388 lines
15 KiB
Plaintext
388 lines
15 KiB
Plaintext
ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
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º Home Explosives Workshop º
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º Chapter II: Blasting Caps and Better Bombs º
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º Written 4-28-93 º
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º By º
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º -=Arclight=- º
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ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ
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DISCLAIMER: I, Arclight, or anyone else working with DnA cannot be
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responsible for anything that happens as a result of using these
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recipes. This is dangerous shit! I advise you not to attempt any of
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these recipes until you feel totally confident with all the tools,
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techniques, etc involved. Very bad thing can happen. So if you blow
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your hand off, or become a Data, I will not be held responsible.
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Anyway, on with the show...
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Welcome back to another exciting chapter of Home Explsoives Workshop. For
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those of you that are just joining us, I strongly recommend getting a copy of
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Chapter I: Low Explosives and the Basics. This will bring you up to speed.
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Anyway, our topic for today is Blasting caps and better bombs. This will cover
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what is probably the most important part of this series, how to safely make and
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use blasting caps (Detonators).
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Blasting caps or detonators are small explosive devices that connect to a
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fuse or electrical circuit and explode with enough force to detonate a high
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explosive charge. (Unlike Black Powder and other low explosives, high explosives
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cannot be detonated directly with a flame.) The caps utilize a small charge of
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black powder, as an ignitor, and a charge of primary high explosives, which
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detonates from the black powder ignitor and sets off your explosives.
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While I said high explosives cannot be detonated directly by flame, I
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should clarify that. There are two types of high explosives: Primary high
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explosives and secondary high explosives.
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Secondary high explosives are the type you usually think of when someone
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mentions high explosives: they include TNT, Nitroglycerine, RDX, C-4, etc.
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These cannot be detonated directly, but require a blasting cap.
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Primary high explosives are those used in blasting caps and other types of
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detonators. They are sensitive to shock and heat, and for this reason are used
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only in small amounts in detonators. They include Mercury Fulminate, Lead
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Styphinate, Silver Fulminate, TACC (Tetramminecopper (II) Chlorate), and Lead
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Picrate. These must be handled with the utmost care, as they are so sensitive!
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Now that you have some background information, let's take a look at how
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detonators are made and used.
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-Blasting Caps=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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As you have seen, blasting caps are an essential part of any project
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involving high explosives. While their manufacture is not difficult, it
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requires EXTREME CAUTION and attention to detail. Unless you'd like to run
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around the rest of your life with four fingers, having people call you "Cuatro,"
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I suggest you do not deviate in the slightest from these recipes. Mistakes can
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kill! Anyway, you've been warned.
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To begin with, select a clean working area, and assemble all tools/materials
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needed for the recipe you wish to use. See chapter I for a list of sources. As
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before, obtain the best grade of chemicals you can find.(USP grade is the best,
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but ACS is ok.) The first thing you will need to do is make a small batch of the
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explosive you wish to use in your caps. While there are several compounds that
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will work, Mercury Fulminate is probably the easiest and cheapest to make. Note
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that a booster explosive is also required, as it would be dangerous and
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unreliable to build a cap with 100% Fulminate. Be sure you are ready to load the
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caps when you make the explosives though, because the they should not be stored
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for long periods of time.
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-=Mercury Fulminate=-
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Materials: Nitric Acid, 90% conc. (Chem. supply store)
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Mercury metal (Chem supply, mercury switches)
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*Ethyl (grain) Alcohol
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Filtering Material
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Teaspoon Measures (1/4, 1/2, 1 teaspoon. S. Steel or Aluminum)
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Heat source (Hot plate)
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Stirring rod/stick
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Water
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Glass containers
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Tape
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*Other types of alcohol will not work! If you cannot find grain
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alcohol, use "Denatured alcohol."
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Proceedure:
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1. Dilute 5 teaspoons of Nitric Acid with 2 1/2 teaspoons of clean water in
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a glass container by adding the acid to the water.
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2. Dissolve 1/8 teaspoon of mercury into the diluted Nitric Acid. Dark
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red fumes will appear. It may be necessary to add water, one drop at a time, to
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start the reaction. Caution: Mercury and fumes are VERY poisonous! Do this
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outside.
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3. Warm 10 teaspoons of alcohol in a container until the alcohol feels warm
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to the inside of the wrist.
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4. Pour the mercury-acid sloution into the warm alcohol. A reaction should
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begin in less than 5 minutes. Dense white fumes will be given offduring the
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reaction. As time elapses, the fumes will become less dense. Allow 10-15 minutes
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for complete reaction. The fulminate crystals will settle to the bottom.
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5. Filter the solution through a paper towel into a container. Crystals may
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stick to the sides of the container. If so, tilt and squirt water down the sides
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of the container until all the material collects on the filter paper.
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6. Thoroughly wash the crystals several times with ethyl alcohol.
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7. Allow the mercury fulminate crystals to air dry.
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Caution: This is a very shock/friction sensitive high explosive. Handle it
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with care. Also, store it only in very small quantities and not for prolonged
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periods of time.
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-Picric Acid=-=-=-=-=-=-
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Materials: Asprin Tablets (5 Grain)
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Alcohol, 95% conc.
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*Concentrated Sulfuric Acid
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Potassium Nitrate
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Water
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Paper Towels
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Wide-Mouth Jar, 1pt.
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Rod, glass or wood
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Glass Containers
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Ceramic or glass dish
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Cup
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Teaspoon
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Tablespoon
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Pan
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Heat Source
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Tape
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*Not Battery acid! It is not strong enough. Order USP grade conc.
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Sulfuric Acid.
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Proceedure:
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1. Crush 20 asprin in a glass container. Add 1 teaspoon of
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water and work into a paste.
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2. Add approx. 1/3 to 1/2 cup (100ml) of alcohol to the asprin paste; stir while
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pouring.
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3. Filter the alcohol-asprin solution through a paper towel into another
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container. *Discard the solid left over*
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4. Pour the filtered solution into a ceramic or glass dish.
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*5. Place the dish in a shallow pan of hot water and heat it until all the
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solution in the dish has evaporated into a white powder.
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*Note: The water in the pan should be hot, not boiling, approx. 160-180øF.
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It should not burn the hands.
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6. Pour 1/3 (80ml) cup of concentrated sulfuric acid into a canning jar. Add
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the white powder to the acid.
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7. Heat the canning jar of the sulfuric acid-asprin solution in a pan of
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simmering water for 15 minutes, then remove it from the bath. The solution
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should turn a yellow-orange color.
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8. Add 3 level teaspoons (15g) of potassium nitrate, in three portions, to
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the yellow-orange solution; stir vigorously during additions. Solution will turn
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red, and then back to a yellow-orange color.
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9. Allow the solution to cool to room temperature while stirring
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occasionally.
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10. Slowly pour the solution, while stirring, into a jar containing 1 1/4
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cups (300ml) of cold water and allow to cool.
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11. Filter the solution through a paper towel into a glass container. Light
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yellow particles will collect on the paper towel.
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12. Wash the light yellow particles with 2 tablespoons (25ml) of water.
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Discard the waste liquid.
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13. Place the particles in a ceramic dish and set in a hotwater bath, as
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above, for 2 hours.
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The Picric Acid is now ready to use. It is needed to manufacture blasting
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caps, as a booster or intermediate charge. As with any high explosive, extreme
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care must be taken while making and handling it. It is especially sensitive to
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friction and shock, so beware.
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-=-=-=-=-Fabrication of Blasting Caps (Detonators)=-=-=-=-
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Now that you have your Mercury Fulminate crystals and Picric Acid (And
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you're still all in one piece, hopefully), we'll take a look at how to use it.
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A blasting cap is a small metal cylinder, usually around 1/4" in diameter and
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1-1 1/2" inches long. It contains a small charge of Black Powder (See chapterI),
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a quantity ofPrimary High Explosive (i.e. Mercury Fulminate), and a quantity of
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a booster explosive (Picric Acid). Commercial Blasting Caps are packaged in a
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thin brass tube, with either electrical leads or a fuse hole at the end, for
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detonation. Note that commercial caps will probably not use the same Fulminate/
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Picric Acid combination seen above, as their process has been optimized for mass
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production and safety.
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Commercial Blasting Caps
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Electrical Leads
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/
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Black Powder -¿Ú- Heating coil
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³ ³ / ³ÀÙ³/
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³ðð³/ Primary High ³ðð³
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Brass case ³°°³ / Explosives ³°°³
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\ ³°°³ / ³°°³
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\ ³°°³ Booster Explosive ³°°³
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\ ³²²³/ ³²²³
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ÔÍ; ÔÍ;
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(Non-electric) (Electric)
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Improvised Blasting Caps
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Materials:
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Primary High Explosive (Mercury Fulminate)
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Booster Explosive (Picric Acid)
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Scale (Weighing in grams, like a dope scale)
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Used cartridge cases (Larger than .22 caliber)
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Fuse, 12" long
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Round wooden stick (Just small enough to fit into mouth of
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case)
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Drill or knife
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Long nail w/sharpened end
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Vise
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Loading fixture (See below)
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Proceedure:
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1. Remove the spent primer from the case by holding the case in the vise and
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tapping out the primer with the nail, inserted into the mouth of the case.
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2. Use a drill or knife to open up the flash hole to accomodate the
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fuse you will be using.
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3. Place one end of the fuse in the flash hole and extend it through the
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case until it becomes exposed at the open end. Knot this end and then pull it
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back into the cartridge case, preventing it from falling out.
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³ ³
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³ ³ Case
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³ ³ /
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³ ³/ Knot in fuse
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³ í ³ /
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Ô º ¾
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Ð Fuse (Actually 12" long)
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Ò /
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º
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4. Load the cartridge case with .75g of Mercury Fulminate.(No more, no
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less!) Use a scale, do not try to estimate the amount. A modest investment will
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get you a good OHAUS scale capable of measuring .1-2000g. Use a piece of folded
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paper to pour in the Fulminate.
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³ ³
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³ ³ Primary Explosive
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³ ³ /
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³°°°³/
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³ í ³
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Ô º ¾
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Ð
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Ò
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º
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5. Compress the primary explosive into the cartridge casae with the wooden
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stick and the following fixture:
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1X8X12" (Slot in middle for2X4)
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/ 1X8X18"
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2X4" 5' board / / Hinge §
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/ Ý º \ Û |
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ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÝÍÍÍÎÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍàÛ Û
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Ý º Support Ý-Case Û 8"
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Ý º blocks ÛÛÛ Û
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ÞÛ ->ÛÛÛ Û |
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ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß §
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|<- 18" ->|
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| <- 5 Feet, 1"X12" board ->|
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Basically the loading fixture is just a long lever, with a hinge on one end
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and a base. The two vertical wood pieces in front are shields, they protect you
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in the EXTREMELY likely event that a cap blows up. This aparratus can be
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constructed from pine or other inexpensive wood, using screws and angle
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brackets. Note that this operation is the most dangerous in this
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recipe, and it advised that you were a face shield, or at very least safety
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glasses when attempting.
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6. Add one gram of booster explosive. (Picric Acid)
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7. Compress the booster explosive, using the above tools and technique.
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³ ³
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³ ³ Booster Explosive
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³²²²³/
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³°°°³
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³ í ³
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Ô º ¾
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Ð
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Ò
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º
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8. If the case is still not full, fill the remainder with the
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explosive to be detonated.
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This proceedure, though long and involved, will yield very powerful and
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effective blasting caps. These are not firecrackers, handle them with the utmost
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care! They must not be stored for long periods of time, or handled roughly. When
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made properly, they will detonate almost any imaginable type of charge.
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Note that this recipe was an adaptation of that found in The Improvised
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Munitions Handbook, available at militaria stores gun shows, or from Loompanics
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Unlimited, as the Black Book series. Other useful titles include Kurt Saxon's
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Poor Man's James Bond series, and Ragner Benson's Kitchen Improvised Explosives
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series. Their catalogue costs $5.00 US, and is well worth it. They can be
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reached at the following address:
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Loompanics Unlimited
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PO BOX 1197
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Port Townsend, WA 98368
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Please join us again for Chater III: High Explosives. So have phun, stay
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out of trouble, stay aware and informed, and remember: If someone rips you off,
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don't just take the law into your own hands, take revenge!
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{Arclight out}
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ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
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º (714)871-2057 Digital Decay BBS (714)871-2057 º
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ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ
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