Detonating Thermite..

[-Jack]

Well, I recently made a ready batch of thermite. Only problem is I checked around and there's no place near where I live that sells Mg cord or strips.

I heard, though, that thermite might be able to detonated with regular sparklers, like the kind you would buy at any fireworks store or even a frigging Wal-Mart. I don't really know what chemicals are used in sparklers (is there Mg in the white ones or something?) or the amounts of heat they produce, but to me this doesn't seem like it would work very good. Anyone think they can confirm or disprove this?

And as long as I have a thread about this open, I figure I'll ask here, is there any easy, cheap way to grind aluminum? I read the thread about using salt, water, foil, and a food processor, but that sounds like it'd probably kill my blender.

[Joeychemist]

[QUOTE=-Jack]Well I heard, though, that thermite might be able to detonated with regular sparklers./QUOTE]

-Jack

Thermites in the “traditional sense” do not detonate. Yes sparklers will ignite most thermite mixes if the mix is dry and very fine. But you have not even give us any details, like what type of thermite mix are you trying to light. ?

You have been here for over two weeks and you couldn’t figure out how to use the search button at the top of every page? Or that you can click on the advanced search button and specify what it is you are looking for? There are many threads which contain the answers to you’re questions. Search!

Some how I feel that posting this was a waste of time because this thread will probably be deleted to make room for a more deserving thread. :rolleyes:

[ProdigyChild]

Ignite your thermite with a bridge wire. I successfully ignited Fe2O3/AL thermite with a carbon wire (30Ohms @ 6mm length) and 30V supply.

[nuclearattack]

Thermite is not an HE but only a high temperature burning compound so it doesn't detonate.
Maybe that adding a bit of black powder in the mixture will sensitize (this is not the right word to use but you now what i mean!) thermite and make it easier to ignite.

[A2675770]

Thermite is not an HE but only a high temperature burning compound so it doesn't detonate.
Maybe that adding a bit of black powder in the mixture will sensitize (this is not the right word to use but you now what i mean!) thermite and make it easier to ignite.

Nuclearattack

I know what you mean, but If you add BP to the mix, when it Deflagrates it will most likely throw the thermite mix around.

If one were to try to “sensitize” a thermite mix I would try something that burned a little bit hotter than BP like KClO3, this will also cause the mix to be a little more unstable but should work better than BP. Of course you could not add too much of either BP or KClO3 because, like I said, it will throw some of the mix as the escaping gas pushes the actual thermite mix away from the pile.

[Jacks Complete]

Please don't feed the Kewl.

A basic search of the interweb net would show that sparklers are magnesium based, and that they can be used to light thermite.

I expect next we will be asked the formula for thermite...

How the heck did he get that in as his first post anyhow??

[Neoknite]

-Jack if u live near a walmart then go to their camping section and look for a fire starter. Its a large chunk of magnesium and flint. Just get a few of those and take a drill or a knife to it. The drill grinds up the magnesium although it is a slow process and its not quite fine enough for ignition but it still helps.

[draco aster]

If you ever need some magnesium REAL CHEAP you can get some from www.magnesiumsales.com . I think it ships worldwide.

$7 - 1lb Chunk

$20 - 1lb Powder (better than kno3.com) :rolleyes: