Inexperienced- Please Advise

[Ericm115]

Ok well, everyone has to start somewhere. I am very new to all this and am getting tired of blackpowder. I want to make something new, stronger than blackpowder but not anything that cant be detonated by enough force or just flame. After reading megalomania's site, I am too scared to make a peroxide as he recommended against it for beginners. What would you recommend that ISN'T very shock sensitive and doesnt need a separate chemical to detonate it. Thanks.

[Ericm115]

Before I get flamed - I realize that fenris just posted a topic like mine in the High Explosives section. I am askin the same question as him, but I am looking for low explosives - thats the only difference. Thanks.

[zaibatsu]

I'd stick to BP, why do you need anything more powerful? If its just for crackers etc, then you should be fine with BP. Other LE's are white gunpowder, Chlorate flash, perchlorate flash, permanganate flash and many more. If you're making your BP right then it should be fine, however because you are disappointed with it, or rather want to move on, maybe you aren't making it well enough? Just some things to consider.

I best just add that chlorate flash, white gunpowder and definately permanganate flash are all unpredictable.

[Ericm115]

ok thanks - Ill mess around with flash powders for a while. Ive done some searching, but all I can find is that perchlorates are safer than chlorates and I think I read that sulpher makes it more shock sensitive. In your opinion, what is the LEAST shock sensitive flash powder? Thanks.

[CyclonitePyro]

I've been at your stage, and my next move was flash, I make 70/30, KCLO4/400mesh german dark AL.
I've never had an accident with this and it is not sensitive, probably the most insensitive flash. Sulfer does nothing to falsh except for making it more unstable.
The only reason I could see for not making this kind of flash would be unavailable chems.
If you were thrilled with bp salutes, you jaw will drop when you begin to experiment.

[Ericm115]

This helps allot - Thanks!

[Mr Cool]

If you can get FINE zinc powder (10um or less), then 65% zinc, 35% sulphur is very fast burning when loose. Makes an intense green fireball and a thick cloud of smoke. Thermite with Al and CuO is also very fast burning, but good BP is probably better.
KMnO4/Al is fine if you don't store it for long and you don't get it dirty. It burns very fast. Fine zinc powder can also be used. I think from BP you should progress to H-3 (70% KClO3, 30% charcoal, and a little bit of dextrin or cornflour as a binder). This is much faster than BP. Mill the ingredients seperately, then mix them by hand NOT IN A MILL!! Add a few mL of boiling water per 100 grams of H-3 and knead it in. When it's cold you should be able to push it through a seive to corn it, and then let it dry.

What chemicals can you get?

[Ericm115]

CyclonitePyro - will German Dark AL #600 mesh work? By the Way, what do the numbers like #400 and #600 mean?

[PHILOU Zrealone]

The higher the mesh number is the smaller the particle size, thus the best and the fastest burning rate!

S does add something to the flash powder....it creates some permanent gases SO2!

------------------
"Life that deadly disease sexually transmitted".
"Chemistry is all what stinks and explode; Physic is all what never works! ;-p :-) :o)"

[Donutty]

Here's a video of one of my KMNO4 / Paint grade al flash crackers. It's made in my favourite way - the triangle cracker style.

http://donuttyfiles.50megs.com/vids/

The video is called 'ppcracker.zip'

------------------
...AAGH! It Burns!...