From: dr@ripco.com (David Richards) Subject: TBBOM 1.5 (NEW RELEASE) 1/3 Summary: The Big Book of Mischief Version 1.5 (DOS ANSI) Keywords: The Book, interim Release Date: 16 Feb 94 04:38:15 GMT Sender: dr@ripco.com AUTHOR: David Richards TITLE: The Big Book Of Mischief EDITION:Interim release (1.5) from DTP file FORMAT: ASCII (MS-DOS),tabs are 8 spaces. RESTRICTIONS: This file may be freely redistributed in electronic form with these conditions: It may not be excerpted or modified in ANY WAY other than character conversion for different computer systems. NO FEE MAY BE CHARGED FOR DOWNLOADING THIS FILE. THIS FILE MAY NOT BE DISTRIBUTED IN PRINTED FORM. Users are permitted to make 1-3 copies for personal use. THE AUTHOR RESERVES ALL RIGHTS TO THIS PUBLICATION, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO PRINTED PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS TO THIS AND ALL FUTURE EDITIONS, AND ALL OTHER RIGHTS AS DETAILED BY INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW. If you encounter this book being distributed in printed or electronic form, in whole or in part, in violation of the copyright, please send electronic mail to the address given below. TECHNICAL NOTES: This is an interim release, it is NOT anywhere near complete. This file was generated from a desktop publishing program on an MS-DOS machine and therefor may include some special characters which will not be reproduced accurately on other machines, and which may be corrupted in transmission. This also means that the text is a low-quality ASCII representation of the original text. HOW TO CONTACT THE AUTHOR, AND/OR GET THE BOOK VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL: Suggestions are welcome, as are submissions, complaints, and just about anything other than lawsuits and other non-productive mail. Internet mail can be sent to dr@ripco.com A copy of this file (in four parts of around 50K each) will be sent on request. A print version may be available in the future, and a database based on the information is under development. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This book is dedicated to Ben, who made it possible, to Arthur, who helped keep it going, and to all the amateur pyrotechnicians who have lost their lives, senses, and limbs in the search for knowledge. The processes and techniques herein should not be carried out under any circumstances!! On the advice of my lawyer,I hereby state that I assume no responsibilities for any use of the information presented in this book. The intention of this book is to demonstrate the many techniques and methods used by persons in this and other countries to produce a number of conceivably hazardous devices. None of the statements herein should be taken to indicate the opinions or actions of the author. The techniques described here may be found in public libraries and all the information given is available from public sources. Any loss of life, property, or other perceived loss, injury or harm is the sole responsibility of the purchaser. Any instructions, formulas, and other statements herein are for informational purposes only.Although most of the procedures can be accomplished with minimal preparation and from easily available supplies, this is a work of fiction and no assumption should be made about the accuracy or safety of any of the procedures. This book is void where prohibited, and shall not be sold to any person who is ineligible to receive it. If you are under the age of 18, a convicted felon, mentally retarded, or a member of an organization that has as its stated or unstated goals the overthrow of the legitimate government of the United States of America, you are required to turn yourself in to the nearest officer of the law without delay. RELEASE 1.5 COPYRIGHT 1993 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Table of Contents SAFETY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Basic Safety Rules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 How To Mix Dry Ingredients. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 BUYING EXPLOSIVES AND PROPELLANTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Propellants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Explosives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 PREPARATION OF CHEMICALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 EXPLOSIVE FORMULAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Explosive Theory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Impact Explosives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Low Order Explosives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 High Order Explosives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Other Reactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 COMPRESSED GAS BOMBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Bottled Gas Explosives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Dry Ice Bombs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 USING EXPLOSIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Ignition Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Impact Ignition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Electrical Ignition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Electro-mechanical Ignition . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Delays. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 EXPLOSIVE CASINGS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Paper Containers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Metal Containers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Primed Explosive Casings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Glass Containers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Plastic Containers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 ADVANCED USES FOR EXPLOSIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Tube Explosives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Atomized Particle Explosions. . . . . . . . . . . . 57 SPECIAL AMMUNITION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Primitive Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Firearms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Compressed Air/Gas Weapons. . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 ROCKETS AND CANNONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Rockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Cannon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 VISUAL PYROTECHNICS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Smoke Bombs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Colored Flames. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Fireworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 MORE INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 USEFUL CHEMICALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 FUEL-OXIDIZER MIXTURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 USEFUL PYROCHEMISTRY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 SAFETY Safety is an important concern in many activities, but it is even more important when working with explosives and related compounds. If you have an accident with a power tool you can permanently maim or kill yourself. An automobile accident can not only kill yourself, but a dozen or more others who have the bad luck to be on the same road as you. When an airplane crashes, it often kills not only the passengers on board, but anybody who happens to have lived near the crash site. An accidental explosion can be much destructive than any of these. Any accident involving explosives is likely to be fatal, and a serious accident can, under some circumstances circumstances, kill hundreds of people. There are no such things as truly "safe" explosive devices. While some explosives are less dangerous than others, all such compositions are, by their very nature, extremely hazardous. Basic Safety Rules 1) Don't smoke! (don't laugh- an errant cigarette wiped out the Weathermen). Avoid open flames, especially when working with flammable liquids or powdered metals. 2) Grind all ingredients separately. It is alarming how friction sensitive some supposedly safe compositions really are. Grinding causes heat and possibly sparks, both of which can initiate an explosion. 3) Start with very small quantities. Even small quantities of high explosives can be very dangerous. Once you have some idea of the power of the explosive, you can progress to larger amounts. Store high explosives separately from low explosives, and sensitive devices, such as blasting caps, should be stored well away from all flammable or explosive material. 4) Allow for a 20% margin of error. Never let your safety depend on the expected results. Just because the average burning rate of a fuse is 30 secs/foot, don't depend on the 6 inches sticking out of your pipe bomb to take exactly 15 seconds. 5) Never underestimate the range of your shrapnel. The cap from a pipe bomb can often travel a block or more at high velocities before coming to rest- If you have to stay nearby, remember that if you can see it, it can kill you. 6) At the least, take the author's precautions. When mixing sensitive compounds (such as flash powder) avoid all sources of static electricity. Work in an area with moderate humidity, good ventilation, and watch out for sources of sparks and flame, which can ignite particles suspended in the air. Always follow the directions given and never take shortcuts. 7) Buy quality safety equipment, and use it at all times. Always wear a face shield, or at the minimum, shatterproof lab glasses. It's usually a good idea to wear gloves when handling corrosive chemicals, and a lab apron can help prevent life-threatening burns. How To Mix Dry Ingredients The best way to mix two dry chemicals to form an explosive is to use a technique perfected by small-scale fireworks manufacturers: 1) Take a large sheet of smooth paper (for example a page from a newspaper that does not use staples) 2) Measure out the appropriate amounts of the two chemicals, and pour them in two small heaps near opposite corners of the sheet. 3) Pick up the sheet by the two corners near the piles, allowing the powders to roll towards the center of the sheet. 4) By raising one corner and then the other, rock the powders back and forth in the middle of the open sheet, taking care not to let the mixture spill from either of the loose ends. 5) Pour the powder off from the middle of the sheet, and use it immediately. Use airtight containers for storage, It's best to use 35mm film canisters or other jars which do not have screw-on tops. If you must keep the mixture for long periods, place a small packet of desiccant in the container, and never store near heat or valuable items. BUYING EXPLOSIVES AND PROPELLANTS Almost any city or town of reasonable size has a gun store and one or more drugstores. These are two of the places that serious pyrotechnicians can visit to purchase potentially explosive material. All that one has to do is know something about the mundane uses of the substances. Black powder, for example, is normally used in blackpowder firearms. It comes in varying grades, with each different grade being a slightly different size. The grade of black powder depends on what the calibre of the gun that it is intended for; a fine grade of powder could burn too fast in the wrong caliber weapon. The rule is: the smaller the grade, the faster the burn rate of the powder. Propellants There are many varieties of powder used as propellants, and many of these can be adapted for use in explosive devices. Propellants are usually selected for stability and high gas production, and can be very effective if used in a strong container. Some propellants, such as nitrocellulose, burn at a much higher rate when under pressure, while others burn at basically the same rate in the open and when confined. Black Powder Black powder is commonly available in four grades. The smaller, faster burning sizes are more difficult to find than the large, slow grades. The powder's burn rate is extremely important when it is to be used in explosives. Since an explosion is a rapid increase of gas volume in a confined environment, quick-burning powder is desired. The four common grades of black powder are listed below, along with the usual bore width (calibre) of the gun they would be used in. Generally, the fastest burning powder, the FFFF grade is desirable for explosives, and the larger grades are used as propellants. The FFFF grade is the fastest burning, because the smaller grade has more surface area exposed to the flame front, allowing the flame to propagate through the material much faster than it could if a larger sized powder was used. The price range of black powder is about $8.50 - $12.00 per pound. The price per pound is the same regardless of the grade, so you can save time and work by buying finer grade of powder. There are several problems with using black powder. It can be accidentally ignited by static electricity or friction, and that it has a tendency to absorb moisture from the air. To safely crush it, you should use a plastic or wooden spoon and a wooden salad bowl. Taking a small pile at a time, slowly apply pressure to the powder through the spoon and rub it in a series of light strokes or circles. It is fine enough to use when it reaches the consistency of flour. The particle size needed is dependent on the type of device it is going to be used in. The size of the grains is less important in large devices, and in large strong casings coarse grained powder will work. Any adult can purchase black powder, since anyone can own black powder firearms in the United States. PYRODEX* Pyrodex is a synthetic powder that is used like black powder, and which can be substituted by volume for standard blackpowder. It comes in the many of the standard grades, but it is more expensive per pound. However, a one pound container of pyrodex contains more material by volume than one pound of black powder. Pyrodex is much easier to crush to a very fine powder than black powder, and it is considerably safer and more reliable. This is because Pyrodex is less sensitive to friction and static electricity, and it absorbs moisture more slowly than black powder. Pyrodex can be crushed in the same manner as black powder, or it can be dissolved in boiling water and dried in the sun. Rifle/Shotgun Powder Rifle and shotgun propellants are usually nitrocellulose based with additives to modify the burning rate. They will be referred to as smokeless powder in all future references. Smokeless powder is made by the action of concentrated nitric and sulfuric acid upon cotton or some other cellulose material, a process that is described on page 19. This material is then dissolved by solvents and then reformed in the desired grain size. When dealing with smokeless powder, the grain size is not nearly as important as that of black powder. Both large and small grained powders burn fairly slowly compared to black powder when unconfined, but when it is confined, smokeless burns both hotter and produces a greater volume of gas, producing more pressure. Therefore, the grinding process that is often necessary for other propellants is not necessary for smokeless. Smokeless powder costs slightly more than black powder. In most states any citizen with a valid driver's license can buy it, since there are currently few restrictions on rifles or shotguns in the U.S. There are now ID checks in many states when purchasing powder at a retail outlet, however mail order purchases from another state are not subject to such checks. When purchased by mail order propellants must be shipped by a private carrier, since the Postal Service will not carry hazardous materials. Shipping charges will be high, due to Department Of Transportation regulations on packaging flammable and explosive materials. Rocket Engine Powder Model rocketry is an popular hobby in the United States and many other countries. Estes*, the largest producer of model rocket kits and engines, takes great pains to ensure that their engines are both safe and reliable. The simple design of these engines makes it very easy to extract the propellant powder. Model rocket engines contain a single large grain of propellant. This grain is encased in heavy cardboard tubing with a clay cap at the top and a clay or ceramic nozzle in the bottom. The propellant can be removed by slitting the tube lengthwise, and unwrapping it like you would a roll of paper towels. When this is done, the grey fire clay at either end of the propellant grain should be removed. This can be done by either cracking it off with a sharp bow, or by gently prying with a plastic or brass knife. The engine material consists of three stages. First the large fuel stage, which is at the end nearest the nozzle. Above this is the delay stage, which may not be found in some engines. This stage burns slowly and produces a large amount of smoke. Last is the ejection charge, which normally would produce gases to push the parachute out through the top of the rocket. The propellant material contains an epoxy which makes it exceptionally hard, so it must be crushed to a fine powder before it can be used.be used. By double bagging the propellant in small plastic bags and gripping it in a pliers or small vise, the powder can be carefully crushed without shattering all over. This process should be repeated until there are no remaining chunks, after which it may be crushed in the same manner as black powder. Model rocket engines come in various sizes, ranging from