ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿

³B o o m³

ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ

By: Paul Miller



   One of the greatest feelings in the world is knowing you have the 

technology to wipe out your whole neighborhood. Not that anyone would want to

destroy a neighborhood in one fell swoop, but bombs are good clean fun if used

in the proper context of insanity. It is obvious that people enjoy fire and

explosions and things, and many people are not satisfied with a safe and legal

extravaganza every 4th of july. That's why they stuff matchheads into metal 

pipes and increase their surgeon's income while wondering what went wrong.

   Everyone has been told not to make bombs forever. That attempt at prevention

of accidents is futile. This book tells exactly what to do and what not to do

in order to keep the shrapnel out of your face and the skin on your hands.

   This book tells how to make it, how to use it, and where to get the stuff 

you need. Nitro from battery acid and drugstore chemicals, nerve gas, contact

explosive, blasting powder, etc, etc, etc.

   Behave yourself, and happy bombing!





Additional copies of this book can be ordered directly from the publisher. 

Send $15 in check, cash, or money order to:

   Pyrochem

   Box 5386

   Rockford, Il. 61125

Enclose 75› extra for first class mail delivery. Wholesale inquiries are 

invited. Prices are subject to change without notice.



Preface

~~~~~~~

   The explosion for which I was arrested was definitely impressive. The 

discarded 55 gallon oil drum dissapeared as the blast echoed several times 

from the facing concrete walls of Aldeen Dam. The blast rattled windows all

over the Rockford College campus; about a quarter mile away. I was told that

it was heard for four miles around.

   Seeing as how we were very proud of our accomplishment, Gary insisted that

we return with the barrel as an indication of our pyrotechnic prowess to our

friends on campus. This barrel was a wonderful treasure. It looked markedly 

like a gargantuan kernal of metallic popcorn. I would have preferred to donate

it anonymously to Clark Arts Center as a specimen of pop art. It would have

looked nice next to their four foot sheet metal skull.

   I conceeded to return to the dorm, barrel in hand. This was our most stupid

decision of the evening because the wrong person, specifically billy bird, saw

us coming with the suspicious remnants of the blast.

   We two had a long, worrying, wearying night at the police station. Cops 

walked into the room and got a thrill looking at the mutilated oil drum and at

the array of confiscated homemade pyrotechnics on the table. Throughout the

intermittent interrigation procedure, officers related their various 

experiences and philosophies. Every other one had a story about "When I was a

kid...". I talked to one cop who used to make firebombs with gasoline, liquid

saop, and shotgun powder. Another one used to be fond of putting shotgun shells

in the ground and shooting BB's at them until they fired. In a world of 

robberies, traffic tickets, and unlawful drunkenness, I think some of them

enjoyed having a couple of fun loving bombers for a change.

   On the other hand, we were both at the prime rioting age of 19, and they

were rather paranoid about radicals with our chemical technology. By the next

morning, Friday, February 27, 1976, we had been charged with possession if

explosives (a felony punishable by up to ten years in prison and/or a $10,000

fine) and gotten bailed out for $500 each.

   I was walking on eggshells for about two months until we finally got off on

a reduced charge of reckless conduct with no penalty. We got off more easily

then we might have because we had only a small quantity of low explosives (tee

hee). We were also lucky to have an excellent lawyer and an understanding

judge.

   It is the sequence of events leading to and folloeing this explosion which

prompted me to write this book.

   I am most grateful to Attourney Armour Beckstrand for helping Gary and me 

out. I am also grateful to Craig, Barb, and Ann for a timely disappearing act

in the advent of the police search, and to Bill for the use of his Advent

speaker box. I am thankful to my parents for not discouraging my pyrotechnic

efforts. Thanks to Ledlie and Palmer for offering to beat the Bird, but no, 

thanks. Lastly, thanks to all the cool people who helped me out through my

post-explosion ordeal.



STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND UNPURPOSE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   I want to make it perfectly clear that I do not believe in violent 

subversion. This is not intended as a handbook for destruction by radicals or

vandals. It is intended for peaceful people like myself who enjoy pyrotechnics

in a powerful but non-destructive context.

   Many people are against gun control. I am also against explosives control;

at least to a point. If used thoughtfully, carefully, and with consideration 

for others, explosives can be a lot of fun; just like sex, drugs, and 

roadracing.

   I sincerely hope that no one will be needlessly blown up because of this

book. The perpetual trend amoung school kids is to make pipe bombs and such

with match heads and similar primitive or unduly dangerous materials. Hopefully

this book will give people a better idea of what not to do in order to stay in

one piece.

   I beseech you, please do be careful for your own sake, and especially for

the safety of others. Test explosives far away from any unconcerned people,

animals, or damageable property. Be sure any shrapnel or other debris  will 

not fly far enough to cause damage. Use paper casings whenever practical. 

Walls, banks, etc. are good for stopping shrapnel. Remember that a very large

explosion can break glass at a distance just by the shock wave.

   If a bomb fails to go off, I recommend leaving it for up to an hour

depending on it's nature, before retrieving or refusing it. Unexploded bombs

should not be left lying around where some curious half-wit can find it and

blow himself up. A friend of mine left a Dr. Pepper bottle full of a rather

unstable mixture lying on the ground after the fuse failed. The poor boob who

found it tried to dig the composition out of the bottle in order to return it

for deposit, and he consequently got his hand and face badly maimed and

burned.

   This bomb contained a horrendous hodge-podge of chemicals. It is most 

definately an unwise practice to make an exlposive with lots of different,

possibly uncompatible chemicals if you are not sure that they will be stable 

together.

   High explosives should be made as pure as possible. Contaminants can 

decrease stability. Gritty particles in any explosive make it more sensitive

to friction, and other chemicals can cause spontaneous decomposition.

   In the intrest of safety, credibility, and the advancement of 

pyrotechnology, I will be glad to answer any correspondence including a self

addressed stamped envelope. I would love to hear from any fellow bomber. Send

any correspondence to:

           Paul Miller

           RFD 2

           Barre, Vt. 05641

   Bear in mind that explosives, even firecrackers, are illegal almost

everywhere. If you are not careless, incosiderate, or too noisy in populated

areas, you are not likely to get in trouble. Don't bring back the barrel.





Part One: Chemicals

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

fp-flash point(temperature at which a chemical will emit fumes which burn in

the air)

at-autoignition temperature(temperature at which a chemical will ignite on 

contact will air)

mp-melting point

bp-boiling point

dp-decomposition point

d-density

NOTE : ALL TEMPERATURES IN CELCIUS



Acetylene  mp:-82ø bp:-84ø fp:-18ø at:335ø

~~~~~~~~~

   Acetylene is a colorless gas with no odor, but the gas made from calcium

carbide usually is contaminated such that it has an objectional odor. A 

concentration of 2.5 to 80% by volume in air is explosive. It can explode in

air down to four degrees centigrade. It is an endothermic compound and is

explosive by itself when under a pressure of more than two atmospheres. The

gas itself is not very toxic, but impurities found in acetylene may be

poisonous. Anyone exposed to an excessive amount of acetylene should be removed

to fresh air and treated for lack of oxygen if necessary.

   Acetylene should be stored so that if it escapes it will not fill a room or

enclosed space where it may explode. It may be safely stored at pressures

exceeding two atmospheres only if it is dissolved in acetone.

   It can be made by reacting calcium carbide and water, and it can be bought

in cylinders for welding.



Aluminum  mp:660ø d:2.7

~~~~~~~~

   Aluminum dust is an extremely useful additive for many compositions. It is 

a very fine gray or silvery powder. It is usually so fine that it may appear

to smoke when agitated because the particles float in the air. It can also turn

your skin temporarily silver.

   The dust ignites very easily and burns extremely hot. Therefore it will make

an explosive when mixed with almost any oxidant. The finest dust makes the best

explosive. An aluminum flame is very bright, and the metal in any form reacts

with hydroxides to librate explosive hydrogen gas. The dust is somewhat

irritating to the lungs and eyes.

   Aluminum dust should be kept away from flame because it can act as an 

incendiary. If aluminum dust is involved in a fire, water should not be thrown

on it because an exlposion may result. The fire should be smotheres with sand

or something.



Ammonium dicromate  dp:170ø d:2.15

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Ammonium dicromate is not often used in explosives, but is a favorite

chemical for producing beautiful displays of orange sparks and minature

volcanoes. It is yellow or orange crystals which decompose before melting. It

is not easy to ignite, but it is flammable and can explode when mixed with 

other substances.



Ammonium perchlorate  d:1.95

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Ammonium perchlorate is a white solid which does not melt. When heated to

high temperatures it decomposes exothermically. This decomposition is violent

enough that the compound can be used as a propellent by itself. All the

products of combustion are gaseous. This results in a theoretically more

powerful explosive than can be made with potassium perchlorate, although it 

would be slower burning. Enerjet rocket engines used a solid propellant

composed of ammonium perchlorate and polyurethane. This propellant was two or

three times as powerful as black powder.

   Because ammonium perchlorate can burn violently alone or explode when

confined, it should be treated as a relatively safe explosive.

   Ammonium chlorate is more hazardous. It explodes at 102øC. Ammonium

periodate is a sensitive explosive.



Calcium carbide  mp:2300ø d:2.22

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Calcium carbide is the grey solid used in old fashioned carbide lamps. It 

is practically inert and harmless when dry, but it releases acetylene when it

contacts water. It should be stored in a dry ventilated place to prevent the

accumulation of explosive acetylene gas. It should be free from such metals as

copper and silver because it may form explosive acetylides.



Carbon disulfide  mp:-108.6ø bp:46ø fp:-30ø at:100ø d:1.26

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Carbon disulfide is a clear, almost odorless, flammble liquid. It can 

explode in air at concentrations of 1 to 50% by volume. The vapors are 2.4 

times the density of air and can be ignited by such a mild stimulus as a spark

of static electricity or a hot light bulb.

   The vapors can cause intoxication. It should be used with ample ventilation.

Large quantities can be stored most safely under water. It is used as a solvent

and can be used in incendiary devices.



Glycerine  mp:18ø bp:290ø d:1.26 fp:160ø at:393ø

~~~~~~~~~

   Glycerine is a colorless or yellow syrupy liquid with a sweet taste and no

odor. It will burn, but is not hazardous. Keep it away from permanganates. It 

is not toxic.

   Glycerine can be used to make nitroglycerine and dynamite. It has lots of

legitimate pharmaceutical uses, and it can be bought at any drugstore without

a prescription.



Hydrazine  mp:2ø bp:113.5ø d:1.0

~~~~~~~~~

   Hydrazine is a colorless, fuming liquid, soluable in water. It is caustic 

and will burn skin or eyes. Eyes should be washed off with plenty of water and

then with boric acid solution,

   It is very unstable, and the vapors are explosive. It must be stored away

from heat. Goggles should be worn when using it.

   Hydrazine is used alone or with nitric acid as a rocket fuel/



Hydrogen peroxide  mp:-89ø bp:152ø d:1.46

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Hydrogen peroxide is a colorless liquid, usually sold dissolved in water. 

The 3% solution that you can buy at a drugstore is harmless and worthless as 

an explosive ingredient. More concentrated solutions, up to and exceeding 60%

can be used as an oxidant in rocket fuels and such. Hydrogen peroxide can 

decompose violently with certain catalysts such as iron, copper, chromium, and

their salts. This decomposition is violent enough so that a very concentrated

solution can be used as a rocket fuel alone.

   Concentrated hydrogen peroxide is sensitive to light and should be kept in

the dark. It should be kept away from fuels and free from catalytic metals and

organic materials.



Magnesium  mp:651ø d:1.74

~~~~~~~~~

   Magnesium is a grey or silvery metal. It can be used in just about any 

pyrotechnic application in place of aluminum. Magnesium ribbon or strips are

difficult to ignite, but they burn with intense heat and white light. Magnesium

powder is easily flammable and can cause explosions. Therefore, it should be 

stored away from fire in closed containers. Magnesium fires should be

smothered. Water, foam, carbon tet, or carbon dioxide should not be used.

   Explosives are easy to make with magnesium, but they may be very sensitive.

Sparklers can be made by simply sticking magnesium powder to a stick with a 

flammable glue.



Nitric acid  mp:-42ø bp:86ø d:1.502

~~~~~~~~~~~

   Nitric acid is a clear or yellowich liquid. Very concentrates acid gives

off suffocating fumes. It is used in making most high explosives and as an 

oxidant in rocket fuels. Pure nitric acid will eat anything, including silver

spoons, tables, chairs, clothing, and people. In contact with easily oxidizable

materials, it may cause fires or release toxic gasses. The fumes from

concentrated acid are poisonous and can cause symptons several hours after 

contact. Skin or eyes that have been touched with nitric acid should be washed

with plenty of water.

   It can be stored in glass or in metal or in metal containers of special

stainless steel or certan other alloys. It is sensitive to light, so the very

concentrated acid should be stored in the dark.

   Most commercial concentrates nitric acid is about 70%. Pure nitric acid, 

which is needed for the synthesis of most explosives is not as easy to find or

buy. A friend of mine once got some from a senile druggist who didn't really

know what he was doing. I hear the poor old man was ultimately busted by the

feds for witlessly selling illegal drugs to users without prescriptions.

   Anyways, if your neighborhood lacks a well meaning senile druggist, you can

still make nitric acid with battery acid from an auto supply shop and saltpeter

from the drugstore. The battery acid, which is in the neighborhood of 30%, can 

be boiled down until it is 98% sulfuric acid. Then add an equal weight of

sodium or potassium nitrate to the concentrates acid, and distill in a vacuum.

The boilng point of pure nitric acid at atmospheric pressure is high enough to

decompose the acid, but in a vacuum, it can be readily distilled. The nitric

acid should be caught in a glass container packed in ice. The most concentrated

acid is decomposed by light, so it is best to protect the apparatus from light.

   My first attempt to do this was soley in the intrest of proving that it can

be easily done. I was successful except that the pure acid was so strong as to

eat the first rubber stopper and the metal thermometer dripped nitrate goop 

into the first flask, but this did not signifigantly contaminate the distilled

product. The stopper in the the receiving flask was unharmed because the acid

never touched it, and it was cold enough not to fume signifigantly.

   A vacuum pump can be made by any clever gadgeteer by reversing the valves in

a tire pump, or you can buy one from a scientific supply company. A hand vacuum

pump from Edmund Scientific company costs about thirty bucks.

   The concentration of nitric acid can be increased by distilling it in a 

vacuum apparatus with twice it's volume of sulfuric acid, or by adding some

dry formaldehyde. Fuming nitric acid, specific gravity 1.52 to 1.53, can be 

made by distilling pure nitric and 95% sulfuric acid at 20 mm. of mercury 

pressure.



Oxygen  mp:-218.5ø bp:-183ø d:1.43

~~~~~~

   Pure oxygen adds spice to any gas explosion. Hydrogen peroxide will release

oygen when a catalyst is added. A little sodium carbonate and cobalt chloride

dumped into 3% hydrogen peroxide will release oxygen.

   You can get oxygen by heating potassium chlorate. It is best to add some 

maganese dioxide as a catalyst to the chlorate. This makes it easy to decompose

the chlorate by heating it in a test tube.



Perchloric acid  bp:203ø(72.4%)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Perchloric acid is colorless, fuming, hygroscopic liquid. It is a strong

acid and oxidizing agent. It is extremely unstable when it is more concentrated

than 72%. Perchloric acid can cause fires or explosions on contact with

flammable material. At room temperature the 72% acid acts as a strong

non-oxidizing acid, but at temperatures above 160 degrees it becomes a very

strong oxidizing agent. When mixed with any fuel it becomes a dangerous

explosive.

   Anhydrous perchloric acid can be prepared by distilling a mixture of dry 

potassium perchlorate with an excess of 95% sulfuric acid in a vacuum. The 

receiver should be in an ice bath. Ice made from salt water is colder, and

therefor preferable. This anhydrous acid is unstable at room temperature. It 

tends to change from pale yellow to brown and then explodes. No organic

material should be used in the distilling apparatus. Rubber tubing, stoppers,

and grease in joints can oxidize and explode. Everything that touches the acid

should be glass.

   A way to make less concentrated acid is by mixing ammonium perchlorate, 

nitric acid, and hydrocloric acid. The ammonium perchlorate and nitric acid

will not react without hydrochloric acid. The resulting solution can be boiled

down to a concentration of 72.4% with a boiling point of 203ø. The chlorine

given off is very poisonous. The nitrous oxide is known as laughing gas.

   Perchloric acid is dangerous and shouls be stored in glass away from 

oxidizable material. Anhydrous perchloric acid has to be kept cold. I don't

recommend making it. If you do make the diluted acid by first making the

anhydrous acid, it shoul be diluted immediately aftrt distillation.



Phosphorus  yellow- mp:44.1ø bp:280ø d:1.82 at:30ø

~~~~~~~~~~  red- bp:280ø at:260ø



   Phosphorus comes in two allotropic forms. The yellow or white form is the 

most dangerous because it can ignite spontaneously when it is exposed to air.

It has been used in incendiary devices. It is a colorless waxy solid.

   Amorphous red phosphorus is less dangerous. Although it will not ignite

spontaneously, it burns readily. This is a reddish brown powder and is used

in the striking surface of safety matches. Red phosphorus is made by heating

white phosphorus. White phosphorus can be made by condensing the vapor of red

phosphorus.

   When phosphorus burns it gives off great white smoke, phosphorus pentoxide.

Therefor it is used in some smoke bombs. It is very poisonous, and it glows in

the dark. It can be safely stored under water.



Potassium chlorate  mp:356ø dp:400ø d:2.32

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Potassium chlorate is used to a small extent in pharmacology and is very 

important ingredient in explosives. It is usually sold as a white powder. 

Besides being a powerful oxidant, it is an endothermic compound which can be

detonated alone. Explosions have resulted when buildings containing potassium

chlorate burned.

   A mixture of potassium chlorate and sulfur is an unstable explosive, as 

these chemicals may react when stored together. A mixture of potassium 

chlorate and sugar is explosive and sensitive to friction. Any mixture 

containing potassium chlorate can ignite on contact with concentrated sulfuric 

acid.

   Sodium chlorate, which is used as a weed killer, is very similar to 

potassium chlorate except that the sodium compound is very hygroscopic and 

therefore inferior for explosive mixtures.



Potassium nitrate  mp:334ø dp:400ø d:2.1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Potassium nitrate is usually a white powder, sometimes white or colorless

crystals. It is the oxidant used in black powder. Besides being a common 

ingredient in low exlosives, it can be used in making nitric acid. It is also

a great diuretic. A quarter teaspoon of saltpeter will send anyone scurrying 

to the bathroom. It can be bought at drugstores without a hassle.



Potassium perchlorate  dp:400ø d:2.52

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Potassium perchlorate is a white powder. It is an excellent oxidant. It is

superior to chlorates in that it is more stable and will not react with sulfur

during storage. It has been used to replace potassium nitrate in black powder.

This results in a faster burning and more powerful explosive. Perchlorates are

less stable than nitrates and are therefore somewhat more dangerous. A mixture

of 75% potassium perchlorate and 25% asphalt oil has been used as a rocket

fuel.



Potassium permanganate  dp:240ø d:2.7

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Potassium permanagnate is a purple or gray solid which forms a beautiful

purple solution with water. It also stains skin, clothing, etc. brown. It is 

used extensively in labs as an oxidizing agent. It will ignite glycerine on

contact.

   Potassium permanganate can be used as an oxidant in pyrotechnic

compositions. The distinguishing thing about it is the brown smoke produced by

the maganese content. Potassium permanganate reacts with some organic compounds

to form manganese dioxide, which can react spontaneously with magnesium or 

aluminum. Therefore, it is best not to use it with aluminum, magnesium, or

organic compounds. I recommend using nitrates and perchlorates in almost any

composition.



Sodium  mp:97.5ø bp:888ø d:0.97

~~~~~~

   Sodium is a silvery white metal and is soft at room temperature. It can

easily be cut with a knife. The suface of sodium oxidizes in moist air. Finely

divided sodium powder will burn on contact with air. It reacts violently with

water to liberate hydrogen gas and lots of heat. It should be stored immersed

in a liquid which doesn't contain oxygen, such as kerosene or toluene. 

Potassium and lithium should be stored in the same way.

   Sodium is produced by electrolizing molten sodium chloride. This is not easy

to do in one's home because the salt must be heated to 800ø to melt it. Some

ding-a-lings once tried to do this at my high school by heating a coffee can

full of salt with a propane torch. They did not succeed in melting the salt,

but they did succeed in melting the can apart at the seams.



Sodium Hyroxide  mp:318.4ø bp:1390ø d:2.13

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Sodium hydroxide is essentially similar to potassium hydroxide. It is a 

white deliquescent solid. It is very caustic and can cause chemical burns. The

neat thing about sodium or potassium hydroxide is their affinity for water. 

They suck water out of the air. A solution of these hydroxides will eat

aluminum, liberating hydrogen gas.



Sulfur  mp:113ø bp:445ø d:2.07

~~~~~~

   Sulfur is yellow, usually a powder. It is not toxic in itself, but the dust

is rather unpleasant to breathe. It burns easily, emitting poisonous sulfur

dioxide. This is why it is a favorite stink bomb ingredient amoung vandals of

the olfactory. The main hazard frin a sulfur fire is the sulfur dioxide fumes.



Sulfuric acid  d:1.83 mp:10.49ø bp:330ø

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Sulfuric acid is a colorless, oily, thick liquid. It is a very strong acid,

and, like nitric acid, it eats almost anything and burns skin. If it is spilled

on your body, wash it off with plenty of water. Spills can be neutralized with

a carbonate or hydroxide, but this results in the release of lots of heat.

Therefore, neutralizing chemicals should not be applied to the skin until it 

has been thoroughly flushed off with water. Sulfuric acid releases heat when 

it combines with water, so it is preferable to smother fires involving sulfuric

acid, rather than using water.

   The acid is usually contained in iron or glass. It is wierd, but dilute

sulfuric acid eats iron whereas the concentrated acid does not.

   Sulfuric acid is used in the synthesis of many explosives. It can also be

used to make pure nitric acid.

   It can be bought from almost any chemical supply companym or from a gas 

station as a battery electrolyte. The acid used in car batteries is not pure,

but the water can be boiled away until the concentration reaches 98% and the

boiling point rises to 330ø.



Zinc  mp:420ø bp:907ø d:7.14

~~~~

   Zinc is a bluish white metal that burns with a green flame, emitting 

poisonous zinc oxide. Zinc dust should be kept away from flame and is 

extremely explosive.





Part Two: Low Explosives

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Low exposives, sometimes called propellants, don't detonate. They

deflagrate; that is they burn rapidly. They seldom require a detonator or 

booster charge, but this frequently does make them more effective.

   Most of them are made by simply mixing the ingredients together. The

ingredients should be ground together as finely as possible before mixing. This

mixing should be done with extreme care. No metal tools should be used for 

mixing because they may spark. Wood or plastic is ideal.

   I am writing on a sample of the miriad of effective explosive combinations

one can make by simply mixing oxidizing and reducing agents, as a theoretical

chemist would call. Many combinations will work well, and many will not. Some

unproven combinations may work too well or too soon with subsequent detriment

to the adventuresome pyrotechnician's career.



            ALL PROPORTIONS ARE BY MASS UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED



Bangor

~~~~~~

   This powder, or some similar composition, is used in most commercial 

firecrackers. It is an unaesthetic grey color, stable, and effective. A friend

of mine completely pulverized a cinder block with a small film can full of 

bangor in one experiment. He also blew fifty five gallon oil drums pretty high

into the air with it. Incidentally, discarded oil drums are great things to 

blow up. They help to stop shrapnel from small bombs, and they can resonate to

make a louder boom. You can measure the effectiveness of the explosion by the

condition of the barrel and by how high it flies. It's a fun way to protest

high oil prices, too, if you're really into protesting things. However, a

barrel can add shrapnel to the blast from a very large bomb.

   Bangor is made of: Potassium nitrate 60%

                      Aluminum          30%

                      Sulfur            10%

   I have also found the following to work well, too:

                      Potassium nitrate 66.6%

                      Aluminum          16.7%

                      Sulfur            16.7%



Berge's blasting powder

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   This yellow powder is easy to make, safe, and powerful. It can easily packed

into casings. It works well when it is set off by another charge or detonator.

   It consists of: Potassium chlorate 40.8%

                   Sugar              18.4%

                   Potassium chromate  4.1%

                   Beeswax            36.7%

   The potassium chromate apparently acts as a catalyst to speed up the

cumbustion. The two potassium salts are mixed first. Then the sugar is added.

This is the onlt part that comes close to being dangerous. Finally the was is

cut up into teensie weensie pieces and mixed in. Regular candle wax can be 

used. It is hard, and therefore hard to mix. It can be melted down and then 

mixed in more easily. The wax functions as a water repellant and 

densensitizer, and it can be left out. The waxless powder is more sensitive to 

sparks, heat, friction, etc. Potassium chromate can be replaced with potassium 

dichromate. This makes a pretty orange powder. I have used the following in 

many successful firecrackers: Potassium chlorate  62.4%

                              Sugar               31.3%

                              Potassium dicromate  6.3%

   This mixture is pretty sensitive, and should be treated carefully. It

becomes relatively insensitive if wax is added.

   Substituting molasses or honey for sugar makes a gooey fast burning mess

called molex. I have found this goop to be very useful fo sticking fuses

together, lighting rocket engines, and so forth.

   This powder can ignite on contact with concentrated sulfuric acid.



Black powder

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Potassium Nitrate 75%

Charcoal          15%

Sulfur            10%

   Black powder is made in the form of fine powder, large grains or pellets, or

anything in between. It is usually black, but may be brown or grey, depending

on composition. When no confined it will burn quickly, producing lots of heat 

and sparks. When confined it explodes. It can be exlpoded by concussion if a 

thin layer is hit sharply with a hammer. It can be easily ignited by a spark.

   Black powder is used for blasting, but it has been largely replaced by 

modern blasting materials. It is used to produce sparks, as a rocket 

propellant, and in firecrackers.

   It can be made by simply grinding the seperate components and then mixing

them as thoroughly as possible. The individual ingredients are safe by 

themselves, but after mixing they require tender loving care. They should not 

be mixed with stone or metal tools.

   Homemade powder powder frequently works better if the amount of nitrate is

reduced. A much faster burning powder is made using aluminum dust in place of

charcoal. Sodium nitrate can be used, but is slightly inferior. The gunpowder

used in some primers and fuses is made with no sulfur so that it will not 

react with chlorates.

   Black powder can be bought at gunshops, but it is hard to find, sometimes.

In most locations you need no liscense or permit to but it. The going price is

about $15 a pound. Model rocket engines from Estates, Centuri, and the like

can be cut apart. Grind up the propellant, and you've got gunpowder.



Chlorate/sulfur mixture

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Chlorates and sulfur do not get along well together. I have always accepted

this as a proven fact, after almost blowing myself up once, and I don't usually

bother with the mixture. When chlorates and sulfur are mixed they may form

unstable products during storage, and this can be messy.

   However, I do have a friend who is a firm believer in this mixture, and I

have seen impressive displays of acoustic vandalism performed with his magical

concoction. He mixes equal volumes of sulfur and finely ground potassium 

chlorate and sets the mixture off with a firecracker. In the most successful

attempt I have seen he set off a beer can full of it with a homemade 

firecracker which contained about a cherry bomb's equivalent of explosive. 

Apparently this works so well because of the mixture's sensitivity to shock.

   This guy also likes to melt sulfur and mix in potassium chlorate. Then he

molds the mixture into marble size pellets which exlpode when they are thrown 

against a hard surface. Melting this down is not easy as it tends to blow up 

shortly after it melts.

   Maganese dioxide and gritty particles will make this mixture even more 

sensitive.



Match heads

~~~~~~~~~~~

   Match heads are the first source of explosive for many juvenile basement

bombers. They will work, but they make a lousy explosive. They don't burn fast

enough, and they are generally deficient in oxygen. The chemicals from safety

matches are not so hazardous, but those from the strike anywhere variety are

very dangerous. They tend to go off when being packed into casings. Cutting 

the stuff off the matches is a laborious process.

   Nevertheless, kids persistantly will use this composition for fireworks,

bombs, and rockets. A tiny rocket can be made by straregically enveloping a 

wooden match head in aluminum foil. This is safe. Bigger rockets are made by

stuffing match heads into carbon dioxide cartridges. This is totally

ineffective if the hole in the rear of the improvised engine is too large. It

is suicide if the hole is small enough for an effective nozzle. This device is

essentially a primitive, unpredictable hand grenade. I have seen on explosde

unexpectedly, and I know many people get hurt or even killed by them.



Perchlorate mixtures

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Perchlorates are more stable than chlorates, and they are compatible with

sulfur. Perchlorates can be substituted for nitrates in just about any

composition. This results in a more powerful and shattering explosive.

   My favorite explosive for firecrackers is: Potassium perchlorate 66.6%

                                              Aluminum              16.7%

                                              Sulfur                16.7%

I also like to use it in boosters for large low explosive charges. This is a 

pretty sensitive mixture, but it is pretty stable and safe if treated

tactfully.

   Ammonium perchlorate is theoretically better than potassium perchlorate

because all the products od combustion are gaseous. It should make a more 

powerful explosive mixture, but according to my experience it burns slower if

no booster charge is used. This makes a very powerful explosive:

                       Ammonium perchlorate 80%

                       Aluminum             20%



Zinc/sulfur

~~~~~~~~~~~

   This mixture is a popular rocket fuel for many amateur rocketeers. It is 

very safe, but i would advise treating it with the same care as black powder.

It is widely used even though it has a lousy specific impulse. It is made by

simply mixing: Zinc dust 66.7%

               Sulfur    33.3%





Part 3: High Explosives

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   The exceptional effectiveness of high exlposives is a resuolt of their 

ability to detonate. A detonation is not just a fast burning as in low

explosives. A detonation is practically instantaneous. It travels as a shock

wave through the charge. The explosive is instantly converted into combustion

products at the wave front which travels at the rate of several thousand 

meters per second.

   Although they are generally more powerful, high explosives are frequently

safer the low explosives [Yeah right]. Dry mercury fulminate is very hazardous,

but TNT can be used as a golf ball without exploding.

   All proportions are by mass unless otherwise specified. Temperatures are in

degrees centigrade. Density is in grams/cc.



Ammonium Nitrate  d:1.725 mp:169.6 rate of detonation:2500m/sec

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Ammonium nitrate is a white compound, frequently in the form od small

pellets. It is very stable, in fact it is very difficult to make it explode. It

can be detonated under high pressure at high temperature. A ship full of it

accidentally blew up on April 16, 1947 and wiped out Texas City. As I 

understand it, a fire broke out in the cargo hold of a ship full of ammonium 

nitrate. The ship was equipped with a newfangled steam firefighting system 

which works pretty well on the average fire. They sealed up the hatches and 

started pumping in steam to smother the flames. As I said, ammonium nitrate 

can explode at high temperature and pressure. The sealed, steam pressurized 

cargo hold made a very effective bomb casing.

   Ammonium nitrate can be detonated by subjecting it to a large explosion. A

stick of dynamite will do it. It is harder to detonate when it is densely

packed. Addition of up to 8% carbonaceous material such as wood pulp, oil, or

wax sensitizes ammonium nitrate. Adding 1 to 10% nitroglycerine  sensitizes

ammonium nitrate considerably. Sometimes aluminum powder is added. Amatol is

made of 80 to 50% ammonium nitrate and 20 to 50% TNT.

   It is used as a fertilizer and in blasting agents. It is also decomposed by

heat to make laughing gas.



Nitrogen tri-iodide contact explosive

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   This reddish brown or black compound is the least stable explosive in this

book. Sometimes it can be detonated by brushing it with a feather.

   It is made by adding iodine crystals very slowly to ammonia solution. The

precipitated nitrogen tri-iodide is filtered on filter paper. Then it should

be disolved in ether so that it will be relatively safe. Be sure it all

dissolves because any residue may explode at the slightest touch.

   This solution can be painted on things so that the ether will evaporate,

leaving the explosive behind. I heard of a plot in the Evabaton, Illinois high

school to paint the faculty johns with this explosive. I don't believe the plan

was executed. A more acceptable trick is to paint a door casing so that it will

bang ferociously when the door is shut.



Cyclonite  mp:205ø d:1.8

~~~~~~~~~

   Cyclonite is colorless crystals. It is an extreemly powerful explosive and

is very stable. It is more sensitive to percussion than TNT. Cyclonite is made

by slowly adding one part hexamethylene tetramine (hexamine) to 11 parts of 

100% nitric acid. This must be stirred vigorously while keeping the temperature

at 30 degrees or less. Then cool the mixture to zero degrees. Stir for 20 

minutes and drown it in ice water. It is washed with water to free it from 

acid and recrystalized from acetone. 

   Plastic explosives can be made by mixing about 88 parts cyclonite with 12

parts lubricating oil or some other material like wax.



Lead azide  rate of detonation:4500m/sec

~~~~~~~~~~

   Pure lead azide is colorless crystals. Dextrinated lead azide is yellowish

white. It is a sensitive high explosive like mercury fulminate, but it is 

easier to make, and safer. It is used in detonators, as are fulminates, and it

is a more effective detonator even though it has less explosive power. It can

be stored for 15 months at up to 80ø without decomposition. It is sensitive to

heat, impact, friction, and stab action, but less so than fulminates. Mercury

azide is more sensitive than mercury fulminate.

   Crystalline lead azide is made by slow addition of dilute sodium azide to

dilute lead acetate or lead nitrate with constant stirring. Rapid mixing of

more concentrated solutions makes amorphous lead azide, which is more stable.

Dextrinated lead azide is made by adding a solution of sodium azide containing

a little sodium hydroxide to a solution to a solution of lead nitrate or 

acetate and dextrin. The precipitated lead azide is washed with water and 

stored like mercury fulminate. It should contain at least 20% water when it 

is stored.

   A friend of mine helped to make and test sine home brewed lead azide. They

made the mistake of making the crystalline form instead of the amorphous form.

It was so unstable as to ignite while being scraped off the filter paper. It

also worked very well. The master mind of the operation was fond of wrapping

the explosive in aluminum foil and setting it on the stove to demonstrate it's

power.



Lead styphnate

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Lead styphnate is a fine orange or reddish brown material. It is less

sensitive to impact or friction than lead azide or mercury fulminate but more

sensitive to heat. It explodes loudly when you hit it or throw a spark on it.

   Basic lead styphnate can be made by mixing solutions of lead acetate and

sodium or magnesium styphnate. This is pretty worthless as an explosive, but

it can be made into the normal salt by treatment with dilute nitric acid. The

normal salt can also be made by treating a solution of lead nitrate with

sodium styphnate in the presence of acetic acid. The normal salt is used in

blasting caps. It can be stored under water or under a mixture of water and 

alcohol.



Mercury fulminate  d:4.42 rate of detonation:4500m/sec

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Pure mercury fulminate is white, but in it's usual form it is gray crystals.

It is very sensitive to impact, friction, stab action and heat. It is usually

stored soaking wet in cloth bags under water or wet sawdust. It should be 

stored at 20 degrees or below to prevent decompositionm but 99.75% pure

fulminate should last for a couple years at 50ø. Here is how it's made:

   One part of mercury is added to 8-10 parts of nitric acid (68%). The mixture

is kept at 55-60ø overnight in a water bath until all the mercury is disolved

and the solution turns green. It may not actually take this long. Then the 

mixture is slowly added to 8-10 parts of 95% ethyl alcohol in a cold water 

bath. White fumes will form. They are toxic and flammable. If colored nitrogen

oxide fumes appear, the reaction is slowed down by adding more alcohol. After

1« hours the mixture is cooled to room temperature and the crystallized

fulminate is filtered out. The product is washed with cold water to remove

left over acid and impurities. The yield is about 120 parts per 100 parts of

mercury if you're lucky.

   Mercury fulminate is a likely candidate for home synthesis because the acid

used is only 68% nitric acid and 32% water. This is the approximate

concentration of most commercial nitric acid, and it can be bought much more

easily than pure acid. Most explosives require more concentrated acid.



Nitrocellulose  rate of detonation:5500m/sec (wet);7300m/sec (dry guncotton)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Nitrocellulose is a fibrous white solid resembling the cotton or wood pulp

cellulose from which it was made. It is used in manufacturing laquers, 

plastics, gunpowder, and gelatin type dynamites. I would not tend to trust 

homemade nitrocellulose because it's stability is very dependant on purity. 

Impure nitrocellulose explodes whenever it takes notion, not just when you 

tell it to.

   There are different grades of nitrocellulose, depending on the degree of 

nitration. The biggest and baddest is guncotton, made with 25% nitric acid,

64% sulfuric acid, and 11% water. A lesser degree of nitration is achieved

with 35% nitric, 45% sulfuric, and 20% water. About five parts of mixed acid

is used for every part cellulose. The cellulose, as dry as possible, is rapidly

dunked under the acid and stirred for about 30 minutes to prevent local 

overheating. Then the product is seperated in a centrifuge and dumped into a 

tub of water. It is purified by washing and boiling it in several changes of

water and dilute sodium carbonate until it doesn't turn blue litmus paper pink.

   An alternate method is to mix 125 grams of potassium nitrate with 160mL of

98% sulfuric acid. When this is cooled, add 120 grams of cotton. Then proceed

as in the previous synthesis.

   The ingredients in both syntheses should be as pure as possible. Impure

nitrocellulose has been known to explode during storage. It is much safer if it

is stored wet with water or alcohol. It will work when it is wet, but it is 

harder to detonate when it contains water.

   Most smokeless powder contains nitrocellulose. One might use this powder 

with nitroglycerine to make blasting gelatin. Smokeless powders usually 

consist of high nitrated cellulose (guncotton) whereas low nitrated cellulose 

is preferable for gelatinizing nitroglycerine. You can buy smokeless powder 

at sporting goods stores for about $24 a pound. You don't usually need any kind

of liscense.

   Small unconfined quantities of nitrocellulose can burn quietly, but it can

be easily detonated with a blasting cap. According to Abbie Hoffman, black

powder is superior to smokeless powder for making bombs. This is generally 

true, but he really doesn't know shit about the technology of explosives. I

heard of one guy who pressed smokeless powder into a pipe with a hydraulic

jack. I believe he used a cherry bomb as a primer in this pipe bomb. The 

results were reportedly spectacular.



Nitroglycerine  mp:13ø d:1.59 rate of detonation:8000m/sec

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Nitroglycerine, a dearly beloved explosive to many, is a clear oily liquid.

It is frequently yellow because of impurities. It generally fumes when it's

container is opened. The fumes can cause headaches. It is very unstable to heat

and shock. It is more stable at low temperatures and most stable when frozen,

however while in the process of thawing it is most unstable. Under some

conditions it may freeze in a liable form at 2.2 degrees. This form will

gradually change to the more stble form.

   Nitro is miscible with acetone, ther, benzene, chloroform, nitrobenzene,

acetic acid, and methonal. It mixes very well with nitrocellulose as in some

flashless gunpowders. Nitro can be carried much more safely by mixing 30 parts

nitro with 70 parts acetone. Acetone can be evaporated in the air to recover

the nitro, or adding lots of water will make nitro seperate.

   Nitro is made by slowly adding 1 part of glycerine to 4.3 parts mixed acid.

Do this real slow: a drop at a time. This anhydrous acid is half nitric and 

half sulfuric. It is constantly stirred and cooled to 25ø or les. This reaction

liberates lots of heat. White fumes may be given off. This is OK, but if red

fumes are evolved the whole charge should be immediately dumped into a large

drowning tank full of water. Mistakes are expensive. Keep the acid in an ice

bath while you add the glycerine. If the temperature rises to 30ø, dump it in 

the drowning tank. After the addition is complete the mixture is stirred and

cooled to 15ø. The nitro will float to the top and can be removed (carefully).

It contains about 10% acid. Mixing it with water removes most of the acid. 

After settling out the nitroglycerine is washed additional times with water

and 2% sodium carbonate solution until the nitro is neutral to litmus. That is,

if it turns blue litmus paper pink, keep washing. The purified product looks

milky because of water content. It should turn clear in storage. If it gives

off red fumes, it should be dumped immediately, if not sooner.

   Nitro is mixed with materials such as kieselguhr to make dynamite. 40%

dynamite is equivalent to 40% nitro and 60% inert material like kieselguhr.

Dynamite is relatively safe when it is in good condition, but if it decomposes

it may become very dangerous. Common signs of deterioration are excessive

hardness or softness, dicoloration, leakiness, or crystals forming on the

ouside of the casing.

   Nitroglycerine as such is easily detonated with a fuse if it is confined.

Dynamite is not so easily detonated and requires a detonator of lead azide or

something. When dynamite is simply lit, it ordinarily will burn quietly with a

bluish flame.

   Blasting gelatin is made of 88 to 92 parts nitroglycerine and 12 to 8 parts

nitrocellulose mixed together and warmed to form a jelly-like mass.

   I know of a couple friends who made nitro once. I suspect their mistake was

in adding the glycerine too fast, and in not purifying the product. They soaked

up the nitroglycerine with cotton and put it in a carboard tube. Then one of

the pair took it out in the country where he could safely test it. I suspect

that the excess acid in the product may have nitrated the cotton cellulose to

make impure unstable nitrocellulose. Actually, the explosive worked very well,

and it went off in the guy's car when he drove over the railroad tracks. He

was only slightly burned, but I hear he is out of the bomb business now.



Nitroguanidine  d:1.72 mp:232ø

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Nitroguanidine is a white solid. It is about as powerful as TNT and very

insensitive. It is harder to detonate than TNT.

   Nitroguanidine can be made by dehydrating guanidine nitrate with sulfuric

acid. This is done by cooling 500 mL of 95% sulfuric acid on ice and adding

400 grams of dry guanidine nitrate. The acid should be stirred, and the nitrate

should be added slowly so that the temperature stays below 10ø. As soon as the

nitrate dissolves, pour the mixture into 3 liters of crushed ice and water. 

Keep it cold until the nitroguanidine precipitates out. The explosive can be 

filtered off, washed with cold water, and purified by recrystalizing from 

water.



Pentaerythritol tetranitrate  mp:141ø d:1.77 rate of detonation:8300m/sec

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   This explosive is used in detonators and as a bursting charge. It is les

sensitive than nitroglycerine, but it is the most sensitive explosive used as

a military bursting charge. It is 1« times as powerful as TNT.

   It is made by nitrating pentaerythritol with 95% nitric acid. One part of

pentaerythritol is added to 4« parts of acid whilst keeping the temperature at

20-23ø. After mixing they should be stirred for 20 minutes before being dumped

into about 10 parts of water. The explosive can be filtered out and washed with

water. Then it should sit in dilute sodium carbonate solution to neutralize 

acid before filtering and washing in water again. If you're a real nut for 

purity, then more acid can be neutralized by dissolving PETN in acetone at 50ø 

with a little sodium bicarbonate. It can be recovered by adding cold water to 

the acetone. Then the acetone should be washed out of the explosive with water.

   This is a sensitive explosive and should be stored wet with water, like 

lead azide or mercury fulminate.



Picric acid  mp:122ø rate of detonation:7250m/sec

~~~~~~~~~~~

   Picric acid is a yellow, crystalline, extremely bitter compound. It ignites

at 260ø. It is very stable and powerful explosive, much like TNT. In fact, 

their chemical structers are almost identical. It combines with many metals

such as lead and iron to form sensitive explosive salts. This can cause 

problems if it is kept in a metal container. Picric acid is used as a yellow 

dye and as a chemical reagent. It can be bought from many chemical companies.

   It is made by first sulfonating phenol by pourin 1 part of hot molten 

phenol into 4 parts of sulfuric acid. The mixture is kept at 95ø and stirred

occasionally for 6 hours. The phenol sulfonate is then mixed with nitric acid

with vigorous stirring. Two parts nitric acid is used for every part of phenol.

This is started at 20ø and the temperature is allowed to gradually rise to 70

or 80 degrees. It is agitated for a couple hours. The picric acid is then mixed

with water, filtered off, and washed with water to remove acid.

   Ammonium picrate is a stable, safe explosive made by mixing picric acid with

hot water in which it will not dissolve, and adding ammonia. 74.8 grams of 

ammonium picrate is soluable in 100 grams of water at 101 degrees, but only 1

gram is soluble at 20ø, so the picrate formed will dissolve and recrystallize

on cooling. Ammonium picrate will not react with metals to form dangerous salts

as picric acid will. Ammonium picrate is comparable to TNT in stability and

power.



Tetranitromethane  d:1.65 mp:14.2ø bp:126.7ø

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Tetranitromethane is an ultra-hairy compound. The pure compound is

colorless. It is volatile, and the fumes are poisonous. It is stable and 

considerably safer than nitoglycerine. It is not so stable in the presence of

moisture or even damp air, and it should be kept high and dry in a tightly

closed bottle. As one can see from the formula, it has lots of extra oxygen.

When it is mixed with a fuel such as alcohol, toluene, or ether, it becomes a

very powerful and hazardous explosive. 40 grams of tetan and 10 grams of dry

alcohol will make a lot of noise. Once 15 grams of tetranitromethane-toluene

mixture exploded in a lab, killing 10 people and injuring 20. These compounds

are stable before they are mixed, however.

   Tetan can be made like this:

   Put 150 mL of ice cold fuming nitric acid (specific gravity 1.52; this is

super strong acid) in a flask with glass chips in the bottom. Pack the flask

in ice and add 325 mL of acetic anhyride slowly while keeping the temperature

at 15-20ø. Let the stuff sit for a long time; up to a couple weeks. Keep it on

ice all the time. Then add 1.5 liters od cold water and seperate the oily goop

from the bottom. This is crude tetan. This should be washed with cold 5% sodium

carbonate solution and then with cold water. Then it should be dried with 

sodium sulfate.



Trinitrotoluene  mp:70-80ø d:1.65 rate of detonation:6950m/sec

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   TNT is a very stable explosive yelloe crystalline compound. If an unconfined

pile of TNT is lit it will burn with a hot and smokey flame, but won't explode.

As much as a ton of TNT has been known to burn away quitely. You can fire a 

rifle bullet through it or hit it with a hammer without detonating it. It can

be detonated with other explosives such as lead azide or mercury fulminate.

Crystals of TNT are more sensitive than cast TNT. It is about equivalent to 40%

dynamite in power. Amatol is made by mixing 50 to 80 parts ammonium nitrate 

with 50 to 20 parts TNT. TNT melts at about 75ø, so TNT or amatol can be melted

and cast into casings. Whereas TNT is oxygen deficient and produces a lot of

smoke, amatol is smokeless.

   TNT is generally made by the three stage nitration of toluene. First,

mononitrotoluene is made by mixing 100 parts toluene with 170 parts acid. This

acid is 2 parts nitric (70% concentration) and 3 parts sulfuric (100%). They

are mixed gradually and stirred below 30ø. When the temperature no longer tends

to rise, the mixture sets for 30 minutes and seperates. The mononitrotoluene

is seperated and 100 parts of it is mixed with 215 parts of acid. (1 part pure

nitric and 2 parts pure sulfuric) The temperature is kept at 60 to 70ø while

they are slowly mixed. The temperature is raised to 90-100ø and it is stirred

at this temperature fo half an hour. Then the mixture is seperated. 100 parts

of the seperated dinitotoluene is added to 225 parts of 20% oleum (pure 

sulfuric acid with 20% extra dissolved sulfur trioxide) and 65 parts pure 

nitric acid. They are heated to 95 degrees for an hour and then to 120 degrees 

for 1« hours. After sitting a while, the TNT is seperated and sloshed around 

in hot water to remove acid, and then it is dried. It can be purified by 

soaking the powder in alcohol or benzene or a similar solvent to dissolve 

impurities or by recrystallizing it from the same solvents.

   TNT and other insensitive explosives should not be stored with sensitive

explosives which may detonate them.



Part 4: Miscellaneous

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Casings

~~~~~~~

   Many high exlosives and all low explosives work best when properly

confined. Most commercial fireworks have paper casings. One can roll black cat

type firecrackers much like one rolls a joint. I never had need to roll a 

joint, but i believe my experience at rolling firecrackers would be valuable

if i were to start smoking.

   More substantial casings can be made by rolling paper around a dowel rod

and gluing. Ends can be folded over and glued or plugged. Some people sell

good paper casings. Expended model rocket engine casings work well. If you're

going to punch a hole for the fuse, do this before adding the explosive, ok?

Fiber tape is safe and effective for reenforcing casings. This tape is really

strong in only one direction, so wrap the casing twice so that the fibres

cross. Cloth or plastic tape can help, too, but fiber tape is the best.

   The charge should completely fill the casing. Most explosives work better

when densely packed [bullshit!]. The principle is to get the particles of 

explosive as close together as possible, so the whole charge will ignite as 

instantly as possible. The theoretically perfect casing is a sphere in which 

th charge is ignited at the center. Putting the fuse in the middle of a long 

casing, instead of at the end, can decrease burning time by 50%.

   In general, a stronger casing means a bigger bang. The ultimate casing is a

steel pip with screwed on end caps. An expended carbon dioxide cartridge makes

a good casing. While paper casings are pretty safe, metal ones are prone to 

throw shrapnel. Any bomb with a metal casing should be respected as equivalent

to a hand granade. Wrapping a small bomb in several layers of cloth helps to

stop shrapnel. Metal can throw sparks, so if you're going to pack the stuff, 

pack it with a wooden rod.

   I have seen bomb casings made or root beer extract bottles, olive jars, 

match cases, and stoneware clay. All of these casings worked with varying

efficiency, and they all have the potential of throwing shrapnel. The clay 

casings contained about five grams of waxless Berge's Blasting powder. Pieces

of clay became embedded in boards 5 feet away when it was tested.



Chokno

~~~~~~

   Chokno is a cheap mixture that I always like to have on hand. It is simply

a 1 to 1 mixture of potassium nitrate and sugar. It burns very hot and 

produces a considerable amount of smoke. One can use it in smoke bombs and as 

a priming charge to start some less sensitive charge burning. I have never 

known chokno to explode [i have]. It can be melted down (carefully) and cooled 

into a solid mass. It must be stirred while being melted to prevent local 

overheating. This can be done more safely by melting down the sugar 

seperately. Then the heat source can be removed, and the nitrate can quickly 

mixed in before the mixture cools.

   I have used Chokno to propel minature torpedoes, but the smoke looks like

hell for the water ecology, so I don't recommend this if you want to stay on

friendly terms with the fish.



Detonators

~~~~~~~~~~

   Many high explosives such as dynamite and TNT are insensitive enough as to 

require initiation by another explosive if they are to detonate properly. These

explosives are detonated by blasting caps in all blasting operations. Blasting

caps consist of a metal tube containing a sensitive high explosive like lead

azide, tetryl, PETN, of lead styphnate, and either a fuse or electric firing

device. The cap is inserted in the charge to be fired and detonated electically

or with the fuse crimped into the end of the cap.

   Like any other explosive, blasting caps should be kept cool, and dry, and

they should no be stored with other explosives. Electric caps are especially

dangerous. When they are used in the ground they can be set off by stray 

electric currents from underground electric equipment or lousy insulation. The

waves from nerby radio transmitters may set them off.

   Some blasting agents, like ammonium nitrate, are so difficult to detonate 

that they require a larger detonator than a blasting cap. They may be set off

by a stick of dynamite which is in turn detonated by a blasting cap.

   The effeciency of many low explosives can be enhanced by using a booster 

charge similat to a detonator. A charge of some explosive like Berge's blasting

powder can be set off very effectively by putting a cherry bomb, M-80, or

equivalent in the center. The fuse to the booster has to be wrapped in several

layers of tape or something to prevent the main charge from going off first,

course. This will result in a more instantaneous, more shattering, and louder

explosion.

   The pipe bomb shown here contains a very fast burning explosive in the

center. The flash from this explosive instantly ignited the slower explosive.

The two fuse holes were staggered so as not to weaken the pipe in any one spot.

When this bomb was testedm it was buried to prevent any danger from shrapnel.

This safety measure was effective, but rather disappointing because the dirt

muffled the sound of the explosion. Instead of an earsplitting "BLAM", we got

a stifled "poof".



Drying

~~~~~~

   Chemicals that contain a small amount of water can be dried with anhydrous

hyroscopic chemicals. A little sodium or potassium hydroxide, calcium carbide,

or anhydrous sodium sulfate can be simply dumped into a liquid or solution

with which it won't react to dry it out. Sodium sulfate is usually best for

not reacting with most chemicals, including explosives. Usually the drying 

agent should sit in the liquid for several hours.

   Another way is to put a chemical, usually a solid, to be dried in a closed

container with, but not in contact with, one of these drying agents. Once a

huge firecracker of mine with a paper casing was damp and refused to go off.

After sitting overnight in a flask with a few grams of calcium carbide, it was

dry and magnificiently loud.

   Larger quantities of water will evaporate from most solid chemicals in the

open air. The atmospheric drying can be sped up by putting the chemical in an

oven or under a heat lamp, but remember that explosives tend to be heat

sensitive. Putting the chemical in a vacuum apparatus may help.



Flares

~~~~~~

   Flares come in two basic kinds; illuminating and signalling. Signalling

flares use some fuel as aluminum, magnesium, sugar, charcoal, or sulfur mixed

with an oxygen provider like a nitrate or chlorate. A coloring agent can be

added, or the oxidant can give color. A sodium compound gives yellow light, 

barium gives green, strontium gives red, and arsenic gives blue. Zinc dust

gives a green light.

   Illuminating flares almost always use magnesium or aluminum. A 1 to 1 

mixture of aluminum dust with potassium nitrate makes a good bright flare, as

well as being a decent flash powder. The composition can be stuck together

and desensitised with soft wax, glycerine, oil, or anything that will stick.

After was or any other desensitising binder is added, these compositions are

hard to ignite, so igniting composition like gunpowder is needed.



Flash powder

~~~~~~~~~~~~

   The essential ingrdient of flash powder is aluminum or magnesium dust,

which burns very hot and bright. One part magnesium or aluminum mixed with one

to two parts oxidizing agent such as potassium nitrate or potassium 

perchlorate makes good flash powder.

   The purpose of flash powder is to create a brilliant burst of light. It can

also work as an explosive, so beware! A trick used by many special effects

people to create a flash on stage is to remove the glass from the top of an

electric fuse and stuff the cavity with flash powder. The fuse is screwed into

a socket, and when the socket is turned on the fuse blows and ignites the 

powder to create a bright and harmless flash. A friend of mine worked in a 

theater in Woodstock, Illinois, and he told me about this trick. One day their

adventuresome special effects man decided to replace the glass top on the fuse,

thinking it would just blow off harmlessly. The result was an efficient

anti-personnel bomb which showered the stage with glass and shredded the

curtains. This is an example of the potential of flash powder when it is

confined in a strong casing. No one was hurt, but it was an unexpectedly 

expensive experiment.



Fuse

~~~~

   Fuse comes in all kinds. The traditional firecracker fuse is simply a 

twisted strip of tissue paper holding ground black powder. You will find this

fuse on most firecrackers, skyrockets, and other fireworks. It is easy to

light, but it is not very dependable, especially in damp weather.

   Jetex makes a similar fuse. Jetex fuse, or Jet Wicks, are thin metal wires

coated with flammable chemicals. They are designed for use with Jetex toy 

propellant engines, and can be bought at many hobby shops. This is lousy fuse

for pyrotechincs and explosives. It is expensive, and the chemicals are prone

to fallings off the wire.

   The best fuse money can buy is safety fuse, or cannon fuse. According to my

nitroglycerine friend, red cannon fuse is superior to green cannon fuse, but I

have never detected any appreciable difference. This fuse consists of black

powder wrapped in a waterproof fabric sheath. It is about 2.5 mm thick and 

resembles old fashioned electrical wire. This fuse will burn underground,

underwater, and in strong winds. If it is sharply bent, however, it may stop.

It tends to dissolve in, and thereby be rendered useless by gasoline and

similar solvents.

   A detonating fuse called primacord is used in blasting. It consists of high

explosive PETN wrapped in a waterproof covering similar to safety fuse.

Primacord is usually yellow or black. It is set off by a detonator, and it 

detonates at a rate of 8000 meters per second or more. It is used to detonate

several charges simulataneously.

   I have made fuse with a mixture of 10 parts molasses, 10 parts potassium

chlorate, and 1 part potassium dicromate. This composition will stick to a 

string to make a passable fuse, but it is not very satisfactory because it is 

so sensitive to atmospheric moisture. A more dependable, faster burning fuse

can be made by diluting straight molex, with water and soaking a cotton string

in it.

   Another technique is to soak paper or string in a solution of some oxidizing

agent like potassium nitrate or chlorate. This is most suited as a time delay

fuse. A cigarette makes a fair ten minute delay fuse.

   One can make fuse by dipping string in glue and then in gunpowder or a 

similar composition. This fuse can be made waterproof by the skillful

application of tape. Abbie Hoffman recommends tying a rock to the end of this

fuse and dropping it in the gas tank of a cop car. This impresses me as being

a rather unethical practice as well as being physically dangerous.

   Your fuse should give you plenty of time to get to safety, but sometimes a 

fuse which is very long may give some unconcerned dumb-fuck time to stumble 

upon your explosion. If you are making a bomb which is very important to you,

it might be wise to use two fuses, side by side. No fuse is foolproof. Keep 

your fuse dry.



Gasses

~~~~~~

   One can make rather impressive explosions with gasses. If you have an

acetylene welding rig and are desperate for a cheap thrill try this. Fill one

balloon with oygen, one with acetylene, and one with both gasses. Then touch a 

flame to each one. You should get a pop, a firery poof, and a BANG,

respectively.

   Bombs can be made with containers (balloons, coffee cans, or whatever) full

of any flammable gas and air or oxygen. They are, naturally, bulky for their

power and impractical for anything but non-pragmatic experiments. One trick I

learned from my father (who was a minister, a very peaceful, thoughtful person,

and a terrific guy) was to put calcium carbide in a metal can with a 

recloseable top. When you spit on the carbide it releases acetylene gas. You 

put the lid on and hold a match next to the holw which you have previously 

punched in the side of the can. This can result in a very satisfying bang. It 

can also conceivably result in flying pieces of tin can and a singed body.

   Hydrogen is another very reactive gas. Remember the Hindenburg? You can get

hydrogen by dumping sulfuric acid on iron or steel, or hydrochloric acid on

zinc or magnesium. You can also get it by dumping sodium hydroxide solution on

aluminum. This diagram shows the apparatus i used for filling hydrogen balloons

in college. I didn't realize it, but although the chemicals and hydrogen were

legal, I was committing a felony simply by posessing the syringe.

   Hydrogen is lighter than air, and it makes balloons float. Acetylene and

natural gas float, too, but not as well. An aquaintance of mine used to amuse

himself by launching garbage bags full of natural gas by O'Hare airport in

Chicago.



Electric ignition

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Most commercial blasting is done electrically. An electric blasting cap 

contains a high resistance wire which heats and fires a sensitive explosive 

when current passes through it. This current is supplied by a hand generator

or a battery.

   Model rocket manufacturers insist that the only safe way to set off model

rocket engines is electically. This is bullshit. However electric ignition is

pretty effective if it's done right. Instead of fuse, an uninsulated high 

resistance wire is placed inside the charge. This wire should be pretty short;

a centimeter at the most. Highly conductive wires (like copper) should lead

from the ends of this heating wire to the outside of the charge. You will need

a minimum of six volts to fire this device. A car battery is good. If you want

to be sure there is no power deficiency, you can plug it directly into an AC

outlet, but one is usually not available. Such power overkill is intresting.

The wire iteslf explodes with a shower of sparks. Disconnect the system 

immediately after the blast to avoid blowing fuses or burning out wires. You

can use electric ignition to set off several charges simultaneously. Connect

them in parallelm not in series. Remember, more charges means you need more

current.

   You can get high resistance wires made of nicrome or some similar metal from

old toasters, wire resisters, etc. Model rocket companies sell nichrome 

igniters.



Nerve gas

~~~~~~~~~

   These nerve gasses cause a sudden loss of sense of muscular control. A large

dose is instantaneously fatal. Hydrogen cyanide can be dissolved in water to

make hydrocyanide acid which is very poisonous and has a bitter almond smell.

If these gasses are to be made, it should be done outside or under a laboratory

hood.

   Hydrogen cyanide can be made by adding sulfuric acid to sodium cyanide.

   Cyanogen gas, can be made by adding sodium cyanide solution to coppper

sulfate solution.

   All cyanides are very poisonous, so keep your fingers out of them. Avoid

getting the slightest smell of these gasses.



Pyrotechnic cement

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   This cement can be used where a fireproof adhesive or putty type goop is 

required. Mix equal parts of calcium carbonate ans zinc oxide. Thes can be

stored indefinately after mixing. Then add sodium silicate soultion (water

glass, gettable at a few drug stores). This should be the concentrated syrupy

stuff, not the watery kind used as a label adhesive. The consistency of the

cement depends on how much sodium silicate you add. After this is added it 

will clump up and harden, so it should be used soon. You can water it down to

make it runny, and it will come off if it is soaked in water.



Recrystallization

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   This technique is used to purify chemicals. The chemical is dissolved in a 

minimum amount of hot solvent. Then the solution is cooled and the chemical

crystalizes out of solution. When it is filtered much of the impurities will 

stay in the solvent and be disposed of.



Smoke bombs

~~~~~~~~~~~

   There are many ways to make smoke bombs. Just a bunch of matches rolled up

in a wad of paper can be effective. Chockno makes a good smoke bomb.

   A very potent smoke bomb can be made with carbon tetrachloride and zinc 

dust. Here's one formula: Carbon tetrachloride 40%

                          Zinc dust            40%

                          Potassium chlorate   20%

I have also found it to be rather unstable one say, and I haven't mixed any

more since then. A similar formula is: Carbon tetrachloride 45%

                                       Zinc Oxide           45%

                                       Aluminum             10%

The reason these mixtures work so well is that ther form zinc chloride

particles. These particles suck up water from the air to become larger and

more opaque.

   Phosphorus is used in smoke bombs. It produces a white cloud of hygroscopic

phosphorus pentoxide. Phosphorus is dangerous and expensive.

   It is easy to produce a cloud of harmless smoke by heating ammonium chloride

over a flame. Ammonium chloride won't burn, but it decomposes easily when 

heated.



Spontaneous combustion

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Spontaneous combustion is well worth knowing about. It can be used in fancy

igniting devices by the clever gadgeteer. A knowledge of spontaneous combustion

can also prevent the experimental mixing of the wrong chemicals.

1. A few drops of glycerine dumped onto a pile of potassium permanganate will

burst into flames in a few seconds.

2. Lithium, sodium, and potassium will react violently with water to form a

hydroxide and hydrogen gas. If the sodium is held in one place on the water, 

or if the piece is big enough, the hydrogen will ignite or exlpode. I once

conversed with a college counsellor who in his younger days was found of 

throwing a whole pound of sodium into the river and watching it explode. This

always got a hasty reaction from the populus of the community. My only personal

objection to this practice is that the sodium hydroxide formed is hell for the

fish, ducks, or anything in the water.

   Potassium is more violent than sodium and invariably explodes on contact

with water. These metals all float.

3. Sulfur            20%

   Zinc dust         40%

   Ammonium nitrate  20%

   Ammonium chloride 20%

This mixture will emit ammonia gas and catch fire when ater is added. Bear in

mind that ammonium nitrate is a deliquescent compound; that is, it sucks up

water from the air. Therefore this mixture will go off if it is left uncapped

on a humid day.

4. An Equal weight of aluminum dust and iodine crystals will ignite when water 

is added.

5. White phosphorous catches fire when it is exposed to warm air. Phosphorus

can be dissolved in a small bottle of carbon disulfide. When the bottle is 

broken the carbon disulfide evaporates and the phosphorus ignites it.

6. Pyrophoric lead is a finely divided lead powder which ignites spontaneously

in air, when it works. When it doesn't work it just sits there. It is made by

decomposing lead tartrate by heating it in a test tube. Lead tartrate can be

made by mixing solutions of lead acetate and tartaric acid. The precipitated 

lead tartrate can be filtered out and dried.

7. A mixture of potassium chlorate and a fuel such as sugar will ignite on 

contact with concentrated sulfuric acid.



Stink bombs

~~~~~~~~~~~

   Sulfur is the staple of many stink bombs. A mixture of sulfur and an

oxidizing agent like potassium nitrate will release noxious sulfur dioxide gas.

A mixture of sulfur and wax will emit hydogen sulfide when it is heated, which

smells like rotten eggs. One can even buy sulfur candles. These are essentially

candles made with sulfur instead of wax. They are used to fumigate buildings

because when they burn they emit an enormous quantity of sulfur dioxide.

   The old German stink bomb is made by mixing an ounce of sulfur, and ounce

of potassium sulfide, and an ounce of calcium hydroxide (slaked lime) with a 

quart of wtaer and boiling the mixture down to a pint. When a vial of this

mixture is thrown in a fire it gives off a nauseating gas.



Thermit

~~~~~~~

   Thermit is a mixture of aluminum and iron oxide powder used in welding and

incendiary devices. It is about: Iron Oxide 75%

                                 Aluminum   25%

It burns with intense heat, leaving a mass of molten iron and aluminum oxide

slag. A thermit bomb will burn through or melt just about anything. I heard of

a bunch of vandalous fraternity members whom once set thermit bombs under the

wheels of a trolly car, thereby welding it to the tracks.

   Thermit is hard to ignite and requires a hot igniting charge. I have found 

that the following mixture makes a fast burning fake thermite that is pretty

easy to ignite: Manganese dioxide 66.7%

                Aluminum          33.3%

Magnesium or aluminum powder can react spontaneously with wet manganese 

dioxide, so a combination thereof should not be stored. A nitrate is much 

safer as an oxidant. Better safe than incinerated. 



Vacuum distillation

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   A vacuum distillation apparatus is the essential apparatus for making pure

nitric of perchloric acid. It is not hard to set up or use. With a hand vacuum

pump from Edmund, Educational Modules, or some other company you can pull a

sufficient vacuum to make pure nitric acid. A better pump is necessary to make

the most concentrated fuming acid. Just create as much vacuum as possible with

your pump, then start boiling. An all glass thermometer is preferable;

especially when boiling acid. Very volatile liquids can be boiled this way at

room temperature. This is safer for flammable chemicals then boiling them at

atmospheric pressure.



Washing

~~~~~~~

   Chemicals can be washed by dumping them into the washing liquid, usually 

water, and mixing them up. Then a solid can be filtered out or a liquid can be

poured off after the liquid phases seperate.

   A solid can be left in filter paper in a funnel and washed by pouring water

through the filter paper and chemical.

   Distilled water is preferable to tap water for synthesis and washing. Rain

is a cheap source of fine distilled water.



Sources of supplies

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   There are lots of companies who sell chemicals only to other corporations.

The solution is obvious: start your own company. You can get letterheads 

printed up at any print shop. The country is full of one man corporations.

   Because chemicals are sometimes hard to buy, people are sometimes compelled

to rip them off. Please have compassion for the rightful owner of these

supplies. If you must steal, do so in moderation, and leave an appropriate

compensation when applicable. After reading this book, you should be able to

make or almost honestly buy all the pyrotechnic goodies you ever want.

   I should also make add a note on the sources of information. There are many

books available about explosives. Ninety percent of these do not tell the

average bomber what he wants to know. The only other book that I recommend is

THE ANARCHIST COOKBOOK by William Powell. Because of the useful nature of this

book, it is hard to find, but is worth reading if you can get it.



Bibliography

~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE ANARCHIST COOKBOOK, William Powell, Lyle Stewart, Secaucus, NJ, 1971.

BRITISH TEXTBOOK OF EXPLOSIVES, Donald B.McLean, Normount Technical 

   Publications, 1969.

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY, Interscience Encyclopedia, inc., NY, 1947.

HANDBOOK OF CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS, CRC Press, 1947.

HANDBOOK OF DANGEROUS MATERIALS, N.Irving Sax, Reinhold Publishing Corporation,

   NY, 1947.

