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- ANARCHY 'N' EXPLOSIVES
- VOLUME 5 -- 4/3/89
-
- Well, hasn't it been long since Volume 4 of Anarchy 'n' Explosives?
- Well, I finally got around to typing up another volume. This one will be
- dedicated to the extremely simple and more accessible explosives and
- incendiaries to be prepared at home, or laboratory; depending upon the
- environment you have access to or are accustomed to.
-
- Anyway, getting back down to business, I must (again), put up this sign:
-
- WARNING: THESE EXPLOSIVES/INCENDIARIES ARE REAL, NOT TOYS. USE
- EXTREME CAUTION WHEN PREPARING AND APPLYING WHEN APPLICABLE.
- FAILURE TO DO SO MAY RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH.
- USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!
-
- Enough of the warnings and notes; for further information and/or
- comments on this series of ever popular explosives, contact me (I
- don't sign these "publications") on the Knavery BBS at xxx-xxx-xxxx
- on the public message base, I should be reading some requests if you
- leave them. And, volume number 6 should be coming out sooner than
- the time between 4 and 5, but don't count on it.
-
- BULK POWDERS:
- =============
-
- Bulk powders are types of gunpowders consisting of nitrocellulose and a
- mixture of other chemically explosive solutions. These nitrocellulose fibers
- are stuck together, but are not completely collided. Some contain little else
- but nitrocellulose; others contain, in addition to potassium and barium
- nitrates, camphor, vaseline, paraffin, lampblack, starch, dextrine, potassium
- dichromate or other oxidizing or deterrent salts, and diphenylamine for
- stabilization, and are colored in a variety of brilliant hues by means of col-
- tar dyes. Three typical bulk powders are made up according to the approximate
- formulas tabulated below:
-
- Nitrocellulose........................ 84.0 87.0 89.0
- % N in nitrocellulose............... 13.2 12.9 12.9
- Potassium nitrate..................... 7.5 6.0 6.0
- Barium nitrate........................ 7.5 2.0 3.0
- Starch................................ -.- -.- 1.0
- Paraffin oil.......................... -.- 4.0 -.-
- Diphenylamine......................... 1.0 1.0 1.0
-
- The mixture is mixed in warm water and dried thoroughly. Then either
- granulated or made into powder by crushing with a wooden block and screened
- through a 12-mesh sieve. The material is then stored in a moisture-resistant
- container for future or immediate use.
-
- MERCURY FULMINATE:
- ==================
- Mercury fulminate is an initiating explosive, commonly appearing as
- white or gray crystals. It is extremely sensitive to initiation by heat,
- friction, spark or flame, and impact. It detonates when initiated by any of
- these means. It is pressed into containers, usually at 3000 psi, for use in
- detonators and blasting caps. However, when compressed at greater and greater
- pressure (up to 30,000 psi), it becomes "dead pressed." In this condition, it
- can only be detonated by another initial detonating agent. Mercury fulminate
- gradually becomes inert when stored continuously above 100 degrees F. A dark-
- colored product of deterioration gives evidence of this effect. Mercury exfulminate is stored underwater except when there is danger of freezing. Then
- it is stored under a mixture of water and alcohol.
-
- Preparation of Mercury Fulminate. Five grams of mercury is addedExt55
- cc. of nitric acid (specific gravity 1.42) in a 100-cc. Erlenmeyer flask, and
- the mixture is allowed to stand without shaking until the mercury has gone
- into solution. The acid liquid is then poured into 50 cc. of 90% alcohol in a
- 500-cc. beaker in the hood. The temperature of the mixture rises, a vigorous
- reaction commences, white fumes come off, and cdata bstals of fulminate soon
- begin to precipitate. Red fumes appear and the precipitation of the fulminate
- becomes more rapid, then white fumes again as the reaction moderates. After
- about 20 minutes, the reaction is over; water is added, and the cdata bstals are
- washed with water repeatedly by decantation until the washings are no longer
- acid to litmus. The product consists of grayish-yellow cdata bstals, and
- corresponds to a good grade of commercial fulminate. It may be obtained white
- and entirely pure by dissolving in strong ammonia water, filtering, and
- reprecipitating by the addition of 30% acetic acid. The pure fulminate is
- filtered off, washed several times with cold water, and stored under water,
- or, if a very small amount is desired for experimental purposes, it is dried
- in a desiccator.
-
- AMATOL:
- =======
-
- Description: amatol is a high explosive, whit to buff in color. It is a
- mixture of ammonium nitrate and TNT, with a relative effectiveness slightly
- higher than that of TNT alone. Common compositions vary from 80% ammonium
- nitrate and 20% TNT to 40% ammonium nitrate and 60% TNT. Amatol is used as
- the main bursting charge in artillery shells and bombs. Amatol absorbs
- moisture and can form dangerous compounds with copper and brass. Therefore,
- it should not be housed in containers of such metals.
-
- BLACK POWDERS:
- ==============
-
- Black powders burn either quickly or very slowly depending on the
- composition of such a mixture; however, these powders produce smoke, often
- great amounts, and is most useful in applications where smoke is no object.
- It is the best for communicating fire and for producing a quick, hot flame.
- Black powder is used in both propellant charges for shrapnel shells, in
- saluting and blank fire charges, as the bursting charge of practice shells
- and bombs, as a propelling charge in certain pyrotechnic pieces, and, either
- with or without the admixture of other substances which modify the rate of
- burning, in the time-train rings and in other parts of fuses. Below is a list
- of black powders and their compositions.
- (Brown)
- Name Saltpeter Charcoal Sulfur
- England........................ 79 (18) 3
- England........................ 77.4 (17.6) 5
- Germany........................ 78 (19) 3
- Germany........................ 80 (20) -
- France......................... 78 (19) 3
- Forte...........e...........e 72 15 13 | Blasting
- Lente.......................... 40 30 30 |- Black
- Ordinaire...........e.......... 62 18 20 | Powders
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