Get a small plastic container with lid (we used the small plastic cans that hold the coasters
used for large-format Polaroid film). A film canister would probably work; the key is, it
should seal tightly and take a fair amount of effort to open). Place a chunk of dry ice
in the can, put on the lid without quite sealing it. Put the assembled bomb in your
pocket, or behind your back. Approach the mark and engage in normal conversation.
When his attention is drawn away, quickly seal the lid on the bomb, deposit it
somewhere within a few feet of the mark, out of obvious sight, then leave. Depending
on variables (you'll want to experiment first), you'll hear a loud "pop" and an even
louder "Aarrgghhh!" within a minute, when the COý pressure becomes sufficient to
blow off the lid. In a cluttered lab, this is doubly nasty because the mark will probably
never figure out what made the noise.
Put 2-3 inches of water in a 2-liter plastic pop bottle. Put in as many chunks of dry ice as
possible before the smoke gets too thick. Screw on the cap, place in an appropriate
area, and run like hell. After about a minute (your mileage may vary), a huge explosion
will result, spraying water everywhere, along with what's left of the 2-liter bottle.
More things to do with Dry Ice:
Has anyone ever thrown dry ice into a public pool? As long as you chuck it into the bottom
of the deep end, it's safe, and it's really impressive if the water is warm enough
"Fun stuff. It SCREAMS when it comes into contact with metal..."
"You can safely hold a small piece of dry ice in your mouth if you
KEEP IT MOVING CONSTANTLY. It looks like you're smoking or on fire."
Editor's Note: Dry ice can be a lot of fun, but be forewarned:
Using anything but plastic to contain dry ice bombs is suicidal. Dry ice is more dangerous
than TNT, because it's extremely unpredictable. Even a 2-liter bottle can produce some
nasty shrapnel: One source tells me that he caused an explosion with a 2-liter bottle that
destroyed a metal garbage can. In addition, it is rumored that several kids have been killed
by shards of glass resulting from the use of a glass bottle. For some reason, dry ice bombs
have become very popular in the state of Utah. As a result, dry ice bombs have been
classified as infernal devices, and possession is a criminal offense.
2 05.Fuses / Ignitors / Delays by Exodus
There are many ways to ignite explosive devices. There is the classic "light the fuse, throw
the bomb, and run" approach, and there are sensitive mercury switches, and many things in
between. Generally, electrical detonation systems are safer than fuses, but there are
times when fuses are more appropriate than electrical systems; it is difficult to carry an
electrical detonation system into a stadium, for instance, without being caught. A device
with a fuse or impact detonating fuze would be easier to hide.
FUSE IGNITION
The oldest form of explosive ignition, fuses are perhaps the favorite type of simple
ignition system. By simply placing a piece of waterproof fuse in a device, one can have
almost guaranteed ignition. Modern waterproof fuse is extremely reliable, burning at a
rate of about 2« seconds to the inch. It is available as model rocketry fuse in most hobby
shops, and costs about $3.00 for a nine-foot length. Cannon Fuse is a popular ignition
system for pipe bombers because of its simplicity. All that need be done is light it with a
match or lighter. Of course, if the Army had fuses like this, then the grenade, which uses
fuse ignition, would be very impractical. If a grenade ignition system can be acquired, by
all means, it is the most effective. But, since such things do not just float around, the next
best thing is to prepare a fuse system which does not require the use of a match or
lighter, but still retains its simplicity. One such method is described below:
MATERIALS:
Strike-on-Cover type Matches
Electrical Tape -or- Duct Tape
Waterproof Fuse
To determine the burn rate of a particular type of fuse, simply measure a 6 inch or longer
piece of fuse and ignite it. With a stopwatch, press the start button the at the instant
when the fuse lights, and stop the watch when the fuse reaches its end. Divide the
time of burn by the length of fuse, and you have the burn rate of the fuse, in seconds
per inch. This will be shown below:
Suppose an eight inch piece of fuse is burned, and its complete time of combustion is 20
seconds.
20 seconds / 8 inches = 2« seconds per inch.
If a delay of 10 seconds was desired with this fuse, divide the desired time by the number
of seconds per inch:
10 seconds / 2« seconds per inch = 4 inches
NOTE: THE LENGTH OF FUSE HERE MEANS LENGTH OF FUSE TO THE POWDER.
SOME FUSE, AT LEAST AN INCH, SHOULD BE INSIDE THE DEVICE. ALWAYS ADD
THIS EXTRA INCH, AND PUT THIS EXTRA INCH AN INCH INTO THE DEVICE! !
After deciding how long a delay is desired before the explosive device is to go off, add
about « an inch to the premeasured amount of fuse, and cut it off.
Carefully remove the cardboard matches from the paper match case. Do not pull off
individual matches; keep all the matches attached to the cardboard base. Take one of
the cardboard match sections, and leave the other one to make a second igniter.
Wrap the matches around the end of the fuse, with the heads of the matches touching the
very end of the fuse. Tape them there securely, making sure not to put tape over the
match heads. Make sure they are very secure by pulling on them at the base of the
assembly. They should not be able to move.
Wrap the cover of the matches around the matches attached to the fuse, making sure
that the striker paper is below the match heads and the striker faces the match
heads. Tape the paper so that is fairly tight around the matches. Do not tape the cover
of the striker to the fuse or to the matches. Leave enough of the match book to pull on
for ignition.
_____________________
\ /
\ / ------ match book cover
\ /
| M|f|M ---|------- match head
| A|u|A |
| T|s|T |
| C|e|C |
|tapeH|.|Htape|
| |f| |
|#####|u|#####|-------- striking paper
|#####|s|#####|
\ |e| /
\ |.| /
\ |f| /
\ |u| /
|ta|s|pe|
|ta|e|pe|
|.|
|.|
|_|
The match book is wrapped around the matches, and is taped to itself. The matches are
taped to the fuse. The striker will rub against the matcheads when the match book is
pulled.
When ready to use, simply pull on the match paper. It should pull the striking paper across
the match heads with enough friction to light them. In turn, the burning matcheads
will light the fuse, since it adjacent to the burning match heads.
HOW TO MAKE BLACKMATCH FUSE:
Take a flat piece of plastic or metal (brass or aluminum are easy to work with and won't
rust). Drill a 1/16th inch hole through it. This is your die for sizing the fuse. You can make
fuses as big as you want, but this is the right size for the pipe bomb I will be getting to
later.
To about « cup of black powder add water to make a thin paste. Add « teaspoon of corn
starch. Cut some one foot lengths of cotton thread. Use cotton, not silk or thread made
from synthetic fibers. Put these together until you have a thickness that fills the hole in
the die but can be drawn through very easily.
Tie your bundle of threads together at one end. Separate the threads and hold the bundle
over the black powder mixture. Lower the threads with a circular motion so they start
curling onto the mixture. Press them under with the back of a teaspoon and continue
lowering them so they coil into the paste. Take the end you are holding and thread it
through the die. Pull it through smoothly in one long motion.
To dry your fuse, lay it on a piece of aluminum foil and bake it in your 250ø oven or tie it
to a grill in the oven and let it hang down. The fuse must be baked to make it stiff enough
for the uses it will be put to later. Air drying will not do the job. If you used Sodium
Nitrate, it will not even dry completely at room temperatures.
Cut the dry fuse with scissors into 2 inch lengths and store in an air tight container.
Handle this fuse carefully to avoid breaking it. You can also use a firecracker fuse if you
have any available. The fuses can usually be pulled out without breaking. To give yourself
some running time, you will be extending these fuses (blackmatch or firecracker fuse) with
sulfured wick.
Finally, it is possible to make a relatively slow-burning fuse in the home. By dissolving about
one teaspoon of black powder in about 1/4 a cup of boiling water, and, while it is still hot,
soaking in it a long piece of all cotton string, a slow-burning fuse can be made. After the
soaked string dries, it must then be tied to the fuse of an explosive device. Sometimes,
the end of the slow burning fuse that meets the normal fuse has a charge of black powder
or gunpowder at the intersection point to insure ignition, since the slow-burning fuse does
not burn at a very high temperature.
A similar type of slow fuse can be made by taking the above mixture of boiling water and
black powder and pouring it on a long piece of toilet paper. The wet toilet paper is then
gently twisted up so that it resembles a firecracker fuse, and is allowed to dry.
HOW TO MAKE SULFURED WICK
Use heavy cotton string about 1/8th inch in diameter. You can find some at a garden supply
for tying up your tomatoes. Be sure it's cotton. You can test it by lighting one end. It
should continue to burn after the match is removed and when blown out will have a
smoldering coal on the end. Put some sulfur in a small container like a small pie pan and
melt it in the oven at 250ø.
It will melt into a transparent yellow liquid. If it starts turning brown, it is too hot. Coil
about a one foot length of string into it. The melted sulfur will soak in quickly. When
saturated, pull it out and tie it up to cool and harden.
It can be cut to desired lengths with scissors. 2 inches is about right. These wicks will
burn slowly with a blue flame and do not blow out easily in a moderate wind. They will not
burn through a hole in a metal pipe, but are great for extending your other fuse. They will
not throw off sparks. Blackmatch generates sparks which can ignite it along its length
causing unpredictable burning times.
---IMPACT IGNITION---
Impact ignition is an excellent method of ignition for spontaneous terrorist activities. The
problem with an impact-detonating device is that it must be kept in a very safe container
so that it will not explode while being transported to the place where it is to be used. This
can be done by having a removable impact initiator.
The best and most reliable impact initiator is one that uses factory made initiators or
primers. A No. 11 cap for black powder firearms is one such primer. They usually come in
boxes of 100, and cost about $2«0. To use such a cap, however, one needs a nipple that it
will fit on. Black powder nipples are also available in gun stores. All that a person has to do
is ask for a package of nipples and the caps that fit them. Nipples have a hole that goes all
the way through them, and they have a threaded end, and an end to put the cap on. A
cutaway of a nipple is shown below:
________________
| |
_ | |
| | |/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\|
_______| |^^^^^^^|
| ___________|
| |
No. 11 |_______|
percussion _______ ------- Threads for screwing
cap :
here |__________ nipple onto bomb
|____ |
| |^^^^^^^^^|
|_| |/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/|
| |
|_________________|
When making using this type of initiator, a hole must be drilled into whatever container is
used to make the bomb out of. The nipple is then screwed into the hole so that it fits
tightly. Then, the cap can be carried and placed on the bomb when it is to be thrown. The
cap should be bent a small amount before it is placed on the nipple, to make sure that it
stays in place. The only other problem involved with an impact detonating bomb is that it
must strike a hard surface on the nipple to set it off. By attaching fins or a small
parachute on the end of the bomb opposite the primer, the bomb, when thrown, should
strike the ground on the primer, and explode. Of course, a bomb with mercury fulminate in
each end will go off on impact regardless of which end it strikes on, but mercury fulminate
is also likely to go off if the person carrying the bomb is bumped hard.
---MAGICUBE IGNITOR---
A VERY SENSITIVE and reliable impact initiator can be produced from the common