Making Sodium or Potassium Chlorate

Ingredients:

   * salt water (ocean water, or just tap water with salt)
   * 2 carbon or lead rods (try hardware or surplus stores)
   * sulfuric acid (I'll bet other acids will work, though, or maybe even
     _no_ acid)
   * DC power supply (motor vehicle alternator, perhaps)
   * glass jar
   * heavy cloth
   * big pan or tray
   * wires

Procedure:

   * Put the salt water in the jar
   * Add the acid to the water; stir
   * Attach the wires to the DC power supply
   * Attach the other ends of the wires to the carbon rods
   * Put the rods in the water, several inches apart
   * Let the power supply run for about 6hours (doesn't have to be
     continuous)
   * Shut off the power supply; filter the water through the cloth into the
     tray, leaving any sediment in the jar
   * Let the liquid in the tray evaporate; sodium chlorate crystals will
     form in the tray

BE CAREFUL! The sodium chlorate is sensitive to spark and flame. Instead of
ordinary table salt (NaCl, or sodium chloride) in the salt water, you can
substitute No-Salt (KCl, or potassium chloride); this will result in
potassium chlorate, which is more powerful, but also more sensitive. BE
CAREFUL! I'm even willing to gamble you might be able to do it without the
carbon rods, if you can't get those. Again, I haven't done it myself, but
the Army says it works.
