making torpedoes (impact sensitive fireworks)

[51K]

I have been working on making torpedoes for some time now with varying success. I would
guess someone here could point me in the right direction.

I am working with potassium chlorate and antimony trisulfide in a 2 to 1 mix ratio although
I have tried upping the chlorate a bit with no additional success.

I first tried a dry mix of 2 to 1 chlorate to antimony. The chlorate was screened and the antimony
was 325 mesh dark pyro grade. Built several torpedoes from those small cardboard pyramid
shaped cones that you grow seedlings in that were folded over and taped shut by dry mixing
diaper method and then putting small scoop (2 asprin sized) mix in cardboard box with small scoop fishtank gravel and taping shut. On throwing against hard surface I was getting about 50%
pop rate and those that did pop were really weak. I then doubled the dry mix volume and got
the same pop rate with slightly louder noise but in no case a loud bang. I then tested the dry
mix on a anvil with a hammer and was suprised to find it would regularly take multiple hammer
strikes to get it to pop but when it would go it would make a very high pitch crack, substantially
louder than any of the test torpedoes.

I came to the conclusion that dry mixing was not complete enough and tried wet mixing the
two using water. That resulted in a dried mass that looked like salt and pepper mix and was
obviously not well mixed despite very thorough mixing while wet. The water wet mix comp when
dried would also not bang even after multiple strikes between hammer and anvil.

Then I tried wet mixing with isopropyl alcohol. This worked substantially better. I poured the chlorate in a bowl and added the alcohol and when I added the antimony, it all flowed into a
satiny homogenous mix. I poured it out in m&m sized little blobs to dry and those bang very
well after drying between the hammer and anvil with a nice high pitch crack. Problem was that
some of the blobs cracked apart after drying and you could see little pieces of white chlorate
bits that were clearly not dissolved into the mix. This method will also not always bang with the
first hit between the hammer and anvil. Sometimes it takes three whacks of the hammer to get
it off. I made some torpedoes from this wet mix process by putting the gravel in the cardboard
'shell' and drizzling the wet mix components over the gravel and letting it dry with the comp
completely coating the gravel. I had three of these go bang on throwing and two did not and I
am talking a good speed of throw onto concrete.

I also tried using vodka as a wet mix solvent with the same results as the rubbing alcohol.

I had thought of using acetone as a solvent but I am weak on chemistry and was not sure if the
acetone will react forming things other than a good homogenous mix of the chlorate and
antimony.

I am thinking of adding some sulpher to the mix to add sensitivity. The problem in my opinion
is that the mix is not reliable in terms of ignition and when it does go bang in a torpedo it is
not the same high pitch crack as when it was between the hammer and anvil.

Maybe someone who has whipped up better torpedoes has some suggestions? I am trying to
get it to bang more reliably and sound louder without having to pile in 4 or 5 grams of mix to
have them sound good. While I am not against large volumes of comp, I am more looking
to make the mix better. I am also seeking to avoid red phosphorous as an ingredient although
I can get it if that is the best/only way to get good torpedoes.

[Bert]

The Sulfur will increase impact sensitivity a bit. A bit of Manganese
dioxide or even Iron oxide will help by catalyzing the decomposition
of the chlorate.

Commercially, these were made with similar mixes for larger
torpedoes designed to be thrown hard... A good STRONG case
and shooting the torpedoes from a slingshot against a hard
surface may surprise you. Wear your safety glasses!
Take your old BB gun without any BB or pellet. Load
a strike anywhere match into it, with the striking tip
nearest the muzzle. Go shoot a brick or cement wall
from about 20' away... The crack you hear will be like
that a small torpedo with chlorate/Antimony sulfide mix
can provide.

Mixes with chlorate and red Phosphorous or Arsenic sulfide are
MUCH more sensitive, I recommend you NOT try them... I know
people who can't count to ten without taking their shoes off
anymore because they did. Silver fulminate is what's in those
tiny little snappers. Making the fulminate is an art, handling
it afterwards is damn risky.

[Rat Bastard]

I just know someone is going to request this particular method, so here it is; United Nuclear's torpedo making (backup of what was taken down):
LINK DELETED

[Jackal919]

Here's a way I give my torpedos a bigger bang.

You need:
-a torpedo
-sawdust
-sodium silicate or a white glue or epoxy
-something to stir with
-a bowl or a plate to mix on

1.Make a mixture 50/50 mixture of sawdust and sodium silicate or a white glue or epoxy. It should look similiar to wet oatmeal when mixed properly. You should have about 1 tablespoon of this mixture to each torpedo.

2.Take this mixture and mold it on the torpedo so it makes a ball like shape. Make sure you don't apply the mixture too heavly as it could make it very hard to set off. You may want to wear gloves when doing this.

3. Let it dry for 24 hours.

[EP]

I've had good success with the method on UN, the 50/50 ratio should work much better for you, I've never had it not go off in a torpedo with a decent throw (or even a gentle one!) Here is my page showing them:

http://krimzonpyro.com/ep/projectsdevicesdir/impactbomb.html

Wrapping in tape is a simpler (although less effective) way of making them louder without doing all that sawdust stuff.

[NickSG]

I definatly agree with EP. Increasing the amount of fuel actually makes it quite a bit more powerful, while seeming to make it more sensitive. The plugs sold by most companies for making torpedo like devices are usually too thin, so a few layers of electrical tape is recommended.

If you are really risky, grind up the "flint" part of magnesium firestarters and add a few percent to the mix. Im against it, but if you are careful enough you should pull it off just fine.

Stay safe, and always take extra precautions.

[51K]

I am trying to avoid a substance encrusted container if it will up the shrapnel possibility. Maybe
a heavier walled casing will help. It also seems a 50/50 mix may work better (?). It seems most
of the instructions include dry mixing ingredients. From those who have had hands on this mix,
have you ever had good results with dry mixing? I was thinking my less than glowing results
were due to not mixing the two components well enough and that is why the aim at wet mixing
but maybe with a bit of sulpher and dry mix and in a heavier walled casing(?) I am open to any
suggestions.

[nbk2000]

Dudes, whatever you're using for typing up your posts, stop using it.

Having your
text
wrapping around
like
this is highly annoying.

So is having
it come up
in fixed
length blocks
that don't
fill the width
of the window.

Either type your reply in the "Reply" window online, or use notepad offline. Using any kind of word processing program that fixes the line length is annoying.

Resume normal program.

[EP]

I've always used dry mixing with no problems at all. Screen each powder seperately to get out any lumps and just diaper mix the two together for a while.

[51K]

I built another test batch of torpedoes. I got some plastic golf balls that were hollow and had nice heavy wall thickness. I cut them in half leaving just a tab still attaching the two halves. I filled both halves with the gravel and then wet mixed the comp using the rubbing alcohol. Each pair got approximately 4 grams of comp, 2 to 1 by weight. The comp was drizzled wet over the rocks in the plastic shell halves. I then let them mostly dry and then squeezed the halves to break up the comp into a bunch of wet granulated rock and comp mix so that upon final dry they would not form two solid clumps, one on each side, but rather a bunch of small comp encrusted rocks. After they were dry I closed the halves and wrapped with several layers of electrical tape. Drove out to the sticks and tossed one against a solid wood surface. BOOM! :eek: :D Very nice high pitched crack and lots of it. I considered it very comperable to a aluminum/perchlorate flash mix filled film can. I was WAY impressed. The other two were dropped off a small drop and they both detonated with the same fantastic results. I think this particular mix needed to well coat the rocks and have a good thick casing with several tape layers. I couldn't have been happier with the results. I think the quantity of rock included and volume of comp per item will limit the number of places I can use these at but this was mostly a research / learning curve process. Thanks for all the input.

[Macgyver]

Would it work with potassium perchlorate instead of chlorate or would it be too insensitive?

(Considering what new chemicals to obtain on my next order...).

[51K]

I don't have perc currently but it is my understanding that it would result in a less sensitive mix. I did not find this combination as friction or impact sensitive as others have suggested. I would think that if you substituted perc that it would be so much less sensitive as to be not fun. I am far from a specialist with torpedoes, this has been a learning process for me. Maybe if you went to perc you could add some sulpher to up the sensitivity.

[Sparky]

It seems to me that it might be worthwhile to make torpedoes insensitive enough so that they do not go off from being (for example) dropped on the ground but reliably go off when shot from a slingshot (the elastic kind). This might be inconvenient to carry around the slingshot but the increased safety in making and transporting them might be worth it. Also, you can hit targets much farther away and more accurately with a slingshot :) . Especially with one of those arm brace type slingshots, that would be fun.

[NickSG]

If you are looking for a less sensitive mixture, go with 7/3 KClO3/aluminum.

I doubt perc/al would work, even with a good sling shot.

[EP]

Nice that it worked, but I don't know why you insist on using a crappy ratio, try 50/50 next time. KClO4 would make it much too insensitive to reliably go off.

[51K]

I had actually started that batch of torpedoes prior to getting a lot of this feedback and they were drying two days before I taped them and used them. If I had waited to read the feedback prior to any more experimentation I would have gone to a 50 / 50 mix. I will try that in my next batch. I do appreciate the feedback.

[badmilk]

Well What would these be fired from?

[51K]

2 of your 3 replies are one liners and 'blah blah blah' and you are asking what you would fire torpedoes from?

I am not sure you have a future on this website. That's why you get the two weeks to read the rules. I did.

In case you get to stick around I will answer.

Torpedoes are impact sensitive fireworks as found included in the title of my post. These are tossed against something and they pop like a firecracker or m80.


A google search will provide you all the further answers you would need.

[static_firefly]

These may seem a little weak but these are by far the simplest torpedos i have made. They are just match boxes with with the strike pad placed inside and the box bound with seveal layers of masking tape. They can become quite loud, enough to leave someone with ringing ears and spit out a nice shower of sparks, good at night.

http://www.angelfire.com/theforce/sectionf/Match_Impact_Cracker.WMV (91kb)

[rebelpride33]

If you have the right material, maybe you could try a mix of potassium chlorate, red phosphorous sand, and white glue, but be careful as this mixture is extremely sensitive.

If you don't have the access to all of these materials, try buying regular caps at the store for cap guns (they use the same components) and seperating the powder from behind the paper cap inside, but it is very dangerous (spontaneously flares up) and only contains a small amount.

When unconfined though, it just flares up quickly with little smoke.

++++++

Use paragraph breaks in the future. NBK

[cracker]

I find that these shell caseings are almost unbeatable for performance and cost. Perfect for "Cherrys" or Torpedo's.
http://www.actionmatic.com/extra_caps.php?size=118

They snap together firmly and already have a "Fuse Indent" for the Drill Bit. $108.00 for 4000, not bad:) They also offer many larger sizes.

The process I use is to fill the globe with "comp" and then dip it in a liquid rubber such as Plasti-Dip for Salutes and liquid Quickcrete Concrete repair for Torpedeo's. When using a oil based product it is important to use a sleeve (if a fuse is in use) as it will eat off the water proof coating every time. For this reason I changed to a latex liquid roof coating.

The Torpedeo Comp I use,

Potassium Chlorate 60 parts
Antimony Trisulfide 30 parts
Aluminum Powder (Military Grade) 10 parts
(Add 1% Cab-O-Sil if dry mixing)

I mix this with Isoprophyl Alcohol to form a well mixed paste and then apply to gravel in both halves of the (pictured) shell. After drying, I carefully assemble the sphere by using a shell that has had its "snap posts" cut off "this is to avoid abrupt and sudden closer". By "super" gluing that closed a person can use a string or piece of fishing line to then dip the product in the liquid cement.

I write this in hopes of getting feed back on better and safer ways to finish them.

Ultimately I am going to try drilling many small "air venting" holes in the shell. Then use Ether instead of Alcohol. In an attempt to be able to "snap" them firmly together while wet and then dipping after the Ether evaporates.

Any ideas and input on wet constrution or increasing "power" of these specific shell torpedeo's would be appreciated
My goal after the "ideal" safe wet construction method was found would be to then use Magnalium as the addition rather than Aluminum.

[c.Tech]

I would just coat another consumption with that chlorate/sulfide/Al mix because from what I’ve heard antimony sulfide and chlorate are quite sensitive and it may just be matter of time before it goes off in your hand.

I would also suggest (if you don’t already) have a removable handle coming off your torpedo in the case it does go off it wont be in your palm.

Safety first.

[cracker]

I would suggest a removable handle coming off your torpedo

I Agree, I was thinking a remote spring method for firing.
or possibly a rocket.

My quest for more power is for educational purposes only of course:D I am always looking for more advanced recipes.

Wet assembly is the key, but getting them to dry after there made is the hard part. This is why I thought Ether might be a better Solvent.

[nbk2000]

Don't use something as flammable as ether!

Use a chlorinated solvent, like carbon tetrachloride, or perchlorethylene. The latter is most commonly found as brake cleaning fluid in the automotive section.

[Bert]

The manufacturers of these items back in the days when they were given to young children because they were deemed SAFER than firecrackers that you needed a match to light- Exclusively used water. They were often deliberately shipped damp, as this rendered them a bit safer. There are MANY newspaper accounts of trains, waggons, ships, fireworks facotries and stores blowing up due to these.

[cracker]

Here is a free download for a book on Torpedo Firecrackers.
I'm sure many have it, but for those who don't go here >http://www.freeinfosociety.com/pdfs/science/impactfirecrackers.pdf

[rebelpride33]

If you are still interested in makin torpedoes, maybe you could try to make the match box torpedoes. All you have to do is buy a few of the boxed safety matches, cut off all of the matchheads you will use, cut off the striking pad on all of the boxes except for one, glue the striking surface on all sides of the inside of the box you didn't cut, stuff it with the match heads, then close it and wrap with tape. If you use enough matches, it can actually sound like an m80.

[cracker]

I am seeking advice from experienced members on a Torpedo composition. I recently purchased several packages of a Firecracker Torpedo type device from an Indian Reservation.

The products name is "Black Eyed Peas". It is not totally clear to me what these are made of. They differ from average torpedo's by not using any gravel. Only a small "blob" or pea sized "pellet" of composition.

After first expection I found a nice gray outside color that to me suggested Antimony Trisulfide. However if a chip is taken of the "tablet" or "pellet" a dark Red Phosphorus type color is present underneath.

The package is marked "M-10" and I would agree that 1/8th of an M-80 is about their power.

My goal is to find a similar composition. The benefits of this product would be to "mix wet and extrude from a star gun" the appropriate size pellets then allow to dry.

I would have to say that these things are the closest thing I have seen to the "Ninja Exploding Device" that K3wL's are always searching for.

Any solid advice on exactly what this composition consists of would be appreciated.

[Bert]

.

The products name is "Black Eyed Peas". It is not totally clear to me what these are made of. They differ from average torpedo's by not using any gravel. Only a small "blob" or pea sized "pellet" of composition.

After first expection I found a nice gray outside color that to me suggested Antimony Trisulfide. However if a chip is taken of the "tablet" or "pellet" a dark Red Phosphorus type color is present underneath.

Could you post a picture of the device and the package? From your description, there is no containment of the device, just a pellet of composition that is thrown directly on the ground? How hard do you have to throw these?

[Charles Owlen Picket]

By using a simple device model as well washed quartz gravel (from an aquarium, etc) wrapped in well soaked gombi paper (or Kraft paper soaked in very thinned Elmer's glue/water slurry) you can widen your base material selection. The gravel will provide the impact & friction necessary to shoot even chlorate and sulfur.

The paper is prepared in a flat bottomed pan with a heavy amount of solution with the paper. Into a 5" square, place a teaspoon of gravel and the composition of choice. Lift the corners and roll into a ball and let dry. The impact will set off most things.

Bert's idea's echo my own. However I think that the use of casing & gravel gives an easy rout to accomplishing very powerful impact crackers. As a matter of fact I have seen ping-pong balls used as they are cellulose and "glue together" with many solvents after being packed with gravel and composition. At that level of volume you should get a fairly acute report. I have seen a ping-pong ball(s) so prepared with a very simple but vicious comp of KCLO3-Sb2S3-Al-S-Mg turnings at a 2 or 3 gram level return a significant report.

My point being that without some simple impact-friction device like enclosed gravel, the comp needs to be so sensitive that it gets problematic.

[cracker]

Yes, that is exactly right there is no containment at all just a "blob" or "pellet" of composition.

A firm throw is necessary, however if I "lob" one high upward the gravity taking it down is enough to set it off every time as long as it's hitting concrete.

Here is the picture of the pellets and packaging next to a $.10 dime coin.

http://inlinethumb13.webshots.com/6668/2554580170101566049S500x500Q85.jpg

Thank You Mr. Picket, but I am really quite interested in this composition specifically. I find them no more sensitive than average Torpedoes, but much more interesting. With possibly better potential due to there size, power, and possible ease of manufacture.

The only thing I am dreading is that they very possibly use Red Phosphorus which isn't exactly plentiful here in the USA. However I do have enough to try a few good batches If that's what it takes. I will gladly post picture results also.

Again Bert's and other experienced members advice on this specific Torpedo's composition make-up would be really valued. Thank You.

[Bert]

This is a new device to me as well. I agree that it's an interesting one, especially given that the device has no containment and looks to have been mass produced in a star roller... Something that would scare the hell out of me to try with a torpedo mix!

All I can do is conjecture, but here's what I can guess.

Almost certainly a chlorate based mix.

Probably red Phosphorus, perhaps Phosphorus sesquisulfide? Almost certainly also a violation of CPSC regulations- Red Phosphorus IS allowed in caps and party poppers. How much do these devices weigh? More than the permitted weight for caps? More than the permitted weight for 1.4 firecrackers???

If I were going to make such a thing, I would try this:

Have something like a small ice cube tray, with depressions about the size of the desired device. Make up a slurry mix of water and the chlorate, and a separate slurry mix of water and the red Phosphorus, gum or dextrin for binder, auxiliary fuels if any, sand or ground glass if any. Mix the two wet components and portion the completed slurry mixture into the "ice cube tray". Freeze the mixed comp. Dump the frozen "comp cubes" into a cold star roller with some less shock sensitive pyro mix in powder form, so that the frozen bits of wet torpedo comp get a covering of a safer to handle mix... (You did mention that the outside surface was a different color than the core material) Then dry just like any round star after rolling. Maybe package before they are completely dry, just to be on the safe side.

Throw down crackers are intrinsically among the most dangerous things to manufacture. I would not want to be leaning over a star roller with several pounds of these going 'round, even if they WERE wet/frozen. But the frozen wet comp method I describe has been used by the Japanese (and others) for "cracker balls" and crackle cores for round stars. If you try it, start very small and wear appropriate safety gear!

[cracker]

Almost certainly also a violation of CPSC regulations- Red Phosphorus IS allowed in caps and party poppers. How much do these devices weigh? More than the permitted weight for caps? More than the permitted weight for 1.4 firecrackers

Yes this was my thought also. The way they were introduced to the Indian Reservation would also reflect this. They came after the main sales or truck loads had arrived and by an "outside salesman".

Thanks Bert, It is always a pleasure to me to read the posts of an experienced member. I was not familiar with the freezing technique that you mentioned.

I believe I will try this method. I will be continuing to pursue a similar mix and product with my spare time, and will post results as necessary.

[Bert]

Be careful... Red P and chlorate is very snappy. An accident with a dry sub gram quantity (perhaps 200 mg) is my worst pyro related injury. Another 100 mg and I would have lost the end of my index finger, I'm sure.

I thought of adding a gellant such as CMC or guar gum to the wet mix, extrudeing a strand and cutting it into short cylinders, then throwing these into the star roller for a protective coating as well. Butt I don't know of anyone who has used this method for torpedo/cap mixes, and the freezing method has an industrial record that is fairly long.

[justme]

cracker:

I am almost certain that black eyed peas do not contain any red P. I have some of these, and I think you will notice that after they go off, there is a small ball of a ceramic or clay type material, perhaps half the diameter of the original pea which remains. The Preparatory Manual of Black Powder and Pyrotechnics has the following.

"Into a suitable mixing bowl, blender, or suitable container, equipped with motorized stirrer utilizing a plastic stir blade, place 175 milliliters of acetone, followed by 175 grams of standard powdered aluminum, followed by 100 grams of finely divided sulfur, followed by 25 grams of dextrine, followed by 100 grams of coarse sand of 0.20 to 0.50 millimeters in diameter, and then gently blend the mixture for about 10 minutes. Thereafter, add in 50 additional milliliters of acetone, and then add in 200 grams of potassium perchlorate, followed by 100 grams of barium nitrate, and then continue to gently blend the mixture until the bulk of the acetone evaporates. When the bulk of the acetone evaporates, and only a mild pasty mass remains, the mixture is ready to be pressed. To use, simply press the pasty mass into any desirable paper, cardboard, or plastic tube, ball, or any other suitable firecracker body, and then allow it to cure for a day or so at room temperature. Because the composition is sensitive to friction, your munitions can be designed so as to explode upon impact, i.e., for making impact sensitive firecrackers, ect."

Which I assume would be somewhat like what is on the outside of the Black Eyed Peas. Anything like this is quite friction sensitive, so beware of the finger/hand removing qualities.

[nbk2000]

Try dissolving one in water or whatever, and seeing if there's anything inside of it, like a piece of gravel or other solid object.

If it has a core, than that means something.

[209]

I have an idea. Though this "firework" would sure pack a punch (cause immediate fatal damage to a target, liveing or not:rolleyes: ) A rocket engine is made from a cardboard tube (less weight is your friend here) packed with a KN03+sugar mix, exactly like this - http://godlovesmeat.com/spatulatzar/rocket/

Maybe only one nozzle, though I doubt it would make much of a difference, then the head on the rocket is filled with TNP. Being that TNP was used throughout WW1 as an explosive that could pierce armor then detonate inside, I think this would be an ideal explosive for the rocket. Stable enough to be loaded into the launcher (piece of pipe, disposable if needed) and fired without fear of detonation. Think this is worth it, or to dangerous? I have some TNP left in the garage (hands are still yellow:mad: ) and I think it's about 12 grams, all this in the head of the rocket will be indeed intresting!:D

[Pots-O-Potash]

One interesting fact about torpedoes (or the milder modern version: "pop-its") is that the safer ones to handel actualy contain a primary explosive: silver fulminate.

This use is well documented in "The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives" in the pyrotechnics chapter. Also the modern "pop-its" seem to use this very composition, as when exploded they produce a silvery flash, no smoke, and no phosphorus/sulfur odor.

This composition is also said to be safer than Red-P/chlorate mixes because, while their sensitivity is about the same, silver fulminate is less prone to spontaneous ignition.

[Grapes Of Wraith]

I've seen similar torpedo's and they seem to have a solid core made of something heavy like stone or concrete maybe even hard wood, but the explosive is brown in color and seems to be friction sensitive and smells sulfurous upon detonation so I thought it was Nitrogen Sulfide because of all these reasons. One other thing is it seem to be a mixture of nitrogen sulfide and something else probably to lower sensitivity. so like this

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a139/maxdal/rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

[justme]

I have some of the Black Eyed peas, and agree that they are quite interesting. When thrown, they seem to have about the same noise level as a typical 50 milligram cracker.

I have noticed that after the explosion, they sometimes leave a smallish ca. 4-5 mm clay like core.
The outside coating material is fairly granular, black, with a grayish cast like evaporated salts on the surface.
I haven't done any tests on them yet, but will try to get that done when time permits. I may need some help on analytical methods to figure it out.

I would hypothesize at this point that they are a chlorate or perchlorate together with antimony trisulfide, aka "dark flash" and possibly charcoal or a catalyst like manganese dioxide.

I am almost certain that they do not contain phosphorus of any type since I do not detect the characteristic smell associated with phosphorus. Based upon the few scary times I have handled red phosphorus and chlorate, (Armstrong's mixture), I am convinced that the sensitivity of the "peas" is no where near that of Armstrong's.

I think that I can dissolve the coating of a pea in water and test the filtrate for chlorate with manganese sulfate and phosphoric acid, and for perchlorate with methylene blue. After these tests, I am somewhat in the dark for analysis.

[Bert]

My rough and ready quick test for chlorate is to touch the star in question with a drop of concentrated H₂SO₄ on the end of a glass rod. If chlorate is present, snap, crackle, pop and flame quickly follow- Not definitive, but certainly indicative.

[cracker]

When thrown, they seem to have about the same noise level as a typical 50 milligram cracker.


This all depends on the pressure or power at which they strike. When using a wrist rocket to launch them they are much louder.

A drop of Concentrated Sulfuric Acid does light them right up after its had time to eat through the gray outer layer (I just tried it)

After dissolving several of these in water (and yes their definitely is a clay core to them as (Forum Member) JustMe had brought to my attention) I am still betting my money on (Forum Member) Bert's original two layer theory.

With the incredible light weight that these carry a rather sensitive material would be needed. I also find it hard to get around the very, very definite Dark Red color that is immediately underneath the Gray outer layer.

When submerged in water the gray outer layer's Binder dissolves to appear like once dry but now wet Elmer's glue, while the rest of the Red inner Layer dissolves away like Dextrin would.

[nbk2000]

Sounds like Armstrongs, with the RP-coated pellet being itself coated with chlorate.

[Billy Bones]

After read the tread last night I remember a very simple way to make impact sensitive bombs AKA torpedos from common available materials.In my country this mixture is so popular,that almost every kid know how to do it.Yep,this was my first low explosive too.The two ingredients are red lead or minium - Pb3O4 and bronze paint powder (not Al ),the right stuff is fluffy powder with almost no weight.To prevent the double use,now they sold it mixed with solvent as bronze paint.There many ratios,but I prefer 1 : 1 by volume,2 parts minium for 1 part bronze is also good mixture.Mix very carefully.You may add some sulphur powder too,make the torpedo impact sensitive smoke bomb and yes,they work great.How to make it – just put some small stones (3 – 4) in plastic bag,add tablespoon of the powder and mix carefully,then tape tight with scotch tape and this is all.This mix is very sensitive and not need much disturbing to go off,just throw it against anything hard.The power of this simple mix is impressive and many people have been injured or even died after rough treat in mixing or handling finished torpedos. It still makes me cringe when I remember how tight I tape this little "bombs".In my football hooligan years I was able to kill police dog using torpedo with size of tennis ball,not sure if he die from the blast or just the shock.To make it more safe I use various rigid containers such aspirin bottles and others,which save me the chilling work with the tape.This mixture is very popular in eastern europe and middle east,yes it’s sensitive,but I make it when I was a small stupid shit and well I’m still here with my ten dirty fingers.The only info I was able to find on this subject is one old post from SIMPLY RED,which makes me to think that this guy maybe live somewhere in my area ,but hey this is just speculations….

+++++++++++

The post is interesting, but user was banned for lack of proper grammar, and I've no desire to clean it up.