it structurally unsound. *End addendum USING "2.3 USING EXPLOSIVES" Once a terrorist has made his explosives, the next logical step is to apply them. Explosives have a wide range of uses, from harassment, to vandalism, to murder. NONE OF THE IDEAS PRESENTED HERE ARE EVER TO BE CARRIED OUT, EITHER IN PART OR IN FULL! DOING SO CAN LEAD TO PROSECUTION, FINES, AND IMPRISONMENT! The first step that a person that would use explosive would take would be to determine how big an explosive device would be needed to do whatever had to be done. Then, he would have to decide what to make his bomb with. He would also have to decide on how he wanted to detonate the device, and determine where the best placement for it would be. Then, it would be necessary to see if the device could be put where he wanted it without it being discovered or moved. Finally, he would actually have to sit down and build his explosive device. These are some of the topics covered in the next section. SAFETY "2.31 SAFETY" There is no such thing as a "safe" explosive device. One can only speak in terms of relative safety, or less unsafe. IGNITION "2.32 IGNITION DEVICES" There are many ways to ignite explosive devices. There is the classic "light the fuse, throw the bomb, and run" approach, and there are sensitive mercury switches, and many things in between. Generally, electrical detonation systems are safer than fuses, but there are times when fuses are more appropriate than electrical systems; it is difficult to carry an electrical detonation system into a stadium, for instance, without being caught. A device with a fuse or impact detonating fuse would be easier to hide. FUSE "2.321 FUSE IGNITION" The oldest form of explosive ignition, fuses are perhaps the favorite type of simple ignition system. By simply placing a piece of waterproof fuse in a device, one can have almost guaranteed ignition. Modern waterproof fuse is extremely reliable, burning at a rate of about 2.5 seconds to the inch. It is available as model rocketry fuse in most hobby shops, and costs about $3.00 for a nine-foot length. Fuse is a popular ignition system for pipe bombers because of its simplicity. All that need be done is light it with a match or lighter. Of course, if the Army had fuses like this, then the grenade, which uses fuse ignition, would be very impracticle. If a grenade ignition system can be acquired, by all means, it is the most effective. But, since such things do not just float around, the next best thing is to prepare a fuse system which does not require the use of a match or lighter, but still retains its simplicity. One such method is described below: MATERIALS _________ strike-on-cover type matches electrical tape or duct tape waterproof fuse 1) To determine the burn rate of a particular type of fuse, simply measure a 6 inch or longer piece of fuse and ignite it. With a stopwatch, press the start button the at the instant when the fuse lights, and stop the watch when the fuse reaches its end. Divide the time of burn by the length of fuse, and you have the burn rate of the fuse, in seconds per inch. This will be shown below: Suppose an eight inch piece of fuse is burned, and its complete time of combustion is 20 seconds. 20 seconds ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ = 2.5 seconds per inch. 8 inches If a delay of 10 seconds was desired with this fuse, divide the desired time by the number of seconds per inch: 10 seconds ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ = 4 inches 2.5 seconds / inch NOTE: THE LENGTH OF FUSE HERE MEANS LENGTH OF FUSE TO THE POWDER. SOME FUSE, AT LEAST AN INCH, SHOULD BE INSIDE THE DEVICE. ALWAYS ADD THIS EXTRA INCH, AND PUT THIS EXTRA INCH AN INCH INTO THE DEVICE!!! 2) After deciding how long a delay is desired before the explosive device is to go off, add about 1/2 an inch to the premeasured amount of fuse, and cut it off. 3) Carefully remove the cardboard matches from the paper match case. Do not pull off individual matches; keep all the matches attached to the cardboard base. Take one of the cardboard match sections, and leave the other one to make a second igniter. 4) Wrap the matches around the end of the fuse, with the heads of the matches touching the very end of the fuse. Tape them there securely, making sure not to put tape over the match heads. Make sure they are very secure by pulling on them at the base of the assembly. They should not be able to move. 5) Wrap the cover of the matches around the matches attached to the fuse, making sure that the striker paper is below the match heads and the striker faces the match heads. Tape the paper so that is fairly tight around the matches. Do not tape the cover of the striker to the fuse or to the matches. Leave enough of the match book to pull on for ignition. _____________________ \ / \ / ------ match book cover \ / | M|f|M ---|------- match head | A|u|A | | T|s|T | | C|e|C | |tapeH|.|Htape| | |f| | |#####|u|#####|-------- striking paper |#####|s|#####| \ |e| / \ |.| / \ |f| / \ |u| / |ta|s|pe| |ta|e|pe| |.| |f| |u| |s| |e| |.| |_| The match book is wrapped around the matches, and is taped to itself. The matches are taped to the fuse. The striker will rub against the matcheads when the match book is pulled. 6) When ready to use, simply pull on the match paper. It should pull the striking paper across the match heads with enough friction to light them. In turn, the burning matcheads will light the fuse, since it adjacent to the burning match heads. BFUSE "2.3211 HOW TO MAKE BLACKMATCH FUSE" Take a flat piece of plastic or metal (brass or aluminum are easy to work with and won't rust). Drill a 1/16th inch hole through it. This is your die for sizing the fuse. You can make fuses as big as you want, but this is the right size for the pipe bomb I will be getting to later. To about 1/2 cup of black powder add water to make a thin paste. Add 1/2 teaspoon of corn starch. Cut some one foot lengths of cotton thread. Use cotton, not silk or thread made from synthetic fibers. Put these together until you have a thickness that fills the hole in the die but can be drawn through very easily. Tie your bundle of threads together at one end. Separate the threads and hold the bundle over the black powder mixture. Lower the threads with a circular motion so they start curling onto the mixture. Press them under with the back of a teaspoon and continue lowering them so they coil into the paste. Take the end you are holding and thread it through the die. Pull it through smoothly in one long motion. To dry your fuse, lay it on a piece of aluminum foil and bake it in your 250 degree oven or tie it to a grill in the oven and let it hang down. The fuse must be baked to make it stiff enough for the uses it will be put to later. Air drying will not do the job. If you used Sodium Nitrate, it will not even dry completely at room temperatures. Cut the dry fuse with sissors into 2 inch lengths and store in an air tight container. Handle this fuse carefuly to avoid breaking it. You can also use a firecracker fuse if you have any available. The fuses can usually be pulled out without breaking. To give yourself some running time, you will be extending these fuses (blackmatch or firecracker fuse) with sulfured wick. IMPACT "2.322 IMPACT IGNITION" Impact ignition is an excellent method of ignition for spontaneous terrorist activities. The problem with an impact-detonating device is that it must be kept in a very safe container so that it will not explode while being transported to the place where it is to be used. This can be done by having a removable impact initiator. The best and most reliable impact initiator is one that uses factory made initiators or primers. A no. 11 cap for black powder firearms is one such primer. They usually come in boxes of 100, and cost about $2.50. To use such a cap, however, one needs a nipple that it will fit on. Black powder nipples are also available in gun stores. All that a person has to do is ask for a package of nipples and the caps that fit them. Nipples have a hole that goes all the way through them, and they have a threaded end, and an end to put the cap on. A cutaway of a nipple is shown below: ________________ | | _ | | | | |/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\| _______| |^^^^^^^| | ___________| | | no. 11 |_______| percussion _______ ------- threads for screwing cap : here |__________ nipple onto bomb |____ | | |^^^^^^^^^| |_| |/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/| | | |_________________| When making using this type of initiator, a hole must be drilled into whatever container is used to make the bomb out of. The nipple is then screwed into the hole so that it fits tightly. Then, the cap can be carried and placed on the bomb when it is to be thrown. The cap should be bent a small amount before it is placed on the nipple, to make sure that it stays in place. The only other problem involved with an impact detonating bomb is that it must strike a hard surface on the nipple to set it off. By attaching fins or a small parachute on the end of the bomb opposite the primer, the bomb, when thrown, should strike the ground on the primer, and explode. Of course, a bomb with mercury fulminate in each end will go off on impact regardless of which end it strikes on, but mercury fulminate is also likely to go off if the person carrying the bomb is bumped hard. EL-IGN "2.323 ELECTRICAL IGNITION" Electrical ignition systems for detonation are usually the safest and most reliable form of ignition. Electrical systems are ideal for demolition work, if one doesn't have to worry so much about being caught. With two spools of 500 ft of wire and a car battery, one can detonate explosives from a "safe", comfortable distance, and be sure that there is nobody around that could get hurt. With an electrical system, one can control exactly what time a device will explode, within fractions of a second. Detonation can be aborted in less than a second's warning, if a person suddenly walks by the detonation sight, or if a police car chooses to roll by at the time. The two best electrical igniters are military squibs and model rocketry igniters. Blasting caps for construction also work well. Model rocketry igniters are sold in packages of six, and cost about $1.00 per pack. All that need be done to use them is connect it to two wires and run a current through them. Military squibs are difficult to get, but they are a little bit better, since they explode when a current is run through them, whereas rocketry igniters only burst into flame. Military squibs can be used to set off sensitive high explosives, such as R.D.X., or potassium chlorate mixed with petroleum jelly. Igniters can be used to set off black powder, mercury fulminate, or guncotton, which in turn, can set of a high order explosive. EL-MEK "2.324 ELECTRO-MECHANICAL IGNITION" Electro-mechanical ignition systems are systems that use some type of mechanical switch to set off an explosive charge electrically. This type of switch is typically used in booby traps or other devices in which the person who places the bomb does not wish to be anywhere near the device when it explodes. Several types of electro-mechanical detonators will be discussed MERC "2.324 Mercury Switches" Mercury switches are a switch that uses the fact that mercury metal conducts electricity, as do all metals, but mercury metal is a liquid at room temperatures. A typical mercury switch is a sealed glass tube with two electrodes and a bead of mercury metal. It is sealed because of mercury's nasty habit of giving off brain-damaging vapors. The diagram below may help to explain a mercury switch. ______________ A / \ B _____wire +______/_________ \ \ ( Hg )| / \ _(_Hg___)|___/ | | wire - | | | When the drop of mercury ("Hg" is mercury's atomic symbol) touches both contacts, current flows through the switch. If this particular switch was in its present position, A---B, current would be flowing, since the mercury can touch both contacts in the horizontal position. If, however, it was in the | position, the drop of mercury would only touch the + contact on the A side. Current, then couldn't flow, since mercury does not reach both contacts when the switch is in the vertical position. This type of switch is ideal to place by a door. If it were placed in the path of a swinging door in the verticle position, the motion of the door would knock the switch down, if it was held to the ground by a piece if tape. This would tilt the switch into the verticle position, causing the mercury to touch both contacts, allowing current to flow through the mercury, and to the igniter or squib in an explosive device. Imagine opening a door and having it slammed in your face by an explosion. TRIPWIRE "2.325 Tripwire Switches" A tripwire is an element of the classic booby trap. By placing a nearly invisible line of string or fishing line in the probable path of a victim, and by putting some type of trap there also, nasty things can be caused to occur. If this mode of thought is applied to explosives, how would one use such a tripwire to detonate a bomb. The technique is simple. By wrapping the tips of a standard clothespin with aluminum foil, and placing something between them, and connecting wires to each aluminum foil contact, an electric tripwire can be made, If a piece of wood attached to the tripwire was placed between the contacts on the clothespin, the clothespin would serve as a switch. When the tripwire was pulled, the clothespin would snap together, allowing current to flow between the two pieces of aluminum foil, thereby completing a circuit, which would have the igniter or squib in it. Current would flow between the contacts to the igniter or squib, heat the igniter or squib, causing it it to explode. __________________________________ \_foil___________________________/ Insert strip of ----------------------------spring wood with trip- _foil__________________________ wire between foil /_______________________________\ contacts. Make sure that the aluminum foil contacts do not touch the spring, since the spring also conducts electricity. RADIO "2.326 Radio Control Detonators" In the movies, every terrorist or criminal uses a radio controlled detonator to set off explosives. With a good radio detonator, one can be several miles away from the device, and still control exactly when it explodes, in much the same way as an electrical switch. The problem with radio detonators is that they are rather costly. However, there could possibly be a reason that a terrorist would wish to spend the amounts of money involved with a RC (radio control) system and use it as a detonator. If such an individual wanted to devise an RC detonator, all he would need to do is visit the local hobby store or toy store, and buy a radio controlled toy. Taking it back to his/her abode, all that he/she would have to do is detach the solenoid/motor that controls the motion of the front wheels of a RC car, or detach the solenoid/motor of the elevators/rudder of a RC plane, or the rudder of a RC boat, and re-connect the squib or rocket engine igniter to the contacts for the solenoid/motor. The device should be tested several times with squibs or igniters, and fully charged batteries should be in both he controller and the receiver (the part that used to move parts before the device became a detonator). MINI-C "2.328 MINI-COMPOUND DETONATOR'S" _______________________________________________________________________________ | | | Mini-Compound Detonater's | | | | Brought to you by- | | | | Jack The Ripper | | | |_____________________________________________________________________________| This is basically a tutorial in making detonaters, and there are a few rules, that I would like each and every one of you to follow. Making detonaters is very very dangerous considering that the purpose of detonaters is for them to be sensitive and easily detonated, so be careful. Also the detonaters I am telling you how to make are small, but the same principle can be applied on a larger scale. -=-=-=-=-=- -MATERIALS- -=-=-=-=-=- Name Source ---- ------ Empty .22 Magnum shells or copper/brass/aluminum Gun stores or Hardware tubing 1/4 inch in diameter and 1 inch long. These Stores tubes must also be closed at one end. A substantial quantity of Secondary Explosive i.e. @{"RDX" Link RDX} depends on how many detonaters you intend to or PETN can be substituted here. PETN is the center filling of detonating cords. A substantial quantity of primary explosive i.e. Acetone Peroxide @{"Mercury Fulminate" Link MERCURY} or @{"Acetone Peroxide" Link ACE}. Article 1 this issue of "Anarchy Today" An ignition charge of @{"black powder" Link BLACK}. Gun stores FFF black powder. A loading press (commonly used for reloading shells Gun stores also please be safe considering a few of these detonaters may detonate when being compressed, so take the neccessary precautions such as safty glasses etc...) -=-=-=-=-=- -PROCEDURE- -=-=-=-=-=- *NOTE* dirt or oil may sensitive the detonaters to an unsafe level so when handling the primary ad secondary and ingnition charges use tongs. Also boil a bucket of water in the room as humidity helps or if your in a house turn your shower on hot and leave it on! 1) Now light a candle, and let two drops of wax drip into each shell casing before use. Then let the wax cool down. 2) Now fill the casing to a depth of 1/4 inch with RDX or PETN, and then *GENTLY and SLOWLY* insert the ram and compress the explosive slowly and evenly. Now remove the ram slowly and carefully. 3) Continue this process adding small amounts of RDX or PETN until a column of secondary explosive 5/8 of an inch high has been pressed into the 1 inch shell casing. 4) Now add a small amount of Primary explosive the same way you added the secondary explosive on top of the secondary explosive. Now add the Mercury Fulminate or Acetone Peroxide on top of the 5/8 inch column of secondary explosive and compress it with the ram until it reaches a height of primary explosive 1/4 inch high. 5) Now compress the remaining 1/8 of an inch with black powder. Now seal the top with wax paper or tape until ready for use. -=-=-=-=- -DIAGRAM- -=-=-=-=- - ++++++ | |@@@@| | |****| | |****| | |####| 1 INCH------< |####| | |####| | |####| | |####| | |----| - |====| +-+-+ +Key+ +-+-+ @ = Black Powder (Ignition Charge) * = Mercury Fulminate or Acetone Peroxide (Primary Charge) # = RDX or PETN (Secondary Charge) - = Two drops of wax on Bottom + = Tape covering top = = The bottom of shell casing | = Sides of .22 Magnum Shell -=-=-=- -USES!- -=-=-=- These little beauties can be used for almost any purpose or a larger version can be used where a hard to detonate substance is used. Their main use is for minature hand grenades and other small explosives. The next issue of "Anarchy Today" will cover various things such as explosive candles, etc... Later... Jack The Ripper DELAY "2.33 DELAYS" A delay is a device which causes time to pass from when a device is set up to the time that it explodes. A regular fuse is a delay, but it would cost quite a bit to have a 24 hour delay with a fuse. This section deals with the different types of delays that can be employed by a terrorist who wishes to be sure that his bomb will go off, but wants to be out of the country when it does. DFUSE "2.331 FUSE DELAYS" It is extremely simple to delay explosive devices that employ fuses for ignition. Perhaps the simplest way to do so is with a cigarette. An average cigarette burns for about 8 minutes. The higher the "tar" and nicotine rating, the slower the cigarette burns. Low "tar" and nicotine cigarettes burn quicker than the higher "tar" and nicotine cigarettes, but they are also less likely to go out if left unattended, i.e. not smoked. Depending on the wind or draft in a given place, a high "tar" cigarette is better for delaying the ignition of a fuse, but there must be enough wind or draft to give the cigarette enough oxygen to burn. People who use cigarettes for the purpose of delaying fuses will often test the cigarettes that they plan to use in advance to make sure they stay lit and to see how long it will burn. Once a cigarettes burn rate is determined, it is a simple matter of carefully putting a hole all the way through a cigarette with a toothpick at the point desired, and pushing the fuse for a device in the hole formed. |=| |=| ---------- filter |=| | | | | |o| ---------- hole for fuse cigarette ------------ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |_| ---------- light this end A similar type of device can be make from powdered charcoal and a sheet of paper. Simply roll the sheet of paper into a thin tube, and fill it with powdered charcoal. Punch a hole in it at the desired location, and insert a fuse. Both ends must be glued closed, and one end of the delay must be doused with lighter fluid before it is lit. Or, a small charge of gunpowder mixed with powdered charcoal could conceivably used for igniting such a delay. A chain of charcoal briquettes can be used as a delay by merely lining up a few bricks of charcoal so that they touch each other, end on end, and lighting the first brick. Incense, which can be purchased at almost any novelty or party supply store, can also be used as a fairly reliable delay. By wrapping the fuse about the end of an incense stick, delays of up to 1/2 an hour are possible. Finally, it is possible to make a relatively slow-burning fuse in the home. By dissolving about one teaspoon of black powder in about 1/4 a cup of boiling water, and, while it is still hot, soaking in it a long piece of all cotton string, a slow-burning fuse can be made. After the soaked string dries, it must then be tied to the fuse of an explosive device. Sometimes, the end of the slow burning fuse that meets the normal fuse has a charge of black powder or gunpowder at the intersection point to insure ignition, since the slow-burning fuse does not burn at a very high temperature. A similar type of slow fuse can be made by taking the above mixture of boiling water and black powder and pouring it on a long piece of toilet paper. The wet toilet paper is then gently twisted up so that it resembles a firecracker fuse, and is allowed to dry. TIMER "2.332 TIMER DELAYS" Timer delays, or "time bombs" are usually employed by an individual who wishes to threaten a place with a bomb and demand money to reveal its location and means to disarm it. Such a device could be placed in any populated place if it were concealed properly. There are several ways to build a timer delay. By simply using a screw as one contact at the time that detonation is desired, and using the hour hand of a clock as the other contact, a simple timer can be made. The minute hand of a clock should be removed, unless a delay of less than an hour is desired. The main disadvantage with this type of timer is that it can only be set for a maximum time of 12 hours. If an electronic timer is used, such as that in an electronic clock, then delays of up to 24 hours are possible. By removing the speaker from an electronic clock, and attaching the wires of a squib or igniter to them, a timer with a delay of up to 24 hours can be made. All that one has to do is set the alarm time of the clock to the desired time, connect the leads, and go away. This could also be done with an electronic watch, if a larger battery were used, and the current to the speaker of the watch was stepped up via a transformer. This would be good, since such a timer could be extremely small. The timer in a VCR (Video Cassette Recorder) would be ideal. VCR's can usually be set for times of up to a week. The leads from the timer to the recording equipment would be the ones that an igniter or squib would be connected to. Also, one can buy timers from electronics stores that would be work well. Finally, one could employ a digital watch, and use a relay, or electro-magnetic switch to fire the igniter, and the current of the watch would not have to be stepped up. CHEMD "2.333 CHEMICAL DELAYS" Chemical delays are uncommon, but they can be extremely effective in some cases. If a glass container is filled with concentrated sulfuric acid, and capped with several thicknesses of aluminum foil, or a cap that it will eat through, then it can be used as a delay. Sulfuric acid will react with aluminum foil to produce aluminum sulfate and hydrogen gas, and so the container must be open to the air on one end so that the pressure of the hydrogen gas that is forming does not break the container. _ _ | | | | | | | | | | | | | |_____________| | | | | | | | sulfuric | | | | | | | | acid | | | | | |---------- aluminum foil | |_____________| | (several thicknesses) |_________________| The aluminum foil is placed over the bottom of the container and secured there with tape. When the acid eats through the aluminum foil, it can be used to ignite an explosive device in several ways. 1) Sulfuric acid is a good conductor of electricity. If the acid that eats through the foil is collected in a glass container placed underneath the foil, and two wires are placed in the glass container, a current will be able to flow through the acid when both of the wires are immersed in the acid. 2) Sulfuric acid reacts very violently with potassium chlorate. If the acid drips down into a container containing potassium chlorate, the potassium chlorate will burst into flame. This flame can be used to ignite a fuse, or the potassium chlorate can be the igniter for a thermite bomb, if some potassium chlorate is mixed in a 50/50 ratio with the thermite, and this mixture is used as an igniter for the rest of the thermite. 3) Sulfuric acid reacts with potassium permangenate in a similar way. EXPCON "2.34 EXPLOSIVE CONTAINERS" This section will cover everything from making a simple firecracker to a complicated scheme for detonating an insensitive high explosive, both of which are methods that could be utilized by perpetrators of terror. PAPCON "2.341 PAPER CONTAINERS" Paper was the first container ever used for explosives, since it was first used by the Chinese to make fireworks. Paper containers are usually very simple to make, and are certainly the cheapest. There are many possible uses for paper in containing explosives, and the two most obvious are in firecrackers and rocket engines. Simply by rolling up a long sheet of paper, and gluing it together, one can make a simple rocket engine. Perhaps a more interesting and dangerous use is in the firecracker. The firecracker shown here is one of Mexican design. It is called a "polumna", meaning "dove". The process of their manufacture is not unlike that of making a paper football. If one takes a sheet of paper about 16 inches in length by 1.5 inches wide, and fold one corner so that it looks like this: ________________________________________________ | |\ | | \ | | \ |_____________________________________________|___\ and then fold it again so that it looks like this: ______________________________________________ | /| | / | | / | |________________________________________/___| A pocket is formed. This pocket can be filled with black powder, pyrodex, flash powder, gunpowder,rocket engine powder, or any of the quick-burning fuel- oxodizer mixtures that occur in the form of a fine powder. A fuse is then inserted, and one continues the triangular folds, being careful not to spill out any of the explosive. When the polumna is finished, it should be taped together very tightly, since this will increase the strength of the container, and produce a louder and more powerful explosion when it is lit. The finished polumna should look like a 1/4 inch - 1/3 inch thick triangle, like the one shown below: ^ / \ ----- securely tape all corners / \ / \ / \ / \ / \____________________________ /_____________\__/__/__/__/__/__/__/__/__/ ---------- fuse METCON "3.342 METAL CONTAINERS" The classic pipe bomb is the best known example of a metal-contained explosive. Idiot anarchists take white tipped matches and cut off the match heads. They pound one end of a pipe closed with a hammer, pour in the white- tipped matches, and then pound the other end closed. This process often kills the fool, since when he pounds the pipe closed, he could very easily cause enough friction between the match heads to cause them to ignite and explode the unfinished bomb. By using pipe caps, the process is somewhat safer, and the less stupid anarchist would never use white tipped matches in a bomb. He would buy two pipe caps and threaded pipe (fig. 1). First, he would drill a hole in one pipe cap, and put a fuse in it so that it will not come out, and so powder will not escape during handling. The fuse would be at least 3/4 an inch long inside the bomb. He would then screw the cap with the fuse in it on tightly, possibly putting a drop of super glue on it to hold it tight. He would then pour his explosive powder in the bomb. To pack it tightly, he would take a large wad of tissue paper and, after filling the pipe to the very top, pack the powder down, by using the paper as a ramrod tip, and pushing it with a pencil or other wide ended object, until it would not move any further. Finally, he would screw the other pipe cap on, and glue it. The tissue paper would help prevent some of the powder from being caught in the threads of the pipe or pipe cap from being crushed and subject to friction, which might ignite the powder, causing an explosion during manufacture. An assembled bomb is shown in fig. 2. ________ ________ | _____|________________________________|_____ | | |__________________________________________| | | |: : : : |- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -| | | | tissue | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |_| | | : : : |- - - low order explosive - - ---------------------- | | paper | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |-| fuse | |: : : : |- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -| | | |________|_________________________________| | | |__________________________________________| | |______| |______| endcap pipe endcap w/ hole fig. 2 Assembled pipe bomb. This is one possible design that a mad bomber would use. If, however, he did not have access to threaded pipe with endcaps, he could always use a piece of copper or aluminum pipe, since it is easily bent into a suitable position. A major problem with copper piping, however, is bending and folding it without tearing it; if too much force is used when folding and bending copper pipe, it will split along the fold. The safest method for making a pipe bomb out of copper or aluminum pipe is similar to the method with pipe and endcaps. First, one flattens one end of a copper or aluminum pipe carefully, making sure not to tear or rip the piping. Then, the flat end of the pipe should be folded over at least once, if this does not rip the pipe. A fuse hole should be drilled in the pipe near the now closed end, and the fuse should be inserted. Next, the bomb- builder would fill the bomb with a low order explosive, and pack it with a large wad of tissue paper. He would then flatten and fold the other end of the pipe with a pair of pliers. If he was not too dumb, he would do this slowly, since the process of folding and bending metal gives off heat, which could set off the explosive. A diagram is presented below: ________ _______________________________________________/| | | | o | | |______________________________________________ | | \_|______| fig. 1 pipe with one end flattened and fuse hole drilled (top view) ______ ____________________________________________/ | | | | | | o | | |___________________________________________ | | \__|__| fig. 2 pipe with one end flattened and folded up (top view) ____________ fuse hole | v _________________________________________________ | \ |____ | | \____| | | ______| | / |_____________________________/__________________ fig. 3 pipe with flattened and folded end (side view) A CO2 cartridge from a B.B gun is another excellent container for a low- order explosive. It has one minor disadvantage: it is time consuming to fill. But this can be rectified by widening the opening of the cartridge with a pointed tool. Then, all that would have to be done is to fill the CO2 cartridge with any low-order explosive, or any of the fast burning fuel-oxodizer mixtures, and insert a fuse. These devices are commonly called "crater makers". Addendum 4/12/91: From personal experience, I have found that a CO2 cartridge is easiest to fill if you take a piece of paper and tape it around the opening to form a sort of funnel: A full \ / Use a punch or sharp philips (+) screwdriver to cartridge \ / enlarge the pin-hole opening on a used cartridge. can also be \ / fun- @ It doesn't seem to be neccessary to seal the hole, / \ but if you must do so, Epoxy and electrical tape toss it into | | work quite well. a lite fire | | and it will (__) CONDENSATION may form inside a recently used explode, and bottle- if you must use one right after emptying the CO2 may it, heat it in a warm oven to dry it out. extinguish the flames. *End Addendum A CO2 cartridge also works well as a container for a thermite incendiary device, but it must be modified. The opening in the end must be widened, so that the ignition mixture, such as powdered magnesium, does not explode. The fuse will ignite the powdered magnesium, which, in turn, would ignite the thermite . The previously mentioned designs for explosive devices are fine for low- order explosives, but are unsuitable for high-order explosives, since the latter requires a shockwave to be detonated. A design employing a smaller low-order explosive device inside a larger device containing a high-order explosive would probably be used. _____________________________________ | _ | | / \ | | High Explosive filler |LO ======= | \_/ | |____________________________________| If the large high explosive container is small, such as a CO2 cartridge, then a segment of a hollow radio antenna can be made into a low-order pipe bomb, which can be fitted with a fuse, and inserted into the CO2 cartridge. GLACON "2.343 GLASS CONTAINERS" Glass containers can be suitable for low-order explosives, but there are problems with them. First, a glass container can be broken relatively easily compared to metal or plastic containers. Secondly, in the not-too-unlikely event of an "accident", the person making the device would probably be seriously injured, even if the device was small. A bomb made out of a sample perfume bottle-sized container exploded in the hands of one boy, and he still has pieces of glass in his hand. He is also missing the final segment of his ring finger, which was cut off by a sharp piece of flying glass... Nonetheless, glass containers such as perfume bottles can be used by a demented individual, since such a device would not be detected by metal detectors in an airport or other public place. All that need be done is fill the container, and drill a hole in the plastic cap that the fuse fits tightly in, and screw the cap-fuse assembly on. ________________________ fuse | | | _____|_____ | ___|___ | | > | < | drill hole in cap, and insert fuse; | > | < | be sure fuse will not come out of cap | > | > | < | | | | | | | | | | screw cap on bottle | | | | V V _________ < > < > < > / \ / \ / \ | | fill bottle with low-order explosive | | | | | | | | |___________| Large explosive devices made from glass containers are not practicle, since glass is not an exceptionally strong container. Much of the explosive that is used to fill the container is wasted if the container is much larger than a 16 oz. soda bottle. Also, glass containers are usually unsuitable for high explosive devices, since a glass container would probably not withstand the explosion of the initiator; it would shatter before the high explosive was able to detonate. PLACON "2.344 PLASTIC CONTAINERS" Plastic containers are perhaps the best containers for explosives, since they can be any size or shape, and are not fragile like glass. Plastic piping can be bought at hardware or plumbing stores, and a device much like the ones used for metal containers can be made. The high-order version works well with plastic piping. If the entire device is made out of plastic, it is not detectable by metal detectors. Plastic containers can usually be shaped by heating the container, and bending it at the appropriate place. They can be glued closed with epoxy or other cement for plastics. Epoxy alone can be used as an endcap, if a wad of tissue paper is placed in the piping. Epoxy with a drying agent works best in this type of device. || || || || ||\_____________/|| || || || epoxy || ||_______________|| || tissue || || paper || ||_______________|| ||***************|| ||***************|| ||***************|| ||***************|| ||** explosive **|| ||***************|| ||***********----------------------- fuse ||***************|| ||ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ|| || || || tissue || || paper || ||_______________|| || || || epoxy || || _____________ || ||/ \|| || || || || One end must be made first, and be allowed to dry completely before the device can be filled with powder and fused. Then, with another piece of tissue paper, pack the powder tightly, and cover it with plenty of epoxy. PVC pipe works well for this type of device, but it cannot be used if the pipe had an inside diameter greater than 3/4 of an inch. Other plastic puttys can be used in this type of device, but epoxy with a drying agent works best. Addendum 4/12/91: In my experience, epoxy plugs work well, but epoxy is somewhat expensive. One alternative is auto body filler, a grey paste which, when mixed with hardener, forms into a rock-like mass which is stronger than most epoxy. The only drawback is the body filler generates quite a bit of heat as it hardens, which might be enough to set of a overly sensitive explosive. One benefit of body filler is that it will hold it's shape quite well, and is ideal for forming rocket nozzles and entire bomb casings. *End Addendum ADEXPLO "2.35 ADVANCED USES FOR EXPLOSIVES" The techniques presented here are those that could be used by a person who had some degree of knowledge of the use of explosives. Some of this information comes from demolitions books, or from military handbooks. Advanced uses for explosives usually involved shaped charges, or utilize a minimum amount of explosive to do a maximum amount of damage. They almost always involve high- order explosives. SHACHA "2.351 SHAPED CHARGES" A shaped charge is an explosive device that, upon detonation, directs the explosive force of detonation at a small target area. This process can be used to breach the strongest armor, since forces of literally millions of pounds of pressure per square inch can be generated. Shaped charges employ high-order explosives, and usually electric ignition systems. KEEP IN MIND THAT ALL EXPLOSIVES ARE DANGEROUS, AND SHOULD NEVER BE MADE OR USED!! An example of a shaped charge is shown below. + wire ________ _______ - wire _ _________|_________|____________ ^ | ________|_________|__________ | | | | | | | | | | | \ igniter / | | | | | \_______/ | | | | | priming charge | | | | | (mercury fulminate) | | | | | ^ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | / \ | | 8 inches high | | / \ | | | | / high \ | | | | | / explosive \ | | | | | / charge \ | | | | | / \ | | | | |/ \| | | | | ^ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | ------- 1/2 inch | | | / \ | | thick steel | | | / \ | | pipe | | | / \ | | | | |/ \| | | hole for | | | | hole for | screw | | | | screw V_______ ___________| | | |___________ ________ |______| |____________| |_____________| |______| |<------- 8 inches -------->| If a device such as this is screwed to a safe, for example, it would direct most of the explosive force at a point about 1 inch away from the opening of the pipe. The basis for shaped charges is a cone-shaped opening in the explosive material. This cone should have an angle of 45 degrees. A device such as this one could also be attached to a metal surface with a powerful electromagnet. TUEXPL "2.352 TUBE EXPLOSIVES" A variation on shaped charges, tube explosives can be used in ways that shaped charges cannot. If a piece of 1/2 inch plastic tubing was filled with a sensitive high explosive like R.D.X., and prepared as the plastic explosive container in section 4.44, a different sort of shaped charge could be produced; a charge that directs explosive force in a circular manner. This type of explosive could be wrapped around a column, or a doorknob, or a telephone pole. The explosion would be directed in and out, and most likely destroy whatever it was wrapped around. In an unbent state, a tube explosive would look like this: ||\____/|| || epoxy|| ÚÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ||------|| ³ RDX ³ another *Addendum ³ ||tissue|| ÃÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ´ || paper|| ³ NO ³ ||______|| ³ 2 ³ ||******|| ³ | ³ ||******|| ³ N ³ ||******|| ³ / \ ³ || RDX || ³ / \ ³ ||*____*|| ³ H C H C ³ ||*| s|*|| ³ / 2 2 ³ ||*| q|*|| ³ / | ³ ||*| u|*|| ³ O N N--NO ³ ||*| i|*|| ³ 2 \ / 2 ³ ||*| b|*|| ³ \ / ³ ||*| b|*|| ³ \ / ³ ||*|__|*|| ³ CH ³ ||__||__|| ³ 2 ³ ||tissue|| ³ ³ || paper|| ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ ||--||--|| || epoxy|| || || || ||/ || \|| || || || ||_______ + wire ______________ |________ - wire ______________ When an assassin or terrorist wishes to use a tube bomb, he must wrap it around whatever thing he wishes to destroy, and epoxy the ends of the tube bomb together. After it dries, he/she can connect wires to the squib wires, and detonate the bomb, with any method of electric detonation. ATPAR "2.353 ATOMIZED PARTICLE EXPLOSIONS" If a highly flammable substance is atomized, or, divided into very small particles, and large amounts of it is burned in a confined area, an explosion similar to that occurring in the cylinder of an automobile is produced. The tiny droplets of gasoline burn in the air, and the hot gasses expand rapidly, pushing the cylinder up. Similarly, if a gallon of gasoline was atomized and ignited in a building, it is very possible that the expanding gassed would push the walls of the building down. This phenomenon is called an atomized particle explosion. If a person can effectively atomize a large amount of a highly flammable substance and ignite it, he could bring down a large building, bridge, or other structure. Atomizing a large amount of gasoline, for example, can be extremely difficult, unless one has the aid of a high explosive. If a gallon jug of gasoline was placed directly over a high explosive charge, and the charge was detonated, the gasoline would instantly be atomized and ignited. If this occurred in a building, for example, an atomized particle explosion would surely occur. Only a small amount of high explosive would be necessary to accomplish this feat, about 1/2 a pound of T.N.T. or 1/4 a pound of R.D.X. Also, instead of gasoline, powdered aluminum could be used. It is necessary that a high explosive be used to atomize a flammable material, since a low-order explosion does not occur quickly enough to atomize or ignite the flammable material. LIGHT "2.354 LIGHTBULB BOMBS" An automatic reaction to walking into a dark room is to turn on the light. This can be fatal, if a lightbulb bomb has been placed in the overhead light socket. A lightbulb bomb is surprisingly easy to make. It also comes with its own initiator and electric ignition system. On some lightbulbs, the lightbulb glass can be removed from the metal base by heating the base of a lightbulb in a gas flame, such as that of a blowtorch or gas stove. This must be done carefully, since the inside of a lightbulb is a vacuum. When the glue gets hot enough, the glass bulb can be pulled off the metal base. On other bulbs, it is necessary to heat the glass directly with a blowtorch or oxy-acetylene torch. In either case, once the bulb and/or base has cooled down to room temperature or lower, the bulb can be filled with an explosive material, such as black powder. If the glass was removed from the metal base, it must be glued back on to the base with epoxy. If a hole was put in the bulb, a piece of duct tape is sufficient to hold the explosive in the in the bulb. Then, after making sure that the socket has no power by checking with a working lightbulb, all that need be done is to screw the lightbulb bomb into the socket. Such a device has been used by terrorists or assassins with much success, since nobody can search the room for a bomb without first turning on the light. BOOK "2.355 BOOK BOMBS" Concealing a bomb can be extremely difficult in a day and age where perpetrators of violence run wild. Bags and briefcases are often searched by authorities whenever one enters a place where an individual might intend to set off a bomb. One approach to disguising a bomb is to build what is called a book bomb; an explosive device that is entirely contained inside of a book. Usually, a relatively large book is required, and the book must be of the hardback variety to hide any protrusions of a bomb. Dictionaries, law books, large textbooks, and other such books work well. When an individual makes a bookbomb, he/she must choose a type of book that is appropriate for the place where the book bomb will be placed. The actual construction of a book bomb can be done by anyone who possesses an electric drill and a coping saw. First, all of the pages of the book must be glued together. By pouring an entire container of water-soluble glue into a large bucket, and filling the bucket with boiling water, a glue-water solution can be made that will hold all of the book's pages together tightly. After the glue-water solution has cooled to a bearable temperature, and the solution has been stirred well, the pages of the book must be immersed in the glue-water solution, and each page must be thoroughly soaked. It is extremely important that the covers of the book do not get stuck to the pages of the book while the pages are drying. Suspending the book by both covers and clamping the pages together in a vice works best. When the pages dry, after about three days to a week, a hole must be drilled into the now rigid pages, and they should drill out much like wood. Then, by inserting the coping saw blade through the pages and sawing out a rectangle from the middle of the book, the individual will be left with a shell of the book's pages. The pages, when drilled out, should look like this: ________________________ | ____________________ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |__________________| | |______________________| (book covers omitted) This rectangle must be securely glued to the back cover of the book. After building his/her bomb, which usually is of the timer or radio controlled variety, the bomber places it inside the book. The bomb itself, and whatever timer or detonator is used, should be packed in foam to prevent it from rolling or shifting about. Finally, after the timer is set, or the radio control has been turned on, the front cover is glued closed, and the bomb is taken to its destination. PHONE "2.356 PHONE BOMBS" The phone bomb is an explosive device that has been used in the past to kill or injure a specific individual. The basic idea is simple: when the person answers the phone, the bomb explodes. If a small but powerful high explosive device with a squib was placed in the phone receiver, when the current flowed through the receiver, the squib would explode, detonating the high explosive in the person's hand. Nasty. All that has to be done is acquire a squib, and tape the receiver switch down. Unscrew the mouthpiece cover, and remove the speaker, and connect the squib's leads where it was. Place a high explosive putty, such as C-1 (see section 3.31) in the receiver, and screw the cover on, making sure that the squib is surrounded by the C-1. Hang the phone up, and leave the tape in place. When the individual to whom the phone belongs attempts to answer the phone, he will notice the tape, and remove it. This will allow current to flow through the squib. Note that the device will not explode by merely making a phone call; the owner of the phone must lift up the receiver, and remove the tape. It is highly probable that the phone will be by his/her ear when the device explodes... Addendum 4/12/91: The above seems overly complicated to me... it would be better to rig the device as follows: ________ FIRST UNPLUG THE PHONE FROM THE WALL /|______|\ Wire the detonator IN LINE with the wires going to the earpiece, ¯ _| |_ ¯ (may need to wire it with a relay so the detonator can receive / \ the full line power, not just to audio power to the earpiece) | | |________| Pack C4 into the phone body (NOT the handset) and plug it back in. When they pick up the phone, power will flow through the circuit to the detonator.... 3 WEAPONS SPECIAL "3.1 SPECIAL AMMUNITION FOR PROJECTILE WEAPONS" Explosive and/or poisoned ammunition is an important part of a social deviant's arsenal. Such ammunition gives the user a distinct advantage over individual who use normal ammunition, since a grazing hit is good enough to kill. Special ammunition can be made for many types of weapons, from crossbows to shotguns. PROWEAP "3.11 SPECIAL AMMUNITION FOR PRIMITIVE WEAPONS" For the purposes of this publication, we will call any weapon primitive that does not employ burning gunpowder to propel a projectile forward. This means blowguns, bows and crossbows, and wristrockets. BOW "3.111 BOW AND CROSSBOW AMMUNITION" Bows and crossbows both fire arrows or bolts as ammunition. It is extremely simple to poison an arrow or bolt, but it is a more difficult matter to produce explosive arrows or bolts. If, however, one can acquire aluminum piping that is the same diameter of an arrow or crossbow bolt, the entire segment of piping can be converted into an explosive device that detonates upon impact, or with a fuse. All that need be done is find an aluminum tube of the right length and diameter, and plug the back end with tissue paper and epoxy. Fill the tube with any type of low-order explosive or sensitive high-order explosive up to about 1/2 an inch from the top. Cut a slot in the piece of tubing, and carefully squeeze the top of the tube into a round point, making sure to leave a small hole. Place a no. 11 percussion cap over the hole, and secure it with super glue. Finally, wrap the end of the device with electrical or duct tape, and make fins out of tape. Or, fins can be bought at a sporting goods store, and glued to the shaft. The finished product should look like: ____________ ___|____________\____________________ \ ---. /__ ________________________________---` |____________/ When the arrow or bolt strikes a hard surface, the percussion cap explodes, igniting or detonating the explosive. BLOW "3.112 SPECIAL AMMUNITION FOR BLOWGUNS" The blowgun is an interesting weapon which has several advantages. A blowgun can be extremely accurate, concealable, and deliver an explosive or poisoned projectile. The manufacture of an explosive dart or projectile is not difficult. Perhaps the most simple design for such involves the use of a pill capsule, such as the kind that are taken for headaches or allergies. Such a capsule could easily be opened, and the medicine removed. Next, the capsule would be re-filled with an impact-sensitive explosive. An additional high explosive charge could be placed behind the impact-sensitive explosive, if one of the larger capsules were used. Finally, the explosive capsule would be reglued back together, and a tassel or cotton would be glued to the end containing the high explosive, to insure that the impact-detonating explosive struck the target first. Such a device would probably be about 3/4 of an inch long, not including the tassel or cotton, and look something like this: ____________________ /mercury | \----------------------- (fulminate| R.D.X. )---------------------- } tassels \________|___________/----------------------- WRIST "3.113 SPECIAL AMMUNITION FOR WRISTROCKETS AND SLINGSHOTS" A modern wristrocket is a formidable weapon. It can throw a shooter marble about 500 ft. with reasonable accuracy. Inside of 200 ft., it could well be lethal to a man or animal, if it struck in a vital area. Because of the relatively large sized projectile that can be used in a wristrocket, the wristrocket can be adapted to throw relatively powerful explosive projectiles. A small segment of aluminum pipe could be made into an impact-detonating device by filling it with an impact-sensitive explosive material. Also, such a pipe could be filled with a low-order explosive, and fitted with a fuse, which would be lit before the device was shot. One would have to make sure that the fuse was of sufficient length to insure that the device did not explode before it reached its intended target. Finally, .22 caliber caps, such as the kind that are used in .22 caliber blank guns, make excellent exploding ammunition for wristrockets, but they must be used at a relatively close range, because of their light weight. PORTABLE "3.114 PORTABLE GRENADE LAUNCHER" If you have a bow, this one is for you. Remove the ferrule from an aluminum arrow, and fill the arrow with black powder (I use grade FFFF, it burns easy)and then glue a shotshell primer into the hole left where the ferrule went. Next, glue a BB on the primer, and you are ready to go! Make sure no one is nearby.... Little shreds of aluminim go all over the place!! FIREARMS "3.12 SPECIAL AMMUNITION FOR FIREARMS" When special ammunition is used in combination with the power and rapidity of modern firearms, it becomes very easy to take on a small army with a single weapon. It is possible to buy explosive ammunition, but that can be difficult to do. Such ammunition can also be manufactured in the home. There is, however, a risk involved with modifying any ammunition. If the ammunition is modified incorrectly, in such a way that it makes the bullet even the slightest bit wider, an explosion in the barrel of the weapon will occur. For this reason, NOBODY SHOULD EVER ATTEMPT TO MANUFACTURE SUCH AMMUNITION. HANDGUNS "3.121 SPECIAL AMMUNITION FOR HANDGUNS" If an individual wished to produce explosive ammunition for his/her handgun, he/she could do it, provided that the person had an impact-sensitive explosive and a few simple tools. One would first purchase all lead bullets, and then make or acquire an impact-detonating explosive. By drilling a hole in a lead bullet with a drill, a space could be created for the placement of an explosive. After filling the hole with an explosive, it would be sealed in the bullet with a drop of hot wax from a candle. A diagram of a completed exploding bullet is shown below. _o_ ------------ drop of wax /|*|\ | |*|-|----------- impact-sensitive explosive | |_| | |_____| This hollow space design also works for putting poison in bullets. SHOTGUNS "3.122 SPECIAL AMMUNITION FOR SHOTGUNS" Because of their large bore and high power, it is possible to create some extremely powerful special ammunition for use in shotguns. If a shotgun shell is opened at the top, and the shot removed, the shell can be re-closed. Then, if one can find a very smooth, lightweight wooden dowel that is close to the bore width of the shotgun, a person can make several types of shotgun-launched weapons. Insert the dowel in the barrel of the shotgun with the shell without the shot in the firing chamber. Mark the dowel about six inches away from the end of the barrel, and remove it from the barrel. Next, decide what type of explosive or incendiary device is to be used. This device can be a chemical fire bottle (sect. 3.43), a pipe bomb (sect 4.42), or a thermite bomb (sect 3.41 and 4.42). After the device is made, it must be securely attached to the dowel. When this is done, place the dowel back in the shotgun. The bomb or incendiary device should be on the end of the dowel. Make sure that the device has a long enough fuse, light the fuse, and fire the shotgun. If the projectile is not too heavy, ranges of up to 300 ft are possible. A diagram of a shotgun projectile is shown below: ____ || | || | || | ----- bomb, securely taped to dowel || | ||__| || | || | ------- fuse || | || || || || --------- dowel || || || || --------- insert this end into shotgun || || AIR "3.13 SPECIAL AMMUNITION FOR COMPRESSED AIR/GAS WEAPONS" This section deals with the manufacture of special ammunition for compressed air or compressed gas weapons, such as pump B.B guns, CO2 B.B guns, and .22 cal pellet guns. These weapons, although usually thought of as kids toys, can be made into rather dangerous weapons. BB "3.131 SPECIAL AMMUNITION FOR B.B GUNS" A B.B gun, for this manuscript, will be considered any type of rifle or pistol that uses compressed air or CO2 gas to fire a projectile with a caliber of .177, either B.B, or lead pellet. Such guns can have almost as high a muzzle velocity as a bullet-firing rifle. Because of the speed at which a .177 caliber projectile flies, an impact detonating projectile can easily be made that has a caliber of .177. Most ammunition for guns of greater than .22 caliber use primers to ignite the powder in the bullet. These primers can be bought at gun stores, since many people like to reload their own bullets. Such primers detonate when struck by the firing pin of a gun. They will also detonate if they are thrown at a hard surface at a great speed. Usually, they will also fit in the barrel of a .177 caliber gun. If they are inserted flat end first, they will detonate when the gun is fired at a hard surface. If such a primer is attached to a piece of thin metal tubing, such as that used in an antenna, the tube can be filled with an explosive, be sealed, and fired from a B.B gun. A diagram of such a projectile appears below: _____ primers _______ | | | | | | V V ______ ______ | ________________________ |------------------- | ****** explosive ******* |------------------- } tassel or | ________________________ |------------------- cotton |_____ _____|------------------- ^ | | |_______ antenna tubing The front primer is attached to the tubing with a drop of super glue. The tubing is then filled with an explosive, and the rear primer is glued on. Finally, a tassel, or a small piece of cotton is glued to the rear primer, to insure that the projectile strikes on the front primer. The entire projectile should be about 3/4 of an inch long. PELLET "3.132 SPECIAL AMMUNITION FOR .22 CALIBER PELLET GUNS" A .22 caliber pellet gun usually is equivalent to a .22 cal rifle, at close ranges. Because of this, relatively large explosive projectiles can be adapted for use with .22 caliber air rifles. A design similar to that used in section 5.12 is suitable, since some capsules are about .22 caliber or smaller. Or, a design similar to that in section 5.31 could be used, only one would have to purchase black powder percussion caps, instead of ammunition primers, since there are percussion caps that are about .22 caliber. A #11 cap is too small, but anything larger will do nicely. 3.2 IMPROVISED WEAPONS 3.21 BOMBS GRENADES "3.211 EXPEDIENT GRENADES The Cheshire Cat" There are many possibilities in the field of grenade manufacture, but for the most part, when you're dealing with grenades that must be constructed of easily available materials, the quality and the safety of the grenade is reduced dramatically. Here I will deal with this problem, trying to produce a reasonable type of grenade that is relatively safe, can be stored and transported easily, but produces dramatic effects. I strongly suggest that if you find it possible, you are far better off getting a REAL grenade than trying to produce one yourself, but you can be the judge. As always, I want to note that this is all for educational purposes only, and I do not recommend anyone trying any of the following for real. The first thing you need is explosives. If you can't get black powder, or gun powder, or make your own plastic explosives (we know there sure are enough text files floating around to explain how to make all of the above!) than you're really in a for making a grenade of this type. You'll also need a coffee can, a smaller sized can (probably like an orange juice can, or V8), a coat hanger, and a fuse. As for explosives, mercury fulminate is extremely good for this sort of thing. You could probably get together a ton of firecrackers and take out the black powder (if you're desperate) or get a couple quarter sticks from someone. The explosive goes in the juice can. Don't pack it together too tight. Loose black powder is better than compressed. This is the main explosive. Cut up the coat hanger into little pieces approximately 1/2" long and fill up the coffee can until you can put the juice can in and the top of the juice can is level with the top of the coffee can. If you don't have the time, and need to fill up the space faster, chuck in a couple small rocks or pieces of glass, and stuff like that until you have the bottom of the can filled. Now place the juice can in the coffee can, and center it. Then fill the space around the coffee can with coat hanger stuff until the juice can is relatively stable. Put a model rocket fuse in the explosive in the juice can. Leave (at least) 3 1/2" to light from. If necessary, secure the juice can or the explosive with some masking tape, ect... as long as it doesn't interfere with the action of the grenade. Take the lid of the coffee can and cut a hole so that the fuse is exposed. You now have a fragmentation grenade. It might be a good idea to practice with a football for a while before trying to destroy the neighbor's garage with it. try OSB systems (215)-395-1291 an awesome AE/BBS. Later, The Cheshire Cat MILK "3.212 MILK CARTON BOMB" A milk carton bomb is relitively simple and safe. It's only purpose it to create a loud noise. The ingredients needed to make this are few and easy to aquire. You will need a plastic milk carton, lighter fluid(type used in cigarette lighters), a piece of paper, and a pair of chopsticks. If you can not obtain chop sticks, it's okay to substitute them with something that can hold the paper and is long enough so that you won't be harmed by the flames. After acquiring all of the ingredients, you can now start to make the bomb. The procedure is easy. First, puncture a hole at the bottom of the milk carton with a screw driver or equivalent. Next fill one-fourth of the milk carton with lighter fluid. Place the milk carton in a fairly large area outisde. Hold a piece of paper between the chopsticks and light the paper with a match. Cautiously place the lighted paper under the hole of the carton and BOOM! You have your loud explosion with little damage to the surrounding area. It would be a good idea to have some water handy to extinguish any flames. Be careful when doing this and have fun. CARBIDE "3.213 CARBIDE BOMB" This is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. Exercise extreme caution.... Obtain some calcium carbide. This is the stuff that is used in carbide lamps and can be found at nearly any hardware store. Take a few pieces of this stuff (it looks like gravel) and put it in a glass jar with some water. Put a lid on tightly. The carbide will react with the water to produce acetylene carbonate which is similar to the gas used in cutting torches. Eventually the glass with explode from internal pressure. If you leave a burning rag nearby, you will get a nice fireball! SOFT "3.214 SOFT DRINK CAN BOMB" This is an anti-personnel bomb meant for milling crowds. the bottom of a soft drink can is half cut out and bent back. a giant firecracker or other explosive is put in and surrounded with nuts and bolts or rocks. the fuse is then armed with a chemical delay in a plastic drinking straw. ! ! After first making sure there are no ! ! children nearby, the acid or glycerine ! ! <-CHEMICAL INGITER is put into the straw and the can is set ---- ---- down by a tree or wall where it will not ! !1! ! be knocked over. the delay should give ! ===== ! you three to five minutes. it will then !* ! ! "! have a shattering effect on passersby. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !<- BIG FIRECRACKER ! ! !% ! ! ==== ! ! ! ! # ! It is hardly likely that anyone would ! --- ! pick up and drink from someone else's ! ! ! <- NUTS & BOLTS soft drink can. but if such a crude ! / ! person should try to drink from your ! ! bomb he would break a nasty habit --------- fast! PIPE "3.215 HOW TO MAKE A PIPE BOMB" Buy a section of metal water pipe 1/2 by 6 inches long, threaded on both ends. Buy two metal caps to fit. These are standard items in hardware stores. Drill a 1/16th hole in the center of the pipe. This is easy with a good drill bit. Hanson is a good brand to use. Screw a metal cap tightly on one end. Fill the pipe to within 1/2 inch of the top with black powder. Do not pack the powder. Don't even tap the bottom of the pipe to make it settle. You want the powder loose. For maximum explosive effect, you need dry, fine powder sitting loose in a very rigid container. Wipe off any powder that has gotten onto the top or threads of the pipe. Gently screw on the second cap. Hand tighten only. Place a small piece of tape over the hole and go to your test site. Remove the tape and insert a two inch piece of black match fuse or a firecracker fuse into the hole. Place the bomb behind a large rock or tree. Using thread or string, lightly tie a 2 inch piece of sulfured wick to the end of the fuse. Avoid letting the wick touch any objects. This might cause it to go out. Light the wick and head for cover in a direction that keeps the rock or tree between you and the bomb at all times. Get behind cover at least 50 yards away. You may not expect such a large explosion from such a small object. Be extra cautious until You have done this a time or two and it gets real what you are dealing with. The pipe will be blown to pieces which will fly through the air like bullets. An accident could seriously wound or kill you. This is not a big firecracker. It is more like a hand grenade. The size of the bomb can be increased by using a larger pipe and caps. To make a big noise without blowing up your pipe, cap one end only. Drill a 1/16 hole at the top of the threads at the capped end. Put in about 3 to 4 rounded teaspoonsful of powder. Pack about 2 inches of wadding on top of the powder. Toilet paper or kleenex is good for this. Pack it tight. Open up a safety pin and stick it into the hole. Work it around to loosen up the powder so a fuse can be inserted. When this goes off, the recoil will be tremendous. You will loose your pipe unless you brace it securely against something. The pipe can be reloaded and used again. A fun trick is to mount the pipe pointing upward. Drop a tin can over the open end and light the fuse. The can will be blown high into the air. Campbell's soup cans are great for this. MINE "3.216 MINIATURE CLAYMORE MINE" _______________________________________________________________________________ | | | | | Miniature Claymore Mine | | | | Brought To You By | | | | Jack The Ripper | | | |_____________________________________________________________________________| This is devasting and should be used in malls or other heavily trafficked areas. It has a kill range of 50 yards (half a football feild), and is one of the best I have seen, and it's fun to watch too! -=-=-=-=-=- -MATERIALS- -=-=-=-=-=- Name Source ---- ------ Potassium Chlorate Drug Stores and Chemical Supply Houses Nitrobenzene Drug Stores (Oil of Mirbane) and Chemical Supply Houses Measuring Container (Cup, Tablespoon, etc...) Double-Sided Adhesive Tape Small Alnico 5 Horseshoe Magnets Epoxy Resin A Lot of 1/4 Inch Ball Bearings Soap dishes consisting of two separate halves That fit together with the bottom half and the top half bevelled Flat board 36x36 and another flat board or Rolling Pin -=-=-=-=-=- -PROCEDURE- -=-=-=-=-=- 1) First off crush the Potassium Chlorate between the two boards or with the rolling pin until it is a very very very fine powder. 2) Fill the top half of the soap dish to a depth of 3/4 inch with 1/4 inch diameter ball bearings held together with a light coating of epoxy resin. 3) Now cut a hole in the bottom half and cover it with tape. The hole should be big enough for you to pour the nitrobenzene into later and big enough to fit a detonater into. 4) Now pack the bottom half tightly with Potassium Chlorate, very tightly leaving no extra room. 5) Now tape the two halves together tightly, and your pretty much done. -=-=-=- -USES!- -=-=-=- 1) When your ready to use your charge simply pour in the nitrobenzene. The correct ratio is 1 part by volume of nitrobenzene to 4 parts by volume of potassium chlorate. Now if you didn't read this through and keep track of the amount of potassium chlorate you used, then you fucked up and won't get optimum results. 2) Now allow the nitrobenzene to soak in for 4-6 minutes, and then insert your electronically initiated or time fused detonater into the hole. Now seal around the hole with epoxy resin 3) Now use the magnets and the tape to attach the charge 3 feet above the ground with the ball bearing side facing outward. 4) Now you can either use an egg timer or a stepswitch (Underground detonater activated by weight) or you can use the good old time fuse running into a mini-compound detonater. Later... Jack The Ripper ICE "3.221 HOW TO MAKE A ICE GUN" [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] [][][] [][][] [][][] A Step by Step Guide to Making a Dry Ice Gun [][][] [][][] [][][] [][][] By: The Voice Over [][][] [][][] [][][] [][][] A Metal Communications Presentation [][][] [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Introduction: ------------ In the past, many people have experimented with the power generated by the conversion of dry ice into gaseous carbon dioxide. The most common use that I have seen is the dry ice bomb. The dry ice bomb is easily made by using a two liter plastic bottle, some hot water and some crushed dry ice. To make one, one simply puts about a cup and a half of crushed dry ice into the bottle, adds hot water, caps the bottle and throws it. These bombs are not a joke, and have been known to blow a metal trash can fifteen feet into the air, as well as bursting the bottom of the can. If you make a dry ice bomb, you had best throw it before it explodes due to the enormous force generated by the explosion of the bottle. A friend of mine waited a bit too long on throwing one, and he jammed three of his fingers badly, got a huge bruise on his left leg, and one of the plasic fragments was propelled with enough force to puncture his tennis shoes and cut his foot all to hell. In short, be careful with these things. One day in May of 1985, an idea was introduced to me by a friend. His plan was to control the force of the expanding dry ice and harness it to a useful end. The result was the dry ice gun. In following these plans, please keep in mind that when dry ice is finished expanding, it can generate pressures of up to 2400 PSI...for this reason, I recommend that when arming the gun and when disarming it, you hold all valves OPEN, and that you wear a pair of protective goggles at all times. I will take no responsibility for injury that occurs because of the content of this file, or through the use of this information. This information is intended for educational purposes ONLY. Materials needed: ---------------- The materials required will vary for each gun produced because of the nature of the construction itself and the effect produced by using different parts. The following parts, however, are necessary for a gun with moderate power and range: 1- Standard valve. I recommend the kind that is just a lever and turns 1/4 turn to open or close and has 3/4" connectors. 1- Blow gun (These can be found at auto parts stores... shop around a little and get one with the highest pressure rating you can find (probably 150 PSI)). This will be sometimes referred to as a valve also. 1- Length of hot water PVC piping...this will be used for the barrel. I recommend that you use 3/4" piping, because that is the kind that fits paint pellets of the type used in KILLER best. Note, however, that it is possible to launch anything up to the size of an egg with pleasing results, provided that the barrel is large enough in diameter. You will also 3ed various lengths of regular lead or steel piping (to construct the actual gun), and adapters to get the blow gun to fit the rest of the gun (blow guns usually have connectors that are 1/4" in diameter, while the rest of the gun (except the dry ice container) should be constructed with 3/4" fittings). You will also need an end cap to go on the end of your dry ice container and probably an elbow joint. Optional parts: -------------- 1- Standard valve (same kind as above, but with a shorter lever). 1- "T" joint with 3/4" connectors all around. 1- 6 or 7 inch length of 3/4" diameter pipe. 1- 3/4" end cap. Form-a-gasket and pipe dope Construction: ------------ Because of the nature of the gun, step-by-step plans are not possible. However, a diagram of the gun will give you an idea of what has to be done, and construction tips should prove enough to allow successful completion of the project. Diagram: ------- trigger (part of the blow gun) standard adaptor______________ : valve \ : : : : ______________________ : _ ; _____:______ ! !\__ __!___/! ! \ ! barrel ! __!__!__! ! O ! \ !______________________!/ / : : \!___I__!__ \ joint B____________/ : : : I \ \ blow gun_____________/ : : I / \ \ pressure chamber________/ : I / !_____!<-joint A adaptor____________________/ / ! ! elbow joint________________________/ /! ! dry ice container_____________________/ ! @ ! end cap_______________________________ _!_____!_ \!! !! +-------+ NOTES: 1- The dry ice container can be any size...the one I use is about 6 inches long by 2 inches in diameter. The larger the chamber is, the more shots the gun will fire before reloading is necessary. 2- The elbow joint can be left out...it will only make the gun in the shape of a straight rod rather than a "traditional" gun shape. 3- The barrel length can be any length you like, but very long ones are cumbersome and very short ones don't allow much accuracy. I recommend a length of about 2 1/2 to 3 feet. 4- all joints except the two marked 'A' and 'B' should be tightened as much as possible and sealed by coating the threads with the form-a-gasket and then putting the two pieces together and tightening them as much as possible. If you like, you can also caulk around the finished and tightened joint. 5- The joint marked 'B' should be tight, but DO NOT SEAL IT unless you do not intend to ever use more than one kind of barrel. 6- The joint marked 'A' should not be sealed with form-a- gasket like the others because it is the one that you will be filling the dry ice into the gun through. To fill the gun with dry ice, detach the dry ice chamber pipe from the elbow joint. Load the container with as much crushed dry ice as it will hold. Then, coat the threads of one of the pieces of the joint with pipe dope. This will prevent leakage of the carbon dioxide after it has changed into gaseous form. 7- The pressure chamber should be about 1 1/2 inches in length for a fairly powerful gun. The longer the pressure chamber is, the more powerful the gun. On a gun with a three inch pressure chamber, we shot a AA battery 500 (yes, hundred) feet across a parking lot. Such high power, however, is dangerous, and is not recommended for use in games such as Killer, but rather for target practice (on INANIMATE objects). How to operate the dry ice gun: ------------------------------ Once you have the dry ice gun built and loaded, the first thing you must do is to open the standard valve and immerse the gun in water. This is to check for leaks. If any leaks are present, they will show up as streams of bubbles rising from the gun. If any are found, tighten the offending joint and put the gun back in the water. When all leaks are gone (if necessary, take the whole thing apart and rebuild it from scratch to eliminate leaks, especially on either end of the pressure chamber), release the pressure built up so far by closing the standard valve and then operating the trigger. You should hear a 'woosh' sound, and tie gun should kick slightly. This indicates that all is working properly. When loading the dry ice gun, it is important to keep both valves OPEN until the dry ice container is secure, and then close both valves. Even after you are sure that the gun has no leaks anywhere, it is good to immerse the dry ice container (while it is attached to the gun) in water. This warms the dry ice and causes it to change into gaseous carbon dioxide. After the dry ice container has been immersed for 5 minutes or so, remove the gun from the water and dry it off. The gun is now ready to be fired. Firing the dry ice gun: ---------------------- This is the simplest step of all. To fire the gun simply place the projectile (I recommend paint pellets) in the barrel of the gun, open the standard valve for about a second and then close it. You should hear a muffled rush of air as some of the gaseous CO2 is bled into the pressure chamber. Aim the gun at who/whatever you wish to hit, and squeeze the trigger. For more power, you can leave the standard valve open and squeeze the trigger. Disarming the dry ice gun: ------------------------- To disarm the gun, open both valves until you can no longer hear the pressure escaping through the barrel of the gun. Then, unscrew the dry ice container and place it in cold water for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until all of the remaining dry ice has evaporated. When all of the dry ice is gone, clean the threads on the dry ice container and elbow joint, and store the gun in a clean, dry area. Suggested modifications: ----------------------- The only really nice modification that I've discovered is to replace the pressure chamber pipe with a "T" joint and valve so as to make a gun with long, medium, and short range capability. To do this, construct the pressure chamber section of the gun like this: ___adaptor I : ______________________________________ ________I___ _____ _ :/! ! I ___#__!o!/ ! ! I ! ! ! I ! ! "T" joint ! O ________! ! ! : \ ! ! : \!____________ _____________!____________ : ! ! ^ : !_____________! ! :__blow gun !______O______!<-standard standard ! I ! valve #2 valve #1 ! I ! ! I !<-short length _!______I______!_ of piping !! !! +---------------+ end cap_______/ What this does is make a pressure chamber with a variable length. The following chart shows the combinations in which the valves may be used to create different ranges. RANGE ! INSTRUCTIONS --------+-------------------------------------------------------- short ! Open valve number 1, hold it open for about a second, ! close it, and then open valve #2. --------+-------------------------------------------------------- medium ! Open valve number 1 for about a second and close it. ! Leave valve #2 closed. --------+-------------------------------------------------------- long ! Open valve #2 before opening valve #1. Open valve #1 ! for about a second, then close it. --------+-------------------------------------------------------- Have fun, Y'all!!! From Lunatic Labs UnLtd. 415-278-7421 ROCCAN "4 ROCKETS AND CANNONS" Rockets and cannon are generally thought of as heavy artillery. Perpetrators of violence do not usually employ such devices, because they are difficult or impossible to acquire. They are not, however, impossible to make. Any individual who can make or buy black powder or pyrodex can make such things. A terrorist with a cannon or large rocket is, indeed, something to fear. ROCKETS "4.1 ROCKETS" Rockets were first developed by the Chinese several hundred years before the myth of christ began. They were used for entertainment, in the form of fireworks. They were not usually used for military purposes because they were inaccurate, expensive, and unpredictable. In modern times, however, rockets are used constantly by the military, since they are cheap, reliable, and have no recoil. Perpetrators of violence, fortunately, cannot obtain military rockets, but they can make or buy rocket engines. Model rocketry is a popular hobby of the space age, and to launch a rocket, an engine is required. Estes, a subsidiary of Damon, is the leading manufacturer of model rockets and rocket engines. Their most powerful engine, the "D" engine, can develop almost 12 lbs. of thrust; enough to send a relatively large explosive charge a significant distance. Other companies, such as Centuri, produce even larger rocket engines, which develop up to 30 lbs. of thrust. These model rocket engines are quite reliable, and are designed to be fired electrically. Most model rocket engines have three basic sections. The diagram below will help explain them. _________________________________________________________ |_________________________________________________________| -- cardboard \ clay | - - - - - - - - - - | * * * | . . . .|c| casing \_______| - - - - - - - - - | * * * | . . . |l| _______ - - - thrust - - - | smoke | eject |a| / clay | - - - - - - - - - | * * * | . . . .|y| /________|_____________________|_______|________|_|_______ |_________________________________________________________| -- cardboard casing The clay nozzle is where the igniter is inserted. When the area labeled "thrust" is ignited, the "thrust" material, usually a large single grain of a propellant such as black powder or pyrodex, burns, forcing large volumes of hot, rapidly expanding gasses out the narrow nozzle, pushing the rocket forward. After the material has been consumed, the smoke section of the engine is ignited. It is usually a slow-burning material, similar to black powder that has had various compounds added to it to produce visible smoke, usually black, white, or yellow in color. This section exists so that the rocket will be seen when it reaches its maximum altitude, or apogee. When it is burned up, it ignites the ejection charge, labeled "eject". The ejection charge is finely powdered black powder. It burns very rapidly, exploding, in effect. The explosion of the ejection charge pushes out the parachute of the model rocket. It could also be used to ignite the fuse of a bomb... Rocket engines have their own peculiar labeling system. Typical engine labels are: 1/4A-2T, 1/2A-3T, A8-3, B6-4, C6-7, and D12-5. The letter is an indicator of the power of an engine. "B" engines are twice as powerful as "A" engines, and "C" engines are twice as powerful as "B" engines, and so on. The number following the letter is the approximate thrust of the engine, in pounds. the final number and letter is the time delay, from the time that the thrust period of engine burn ends until the ejection charge fires; "3T" indicates a 3 second delay. NOTE: an extremely effective rocket propellant can be made by mixing aluminum dust with ammonium perchlorate and a very small amount of iron oxide. The mixture is bound together by an epoxy. BASIC "4.11 BASIC ROCKET BOMB" A rocket bomb is simply what the name implies: a bomb that is delivered to its target by means of a rocket. Most people who would make such a device would use a model rocket engine to power the device. By cutting fins from balsa wood and gluing them to a large rocket engine, such as the Estes "C" engine, a basic rocket could be constructed. Then, by attaching a "crater maker", or CO2 cartridge bomb to the rocket, a bomb would be added. To insure that the fuse of the "crater maker" (see sect. 4.42) ignited, the clay over the ejection charge of the engine should be scraped off with a plastic tool. The fuse of the bomb should be touching the ejection charge, as shown below. ____________ rocket engine | _________ crater maker | | | | V | _______________________________V_ |_______________________________| ______________________ \ | - - - - - -|***|::::| /# # # # # # # # # # # \ \__| - - - - - -|***|::::| ___/ # # # # # # # # # # # \ __ - - - - - -|***|::::|---fuse--- # # explosive # # ) / | - - - - - -|***|::::| ___ # # # # # # # # # # # / /___|____________|___|____|____ \_______________________/ |_______________________________| thrust> - - - - - - smoke> *** ejection charge> :::: Duct tape is the best way to attach the crater maker to the rocket engine. Note in the diagram the absence of the clay over the ejection charge Many different types of explosive payloads can be attached to the rocket, such as a high explosive, an incendiary device, or a chemical fire bottle. Either four or three fins must be glued to the rocket engine to insure that the rocket flies straight. The fins should look like the following diagram: |\ | \ | \ | \ <--------- glue this to rocket engine | \ | \ | \ | | | | | | leading edge | -------> | | | | | trailing edge | | <-------- | | | | | | | | \_____/ The leading edge and trailing edge should be sanded with sandpaper so that they are rounded. This will help make the rocket fly straight. A two inch long section of a plastic straw can be attached to the rocket to launch it from. A clothes hanger can be cut and made into a launch rod. The segment of a plastic straw should be glued to the rocket engine adjacent to one of the fins of the rocket. A front view of a completed rocket bomb is shown below. | fin | <------ fin | | | | | | | __|__ | V / \ V ---------------| |--------------- \_____/ |o <----------- segment of plastic straw | | | <------ fin | | By cutting a coat hanger at the indicated arrows, and bending it, a launch rod can be made. After a fuse is inserted in the engine, the rocket is simply slid down the launch rod, which is put through the segment of plastic straw. The rocket should slide easily along a coathanger, such as the one illustated on the following page: ___ / \ | | cut here _____ | | | | | | / \ V / \ _________________/ \________________ / \ / \ /____________________________________________\ ^ | | and here ______| Bend wire to this shape: _______ insert into straw | | | V ____________________________________________ \ \ \ \ \ <--------- bend here to adjust flight angle | | | | | | <---------- put this end in ground | LONG "4.12 LONG RANGE ROCKET BOMB" Long range rockets can be made by using multi-stage rockets. Model rocket engines with an "0" for a time delay are designed for use in multi-stage rockets. An engine such as the D12-0 is an excellent example of such an engine. Immediately after the thrust period is over, the ejection charge explodes. If another engine is placed directly against the back of an "0" engine, the explosion of the ejection charge will send hot gasses and burning particles into the nozzle of the engine above it, and ignite the thrust section. This will push the used "0" engine off of the rocket, causing an overall loss of weight. The main advantage of a multi-stage rocket is that it loses weight as travels, and it gains velocity. A multi-stage rocket must be designed somewhat differently than a single stage rocket, since, in order for a rocket to fly straight, its center of gravity must be ahead of its center of drag. This is accomplished by adding weight to the front of the rocket, or by moving the center of drag back by putting fins on the rocket that are well behind the rocket. A diagram of a multi-stage rocket appears on the following page: ___ / \ | | | C | | M | ------ CM: Crater Maker | | | | |___| | | | | | | | C | ------ C6-5 rocket engine /| 6 |\ / | | | \ / | 5 | \ / |___| \ ---- fin / /| |\ \ / / | | \ \ / / | | \ \ / / | C | \ \ | / | 6 | \ | | / | | | \ | | / | 0 | \ | |/ |___| \| | / \ | \______/ ^ \______/ ------- fin | | | | C6-0 rocket engine The fuse is put in the bottom engine. Two, three, or even four stages can be added to a rocket bomb to give it a longer range. It is important, however, that for each additional stage, the fin area gets larger. MULTI "4.13 MULTIPLE WARHEAD ROCKET BOMBS" "M.R.V." is an acronym for Multiple Reentry Vehicle. The concept is simple: put more than one explosive warhead on a single missile. This can be done without too much difficulty by anyone who knows how to make crater-makers and can buy rocket engines. By attaching crater makers with long fuses to a rocket, it is possible that a single rocket could deliver several explosive devices to a target. Such a rocket might look like the diagram on the following page: ___ / \ The crater makers are attached to | | the tube of rolled paper with tape. the | C | paper tube is made by rolling and gluing | M | a 4 inch by 8 inch piece of paper. The |___| tube is glued to the engine, and is ___| |___ filled with gunpowder or black powder. | | | | Small holes are punched in it, and the | | T | | fuses of the crater makers are inserted / \ | U | / \ in these holes. A crater maker is glued / \| B |/ \ to the open end of the tube, so that its | || E || | fuse is inside the tube. A fuse is | C || || C | inserted in the engine, or in the bottom | M || || M | engine if the rocket bomb is multi | ||___|| | stage, and the rocket is launched from \___/| E |\___/ the coathanger launcher, if a segment of | N | a plastic straw has been attached to it. /| G |\ / | I | \ / | N | \ / | E | \ / |___| \ / fin/ | \ fin\ | / | \ | \__/ | \__/ ^ |____ fin CANNONS "4.2 CANNON" The cannon is a piece of artillery that has been in use since the 11th century. It is not unlike a musket, in that it is filled with powder, loaded, and fired. Cannons of this sort must also be cleaned after each shot, otherwise, the projectile may jam in the barrel when it is fired, causing the barrel to explode. A sociopath could build a cannon without too much trouble, if he/she had a little bit of money, and some patience. BCAN "4.21 BASIC PIPE CANNON" A simple cannon can be made from a thick pipe by almost anyone. The only difficult part is finding a pipe that is extremely smooth on its interior. This is absolutely necessary; otherwise, the projectile may jam. Copper or aluminum piping is usually smooth enough, but it must also be extremely thick to withstand the pressure developed by the expanding hot gasses in a cannon. If one uses a projectile such as a CO2 cartridge, since such a projectile can be made to explode, a pipe that is about 1.5 - 2 feet long is ideal. Such a pipe MUST have walls that are at least 1/3 to 1/2 an inch thick, and be very smooth on the interior. If possible, screw an endplug into the pipe. Otherwise, the pipe must be crimped and folded closed, without cracking or tearing the pipe. A small hole is drilled in the back of the pipe near the crimp or endplug. Then, all that need be done is fill the pipe with about two teaspoons of grade blackpowder or pyrodex, insert a fuse, pack it lightly by ramming a wad of tissue paper down the barrel, and drop in a CO2 cartridge. Brace the cannon securely against a strong structure, light the fuse, and run. If the person is lucky, he will not have overcharged the cannon, and he will not be hit by pieces of exploding barrel. Such a cannon would look like this: __________________ fuse hole | | V ________________________________________________________________ |_______________________________________________________________| |endplug|powder|t.p.| CO2 cartridge | ______|______|____|____________________________________________ |_|______________________________________________________________| An exploding projectile can be made for this type of cannon with a CO2 cartridge. It is relatively simple to do. Just make a crater maker, and construct it such that the fuse projects about an inch from the end of the cartridge. Then, wrap the fuse with duct tape, covering it entirely, except for a small amount at the end. Put this in the pipe cannon without using a tissue paper packing wad. ___ When the cannon is fired, it ( ) will ignite the end of the |C | fuse, and shoot the CO2 | M| cartridge. The | | explosive-filled cartridge | | will explode in about three \ / seconds, if all goes well. [] <--- taped fuse Such a projectile would look [] like this: [] ! <--- Bare fuse (add matchheads) FIRE "4.22 ROCKET FIRING CANNON" ___ A rocket firing cannon can be made exactly like a / \ normal cannon; the only difference is the ammunition. A | | rocket fired from a cannon will fly further than a rocket | C | alone, since the action of shooting it overcomes the | M | initial inertia. A rocket that is launched when it is | | moving will go further than one that is launched when it | | is stationary. Such a rocket would resemble a normal |___| rocket bomb, except it would have no fins. It would look | E | like the image to the left. | N | | G | the fuse on such a device would, obviously, be short, | I | but it would not be ignited until the rocket's ejection | N | charge exploded. Thus, the delay before the ejection | E | charge, in effect, becomes the delay before the bomb |___| explodes. Note that no fuse need be put in the rocket; the burning powder in the cannon will ignite it, and simultaneously push the rocket out of the cannon at a high velocity. TENNIS "4.23 TENNIS BALL CANNONS" At this time (twelve years ago) most soft drink cans were rolled tin rather than the molded aluminum. We would cut the tops and bottoms off of a bunch of them and tape them together with duct tape, forming a tube of two feet or more. At the end we would tape a can with the bottom intact, more holes punched (with a can opener) around the top, and a small hole in the side at the base. We then fastened this contraption to a tripod so we could aim it reliably. Any object that came somewhat close to filling the tube was then placed therein. In the shop, we used the clock as a target and an empty plastic solder spool as ammunition, with tape over the ends of the center hole and sometimes filled with washers for weight. When taken to parties or picnics, we would use whatever was handy. Hot dog rolls or napkins filled with potato chips provided spectacular entertainment. Once loaded, a small amount of lighter fluid was poured into the hole in the side of the end can and allowed to vaporize for a few moments. The "fire control technician" would announce "Fire in the Hole" and ignite it. BOOM! Whoosh! The clock never worked after that! ---------- Our version of the potatoe chip cannon, was built similarly. Ours used coke cans, six with the top and bottom removed, and the seventh had church key holes all around one end. This was spiral wrapped with at least two rolls of duct tape. A wooden shoulder rest and forward hand grip was taped to the tube. For ignition we used lantern batteries to a model-t coil, actuated by a push button on the hand grip. A fresh wilson tennis ball was stuffed all the way back to the grid, and a drop or two of lighter fluid was dropped in one of two holes in the end. The ignition wire was poked through the other hole. We would then lie in ambush, waiting for somthing to move. When fired with the proper air/fuel mixture, a satisfying thoomp! At maximum range the ball would travel about 100 yards with a 45 degree launch angle. Closer up the ball would leave a welt on an warring opponent. When launched at a moving car the thud as it hit the door would generally rattle anyone inside. Luckily we never completed the one that shot golf balls. PYRO "5 PYROTECHNICA ERRATA" There are many other types of pyrotechnics that a perpetrator of violence might employ. Smoke bombs can be purchased in magic stores, and large military smoke bombs can be bought through ads in gun and military magazines. Also, fireworks can also be used as weapons of terror. A large aerial display rocket would cause many injuries if it were to be fired so that it landed on the ground near a crowd of people. Even the "harmless" pull-string fireworks, which consists of a sort of firecracker that explodes when the strings running through it are pulled, could be placed inside a large charge of a sensitive high explosive. Tear gas is another material that might well be useful to the sociopath, and such a material could be instantly disseminated over a large crowd by means of a rocket-bomb, with nasty effects. SMOKE "5.1 SMOKE BOMBS" One type of pyrotechnic device that might be employed by a terrorist in many way would be a smoke bomb. Such a device could conceal the getaway route, or cause a diversion, or simply provide cover. Such a device, were it to produce enough smoke that smelled bad enough, could force the evacuation of a building, for example. Smoke bombs are not difficult to make. Although the military smoke bombs employ powdered white phosphorus or titanium compounds, such materials are usually unavailable to even the most well-equipped terrorist. Instead, he/she would have to make the smoke bomb for themselves. Most homemade smoke bombs usually employ some type of base powder, such as black powder or pyrodex, to support combustion. The base material will burn well, and provide heat to cause the other materials in the device to burn, but not completely or cleanly. Table sugar, mixed with sulfur and a base material, produces large amounts of smoke. Sawdust, especially if it has a small amount of oil in it, and a base powder works well also. Other excellent smoke ingredients are small pieces of rubber, finely ground plastics, and many chemical mixtures. The material in road flares can be mixed with sugar and sulfur and a base powder produces much smoke. Most of the fuel-oxodizer mixtures, if the ratio is not correct, produce much smoke when added to a base powder. The list of possibilities goes on and on. The trick to a successful smoke bomb also lies in the container used. A plastic cylinder works well, and contributes to the smoke produced. The hole in the smoke bomb where the fuse enters must be large enough to allow the material to burn without causing an explosion. This is another plus for plastic containers, since they will melt and burn when the smoke material ignites, producing an opening large enough to prevent an explosion. SIMPLE "5.11 SIMPLE SMOKE/STINK BOMB" Simple smoke/stink bomb- you can purchaase sulphur at a drugstore under the name flowers of sulphur. now when sulphur burns it will give off a very strong odor and plenty of smoke. now all you need is a fuse from a firecracker, a tin can, and the sulphur. fill the can with sulphur(pack very lightly), put aluninum foil over the top of the can, poke a small hole into the foil, insert the wick, and light it and get out of the room if you value your lungs. you can find many uses for this (or at least i hope so). SSMOKE "5.12 SIMPLE SMOKE BOMB" Needed : Sugar Epson Salts 1.) Mix the ingredients, 3 parts sugar, 6 parts epson salts. 2.) Put the mixture in a tin container and heat it with a lighter. 3.) When it has turned into a gel, put a fuse in it (a match will do). 4.) Let the gel harden. SSS "5.13 SMOKE SMOKE SMOKE..." The following reaction should produce a fair amount of smoke. Since this reaction is not all that dangerous you can use larger amounts if necessary 6 pt. ZINC POWDER 1 pt. SULFUR POWDER Insert a red hot wire into the pile, step back. There are many other experiments I could have included, but i will save them for the next chemist's corner article. upcoming articles will include glow-in-the-dark reactions, 'party' reactions, things you can do with household chemicals , etc... I would like to give credit to a book by shakashari entitled "Chemical demonstrations" for a few of the precise amounts of chemicals in some experiments. ...ZAPHOD BEEBLEBROX/MPG! COLOR "5.2 COLORED FLAMES" Colored flames can often be used as a signaling device for terrorists. by putting a ball of colored flame material in a rocket; the rocket, when the ejection charge fires, will send out a burning colored ball. The materials that produce the different colors of flames appear below. COLOR MATERIAL USED IN red strontium road flares, salts red sparklers (strontium nitrate) green barium salts green sparklers (barium nitrate) yellow sodium salts gold sparklers (sodium nitrate) blue powdered copper blue sparklers, old pennies white powdered magnesium firestarters, or aluminum aluminum foil purple potassium permanganate purple fountains, treating sewage TEAR "5.3 TEAR GAS" A terrorist who could make tear gas or some similar compound could use it with ease against a large number of people. Tear gas is fairly complicated to make, however, and this prevents such individuals from being able to utilize its great potential for harm. One method for its preparation is shown below. EQUIPMENT FOR MAKING TEAR GAS _________ 1. ring stands (2) 7. clamp holder 2. alcohol burner 8. condenser 3. erlenmeyer flask, 300 ml 9. rubber tubing 4. clamps (2) 10. collecting flask 5. rubber stopper 11. air trap 6. glass tubing 12. beaker, 300 ml MATERIALS _________ 10 gms glycerine 2 gms sodium bisulfate distilled water 1.) In an open area, wearing a gas mask, mix 10 gms of glycerine with 2 gms of sodium bisulfate in the 300 ml erlenmeyer flask. 2.) Light the alcohol burner, and gently heat the flask. 3.) The mixture will begin to bubble and froth; these bubbles are tear gas. 4.) When the mixture being heated ceases to froth and generate gas, or a brown residue becomes visible in the tube, the reaction is complete. Remove the heat source, and dispose of the heated mixture, as it is corrosive. 5.) The material that condenses in the condenser and drips into the collecting flask is tear gas. It must be capped tightly, and stored in a safe place. GAS "5.31 LAUGHING GAS" As a special treat for the dopers in the audience and since ammonium nitrate has been on your mind for a few minutes, you might as well learn how to make laughing gas from ammonium nitrate. Laughing gas was one of the earliest anaesthetics. After a little while of inhaling the gas the patient became so happy [ain't life great?] he couldn't keep from laughing. Finally he would drift off to a pleasant sleep. Some do-it-yourselfers have died while taking laughing gas. This is because they has generated it through plastic bags while their heads were inside. They were simply suffocating but were too bombed out to realize it. The trick is to have a plastic clothes bag in which you generate a lot of the gas. Then you stop generating the gas and hold a small opening of the bag under your nose, getting plenty of oxygen in the meantime. Then, Whee! To make it you start with ammonium nitrate bought from a chemical supply house or which you have purified with 100% rubbing or wood alcohol. First, dissolve a quantity of ammonium nitrate in some water. Then you evaporate the water over the stove, while stirring, until you have a heavy brine. When nearly all the moisture is out it should solidify instantly when a drop is put on an ice cold metal plate. When ready, dump it all out on a very cold surface. After a while, break it up and store it in a bottle. A spoonful is put into a flask with a one-hole stopper, with a tube leading into a big plastic bag. The flask is heated with an alcohol lamp. When the temperature in the flask reaches 480 F the gas will generate. If white fumes appear the heat should be lowered as the stuff explodes at 600 F. When the bag is filled, stop the action and get ready to turn on. Addendum 4/12/91: N2O supplants oxygen in your blood, but you don't realize it. It's easy to die from N2O because you're suffocating and your breathing reflex doesn't know it. SO: Do not put your head in a plastic bag (duhh...) because you will cheerfully choke to death. FWORKS "5.4 FIREWORKS" While fireworks cannot really be used as an effective means of terror, they do have some value as distractions or incendiaries. There are several basic types of fireworks that can be made in the home, whether for fun, profit, or nasty uses. CRACKERS "5.41 FIRECRACKERS" A simple firecracker can be made from cardboard tubing and epoxy. The instructions are below: 1) Cut a small piece of cardboard tubing from the tube you are using. "Small" means anything less than 4 times the diameter of the tube. 2) Set the section of tubing down on a piece of wax paper, and fill it with epoxy and the drying agent to a height of 3/4 the diameter of the tubing. Allow the epoxy to dry to maximum hardness, as specified on the package. 3) When it is dry, put a small hole in the middle of the tube, and insert a desired length of fuse. 4) Fill the tube with any type of flame-sensitive explosive. Flash powder, pyrodex, black powder, potassium picrate, lead azide, nitrocellulose, or any of the fast burning fuel-oxodizer mixtures will do nicely. Fill the tube almost to the top. 5) Pack the explosive tightly in the tube with a wad of tissue paper and a pencil or other suitable ramrod. Be sure to leave enough space for more epoxy. 6) Fill the remainder of the tube with the epoxy and hardener, and allow it to dry. 7) For those who wish to make spectacular firecrackers, always use flash powder, mixed with a small amount of other material for colors. By crushing the material on a sparkler, and adding it to the flash powder, the explosion will be the same color as the sparkler. By adding small chunks of sparkler material, the device will throw out colored burning sparks, of the same color as the sparkler. By adding powdered iron, orange sparks will be produced. White sparks can be produced from magnesium shavings, or from small, LIGHTLY crumpled balls of aluminum foil. Example: Suppose I wish to make a firecracker that will explode with a red flash, and throw out white sparks. First, I would take a road flare, and finely powder the material inside it. Or, I could take a red sparkler, and finely powder it. Then, I would mix a small amount of this material with the flash powder. (NOTE: FLASH POWDER MAY REACT WITH SOME MATERIALS THAT IT IS MIXED WITH, AND EXPLODE SPONTANEOUSLY!) I would mix it in a ratio of 9 parts flash powder to 1 part of flare or sparkler material, and add about 15 small balls of aluminum foil I would store the material in a plastic bag overnight outside of the house, to make sure that the stuff doesn't react. Then, in the morning, I would test a small amount of it, and if it was satisfactory, I would put it in the firecracker. 8) If this type of firecracker is mounted on a rocket engine, professional to semi-professional displays can be produced. SKY "5.42 SKYROCKETS" An impressive home made skyrocket can easily be made in the home from model rocket engines. Estes engines are recommended. 1) Buy an Estes Model Rocket Engine of the desired size, remembering that the power doubles with each letter. (See sect. 6.1 for details) 2) Either buy a section of body tube for model rockets that exactly fits the engine, or make a tube from several thicknesses of paper and glue. 3) Scrape out the clay backing on the back of the engine, so that the powder is exposed. Glue the tube to the engine, so that the tube covers at least half the engine. Pour a small charge of flash powder in the tube, about 1/2 an inch. 4) By adding materials as detailed in the section on firecrackers, various types of effects can be produced. 5) By putting Jumping Jacks or bottle rockets without the stick in the tube, spectacular displays with moving fireballs or M.R.V.'s can be produced. 6) Finally, by mounting many home made firecrackers on the tube with the fuses in the tube, multiple colored bursts can be made. ROMAN "5.43 ROMAN CANDLES" Roman candles are impressive to watch. They are relatively difficult to make, compared to the other types of home-made fireworks, but they are well worth the trouble. 1) Buy a 1/2 inch thick model rocket body tube, and reinforce it with several layers of paper and/or masking tape. This must be done to prevent the tube from exploding. Cut the tube into about 10 inch lengths. 2) Put the tube on a sheet of wax paper, and seal one end with epoxy and the drying agent. About 1/2 of an inch is sufficient. 3) Put a hole in the tube just above the bottom layer of epoxy, and insert a desired length of water proof fuse. Make sure that the fuse fits tightly. 4) Pour about 1 inch of pyrodex or gunpowder down the open end of the tube. 5) Make a ball by powdering about two 6 inch sparklers of the desired color. Mix this powder with a small amount of flash powder and a small amount of pyrodex, to have a final ratio (by volume) of 60% sparkler material / 20% flash powder / 20% pyrodex. After mixing the powders well, add water, one drop at a time, and mixing continuously, until a damp paste is formed. This paste should be moldable by hand, and should retain its shape when left alone. Make a ball out of the paste that just fits into the tube. Allow the ball to dry. 6) When it is dry, drop the ball down the tube. It should slide down fairly easily. Put a small wad of tissue paper in the tube, and pack it gently against the ball with a pencil. 7) When ready to use, put the candle in a hole in the ground, pointed in a safe direction, light the fuse, and run. If the device works, a colored fireball should shoot out of the tube to a height of about 30 feet. This height can be increased by adding a slightly larger powder charge in step 4, or by using a slightly longer tube. 8) If the ball does not ignite, add slightly more pyrodex in step 5. 9) The balls made for roman candles also function very well in rockets, producing an effect of falling colored fireballs. 6 USEFUL CHEMISTRY POISONS "6.1 POISONS" A method of assasinatin that have been used through the ages is the use of poisons. These can be inhaled, injected, imbibed, absorbed, or eaten. LPOISONS "6.11 LIST OF POISONS" Acrylonitrile (cyanid-like) Aniline (inhaled or absorbed) Antimony trichloride (vapor) Arsenic (Paris Green, Rat Poison, Ant Paste, Fowler's Solution) Atropine (Bella Donna, Homatropine, Hyoscine, Hyoscyamine, Jimson Weed, Scopolamine) Amytal Benzidine Black Leaf 40 (nicotine) Bromine (vapor) Cadmium (vapor) Cantharrides (Spanish Fly) Cabon Disulfide (vapor, liquid) Carbon tetrachloride (phosgene vapor) Cathartic pills Cherry Laurel Water (Cyanide) Chloronitrobenzine Copper Sulfate (Bluestone) Curare (Introcostrin, used by vets.) Cyanogen Ethylene Chlorohydrin (liquid, vapor) Ethyl mercury chloride (liquid, solid, vapor) Fire Extinguisher fluid Roach Poisons Freon (when heated by flame) Metallic hybrides (Arsine, Phosphine, Stipine gasses) Morphine Nicotine sulfate Nitrobenzene Oxalic Acid & Oxalates Parathion (E-605, Thiphos, Thiophospate) Phosphorus-white (Fireworks & foreign match heads, rat poisons) Phosgene (Carbon tet., Chloroform in contact with flame) Tetrachloroethane (acetyle tetrachloride) Tetraethyl pyrophosphate (TEPP) Thallium (Thalgrain rat poison) Toxaphene (Chlorinated camphene) Toluidine (vapor) Weed killers (2,4-D) DRUGS "6.2 DRUGS" I do not recoment the use of drugs in any way, and I take no responsibility for what could be the result of using any of these recipies. BANAN "6.21 BANANDINE (MADE FROM BANANA!)" BANANAS DO CONTAIN A SMALL QUANTITY OF A MILD SHORT LASTING PSYCHODELIC DRUG. THERE ARE BETTER WAYS OF GETTING HIGH BUT THE GREAT ADVANTAGE OF THIS IS THAT BANANAS ARE LEGAL (FOR NOW) 1] OBTAIN 15 LBS OF RIPE YELLOW BANANAS 2] PEEL THEM ALL, EAT THE CHOW, KEEP THE PEELS. 3] WITH A SHARP KNIFE, SCRAPE OFF THE INSIDES OF THE PEELINGS, AND SAVE THE SCRAPED MATERIAL. 4] PUT ALL SCRAPED MATERIAL IN A LARGE POT AND ADD WATER. BOIL FOR THREE TO FOUR HOURS UNTIL IT HAS ATTAINED A SOLID PASTE. 5] SPREAD THIS PASTE ON COOKIE SHEETS AND DRY IN OVEN FOR ABOUT 20 MIN. TO A HALF AN HOUR. THIS WILL RESULT IN A FINE BLACK POWDER ROLL IT UP AND SMOKE ABOUT 3-4 OF THOSE DUDES PEANUTS "6.22 PEANUTS!" 1] OBTAIN A POUND OF PEANUTS. 2] SHELL THEM, SAVING THE SKINS AND DISCARDING THE SHELLS. 3] PORK OUT ON THE NUTS WHILE WATCHING David Letterman ONE NIGHT. 4] GRIND UP THE SKINS, ROLL THEM, SMOKE THEM. MARI "6.23 MARIJUANA" Any fool can grow their own marijuana.... just plant the seeds in a warm, sunny and not too public place, water and fertilize as you would any other plant, and in a short while you'll have your own homegrown weed. I've heard that you can kill mites by soaking some tobacco (buy a pack of plain pipe tobacco) in water, and spraying it on the leaves (you don't want to use toxic chemicals on something you're going to smoke later) If you're not used to the stuff, cut it with 50% tobacco, and smoke it in a filtered pipe or use the mixture to refill a cigarette- the tar content is MUCH higher than that of a regular cigarrette. Remember, cultivation is a FEDERAL crime, so if you can do it at home, just pick a room with no windows, and put in some grow lights (sodium vapor lamps are reputed to be the best- steal a couple streetlights) and a water spigot. 7 USEFUL TECHNIQUES LOCK "7.1 LOCKPICKING" If it becomes necessary to pick a lock to enter a lab, the world's most effective lockpick is dynamite, followed by a sledgehammer. There are unfortu- nately, problems with noise and excess structural damage with these methods. The next best thing, however, is a set of army issue lockpicks. These, unfortunately, are difficult to acquire. WAY "7.11 PICKING LOCKS THE EASY WAY" If the door to a lab is locked, but the deadbolt is not engaged, then there are other possibilities. The rule here is: if one can see the latch, one can open the door. There are several devices which facilitate freeing the latch from its hole in the wall. Dental tools, stiff wire ( 20 gauge ), specially bent aluminum from cans, thin pocketknives, and credit cards are the tools of the trade. The way that all these tools and devices are uses is similar: pull, push, or otherwise move the latch out of its hole in the wall, and pull the door open. This is done by sliding whatever tool that you are using behind the latch, and pulling the latch out from the wall. To make an aluminum-can lockpick, terrorists can use an aluminum can and carefully cut off the can top and bottom. Cut off the cans' ragged ends. Then, cut the open-ended cylinder so that it can be flattened out into a single long rectangle. This should then be cut into inch wide strips. Fold the strips in 1/4 inch increments (1). One will have a long quadruple-thick 1/4 inch wide strip of aluminum. This should be folded into an L-shape, a J-shape, or a U- shape. This is done by folding. The pieces would look like this: (1) _______________________________________________________ v 1/4 |_______________________________________________________| | 1/4 |_______________________________________________________| | 1 inch 1/4 |_______________________________________________________| | 1/4 |_______________________________________________________| | ^ Fold along lines to make a single quadruple-thick piece of aluminum. This should then be folded to produce an L,J,or U shaped device that looks like this: ________________________________________ /________________________________________| | | | | L-shaped | | | | |_| _____________________________ / ___________________________| | | | | J-shaped | | | |________ \________| _____________________ / ___________________| | | | | | | U-shaped | | | |____________________ \____________________| All of these devices should be used to hook the latch of a door and pull the latch out of its hole. The folds in the lockpicks will be between the door and the wall, and so the device will not unfold, if it is made properly. Addendum 4/12/91 Another method of forced entry is to use an automobile jack to force the frame around the door out of shape, freeing the latch or exposing it to the above methods. This is possible because most door frames are designed with a slight amount of "give". Simply put the jack into position horizontally across the frame in the vicinty of the latch, and jack it out. If the frame is wood it may be possible to remove the jack after shutting the door, which will relock the door and leave few signs of forced entry. COMBI "7.12 PICKING COMBINATION LOCKS" Ok, so ya say ya wanna learn how to pick combination locks...This text file should help you. As a matter of fact, if ya do it right, it will help you. First of all, let me tell you about the set-up of a lock. When the lock is locked, there is a curved piece of metal wedged inside the little notch on the horseshoe shaped bar that is pushed in to the lock when you lock it. To free this wedge, you usually have to turn the lock to the desired combination and the pressure on the wedge is released therefore letting the lock open. I will now tell you how to make a pick so you can open a lock without having to waste all that time turning the combination (this also helps when ya don't know the combination to begin with). First of all, ya need to find a hairpin. What's a hairpin? Well, just ask your mom. She will have one. If she asks what its for, say ya gotta hold something together... If she says use a rubberband or use a paperclip, go to the store and rip off a box of 50 or so. Once you have your hair pin (make sure it's metal), take the ridged side and break it off right before it starts to make a U-turn onto the straight side. The curved part t can now be used as a handle. Now, using a file, file down the other end until it is fairly thin. You should do this to many hairpins and file them so they are of different thicknesses so you can pick various locks. Some locks are so cheap that ya don't even have ta file! But most are not. Ok, now you have a lock pick. Now if ya haven't figured it out, here's how ya use it. You look at a lock to see which side the lock opens from. If you can't tell, you will just have to try both sides. When ya find out what side it opens from, , take the lock pick and stick the filed end into the inside of the horseshoe-shaped bar on whichever side the lock opens from. Now, put pressure on the handle of the lock pick (pushing down, into the crack) and pull the lock up and down. The lock will then open because the pick separated the wedge and the notch allowing us thieves to open it. Don't say bullshit until you've tried it. Because I have gotten lots of beer money from doin' this to fellow students' gym lockers. Also, this technique works best on American locks. I have never picked a Master lock before because of the shape a pressure of the wedge but if anyone does it, let me know how long it took. Also, the Master lock casing is very tight so ya can't get the pick in. So, if you're locking something valuable up, use a Master, cuz at least ya know I won't be picking it and I'm sure there aren't that many that could. And when I say pick, i don't mean lighting a stick of dynamite next to the lock, picking is opening a lock without using force, making a substitute key, etc... If any of you believe that this information is not sufficient for picking an American lock, or any other kind besides Master, leave me a message at /\/\etallant 1 (503) 538-0761. This concludes my text file on picking combination locks. My next text file will probably be "Picking key locks". See ya later, The Byte basher. MASTER "7.13 HOW TO PICK MASTER LOCKS By Gin Fizz & Ninja NYC" Have you ever tried to impress your friends by picking one of those Master combination locks and failed? Well then read on. The Master lock company has made this kind of lock with a protection scheme. If you pull the handle of it hard, the knob won't turn. That was their biggest mistake...... Ok, now on to it. 1st number. Get out any of the Master locks so you know what's going on. 1: The handle part (the part that springs open when you get the combination), pull on it, but not enough so that the knob won't move. 2: While pulling on it turn the knob to the left until it won't move any more. Then add 5 to this number. Congradulations, you now have the 1st number. 2nd number. (a lot tougher) Ok, spin the dial around a couple of times, then go to the 1st number you got, then turn it to the right, bypassing the 1st number once. WHEN you have bypassed. Start pulling the handle and turning it. It will eventually fall into the groove and lock. While in the groove pull on it and turn the knob. If it is loose go to the next groove; if it's stiff you got the second number. 3rd number: After getting the 2nd, spin the dial, then enter the 2 numbers, then after the 2nd, go to the right and at all the numbers pull on it. The lock will eventually open if you did it right. If can't do it the first time, be patient, it takes time. Addendum 4/12/91: I've tried this, and it no longer seems to work (master wised up) HOWEVER- the "MASTER warded padlock" locks are easily picked... These are the lock with the keys that look like this: _ _ / \_[]_[]__[]_[] A cross section looks like this: \_/ \ \_/ [] [] [] [] Just file the key down so it looks like this: _ _ / \___________[] A cross section looks like this: ~~~~~ \_/ [] Now you can bypass the wards... sometimes you have to pull the key up and down, turning as you pass each block, to release the latch. *End Addendum FEIT "7.2 HOW TO COUNTERFEIT Written by The Wave" This article deals with how to make counterfeit money. Before reading this article it would be a very good idea to get a book about photo-offset printing, for that's how you'll have to print it. For someone who is familiar with offset printing, printing money is a breeze. Real money is made by a process called gravure. It involves carving out of a metal block (but I don't think anyone can do that by hand-if you can, you should be on That's Incredible!). When you are done (if you did everything correctly) you will have a finished product nearly identical to real money, depending on your printing skills. Well, let's get started! First I'd like to tell you briefly how offset printing works. It starts by making negatives (kind of like when you take a picture with your camera). Then you take the negatives and put them on a piece of masking material ( usually orange). Then you expose the STRIPPED negatives or FLATS to a lithographic plate with an arc light plate maker. The BURNED plates are then developed with the proper developer chemical. These plates (one at a time of course) are wrapped around the plate cylinder of the press. The press to use should be an 11 by 14 (or so) offset such as the 11 by 17 AB Dick 360. Then the printing begins! To learn in detail how to do each of these steps you should again get a book on the subject. The presswork takes some practice, but you'll get the hang of it. BTW you can pick up an 11 by 14 offset for about $500 if you shop around (or you can ** BORROW ** a press from your local Insty Prints at about 3:00 in the morning!). First, like I said before, you need negatives. Make 2 negatives of the portrait side of the bill and 1 of the back side. After developing them and letting them dry, take them to a light table. Get some opaque and, on one of the portrait sides, touch out all the green (the seal and the serial numbers). Line that one up on the FLAT and leave about 1/2 inch from the top of the flat. Then for the other portrait, touch out everything BUT the seal and serial numbers. The back side doesn't require any retouching because it is all one color. Now, make sure all the negatives are lined up right, or REGISTERED, on the flats. By the way, every time you need another serial number, just shoot 1 neg. of the portrait side and cut out the serial number. Cut out the old serial number from the flat and replace it with the new one. Ok, now you have 3 flats, each represents a different color-black and 2 shades of green (which of course are made by mixing inks). Now you are ready to burn the plates. Take a lithographic plate and mark 3 marks on it. These marks must be 2 & 9/16 in. apart, starting on one of the short edges. Do the same thing to 2 more plates. Then take 1 of the flats and place it on the plate, lining the short edge up with the edge of the plate-EXACTLY! Burn it, move it up to the next mark, and cover up the exposed area you already burned. Burn that and do the same thing 2 more times-moving the flat up one mark. Then do the same process with the other 2 flats (each on a separate plate). Develope all 3 plates. You should have 4 images on each plate with an equal space between each bill. Roll the Presses! The paper you will need won't match exactly, but you can make it pretty damn close (close enough for the cashier at K-Mart!). The paper to use should have a 25% rag content. I have found that Disaperf computer paper works great - that's the kind that you can barely see the perforation. Take this paper (cut the pinfeed holes off first!) and load it into the press. Be sure to set the air, buckle, and paper thickness right. Start with the black plate (the one with out the serial numbers). Wrap it around the cylinder and load black ink in. Make sure you run more than you need because there will be a lot of rejects. Then, while that's printing, mix the inks for the serial #'s and the back side. You'll need to add some white and maybe yellow to the serial # ink. You need to add black to back side. Experiment till you get it right. Clean the press and print the other side. Now you have the bill with no green seal or serial numbers. Print a few with one serial number, make another and repeat. Keep doing this until you have as many different numbers as you want. Then cut the bills to the exact size with a paper cutter Now you have a lot of money, except there is still one problemo - the paper is pure white. To dye it, mix the following in a pan: 2 cups hot water, 4 tea bags, and about 16-20 drops of green food coloring (experiment). Dip one of The bills in and compare it to a brand new REAL bill. Make the necessary adjustments, and dye all the bills. Then it is a good idea to make them look used. Wrinkle them, rub coffee grinds on them, etc. Congratulations! You're rich! Some of the info was taken from The Poor Man's James Bond, but most from personal knowledge. Also, it would be a good idea to see the movie To Live and Die in L.A. It is about a counterfeiter and they did a good job of showing how to do it. Well, that's all folks! Call the Shadowkeep AE (513) 832-1938 AE:TAC Addendum 4/12/91: I have heard that there are several methods of detecting CONTERFEIT money. First, most green ink flouresces under UV light. Second, some money verifiers sold use MAGNETIC ink and INFRARED detection to tell if the money is real. I do NOT know what the pattern used is, if anybody does, send E-mail. USEFUL "8 USEFUL PYROCHEMISTRY" In general, it is possible to make many chemicals from just a few basic ones. A list of useful chemical reactions is presented. It assumes knowledge of general chemistry; any individual who does not understand the following reactions would merely have to read the first five chapters of a high school chemistry book. 1. potassium perchlorate from perchloric acid and potassium hydroxide K(OH) + HClO ----> KClO + H O 4 4 2 2. potassium nitrate from nitric acid and potassium hydroxide " + HNO ----> KNO + " 3 3 3. ammonium perchlorate from perchloric acid and ammonium hydroxide NH OH + HClO ----> NH ClO + " 3 4 3 4 4. ammonium nitrate from nitric acid and ammonium hydroxide NH OH + HNO ----> NH NO + " 3 3 3 3 5. powdered aluminum from acids, aluminum foil, and magnesium A. aluminum foil + 6HCl ----> 2AlCl + 3H 3 2 B. 2AlCl (aq) + 3Mg ----> 3MgCl (aq) + 2Al 3 2 The Al will be a very fine silvery powder at the bottom of the container which must be filtered and dried. This same method works with nitric and sulfuric acids, but these acids are too valuable in the production of high explosives to use for such a purpose, unless they are available in great excess. FUN "9.1 FUN WITH ALARMS" A fact I forgot to mention in my previous alarm articles is that one can also use polyurethane foam in a can to silence horns and bells. you can purchase this at any hardware store as insulation. it is easier to handle and dries faster. Many people that travel carry a pocket alarm with them. this alarm is a small device that is hung around the door knob, and when someone touches the knob his body capacitance sets off the alarm. these nasty nuisences can be found by walking down the halls of a hotel and touching all the door knobs very quickly. if you happen to chance upon one, attach a 3' length of wire or other metal object to the knob. this will cause the sleeping business pig inside to think someone is breaking in and call room service for help. all sorts of fun and games will ensue. Some high-security instalations use keypads just like touch-tone pads (a registered trade mark of bell systems) to open locks or disarm alarms. most use three or four digits. to figure out the code, wipe the key-pad free from all fingerprints. after it had been used just apply finger print dust and all four digits will be marked. now all you have to do is figure out the order. if you want to have some fun with a keypad, try pressing the * and # at the same time. many units use this as a panic button. This will bring the owner and the cops running and ever-one will have a good time. never try to remove them from the wall, as they all have tamper switches. On the subject of holdups, most places (including super-markets, liquer stores, etc.) have what is known as a money clip. these little nasties are placed at the bottom of a money drawer and when the last few bills are with-drawn a switch closes and sets the alarm off. that's why when you make your withdrawl it's best to help your-self so you can check for these little nasties. if you find them, merely insert ones underneath the pile of twenties, and then pull out the twen-ties, leaving the one-dollar bill behind to prevent the circuit from closing. If you shoplift and see cameras, look at the brand. if it is surveillance video systems (SVS) you need not worry. these cameras look realistic to the point of pilot lights, coax, and scanning. however, they are only empty boxes. HELP "HELP" THE TERRORIST ENCYCLOPEDIA V1.01 Special AmigaGuide Version By Metamorphosis of The Psycho Department ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Da H/P/A/V subgroup of The Corporation in cooperation with Pyromaniacs INC. (Lord Dread and Old Jan !!!!!) Greetinz to all whose work have been used to create this file -----------cut here--------- Use this with knowledge, because not everything described in here works the way you want it to work ... And I do not feel responsible for your stupidity !!!!!!!!!! -- / We are Angles of fear | Solon Luigi Lutz (Lord Dread) \ / Damned by God | Tel + Fax +49-03-791 42 83 \ / Sacred by Lucifer | EMAIL: lord_d@obh.in-berlin.de \