The Difference Duct Tape Makes..... Or How I Learned to Love the Bomb

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I've been investigating pyrotechnics for purely entertainment purposes. After going through a few concoctions I've decided that flash powder is best, both in terms of report and the accompanying flash.

So, you need:

Aluminium blackhead powder - fine mesh
potassium perchlorate - fine powdered. (PLEASE - Don't use potassium chlorate - very unstable)
1 second fuse - chinese fuse is spot on.
Digital scales
small container (for now)
duct tape

So, I was doing a demo for the MSG on pyros, I made 2 versions to show the difference a little duct tape makes.

First one,
- Measure out 3 grams alu and place it on a sheet of paper
- measure out 7 grams of potassium perchlorate and add this to the paper.
- fold the paper in half, and "swill" the two powders together. Be careful not to spill any or get too much on your skin.
- make a hole big enough to get the powder and fuse in the container
- Carefully pour the mixture into the container. I used a childs ball pit ball - as I've got hundreds of the things.
- poke plenty of fuse in through the hole

Then go and put it in a safe place, making sure you're not going to damage anything. It's not my fault if you don't use common sense and hurt yourself.

Light the fuse and step back.

The result? You get a nice spray / fountain of sparks, but that's about it unfortunately.

Second one,
Repeat the steps above, but when you have the fuse in place, wrap the ball in duct tape, making sure the surface is completely covered.

Again, put it somewhere away from everything. This stuff isn't for children or idiots - so take the necessary precautions. If you don't know what they are then you shouldn't be attempting this.

So, light the fuse, and stand well back. further than you did last time.

What happens? One hell of a loud explosion - enough so that you can feel a blast wave at about 15 / 20 foot. AND - it scare the living daylights out of your neighbors.

So, ten grams is quite a small amount. I've not attempted any more than that, as to be honest I think doubling the weight and setting it off would probably give enough of a shockwave to take my fence down (I've only got a little garden).

25 grams of the mixture set off, without the compression of a container, will explode due to the pressure exerted on it just from the air.

100 grams? Doesn't bear thinking about.

Hobbyist pyrotechnics is completely legal, as long as you are not storing the combined chemicals (it'd be pretty stupid anyway) and don't make more than 100 grams.

BE SAFE