🚀 go-pugleaf

How bout one of those ~5 gallon glass water bottles filled with gas and
dropped from a rather high distance with a flaming rag on it?
Rob

Quite the hobby.  Sounds more entertaining than debating about gun
control and after all, this group is net.rec.  We can discuss what
we each do for recreation here and present our thoughtful, incisive
ideas on gun control (or the lack of) on net.politics.  A discussion
about debate as recreation may be enjoyable though.  Format and style
are very important parts of debate (and two things missing from most
of the extended gun discussion.)

Sorry for the digression.  Back to the original subject:  
               Blowing Things Up
How about a litre or two of gasoline?  Use a large paper box to
concentrate the vapours above the liquid.  Then let it rip.  Nice
fireball.

Peter Badovinatz            ARPA:  badovinatz@utah-20
University of Utah          UUCP:  decvax!utah-cs!badovin

> Does anyone else on the net like to blow things up or see huge fireballs?
> I haven't been too active lately, just a little Nitrogen Tri-iodide and
> misc. small bangs/flashes.  I have been thinking of buying a small piece
> of land to blow things up on 'though.  I am especially curious about the
> effect of placing a container of liquid ignitable gas in a pile of thermite
> and igniting it.  I would probably start small with a disposable lighter and
> then move on to something like a can of starting ether...  Boy!  I bet it
> would look real keen.  How about it fellow netters?  Any suggestions (other
> then the obvious safety precautions)?

Yes, America, there are people who like massive, awe-inspiring fireballs.
Some of them are, in fact, here at CVL.  And of these few, we seem to enjoy
watching (?) aluminum-bearing things incinerate.  But has anyone found a good
way to make plastique from household items?  Our quest continues.

(Insert smoke and brimstone here)
-- 

Dave Hsu ::
        Maryversity of Uniland Computer Vision Lab, (301) 454-4526
        ARPA: hsu@cvl  CSNET: hsu@cvl
        UUCP: {seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!cvl!hsu

Zere vere zwei peanuts valking down ze strasse...
und vun vas assaulted...peanut...
	-early German joke warfare

> Does anyone else on the net like to blow things up or see huge fireballs?
> I haven't been too active lately, just a little Nitrogen Tri-iodide and
> misc. small bangs/flashes.  I have been thinking of buying a small piece
> of land to blow things up on 'though.  I am especially curious about the
> effect of placing a container of liquid ignitable gas in a pile of thermite
> and igniting it.  I would probably start small with a disposable lighter and
> then move on to something like a can of starting ether...  Boy!  I bet it
> would look real keen.  How about it fellow netters?  Any suggestions (other
> then the obvious safety precautions)?
> 
> 	--Cliff [Matthews]
> 	{purdue, cmcl2, ihnp4}!lanl!unmvax!cliff
> 	{csu-cs, pur-ee, convex, gatech, ucbvax}!unmvax!cliff
> 	4744 Trumbull S.E. - Albuquerque  NM  87108 - (505) 265-9143

Must reading for the budding pyromaniac is much touted, Handbook of Powders
and Explosives.  Marshall produced a virtual encyclopedia on the subject.
Even though it was published in 1918, these 3 volumes contain just about
all one needs to know about explosives unless one is interested in the state
of the art.  Stay away from The Anarchist's Cookbook though, I've heard it
said that one only plays with the prescriptions in there if one is tired of
living.

-eli

========

- who?  me???


-- 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eli Liang  ---
        University of Maryland Computer Vision Lab, (301) 454-4526
        ARPA: liang@cvl, eli@mit-mc, eli@mit-prep  CSNET: liang@cvl
        UUCP: {seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!cvl!liang

> Does anyone else on the net like to blow things up or see huge fireballs?
> I haven't been too active lately, just a little Nitrogen Tri-iodide and
> misc. small bangs/flashes.  I have been thinking of buying a small piece
> of land to blow things up on 'though.

In most states it is illegal to posess explosives without some kind of
licence and cause for use...  You might want to check this out before
advertizing your interest...

BTW, I understand that a 5 pound sack of flour on top of a tuna can
of explosive in a shed of about 10x10x10 ft makes a dandy dust
explosion...

-- 

E. Michael Smith  ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems

Comedo ergo sum

The opinions expressed by me are not representative of those of any
other person - natural, unnatural, or fictional - and only marginally
reflect my opinions as strained by the language.

A shotgun shell filled with gunpowder, with nichrome
wire going through the length of the shell (no primer)
can be turned into a "nifty" explosive.  Simply
wrap it in masking tape to a depth of ~2".  Place
this where you want it, connect an unplugged extension cord
to it.  Lay out the cord to a good distance (around
barriers etc.) and plug it in.  When I was young an
older brother did this.  He excavated a 2 foot crater
in the back yard.  It was quite impressive.  If you
people are after bigger fun than that (like the 10x10x10
shed suggestion) then please stay away from me.

Notice:  getting hurt by this kind of thing is a real
	 possibility.  Don't say I suggested it.

These may not even be my opinions:  my employer is certainly not involved.
-- 
----------------------------------
	Jim Davis (James W Davis)
Email:	{any_of_the_biggies} !hplabs!davis
Arpa:	davis%hp-labs@csnet-relay
----------------------------------

>                Blowing Things Up
> How about a litre or two of gasoline?  Use a large paper box to
> concentrate the vapours above the liquid.  Then let it rip.  Nice
> fireball.
> 


(my two cents worth.......)

Many years ago, I had an acquaintance generally known 
around the county as Crazy Barry who demonstrated a great fondness
not only for spectacular  explosions, but also for large caliber
handguns, fast cars, machetes' and the indiscriminate use of martial arts.
Later, the folks around the Co-op said it was only natural when
became a police officer. The following idea was his:

One of the neatest enormous-bright-orange-fireball-type
explosions you've ever seen, let alone created, can be made very easily
and at great personal danger by simply taking one of those $1.79 propane
torch cylinders, taping on a 15 minute road flare, backing off about
a half mile and shooting it with a 30-.06. This is best done while standing
behind some impenetrable barrier such as a concrete bunker, granite wall
or a '50 Buick. If you just want a taste of this effect, you might 
use a discarded "empty" cylinder for starters.  This conflagration is
guaranteed to add a festive touch to any outdoor occasion.

The inherent dangers should be intuitively obvious to even the most
casual reader (so like, don't tell them you heard it from me, eh?).

					Kelly McArthur
					Tektronix Information Display Division
					Wilsonville, Oregon
					(503)-685-4536
					tektronix!iddic!kellym

> Does anyone else on the net like to blow things up or see huge fireballs?

Sure, as long as it's not classified as abnormal behavior!

My fellow  residence  house  pyros back in  college  came up with a very
creative way to get large momentary fireballs,  approaching 40 feet high
and  10-20  feet  across.  We  had a  large  "pot"  in the  center  of a
courtyard, in which we would  regularly  have small fires.  Scattering a
gallon of sawdust  into the air over the fire made a nice "poof".  Three
stages of sawdust, tossed up in synchrony by 5-10 people,  resulted in a
very nice explosion indeed.

Alan "no it's not devil worship" Silverstein

 > Does anyone else on the net like to blow things up or see huge fireballs?

I used to make model rockets which would blow up at the zenith of their flight,
using variations of the following formula:

potassium perchlorate
magnesium POWDER

This will create a brilliant white fireball.  Changing the proportions of the
ingredients will affect the rate of burn.  50/50 works well.

Adding sulfur creates a more powerful explosion, with a less dramatic fireball,
but I am told the combination is UNSTABLE.

Various other chemicals can be added to make the fireball different colors,
I don't remember for sure, but I think that these are right:

strontium nitrate- red
cupric oxide(?)- green

If enough people mail to me expressing interest, I will write or mail out an
article about exploding model rockets, boom and flash varieties, and how to
contruct and launch same while retaining life and all body parts :-).

Randy Horton
{dual,ihnp4,etc}!fortune!ranhome!randy

In a previous article potassium perchlorate was mentioned as an
ingrediant of a rocket formula. THIS SHOULD NOT BE USED IN ANY
PYROTECHNIC DEVICE. Chlorate and Perchlorate compounds are powerful
oxidizers and may ignite and/or detonate spontaniously when mixed and/or
packed with other compounds. A much better (safer) choice is potassium
nitrate which is the choice of the experts (fireworks manufacturers).

			Better safe than sorry, 

 					Werner B.

P.S. I can recomend some exellant reading on this topic if
	anyone is interested.

> 
>  > Does anyone else on the net like to blow things up or see huge fireballs?
>...,
> but I am told the combination is UNSTABLE.

Yeah, I used to love doing this sort of thing when I was a kid.

Until I lost a finger during the creation of one of my more spectacular
projects.  WISE UP, powderhead!  This kind of nonsense can be far too
costly for the cheap thrill it provides.
/_\_

				Bob Fishell
				ihnp4!ihlpg!fish

> > 
> >  > Does anyone else on the net like to blow things up or see huge fireballs?
> >...,
> > but I am told the combination is UNSTABLE.
> 
> Yeah, I used to love doing this sort of thing when I was a kid.
> 
> Until I lost a finger during the creation of one of my more spectacular
> projects.  WISE UP, powderhead!  This kind of nonsense can be far too
> costly for the cheap thrill it provides.
> 
> 				Bob Fishell
> 				ihnp4!ihlpg!fish

I know many more people who have had much more serious trouble from the use
of an automobile.  Careful use of explosives can eliminate much more
unpredictability then you can ever hope to eliminate when driving on public
roads.  Please don't post comments saying--don't do it at all...the comment
about potassium perchlorate being bad news is appreciated (although anyone
who has read anything about the history of fireworks would know to avoid the
stuff).  Telling us how you lost your finger might be more useful than the
condescending, "WISE UP, powderhead!."

				--Cliff

> > > 
> > >  > Does anyone else on the net like to blow things up or see huge fireballs?
> > >...,
> > > but I am told the combination is UNSTABLE.
> > 
> > Yeah, I used to love doing this sort of thing when I was a kid.
> > 
> > Until I lost a finger during the creation of one of my more spectacular
> > projects.  WISE UP, powderhead!  This kind of nonsense can be far too
> > costly for the cheap thrill it provides.
> > 
> > 				Bob Fishell
> > 				ihnp4!ihlpg!fish
> 
> I know many more people who have had much more serious trouble from the use
> of an automobile.  Careful use of explosives can eliminate much more
> unpredictability then you can ever hope to eliminate when driving on public
> roads.  Please don't post comments saying--don't do it at all...the comment
> about potassium perchlorate being bad news is appreciated (although anyone
> who has read anything about the history of fireworks would know to avoid the
> stuff).  Telling us how you lost your finger might be more useful than the
> condescending, "WISE UP, powderhead!."
> 
> 				--Cliff

I, as a great lover of spectacular stunts involving large explosions
heartily agree.. (Ever toss a 2 Lb ingot of pure sodium metal into the
ocean? Wow! Gotta watch out for hydroxide tho..) I don't know who
the original poster of the "Does anyone else like to blow things up?"
message was, I just saw all the "Re:" messages.. If you're out there,
drop me an email message and we can swap techniques.. (This goes for
any other pyros out there as well)..

Destruction can be rewarding and fun.. And what the heck, we all have
the right to live dangerously as long as we don't take anybody with us..

-----

				Jordan K. Hubbard
				{sun, decwrl, dual}!twg!greipa!jordan

Excuse me, what was the question again?
-- 
				Jordan K. Hubbard
				{sun, decwrl, dual}!twg!greipa!jordan

Excuse me, what was the question again?

> Destruction can be rewarding and fun.. And what the heck, we all have
> the right to live dangerously as long as we don't take anybody with us..

Does this specifically exclude us types that work with Plut for kicks?

> Does anyone know an "easy" way to make Nitrogen Tri-iodide?  
> 
> I have yet to find a nice simple method that can be
> implemented in any dorm.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Dan "UCB is getting might quiet...too quiet..." Lieman

Beware!  Many people have seriously injured themselves playing with
this substance.  I suggest starting out small ( < 1 oz. iodine ).
Here is the nice simple method:

Take iodine (not iodine solution) and mix it with ammonia.
Let it sit for a while and then run the mess through a paper towel.
The lump of stuff will blow up as it dries out.
Beware the fumes of ammonia--not only are they less then fun, but
they are almost sure to attract attention (not to say that the
explosions won't).

net.rec.bangs anyone?

[aside to Jordan Hubbard, I am the original poster--mail me]

	--Cliff [Matthews]
	{purdue, cmcl2, ihnp4}!lanl!unmvax!cliff
	{csu-cs, pur-ee, convex, gatech, ucbvax}!unmvax!cliff
	4744 Trumbull S.E. - Albuquerque  NM  87108 - (505) 265-9143

> > Does anyone know an "easy" way to make Nitrogen Tri-iodide?  
> > 
> > I have yet to find a nice simple method that can be
> > implemented in any dorm.
> > 
> > Thanks.
> > 
> > Dan "UCB is getting might quiet...too quiet..." Lieman
> 
> Beware!  Many people have seriously injured themselves playing with
> this substance.  I suggest starting out small ( < 1 oz. iodine ).
> Here is the nice simple method:
> 
> Take iodine (not iodine solution) and mix it with ammonia.
> Let it sit for a while and then run the mess through a paper towel.
> The lump of stuff will blow up as it dries out.
> Beware the fumes of ammonia--not only are they less then fun, but
> they are almost sure to attract attention (not to say that the
> explosions won't).
> 
> net.rec.bangs anyone?
> 
> [aside to Jordan Hubbard, I am the original poster--mail me]
> 
> 	--Cliff [Matthews]
> 	{purdue, cmcl2, ihnp4}!lanl!unmvax!cliff
> 	{csu-cs, pur-ee, convex, gatech, ucbvax}!unmvax!cliff
> 	4744 Trumbull S.E. - Albuquerque  NM  87108 - (505) 265-9143

I suggest reagent grade ammonia (ammonium hydroxide).  also, it might be nice
to wash the stuff in ether ... but beware of the ether fumes!  ether is
very volatile (though NOT NEARLY as volatile as NI3!) besides being
carcinogenic.  NI3 has a highly unstable crystaline structure so it undergoes
decomposition when dry.  Hydronium ions in water also tend to cause the
stuff to decompose. Though not recommended (you should use it when you make
it!) it is possible to keep NI3 "wet" in certain solvents without it blowing
up.  What is important is to not have it dry on any part of a container.

-eli


-- 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eli Liang  ---
        University of Maryland Computer Vision Lab, (301) 454-4526
        ARPA: liang@cvl, liang@lemuria, eli@mit-mc, eli@mit-prep
        CSNET: liang@cvl  UUCP: {seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!cvl!liang

> > > Does anyone know an "easy" way to make Nitrogen Tri-iodide?  
> > > 
> > > I have yet to find a nice simple method that can be
> > > implemented in any dorm.
> > 
> > Here is the nice simple method:
> > 
> > Take iodine (not iodine solution) and mix it with ammonia.
> > Let it sit for a while and then run the mess through a paper towel.
> > The lump of stuff will blow up as it dries out.
> 
> I suggest reagent grade ammonia (ammonium hydroxide).  also, it might be nice
> to wash the stuff in ether ...

Actually, 99% denatured alcohol works quite well and is very practical.  Also
convenient and more-or-less readily available.  Xerox uses many pint-bottles
of the material (shipped in cases of 12) and it seems to wash about right.

Whatever you do, WEAR GLOVES and dispose of them asap.  Half a bottle-cap
full is usually more than enough to make small craters in cement.  Unnamed
locals once determined the proper amount to be put under the leg of a chair,
such that the occupant would recieve quite a surprise.  However, this
required weight on the chair...detonation of unoccupied chairs revealed
enough power to catapult the chair across the room.

Gosh, each classroom could be a minefield.  I'd better watch out.

-dave

> Does anyone know an "easy" way to make Nitrogen Tri-iodide?  

That one is easy!  Get yourself some iodine crystals and some household
ammonia (The kind without the soap in it!)  You put a PINCH of the crystals
into a beaker full of ammonia and let the conversion take place.  WARNING
the reaction is exothermic and the whole beaker can get hot and start popping
if you put too much iodine in.  Trial and error works to get the ammount
right! :-)
Once the reaction has completed, you might change the ammonia every few hours,
you let the black crystals settle and rinse off the ammona.  The trick in
handling the stuff is to not let it dry out so you have to pack it in water.

The stuff is really HELL in keyholes.

No warranty expressed, written or implied....

> > Does anyone know an "easy" way to make Nitrogen Tri-iodide?  
> 
> Beware!  Many people have seriously injured themselves playing with
> this substance.  I suggest starting out small ( < 1 oz. iodine ).
> Here is the nice simple method:
> 
>               ...

"Beware" is right, and make that MUCH less than 1 oz. of iodine (about
the amount you can hold on a paper match is a good starter.
This stuff is also HIGHLY unpredictable.  I made some and partially
dried it on a 3 X 5 inch index card once.  I scattered most of it
around on the floor, but there was still quite a stain on the card.
I let the card dry THOROUGHLY, and then threw things at it, whacked
it with a ruler, and even put it on the floor and stomped on it.
NOTHING!!!  (Meanwhile, the crystals on the floor were happily
crackling and banging whenever anyone walked by, or sometimes just
by themselves.)  I had decided the material left on the card was
quite inert and was carrying it to the wastebasket when it lightly
brushed across the back of a friend's shirt.  There was a **LOUD**
BANG, leaving a big iodine stain on the shirt.  My friend said it
felt as though someone had whacked him with a belt.  Thank God it
was his back and not his face!  I have NEVER fooled with this stuff
since.

Nitrogen tri-iodide is HIGHLY explosive.  A whole ounce of iodine,
completely converted (I was using laboratory-grade ammonia solution)
would probably blow your hand off!

			Bob Nichols @ AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville IL
				ihnp4!ixn5c!nichols

--
> Does anyone know an "easy" way to make Nitrogen Tri-iodide?  

It's good to see that the younger generation is carrying on
some of the traditions I remember from the 60's.  Yes, NI3
*IS* real unstable when it unhydrates, so watch it.  I'm
surprised that no one mentioned the best way to increase
your yield, limited by the low solubility of iodine in water.
Iodine is much more soluble in a solution of KI (or NaI, etc),
so add the I2 crystals to a weak KI solution first, then add the NH4OH.
Keep the precipitate moist until you're ready to use it.
We used to have a lot of fun dabbing a little bit into somebody's
door lock.  They'd insert the key, and be greeted with a sharp
crack and a purple cloud.  Ahhh, days of my youth.
-- 
                    *** ***
JE MAINTIENDRAI   ***** *****
                 ****** ******  13 Mar 85 [23 Ventose An CXCIII]
ken perlow       *****   *****
(312)979-7188     ** ** ** **
..ihnp4!iwsl8!ken   *** ***

I remember Nitrogen Tri-iodide well.  Haven't made it in many years.  I agree
with the idea of using a KI solution to increase yield but, be careful.

I was a chemistry lab assistant a few years back in high school.  I mixed up
a 500 ml batch of the stuff after school one day, intending to quickly separate
it into much smaller quantities while still safely in solution.  I was called
away for a phone call and forced to leave it, well soaked I thought, in
a ventilation cabinet when someone found me to tell me of a phone call.  I
expected a short delay but was detained a couple of hours.  Fortunately I
left the lab locked because my creation decided to explode, destroying a number
of windowed cabinet doors and a ventilation hood, along with various glassware.
Smelled terribly and lots of purple smoke.  Needless to say, I was trasnferred
to math assistant for the remainder of the year.

My more recent explosive hobbies have had to be more make-do (no more chemistry
assistantships) but are still quite fun.  I try to avoid destroying anything 
valuable (cabinets, labs, me).

Peter R Badovinatz                    ARPA:  BADOVINATZ@UTAH-20
Univ of Utah CS Dept                  UUCP:  utah-cs!badovin

Does anyone know an "easy" way to make Nitrogen Tri-iodide?  

I have yet to find a nice simple method that can be
implemented in any dorm.

Thanks.

Dan "UCB is getting might quiet...too quiet..." Lieman

 

> Iodine is much more soluble in a solution of KI (or NaI, etc),
> so add the I2 crystals to a weak KI solution first, then add the NH4OH.
> Keep the precipitate moist until you're ready to use it.

I had forgotten this addition, and couldn't remember what is was.  As a
kid, I had NaI as a medicine (ack!).  I kept trying to make this
tri nitro iodide stuff and I could never get it to dissolve well.  Any
way, someone said to use NaI, so I did.  It worked.  However, when it
was about dry, I poured the semi-moist crystals onto some filter paper.
Since it didn't pour too well, I gave a minute tap with my little
finger.  Needless to say, It went off (Since none of the other methods I
tried ever worked, I had fewer precautions then necessary).  The little
pieces of the plastic bottle missed me, however, my face was completely
black.  I thought I had gone blind until I took my glasses off.  This
gave me the appearance of something out of Gilligan's Island.  My
brother ran out and while I was sitting there in a daze, he started
laughing (some brother huh?).  Anyway, It took a while to clean my face
off, and even then there were little bits of crystals embedded that took
a week to get rid of.  The moral is:  never expirement by yourselves
without knowing what will happen (I thought it was supposed to give
little pops).  Had I made a little more, I suppose my brother would have
had to find a convenient story to tell my parent's.

Oh well, just had to say something....

  Darin Johnson.

....  Sorry.  No it wasn't NaI that I had as a medicine it was KI.  My
apologies to those of you who lost their appetite when they thought I
was taking NaI.

> Since it didn't pour too well, I gave a minute tap with my little
> finger.  Needless to say, It went off (Since none of the other methods I
> tried ever worked, I had fewer precautions then necessary).  The little
> pieces of the plastic bottle missed me, however, my face was completely
> black.  I thought I had gone blind until I took my glasses off.  This
> gave me the appearance of something out of Gilligan's Island.  My
> brother ran out and while I was sitting there in a daze, he started
> laughing (some brother huh?).  Anyway, It took a while to clean my face
> off, and even then there were little bits of crystals embedded that took
> a week to get rid of.  The moral is:  never expirement by yourselves
> without knowing what will happen (I thought it was supposed to give
> little pops).  Had I made a little more, I suppose my brother would have
> had to find a convenient story to tell my parent's.
> 
> Oh well, just had to say something....
> 
>   Darin Johnson.

a couple months ago, we whipped up a "significant" batch of the stuff (enough
to take out a house I'd imagine) and put it in a cyclohexane solution.
Unfortunately, we had second thoughts about that an hour or two later because
we started worrying that it might be the actual -OH ions that keep the
stuff stable (present in larger quantities in H2O than C6H12!) and had a
"horrible" few moments with the "defusing".  Does anyone out there know for
a fact whether this is true or not?  If NI3 is stable in a non -OH bearing
solution like cyclohexane, that would be wonderful since it decomposes in
most polar liquids.  Cyclohexane has many properties which would make it the
perfect solvent for NI3.  Its nonpolar, low density, low boiling point,
etc...

speaking of NI3 experiments, we discovered a while back how annoying it was
to get even the tiniest amounts on the soles of your shoes... ouch!

-eli
-- 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eli Liang  ---
        University of Maryland Computer Vision Lab, (301) 454-4526
        ARPA: liang@cvl, liang@lemuria, eli@mit-mc, eli@mit-prep
        CSNET: liang@cvl  UUCP: {seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!cvl!liang

Does anyone know where one could typically buy crystalline iodine?  I
asked at a couple of drugstores, but they only sold it in a tincture.
-- 
Jeff Sonntag
ihnp4!mhuxt!js2j
    "Parts is parts."-Jack the Ripper

CHEM-LAB SUPPLIES,13814 Inglewood Avenue,Hawthorne California 90250,213-973-2391

They have USP iodine crystals at $4.00/1oz,$8.50/4oz and $27.50/16oz with a five
pound limit.  

- Phil

I though I would share a similar story for other people with similar
interests. When I was in 10th grade I was at the peak of my diddling
with combustables. My latest thing was Potasium Chlorate and Red
Phosphorus. It was really great in small quantities. One day (while
the rest of my family was on vacation) I decided to mix up a big batch.
I made it in an 8" x 1" Pyrex test tube (about 3/4 full). I took some
extra effort to grind the KO3 extra fine so it would give more of a
bang instead of a PUFF. I was holding the test tube in my left hand, mixing
the contents by spinning the test tube when it went off. I was not wearing
my glasses (or safety glasses) at time. I was blinded and stunned for a
while. Fortunately I did not pass out. I ran out side and yelled for help.
The whole block heard the WUMP when it went off. I lost sight in my right
eye, my left index finger, and my interest in chemistry. I am still carrying
pieces of Pyrex test tube around. Glass being an innert substance is not
rejected by the body. I heard later while I was in the hospitol that a
piece of glass had gone through a cold water pipe nearby. I am lucky to
be alive. For those of you who have not yet been bitten: 1) SMALL batches
2) SAFETY GLASSES, and most importantly 3) QUIT while you still have all
the parts you were born with.
  I toyed with Iodine/Amonia copmbinations before. I always strained it
out onto filter paper to dry overnight. The next day I always found a
chared piece of filter paper.

John Milton
 

The article by John Milton regarding the loss of his eye and other
important parts should be taken to heart by anyone even remotely
interested in "Blowing Things Up". At the peak of my experiments
with such things, the worst that happen was a rocket through my
parents' picture window. I have heard of many cases such as John's.
Pyrotechnics is an art and science which can have serious side effects.
The best advice I can give anyone is to know what you are going.
Go to the library and research the subject along with a good dose
of chemistry. The most important thing is not `knowing what to mix'.
But, `knowing what NOT to mix' since certain combinations are
unstable, and not used even in commercial situations.
Trying to get more bang for the buck is dangerous at best.

		Better Safe Than Sorry - Werner B. hou4a!wb