Improvising linear shaped charges

[Terry Collins]

There have been some threads about linear shaped charges, even from years back, but I still haven't seen anyone succeeding in improvising them. I did see some improvised small shaped charges, but just one or two.
It's clear it takes a pro to make such devices (anyone can make a loud bang).
So maybe it's just a bit too much for you guys..........?
I'm just kidding. But a little bit dissapointed I really am. So has anyone else already succeeded in making an effective LSC? I made some myself I just haven't any pictures of them.

[knowledgehungry]

Um there definitly were some threads, someone had one made out of angle iron and plasticized AP. Worked very nicely I forget who, there were many people who have done this you should search harder.

[nbk2000]

You'll also notice how the majority of those failures are the result of people trying to use either AP or ANNM as their explosive, both of which are too weak to work, as LSC's require high 7K m/s to succeed.

Strap some HNIW or CL-20 on the back of a piece of angle iron and you'll have a shaped charge. :)

[Microtek]

I think it is more of a challenge to produce a good ordinary shaped charge where the liner is actually "extruded" by the explosion the way we've all seen in various pictures.
I have made numerous shaped charges in sizes from 4 mm to just over 1 cm using various types of liner and most of them have worked excellently, penetrating 2 mm mild steel ( the 4 mm one ) or up to 40 mm wood ( the 9-11 mm sizes ) with clean, narrow perforations just using AP as the explosive.
However, on closer examination, I have found that the effect is due to the focused shock ( monroe ) rather than extruded liner. This has made me think that maybe SCs on this scale would be more effective if using some sort of silicone plug to transmit the shock rather than a liner.
LSCs are simpler to make because much less precision crafting is neccessary; the liner is availible commercially in several materials and centering the detonator in the charge is both easier and less important. The only real challenge that remains is to produce a good homogenous explosive charge with sufficiently high performance.

[DBSP]

Dispite the said limit of 7000m/s for an LSC/SC to work I made a fully functioning LSC using ANNM that cut a 6mm plate. And it wasn't ripped off but actually cut. And I've got the pics to proove it. Most older members should have seen them by now.

[Johnny]

DBSP is right. NM explosives can be used. They produce a jet out of the liner and you get a real cutting effect. AP is useless except as a primary charge. So no one can make LSC's with AP.
But to create this cutting effect it takes a little more than just attaching a liner like NBK says. You need to balance the amount and shape of explosive, confinement, type of metal liner, thickness, angle and stand off distance. So it's for pro's. And that's excactly the reason why I didn't find much results.
And nice pictures DBSP but I did't find the LSC pics.

[xyz]

Axt has used NM/Amine explosives in SCs, so I think that NM explosives are just powerful enough for SCs. I would still prefer to use something like RDX or PETN.

[jaques]

what should the standoff distance be? i've looked on several threads but i can't really find any info on this...

[nuclearattack]

To Jacques:

if you need some info about shaped charges i can mail to you a pdf file where is explained all about LSC.
The pdf is 1 Mbyte so you should empty your email box.
Tell me if you want it and i'll post it to you as soon as possible for me.

[aikon]

what should the standoff distance be?

That depends on various factors, but as a general rule you can say that the distance should be around 1,5 to 2 times greater than the depth of the cavity.
I got this from an european blasting training manual and SWIM said it works. :)

[Boomer]

I have found that the less perfect the liner is formed, the smaller the stand-off should be. This is because an irregular liner will form a jet that separates early or even changes direction.

BTW what do you call a LSC without metal liner? LMC = linear monroe charge? I made one to test my new RDX plastique with energetic plasticiser. Results will be found in the plastic explosives threat in a few days.

[Efraim_barkbit]

Boomer, It´s still an LSC even if it lacks a liner.

I think I will do a comparison between TNP and ANNM in LSC´s sometimes soon, It depends on how much TNP I can get from the ASA I just aquired.
I have my summer holiday in a couple of weeks, at least then I´ll have time for it, if not earlier.
It will be with an Al liner, wich probably isn´t the best to use, but thats what I have avaliable right now in the right thickness.


nuclearattac, what is the LSC file called, is it on the ftp?

[nuclearattack]

The PDF file i have is:"improvised shaped charges" from Desert Publications.
I don't know if it is in the FTP because i found it with EMule p2p.