Homemade fuse

[Macgyver]

I have experimented a bit with making my own fuses, since where I live one cannot buy Visco without a police permit.

I have tried a couple of variations, which I will now share my results of:

1. The simplest one, silk paper covered in glue from a glue stick, with a strain of blackpowder in the middle. Fold the silk paper over the blackpowder and cover the silk paper in glue again. Start twisting the silk paper to form a round fuse, and finally wrap the fuse with thin wire to hold it together.

Advantages: Burns reliable, easy to make and will not go out when burning through the hole in your device. Consistent burn rate.

Disadvantages: Rather thick compared to Visco fuse.

2. Boil cotton string in a saturated soltion of Potassium Chlorate for 10 minutes, then allow the string to dry overnight. Dip fuse in NC laquer and let it dry.

Advantages: Thin fuse with consistent burn rate, not as likely to crack as blackmatch, very easy to make.

Disadvantages: Sometimes it won't burn through narrow entry holes.

I am sure there are more variations of fuse #2 that works good, maybe the addition of a fuel such as sugar would make it more unlikely to go out when burning through narrow passages?

Now, what do you use when you cannot buy commercial fuse?

(Yes, we can get cannon fuse in Sweden, but that is not exactly what I prefer to use for pyrotechnics, maybe ok for blastingcaps.......).

[knowledgehungry]

Silicone and KMnO4, sometimes a little Al. Mix the silicone and Kmno4 together roll it into thin strands, put in some Al for a hotter "cooler" fuse. I forget the ratios I used as I have my own visco now.

[Macgyver]

Silicone and KMnO4, sometimes a little Al. Mix the silicone and Kmno4 together roll it into thin strands, put in some Al for a hotter "cooler" fuse. I forget the ratios I used as I have my own visco now.

Hmm...... KMnO4 doesn't sound too stable to me, wouldn't KClO4 or KClO3 be safer?

What burn rate can be expected from the kind of fuse you describe, adding Al makes it kind of remind me of flash mixed with silicone!!!

[cyclonite4]

I believe number 2 is from frogfot's site?
I did something similar to number 1, but what I did was obtain heat shrink tubing with a thin wall, block one end (temporarily), and fill it with a mixture of potassium chlorate and a water soluble glue (can't remember the name, bought it at an arts & craft store). Packed in nicely, and later dried, it formed a fuse with consistent burn rate and a consistent diameter. A major disadvantage is that it lacked flexibility. Maybe if a rubbery glue like silicone sealant was used instead of the WS glue, and filled into heatsrink, a flexible fuse could be achieved. I'll toy with the idea once I get some more KClO3. The silicone would also act as a fuel.

BTW, the fuse never once went out when going into a device.

[xyz]

A member (IIRC it was Microtek) once made quite a nice fuse from silicone, sulfur, and KMnO4.

I have had some success with a mixture of silicone, sulfur, and KNO3. The sulfur and KNO3 were both very finely powdered, then mixed together with the silicone and kneaded to a uniform consistency, then I took a large syringe and filled it with the resulting goop, before squeezing out thin lines of it onto a sheet of newspaper.

The result was a reliable fuse that was also reasonable flexible.

[Bert]

This method for making thermalite equivalent fuse (http://www.wecreate4u.net/dwilliams/thermalite/thermalite.html) is effective- This stuff will light DIRT.

[The_Duke]

WOW,Thats killer! :D
Did you make that page Bert or is it just something you found?

[Nevermore]

i tested an homemade fuse made out from NaNO3 and silicon glue.
When i used a ratio of 8 grams NaNO3 to 3 grams silicon, the product was almost solid, impossible to extrude by a syringe.
Then i switched to 8 to 5 grams ratio, product is easily extruded from a syringe, but doesn't burn properly..
I wonder if Permanganate would be a better oxidizer for this use..

[Bert]

WOW,Thats killer! :D
Did you make that page Bert or is it just something you found?

It's Dan Williams page, not mine. He's got a few good ideas and interesting projects-

[metal dragon]

Xyz, could you give me more details on the reliability, flexibility, waterproof, and windproof, also what type of sealant and ratio of KNO3 to sulphur to silicon. Thanks in advance.

[xyz]

To be honest I don't recall the exact ratios, I did it quite a long time ago, back when the original silicon fuse thread was going.

I think it was around 6 parts KNO3, 1 part sulfur, and 2 parts silicon.

It was windproof and pretty much refused to go out once it was burning (a very bright yellow/white flame). As far as flexibility goes, it wasn't super flexible, but you could bend a single point to about 45° before it broke IIRC, so you should be able to coil it up so long as your coils aren't too tight. I never got to test how waterproof it was, but from my experience with similar things I assume that if it was wrapped in a layer of electrical tape then it should burn underwater.

The silicone I used was Selleys brand, and IIRC it was just called Selleys Silicone, but it came in a little tube (a toothpaste tube kind of thing is the closest thing I can liken it to), and it was much less viscous than the silicone that comes in the big tubes meant for use in caulking guns.

[Microtek]

Nevermore: If you use permanganate as the oxidizer along with silicone as binder/fuel, you are just re-inventing the method that I developed. I found that a permanganate/silicone mix worked well without any additives, but even better when some sulfur was included also.
The use of KMnO4 in the composition is not a stability problem in this type of mix due to the inertness of the silicone binder. I have had pieces of fuse lying around for years without any change in appearance or properties.

Edit:
Regarding flexibility and mechanical strength: You can tie knots with it, as Frogfot demonstrated on his site. It will also burn underwater if you wrap the fuse in something like Al foil to keep the water from contacting the burning surface.

[kingspaz]

Since this topic has come up again...

http://roguesci.org/theforum/showthread.php?t=618&highlight=fuse

[anselmo]

I saw some info here on the machines..some other info also.

http://www.ukrocketry.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=549&st=75

http://www.chinafireworks.net/index1.htm

[bcc1985s12]

I have experimented with the soaked cotton- string- type fuse, and have made a few variations to it which work very well.
USE
Cinnamon and Kno3, when added to extremely hot water in equal quantities until super-saturation occurs, makes a gelatinous paste. If your string is soaked in this paste, and then dried, it makes a extremely consistant slow-burning fuse. (about 5 seconds per inch)
PARAGRAPHS
I was simply experimenting with different fuels(mostly sugars), when I thought of trying cinnamon, and it worked better than all the rest. It burns more quickly than using sugar, but is more consistant and has a hotter flame. The only drawback is the smell(hard to describe).

[raccoony]

I was surf'n the other night and found this one.


BLACK MATCH
-black powder
-dextrin (see below)
-cotton string (NON-WAXED - it must turn to ash when burned, not melt into a plastic mess)
-2 plastic containers (see below)
-wood scraps
-1/4" dowel

Making the Machine
The method I use to make black match employs the use of a "machine" which draws string through a liquid solution of black powder. It's easy, efficient, and keeps your hands fairly clean of messy black goop.

First, obtain a small, plastic container used for storing food. You can get them at Wal-Mart, "Rite-Aid", or any other miscellaneous crap depot for dirt cheap. Drill a couple holes on opposite sides, near the bottom, just big enough for your dowel to pass through and be about a half-inch from the bottom of the container. See the picture on the right for reference.


Now you need to make holes for the string to pass through. Using a drill bit that's the same diameter as the cotton string, drill two holes about 1 inch apart right under the lip of the container. On the opposite side, drill another hole that's slightly larger (big enough for two strings to comfortably pass through). All of these holes should be oriented 90° off from where the dowel passes through - that is, two separate strings should be able to enter the two holes, go down and under the dowel, and come up and back out one hole.
The last step in making the machine is to create a frame for the string/container assembly. I used a 1 foot length of 2x2, and drilled two holes about 4" apart. I glued two scrap pieces of dowel into these holes (each about 5" long) to serve as posts to hold the rolls of string.


On another 1 foot length of 2x2, use epoxy or some other high-strength glue to attach the plastic container to one end. Attach the string-holding piece of wood to the opposite end using "Liquid Nails" or wood glue, so you end up with the thing pictured on the left. Be sure that the side of the container with two holes is facing the dowels.
This completes the construction of the "machine", and now you're ready to begin making black match. You need a place to wrap the wet match strings around so they can dry, such as two small trees, a swing set, a mailbox, or whatever.

Preparation

Before you start, be sure that there is no rain in the forecast for the next couple of days. Make sure that the drying area is free of anything flammable or anything that might be damaged should the fuse accidentally ignite while drying. ONLY DO THIS OUTSIDE.

First, prepare the machine. Put the two spools of string on the dowels, and run both strings into their seperate holes, under the dowel in the container, and back out through the single hole. Tie them together with a big knot so they can't slip back out.

For the fuse composition, you'll need dextrin, black powder, and water. Dextrin is a pyrotechnic binding composition used to hold mixtures together. In this case, it’s used to hold the black powder onto the string. It's crucial that you have enough dextrin in the mixture, or else the black powder will simply flake off the string when it's dry You can buy big bags of it from pyrotechnic dealers, or make your own.

To make dextrin, spread an entire box of corn starch out on a cookie sheet and cook it in the oven at 400° for about 2 hours, stirring it every 20 minutes or so with a spatula to keep it from burning. When it's done, it will be light yellow/gold in color.

Now mix the ingredients in the other plastic container (not the one attached to the machine). The formula is 20 parts black powder with 1 part dextrin. If you don't have access to a scale, you can measure by volume - mix 4 tablespoons of black powder along and 1/4 teaspoon of dextrin in the container. Note: I usually make twice or three times this much. Begin adding hot water while blending the mixture until it has about the same consistency as tomato soup. The water must be hot in order for the power grains to completely dissolve. Do not drink the mixture.

Take the hot black power mixture and the machine over to the drying area. Attach the outcoming strings (the ones you tied in a knot) to the tree/mailbox, and carefully pour the black powder mixture into the container on the machine. It should completely cover up the dowel that the strings go under.

Now slowly begin walking backwards towards the other drying post. As you do this, the strings will come off of their rolls, enter the container, go under the dowel and become coated with the mixture, and emerge as one fuse. (see diagram, right) Yes, that's right, ONE fuse. Don't separate the strings. Two strings coated in black powder are much more reliable than one - notice in the picture to the left that the powder completely fills in the gaps between the two strings. Because of this, there's a lot less of a chance that the fuse will burn out when lit.

Keep walking at such a rate that the strings moves through the mixture at about 2 inches per second. When you get to the second post, just wrap the string around it and head back towards the first one. Occasionally you may have to add more water to keep the black powder solution from thickening up too much and not adhering to the string. When the level of solution drops to where the dowel or the fuse start coming out with bare patches, it's time to add more solution or stop making fuse. If you want to stop, just continue walking to whichever of the two posts you're closest to, tie it off, and cut the string. Take the string rolls completely out of the machine and wash it out well with water.

After about a day, you can begin using your new fuse. Sometimes it's dry enough to be used after just a few hours of drying, but this isn't recommended. It may seem brittle on the outside, but that’s ok. Notice in the picture below how it is stiff and bends at sharp angles. When you bend it, some chunks of dried powder may fall off, but it's alright. Try to avoid handling it too much, though.

You now have black match fuse that will burn at about once inch per second. It's great for connecting multiple fireworks together, or adding extra lengths of fuse to fireworks for a longer delay. Click here to learn about connecting black match to other types of fuse.


Also, here's another link to the web site:BLACK MATCH (http://www.unitednuclear.com/quickmatch.htm)

[bjornebarn]

If you want a slow-burning and reliable fuse, this one is quite good.

Mix a fairly concentrated solution of K/NaO3 with ordinary sugar in hot water. Put a silk-thread in it and let the solution be absorbed by it. Then just let the fuse dry (it should be ok to heat it up to 100 degrees C without the fuse igniting).
Advantage: Burns very slowly, only a few centimeters per minute and it is reliable. Has always worked fine for me.
Disadvantage: Might burn a little too slow :P

[bcc1985s12]

It wouldn't burn too slowly if you used cinnamon instead of sugar.

[texaspete]

If you are serious about getting some good fuse, then have a look at this thread in which a guy makes his own visco:

http://gamekeeper.deds.nl/forum/index.php?showtopic=893

[Spudgun]

That machine looks superb! I have been experimenting with a kn03 and sugar solution absorbed into cotton string but have been unable to create any decent fuse with a consistent/reliabe burn rate. It always burns extreemly slow and spits molten sugar all over the place! Hmmm back to the drawing board.:confused:

[smokeymcpot420]

http://www.truetex.com/visco.htm:þ

[Spudgun]

It wouldn't burn too slowly if you used cinnamon instead of sugar. bcc1985s12 what ratio of water did you use for your super saturation method?

[bcc1985s12]

I used about a cup of water, 1/2 cup of kno3, and 1/2 cup of cinnamon. The water was boiling hot initially, and turned into a warm, viscous, gelatinous paste.

[Raffikki]

If you want you can make fuse paper which is damn easy.Chek this link out
http://www.jamesyawn.com/ignitors/fusepaper/index.html

[Cindor]

Yeah, it's "damn easy", but it cracks :S

[mash uk]

Not sure what you guys think of black match:
When it drys it becomes rock hard, and depending on the slurrys consistancy you can make various sized fuse.

If anyone needs advice constructing, ask anything.

Heres my machine.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n63/wildthreat/BM_machine.jpg

This is the type of fuse that it produces:

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n63/wildthreat/th_varius_polmas.jpg (http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n63/wildthreat/?action=view&current=varius_polmas.flv)

[lucas]

For simple fuses I have always, since the first time I used it, loved this fuse.

Newspaper is cut into 1 inch (1.5cm to 3cm is fine ) wide strips and dipped in concentrated hot KNO3 solution. Dry it in the sun or flat in an oven on a wire tray at 100degC. It is rolled into a tube. It burns at a constant speed. Newspaper works best, absorbent towel and printer paper don't work as well. Excellent fuse for open air use in dets and fireworks if the flash hole is wide. Doesn't cast sparks or flash along the tube. Can be wrapped in stickytape to hold shape if needed.

This is heaps better than a sparkler for some applications, but not as good as visco or cannon fuse.
Cheap. Quick. Reliable.

[chevellessls6]

So, where does one buy the supplies to make their own fuses? I know cinnamon and paper towels at the local grocery store, but the chemicals, I have no idea... seems like a good idea to save money though!:)

[c.Tech]

So, where does one buy the supplies to make their own fuses?

If you could take a few moments to do a little search on the forum you will find the information is already here and you didn’t need to bother the members of the forum that actually follow the rules to make an exception for you.

I know sources and ways simple homemade fuses can be made in a flash but its not my job to spoonfeed you info that’s already here.

Lets home nbk gives you another chance or your heading here (http://www.roguesci.org/theforum/water-cooler/5150-beast-has-fed-upon.html).

[Skean Dhu]

Man, it would be so helpful if there were a feature of the board software where someone could type in a word and it would look for that word on the site . Or better yet they should make one that works on the entire internet. So like if someone wanted to find out what chemicals are used for normally. Then we could guess at which stores, and what sections might have the product we are looking for.

Hey we should make a thread on here that lists where people on the forum
bought chemicals and what they were called in the store
http://www.roguesci.org/theforum/chemicals-apparatus-equipment/1877-great-otc-survey.html?highlight=Great+OTC+survey

I mean think of all the time it would save and how many fewer wasted posts people would have to sift through of one person asking where to buy things and then 5 others making fun of them before the mods see. That would probably save on the number of people that are banned too...... Maybe someday.


Anyways I figured I should actually contribute to the thread a bit so here is an updated link to Dan williams site which was referenced earlier. That link is long since dead so heres one that works, and the basic formula for when the new one dies. http://www.pyrotechniques.org/dwilliams/thermalite/thermalite.html

Dan Williams Thermalite equivalent
* vinyl resin................................. 47 parts
* nitrocellulose lacquer(10%)....... 25 parts
* dibutyl phthalate(plasticizer)..... 10 parts
* acetone.................................... 18 parts

* potassium perchlorate................. 37 parts
* potassium chlorate...................... 30 parts
* charcoal, air float........................ 10 parts
* magnesium, 200-325 mesh........ 15 parts
* red iron oxide, ferric..................... 5 parts
* aluminum, -325 mesh, flake.......... 3 parts
* sodium bicarbonate(additional)..... 1 part

[halfazner]

Just resuscitating a old school type fuse: the classic Sparkler. Works efficiently against winds, burns at a signifcantly high temperature (enough to ignite most flammable chemical compounds) and is relatively cheap and easy to obtain.

Besides that, a reliable fuse I depend on uses house-accessible chemicals and materials:

~ Materials ~
1. Craft Paper (Length: Whatever you please. Width: 5 - 7cm)
2. Saftey Matches (Don't get strike-any matches for obvious reasons. Although it does burn more efficiently and probably more faster that a safety match, the whole point its defeating is SAFETY. You don't want your fuse to be ignited from the smallest impacts etc.)
3. Alcohol (Anything with high Alcohol content. This will act as a binder - certain glues work however, not as efficiently)
4. Glue (Used to hold the kraft paper together)
5. Mortar & Pestle (Even a brick will work)

~ Method ~
1. Remove the match heads from the match leaving just the wooden stick. Be sure not to include any wood in the powdered mixture as this can affect efficiency of fuse. Usually when I make fuses of this sort, I produce 1000 - 2500 match heads worth - Alot admittedly, however useful for future use.

2. Grind match head powder into a fine powder, this will also make stray wooden bits visible and thus make it easier to remove. Don't be worried about combustion as Safety Matches don't ignite as Strike anywhere matches do. (keywords: Safety)

3. In a small bowl, slowly add Alcohol (If this is inaccessible, try using a petroleum of some sort - I haven't tried it and therefore can't recommend if it'll bind aswell but do experiment if you please) to the mixture until a paste is formed. The paste should NOT be too wet - just moisten mixture uniformly until it's not easily broken into small moistened proportions.

4. Evenly place a layer of this powdered match head paste onto the kraft paper approximately 0.2 - 0.4mm thick to 90% of the kraft paper therefore leaving some (1cm min) kraft paper cleared on one side as this will be glued to hold the fuse together.

5. Roll paper SLOWLY and evenly until you reach the end of which does not have any paste on it. Apply some glue to this 1cm clean side and finish rolling the fuse over so that it's now held together by this glued end.

6. Leave fuse under low heat source (Sunlight, Light Globe) but away from hazards which may cause it to ignite or interfere with the drying process.

Notes:

This fuse WILL go through small entry holes and burns at a rapid rate. To make it a slow burning fuse, add powdered charcoal after applying alcohol to the powedered match mixture. To make it burn faster, use an oxidising agent (i'm not going to list all the available oxidising agents as its found everywhere in these forums)

This fuse WILL burn steadily against winds and relatively strong in confined places.

This will of course depend on the type of alcohol and possible brand of matches used. I used Home Brand Matches (12 x 50 packs)

Those who can't find kraft paper can use tissue paper. Normal facial tissue paper works best however there are a few alterations to the method used.

~ Method ~ With Facial Tissue

Steps 1, 2, 3, 4 are the same.

5. Moisten your hands with alcohol or petroleum (or whatever you used as a binder). Roll tissue with paste between hands and compress as you roll it. The tissue make begin to break, this would indicate you're applying TOO much pressure or that it's been compressed fully.

Steps 6 are the same

Notes for Facial Tissue Method:

Do not use glue! I've tried countless times and it works but only after a few ignitions. It will however turn out to be thinner than the first method.

Don't forget to wash your hands after using this method.

P.S. If you're thinking theres better more established fuses than this, you're right. This is for those people at home who have no access to chemicals like potassium nitrate, sulfur, BP etc. etc.

[ecko]

I tried the first one and it didn't work for me...

[Mechanical_Man]

This worked time and time again for me before I found a reliable and cheap visco supplier. Take a piece of cotton thread dampen it with glue or nail pollish and then cover with black powder, like from rocket engines. This is very reliable and can easily be made water proof by either coating it with electrical tape or better yet more nail polish.

[halfazner]

Ecko, which one are you talking about?

Please refer

[Gunner2]

Hello folks, thats my first post, so acording to rulles I gotta make inputs here before asking anything.

Here we go http://teroras.sprogmenys.com/filmukai/data/ViscoLTU.wmv

(as well you might find it in You Tube )

this is my home made Visco fuse machine Id made in recent two months.
Curantly I used to work on tutorial how tu reproduce , but since of lack of time suspendet that. I will resume working on the tutorial propably just on the end of this month. If you gotta any questions dont hesitate to ask

[xxKNO3xx]

Here is my yahoo group on fuse machines
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Visco_Fuse_Machine/
it is very quiet, but one day I hope it will reach critical mass.

[AngryPenguin]

I have always had trouble making reliable fuse and as I am finding it difficult to get it at the moment I thought I would have a go with a couple of your recipies.

Although I was rather sceptical about it I tried the cinnamon and KNO3 mixture, 50:50 mixture and then enough warn water to turn it into a sort of runny paste. Dipped the cotton string in and then hung up to dry for 24 hours.

It is probably the best and most consistant I have made so far, it is slow (about an inch and a half a minute) but carries on burning even in a fairly stiff wind. The main problem is that the mixture when dried is quite crumbly so you have to be fairly careful with the fuse to make sure you dont rub too much of the mixture off. I think perhaps the solution to this is to paint it with something to make it a little more durable, i will have a play around and tell you what I get...

[MetallicJesus]

The sparkler is a decent alternative, but it does throw sparks around, so your comp should be well shielded from potential stray sparks. It's also a bit thicker.

Note:

Check the side of the sparkler box, and do not buy any brand that says:

"Does not contain any chlorates or perchlorates."

They perform very poorly, burn feebly, and go out whenever they get close to the entry holes. I assume they're using a weaker oxidizer, because they were truly the worst sparklers I've ever used.

[Tackleberry]

As a newbie, here (hopefully) is one of many contributions. I have protected slow burning fuze by using suitable diameter heat shrink from the local auto shop. Just cut to length and fit paste / fuze inside and use hot air dryer to shrink. Try not to bend it once dry. Works like a charm.

[Bert]

Scroll down to the K'nex visco making machine. This is funny as hell, and it works...http://www.truetex.com/visco.htm

[funky monk]

this is one I thought of

Things needed:
syringe
sterno or similar
straws
potassium nitrate

1. grind your saltpetre as fine as possible
2. mix in as much as possible with the sterno, stop if it gets dry and breaks
3. pull out the plunger of the syninge and shove in your mixture
4. fill your straws with it from the syringe
5. if you want to be post you can heat up two pieces of metal and fuse the ends together so none of the mix can come out

With this you end up with a VERY hot fuse which is waterproof and takes hardly any time to make -no waiting for silicone gel to dry etc. It gives out qite a lot of light too so if you are going to light your fireworks and you realize you have no torch then it would work, it wont be as good as the real thing though (although if you added some alu powder it would be uber bright)

The one problem is getting it to ignite, you will either have to prime it, use a blowtorch or stand there for a few secs waiting for it to catch. The good side is that once it gets going it stays very consistant and wont go out. It'l burn under water too

You can use other fuels too like vaseline or molten wax althoght they will be much harder to light. Adding a little aluminium powder does wonders too, with it you should be able to light thermite easily. Also dont be afraid to use other tubes, things like electrical tubing (the stuff that is used to show the earth wire) or anything else that will burn and is flexible

Hope this helps, thanks for reading

[Bert]

I highly doubt that.

[funky monk]

doubt what? If you're on about it being able to light thermite, i was refering to it when it has aluminium powder in it

[Thermiteisfun]

Shellac makes a decent waterproofer with H3 blackmatch.

Mine DO go out everytime though but I think thats just because I only coated the fuse once and they aren't dry yet...

any other ideas for waterproof fuse are welcome because ...ahem...theres a lake nearby :D

[-=HeX=-]

The best waterproof fuse is microteks silicon fuse in my experience. It is cheap, the precursors easily accessable, and easy to make. It also gives huge delays over standard fuses like visco thus requiring less fuse. Microtek once figured out how long a 144cm piece would burn for and it was fucking ages, I would feel safe using it on even high explosive charges with that delay.

All folk in ireland or the united kingdom should PM me if they want a source of visco or chems. Only older members should bother as I am not revealing my source publicly for fears of kewl abuse.

Ps. Where the fuck did the thread 'A little pyro boredom' go?

[Bugger]

The best waterproof fuse is microteks silicon fuse in my experience. It is cheap, the precursors easily accessable, and easy to make. It also gives huge delays over standard fuses like visco thus requiring less fuse. Microtek once figured out how long a 144cm piece would burn for and it was fucking ages, I would feel safe using it on even high explosive charges with that delay. All folk in ireland or the united kingdom should PM me ....
Did you get your info from an old retired IRA bomb-maker, Hex?

[-=HeX=-]

Did you get your info from an old retired IRA bomb-maker, Hex?

Hmmm... I do know one (or 3) for that matter (my great grandmother was one also)... But their 'recipies' ARE just a bit kewlish (KClO3 and sugar is prominent). I get my data from experimentation and the forum. Anyways WHAT was that comment supposed to mean? Yes, I would feel safe with the delay (after the accident safety is my first concern, which is why disposing of 70 grams TATP is giving me a coronary.) and you imply he/ she survived to retire so its not an insult... Anyways electronic ignition is the best method IMO.

If you mean silicon, KMnO4, and S being easily available, I can get 1 kg of S for €5 in a chemist and 15kg for the same price elsewhere, but of lesser purity. The KMnO4 is easy to get if you look (Countryside chemists shops). I however get mine finely powdered, flash powder grade off a source in the UK. Its amazing for magnesium based flash.

[tapira1]

I have made long ago "electric" fuses, employing "steel wool". This is mainly iron with a great specific surface and higher resistance than copper; passing a current through the metal makes it become red hot; this ignites anything.

Moderator Note: We don't care that you did it, we want to know HOW you did it. Do tell.

[JamieBond]

Hmmm... I do know one (or 3) for that matter (my great grandmother was one also)

What utter fart.

Why make it when you can buy it cheaper and legally than it would cost to make it yourself. Granted some people like to make their own, but if you are using it for anything that could remove fingers, why take the risk?

I bought 50ft of Visco for less than £16 including postage from the US. And it took less than a week to arrive.

Moderator Note: Why do anything when you can just buy it? Because we want to know HOW to do it. What happens when you can't buy it anymore, idiot? What are you gonna do then? Anymore stupid answers like this and you'll be taking a permanent holiday.

[Cobalt.45]

Ahh, the thread is "Homemade Fuse", NOT "How I Spent My Allowance".:rolleyes:

It's wasteful of BW to show a HUGE fucking image of a lowly roll of visco, although your k3wl M80 tubes rokk. As does your hi-tech measuring device- who needs scales? LOLWhat utter fart.Indeed.

Back On Topic-

I've found that twisting two strands of (still damp) black match together, drying, then a quick dip in NC lacquer makes a quite serviceable fuse, it'll even burn through confinement pretty well.

[JamieBond]

If you are going to make your own from mixing it with the silicone sealant, I suggest mixing it together and then putting into back into an empty sealant tube, then put the tube into a sealent gun, then you can squeeze out a line or "fuse" as long as you need it to be.

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/4278/siliconesealantandgunai8.jpg

[Cobalt.45]

This fuse is made similar to a "spolette", i.e. the comp is pressed into a small-bore tube. These tubes are usually hand-rolled (I make them from Kraft paper, 30-40# is fine) and don't need excessive wall thickness to work.

This composition is of Teutonic origin:), and is called "Glusatz". It was used as the fuse for strike-on-a-matchbook firecrackers called "knallkorpers".

It is very reliable, both in terms of burn rate, and its ability to pass fire to the next component of an ignition train. It burns at ~ 30 sec./in.

Glusatz (Slow Fuse)
Barium nitrate 75.5%
Charcoal AF 10
Sulfur 10
Meal powder 3
Cab-O-Sil 1
CMC (cellulose gum) 0.5
Water +6

Dissolve CMC in water.
Add barium nitrate, C and S.
Stir until thoroughly mixed.
Rest mixture for ~1hr.
Pass through screen to granulate (~ 14 mesh).
Allow to dry before ramming.
NOTE: Straight meal or hand made "green mix" makes a suitable prime/first-fire if desired but will take fire as-is.
Cab-O-Sil (if storing dry comp) and CMC are recommended but not absolutely necessary. The grain will be slightly more prone to cracking w/o the CMC, so handle accordingly.

Credited to Lloyd Sponenburgh of "Ball Milling Theory and Practice for the Amateur Pyrotechnician" fame.

[chembio]

Regarding the KMnO4/Sealant fuse, maybe toilet paper might be better than newspaper?

Reason being, toilet paper is softer and more malleable, allowing your fuse to become even more shapeable (I'm assuming that newspaper has its limits with regards to flexibility).

[Cobalt.45]

maybe toilet paper might be better than newspaper? Only if you're wiping your ass! Sorry, I couldn't resist. :p

But seriously, the newspaper that was eluded to earlier is only used as something to cure the fuse on, not as a covering.

[chembio]

I'm about to try making the KMnO4/Sealant fuse after my exams, and I think that I'll try it on a sheet of plastic cling wrap.