68 lines
2.8 KiB
Plaintext
68 lines
2.8 KiB
Plaintext
Mercury Fulminate by the Jolly Roger
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Mercury Fulminate is used as a primary explosive in the fabrication
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of detonators. It is to be used with a booster explosive such as picric
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acid or RDX (which are elsewhere in this Cookbook).
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Material Required Source
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----------------- ------
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Nitric Acid, 90% conc. (1.48 sp. gr) Elsewhere in this
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Cookbook, or in
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industrial metal
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processors
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Mercury Thermometers,
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mercury switches,
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old radio tubes
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Ethyl (grain) alcohol (90%)
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Filtering material Paper towels
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Teaspoon measure (1/4, 1/2. and 1 tsp.
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capacity)-aluminum, stainless steel
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or wax coated
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Heat Source
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Clean wooden stick
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Clean water
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Glass containers
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Tape
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Syringe
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Procedure:
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---------
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1) Dilute 5 teaspoons of nitric acid with 2-1/2 teaspoons of clean water
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in a glass container by adding the acid to the water.
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2) Dissolve 1/8 teaspoon of mercury in the diluted nitric acid. This
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will yield dark red fumes. NOTE: It may be necessary to add water, on
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drop at a time, to the mercury-acid solution in order to start a
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reaction.
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CAUTION: Acid will burn skin and destroy clothing. If any is spilled,
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wash it away with a large quantity of water. Do NOT inhale fumes!
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3) Warm 10 teaspoons of the alcohol in a container until the alcohol
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feels warm to the inside of the wrist.
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4) Pour the metal-acid solution into the warm alcohol. Reaction should
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start in less than 5 minutes. Dense white fumes will be given off during
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the reaction. As time lapses, the fumes will become less dense. Allow 10
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to 15 minutes to complete reaction. Fulminate will settle to the bottom.
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CAUTION: This reaction generates large quantities of toxic, flammable
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fumes. The process MUST be conducted outdoors or in a well-ventilated
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area, away from sparks or open flames. DO NOT inhale fumes!
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5) Filter the solution through a paper towel into a container. Crystals
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may stick to the side of the container. If so, tilt and squirt water
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down the sides of the container until all of the material collects on
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the filter paper.
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6) Wash the crystals with 6 teaspoons of ethyl alcohol.
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7) Allow these mercury fulminate crystals to air dry.
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CAUTION: Handle dry explosive with great care. Do not scrape or handle
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it roughly! Keep away from sparks or open flames. Store in a cool, dry
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place.
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----------------Jolly Roger
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