                       Introduction to explosives:
                       ===========================
Editted/rewritten\revised by QUiCK DeFRoST
Desc: Some C00L explosives reciepes...
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                           EXPLOSIVE TYPES
                           ---------------

Basically, there are two types - low and high. The low explosives are
chemical compounds such as black powder, flash powder, match head
powder, etc. These compounds do not necessarily explode but have more
of a burning characteristic. They will propagate into an explosion
when confined in a solid container such as a "pipe-bomb" so the gases
they produce can expand forcefully instead of burning away in the open
air. Black powder for instance detonates at about 300 meters per
second, which roughly means if you make a "train" or line of it 300
meters long, and detonate it with a blasting cap at one end of the
train, the chain reaction and decomposition of the whole train will
take one second. And black powder releases about 12000 PSI when confined
in nominal 2" water pipe with a wall thickness of 1/8" and detonated
with a No. 8 blasting cap (this is a standard size blasting cap that
coal miners and the military uses). Notice I said that it must be
detonated. You cannot just stick a wick in the pipe and light it because
more that likely it will only burn and make a big fire. I will talk more
about detonation later. 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) detonates at about
7400 meters per second when cast loaded into a container. TNT is a high
explosive and its subsequential confinement in a container is not as
important as with low explosives. High explosives are chemical compounds
that will explode regardless of containment. You could lay a big pile
of TNT on the ground, lay a blasting cap on top of it, light the wick,
and the whole mess will still explode. High explosives undergo a
chemical reaction of decomposition in less that a millionth of a second.
All of the energy is released instantaneously. Low explosives, such as
black powder have more of a burning characteristic. High explosives not
only detonate much quicker, but also release more energy. TNT releases
about 4.24 million PSI and the military explosive C-4 releases about 5.7
million PSI and detonates at 8100 meters per second!


                              DETONATION
                              ----------
Most high explosives are not capable of detonating without being set off
or initiated with another explosion. This is done with the help of those
neat little goodies called blasting caps. They contain medium to high
explosives also, but their chemical composition(s) are unstable and will
detonate when fire or spark is introduced to them. 
Well, blasting cap materials are VERY sensitive to shock, friction, etc.
and are also not as efficient as regular high explosives.
Anyway, the blasting cap is usually placed in the high explosive in a
well dug in the high explosive. An example would be like this in a pipe bomb:

                                     _______ Blasting cap

                                    /

                               !-- * --!

                               !   *   !

                               !       !_____ Pipe bomb

                               !       !

                                                                                                     3
                               !       !

                               !-------!



When the cap is detonated, the explosive wave it generates is directed
downward and detonates the high explosive in a "chain reaction".
This is why the bottom of the explosive container should be placed on
the target. The peak of the propagated explosive wave will be at the
bottom of the explosive charge...

At any rate, I do not suggest that one attempts to manufacture blasting
caps without knowledge in explosive handling safety and also the proper
laboratory procedures when making the blasting cap explosive itself.
I have made over 300 blasting caps without an accident. I also take very
careful precautions before assembling the caps and I have a properly
equipped laboratory to synthesize the explosive material. I always work
in a controlled environment with accurate measuring equipment for any
explosive experiment I partake in. It is necessary to work under a lab
fume hood to vent any toxic gases produced during experiments. It is also
a good idea to ground yourself and your work area so static electricity
doesn't wreak havoc and blow your chemical up in your face.


IT IS GOSPEL TO FOLLOW DIRECTIONS WHEN DOING ANY EXPERIMENT. ESPECIALLY
WITH EXPLOSIVES. Outline your explosive production procedure before
proceeding with any experiment.


                        MAIN EXPLOSIVE CHARGE
                        ---------------------

This is the big working explosive. The one that does the big damage.
It should be handled with the same precautions as blasting caps, but
in many cases, can be as safe as handling fertilizer.
Some examples of common high explosives are ditching dynamite, gelatin
dynamite, ANFO (ammonium nitrate fertilizer/fuel oil), TNT, PETN, RDX,
military plastics, and even smokeless powder.
These explosives are easily made in some cases, and very dangerous.
It goes the same for the main charge; if one doesn't have access to the
necessary chemicals, one can improvise. For instance the smokeless
powders available from gunsmith's and reloading shops contain high-
explosives such as nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine. They are called
double based propellants. An example is made by Hercules Powder co.
called "Bullseye" pistol propellant. It contains:

 48% Nitroglycerine
 50% Nitrocellulose
 2% Flash suppressants, stabilizers, etc.



It will detonate at about 7200 meters/sec. when firmly packed in 2 inch
wide, schedule 40 hardened steel pipe. It detonates with 2,000,000 PSI
also. This should suffice for many operations.
I myself placed 1 1/2 pounds of the powder in a three pound coffee can
and detonated it with an M-80 firecracker and it left a ditch in hard
packed clay-soil about 2 feet deep and 3 feet wide! It was simply placed
on the ground with the bottom of the can down. The blast was plainly
heard indoors 1 mile away! Please if you attempt such a blast, make sure
you give yourself ample time to get at least 300 yards away and don't
detonate it near any buildings within 50-75 yards because the air-blast
will possibly crack their windows. I usually use a lit cigarette placed
on the fuse of the cap or firecracker. This will give you about 10 min.
delay depending on the temperature and wind conditions. Packing the
cigarette will give a longer delay.
Another good explosive, if you prefer a liquid explosive is a mixture of
Nitromethane and amine based compounds such as aniline, ethylenediamine,
and for anyone that can't obtain the above chemicals, regular household
ammonia will work as long as it is the clear non-detergent brand.
The Nitromethane can be had from any "speed-shop" or race car parts
supplier. It usually runs about $20 to $30 bucks a gallon. Simply mix the
two liquids: 96% nitromethane and 4% ammonia (by weight). This explosive
has the disadvantage of being somewhat insensitive. You need at least
a No. 8 blasting cap to detonate it. It only need be confined in any kind
of capped bottle and the blasting cap inserted in the neck. The blasting
cap should be dipped in wax before immersion in the liquid explosive.
Some Nitromethane manufactures add a indicator dye that turns purple when
the liquid becomes dangerously explosive. So, when you mix your ammonia
with the Nitromethane and the solution turns purple, you know that you
have done well!
============================================================================

                 OBTAINING CHEMICALS AND LAB WARE
                 --------------------------------


Getting your chemicals and lab ware can present a problem in some cases.
In order to order laboratory chemicals, one must be a company, or
try to prove that you are a company. Most suppliers don't like to sell
to individuals in fear of clandestine drug and explosive manufacture.
Those same companies also can be fooled easily with homemade letterhead
also. For those of you with laser printers, the sky is the limit. If
you don't have a laser printer, you should visit your local print shop.
First, simply call the chemical companies and request for a catalog.
You must get on the phone and say something on the order of:
"Hello...this is C.B.G. Water Treatment Corp., may I speak to sales
please? I would like to order your most recent catalog..."
When you get catalogs from different companies, compare their prices
and shipping charges. Make sure you don't order a set of chemicals
where it is obvious you are making something you don't want them to know
you are making. A suspicious order would be Nitric & Sulfuric acid and
glycerine. This would be obvious that you are going to produce nitro-
glycerine. Spread out your orders and orders between companies. Also
be careful of watched chemicals. The drug enforcement agency watches
certain orders for certain chemicals. They usually say something on the
order of under the listing of the chemical entry in the catalog "only
sold to established institutions." It just so happens that certain
explosive synthesis requires the chemicals as some illicit drug
production.

Go to your local library in the reference section. Get the THOMAS REGISTER
It is a set of books that list addresses of industrial suppliers. Look
under chemicals for addresses.

I do know of one company called Emerald City Chemical in Washington.
They only require that you be at least 18 years of age. No letterhead
necessary.

I suggest staying away from Fisher Scientific, Seargent Welch, Sigma &
Aldrich Chemical companies because they are either expensive, only sell
to schools, or watch for illegal or suspicious chemical orders. I noticed
that a lot of you phreaks out there live in New York; so stay away from
City Chemical Co. I was informed that they closely watch their customers
also.

Don't make some letterhead for Jo Blow's Sewing Machine Repair and order
complicated chemicals like 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, bis-2-
ethylhexy-diadipate, 3,4-diaminofurazain, or pharmecitucal type chemicals
or any kind of chemical that looks like a foreign language. It looks
VERY suspicious and your address will be forwarded to your local FBI or
DEA office pronto. Nowadays you really got to watch what you order
thanks to our bleeding heart liberals worrying about kids blowing their
hands off trying to make firecrackers, or folks making controlled drugs in
their basement...



