COURTESY OF EAST L.A. [512] 682-2255 The Art of making M-80 and M-100s -------------------------------------- By Anonymous Caller... Written for The K.C. Hack Shack 913-432-4495 This is for educational use only. Some of these formulas are VERY dangerous! FLASH POWDER ------------ Flash powder is a chemical mixture that burns so fast that it appears to burn instantly, producing a bright flash of light. Flash powder will produce an extremely loud explosion in amounts larger than 4 ounces even when it is not contained Very small amounts of flash powder will produce a very loud explosion when contained, even in a container made of a few layers of paper. Flash powder is usually made from a very fine powdered metal that will burn and an oxidizer. Powdered aluminum is used the most because it is cheaper. Powdered magnesium and zinc will also work. The oxidizer can be Barium Nitrate, Ammonium Perchlorate, Barium Peroxide, Strontium Nitrate, Potassium Chlorate, Potassium Perchlorate, Sodium Chlorate, Potassium Permanganate, others, and any combination of these. All the Chlorate are friction and impact sensitive, and also the Perman- ganate. Potassium Perchlorate is the least sensitive of the Chlorates. All the chemicals should be crushed into a very fine powder, about 400 Mesh or smaller. 400 Mesh is about like kitchen type flour. Black German Aluminum is a brand name for aluminum powder. It has a partical size of 600 Mesh for 98% of the aluminum material. The other 2% of the material is larger than 600 Mesh. There are other aluminum powders made by other companies that are equal to or better than Black German Aluminum. Aluminum Pyro Powder is also a brand name. The partical size is (98%-400) or 98% of the material is smaller than 400 Mesh. The other 2% is larger than 400 Mesh. FLASH POWDER FORMULAS --------------------- 1. This formula is one of the best. It produces a very, very, extremely loud explosion. Easy to ignite with a fuse. It is not moisture absorbent. Not very sensitive to impact or friction. Sodium Chlorate or Potassium Chlorate can be used instead of Potassium Perchlorate but it then becomes very sensitive to friction and impact. 4 ounces of this mixture will produce an explosion equal to one stick of dynamite! Potassium Perchlorate 2 oz. Aluminum Powder 600 Mesh 1 oz. 2. This formula produces and extremely loud explosion, almost as good as formula #1. This is what most fire- crackers, M-80's and other fireworks are made with. Potassium Perchlorate 2 oz. Aluminum Powder 400 Mesh 1 oz. 3. This formula is equal to formula #2 It is not sensitive to friction or impact. Barium Peroxide 9 oz. 50%/50% Magnesium aluminum powder 200 Mesh 1 oz. 4. This formula works as good as formula #2 but it produces a very bright flash. This formula is what use to be used for the photo flash for the old box type cameras about 100 years ago Barium Nitrate 3 oz. Potassium Perchlorate 3 oz. Aluminum Powder 400 Mesh 4 oz. 5. This formula works very good. It is not very impact or friction Sensitive. It produces a very, very loud explosion. Potassium Perchlorate contains 46.1914% oxygen. Half as powerful as #2. Potassium Perchlorate 2 oz. Sulfur 1 oz. Aluminum Powder 400 Mesh 1 oz. 6. This formula works as good as #5 but it has a disadvantage of being moisture absorbent and it is very impact and friction sensitive. Sodium Chlorate contains 45.0937% oxygen. Produces a very, very loud explosion. Equal to #5. Sodium Chlorate 2 oz. Sulfur 1 oz. Aluminum Powder 400 Mesh 1 oz. 7. This formula is very dangerous because it is very sensitive to friction and impact and could explode during the construction of any explosive device. Potassium Chlorate contains 39.1664% oxygen. This formula produces and explosion almost equal to #5 or #6. Used in the manufacture of toy cap pistol caps. Potassium Chlorate 2 oz. Sulfur 1 oz. Aluminum Powder 1 oz. 8. This formula is very, very very sensitive to impact, friction and static electricity, even more sensitive than #7. Extremely dangerous! Will ignite even when wet. Potassium Chlorate 6.7 oz. Red Phosphorus 2.7 oz. Sulfur 0.3 oz. Calcium Carbonate 0.3 oz. 9. This formula has slightly less explosive power than #7. It is slightly friction and impact sensitive. Potassium Permanganate contains 40.4961% oxygen. This formula will ignite itself if it gets wet. Very loud explosion. Potassium Permanganate 2 oz. Sulfur 1 oz. Aluminum Powder 1 oz. 10. This formula produces a very small explosion when ignited in a paper tube. A much louder explosion is produced when it is ignited in a very strong container. It is impact and friction sensitive. Potassium Chlorate 7.5 oz. Charcoal dust 1.5 oz. Sulfur 1.0 oz. 11. No information is available about this formula. Potassium Chlorate 6 oz. Antimony Sulfide 3 oz. Sulfur 1 oz. 12. This formula is a little louder than formula #10. Impact and friction sensitive. Produces a small explosion in a paper container. Sodium Chlorate 7.5 oz. Charcoal dust 1.5 oz. Sulfur 1.0 oz. 13. No information is available about this formula. Potassium Chlorate 7.5 oz. Gallic acid 2.2 oz. Red gum 0.3 oz. !CAUTION! --------- The mixture of any chlorate with phosphorus or sulfur is extremely sensitive to friction and percussion and explodes with great violence. Chlorate explosives must not be stored together with ammonium nitrate explosives, since ammonium chlorate which is formed when these two substances are brought in contact, explodes. When mixing chlorate explosives, crush all of the chemicals separately. Sift the oxidizer through a piece of screen wire to break up the material into small pieces. Then sift the other chemicals also if they need it. Mix all of the flash powder chemicals together and mix well by sifting them through a piece of screen wire or by shaking them in a ZIP LOCK bag. This mixture is very sensitive to friction, impact, heat, spark, static electricity 4 ounces of flash powder has the same explosive power as one stick of dynamite. One gross of M-80 fire- crackers is equal to 3 sticks of dynamite. 8 ounces of flash powder will make 100 M-80 type firecrackers if each M-80 contains 1/2 teaspoon of flash powder. M-80's with 1/4 teaspoon of flash powder produces an explosion that sound almost exactly the same as M-80's with 1/2 teaspoon of flash powder, but it has less destructive power. 24 ounces of flash powder will make 100 M-100 type firecrackers. (And these are awsome!) Quick Conversions: 3 teaspons = 1 tablespoon 4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup 1/4 cup = 2 oz. M-80 & M-100 CONSTRUCTION ------------------------- 1. PLUG ONE END OF THE PAPER TUBE. Run a small amount of Elmer's glue around the side of an end plug or the inside edge of the paper tube. Insert the end plug, convex side first, into the paper tube. Push it in until the back edge of the plug is flush with the edge of the paper tube. 2. FUSE THE PAPER TUBE. Using a 1/8 inch drill bit, an ice pick or a sharp nail, punch a hole through one side of the paper tube in the middle. NEVER puncture a case that contains flash powder. The paper tube should always be fused before the flash powder is added. Cut the fuse to 1 1/2 inches in length and insert it into the hole at least halfway across the inside diameter of the paper tube. Run a small amount of Elmer's glue around the fuse and let it dry. 3. MIXING THE FLASH POWDER Extreme caution should be used when mixing flash powder. Flash powder is extremely dangerous and explodes with great force. Avoid all sources of friction, impact, flame, sparks and static electricity. 4. FILL THE PAPER TUBES Stand the paper tubes on end, open end up. Using a small funnel and a measuring spoon 1/2 teaspoon, fill the paper tubes 1/2 to 2/3 full. Do not fill the tubes completely full or pack in the flash powder. By leaving an air space there is room for the flash powder to expand when ignited which will produce a much louder explosion. 5. INSERT THE FINAL END PLUG Plug the open end in the same way that you plugged the first end. MATERIALS NEEDED FOR ONE M-80 ----------------------------- 1. One paper tube, 1/2 inch inside diameter, 1/16 inch wall thickness, 1 1/2 inches long. 2. Two paper end plugs 1/2 inch outside diameter, 1/16 inch paper thickness. 3. One 3/32 diameter water proof fuse about 1 1/2 inches long. 4. 1/2 teaspoon of flash powder. 5. 10 drops of Elmer's glue. __ ___________ __ end | o | end plug __| ___________ |__ plug fuse ^ hole | ______|_____ |M80 or M100 | |____________| MATERIALS NEED FOR ONE M-100 ---------------------------- 1. One paper tube, 5/8 inch inside diameter, 1 3/4 inch long 2. Two paper end plugs 5/8 inch outside diameter. 3. One water proof fuse about 1 1/2 inches long. 4. 1 1/2 teaspoons of flash powder. 5. 10 drops of Elmer's glue CHEMICALS --------- Most of the chemicals you need are sold at K-mart, hardware stores, drug stores, lumber yards, plumbing supply, Wall-mart, cement company and many other stores. Sodium Chlorate. O2 solid oxygen pellets are used in small work shop torches. Potassium Nitrate. Sold by most drug stores in 4 ounce bottles. Also sold by farmers co-op supply stores. Sulfur. Sold by farmers co-op, drug stores and lawn and garden centers. Aluminum Powder. Sold by paint stores and auto parts stores. Aluminum powder can be found in radiator stop leak. Sodium Nitrate. Sold by drug stores and meat packing plants. Antimony Sulfide. Is sold by most plumbing supply stores. Potassium Permanganate. It is used for water treatment. Check you phone book for water treatment equipment and supplies. Ammonium Nitrate. Can be bought from any farmers co-op or lawn and garden center. Red Phosphorus. The white tip on wooden kitchen matches contains red phosphorus Check your phone book yellow pages for industrial chemical supplies, they will usually have most of these chemicals. When you call, tell them you are with a beginning rock band and want it for some special effects on stage. They will fall for that every time... Now you probably wonder where you can get the paper tubes and end caps. Ok just write: FULL AUTO CO. INC. P.O. Box 1881 Murfreesboro, TN. 37133 And ask for a catalog. M-80 size tubes are 100-$5. End plugs are 200-$3.5 M-100 size tubes are 100-$9. End plugs are 200-$5. You must have an order form to order this. They also sell all the chemicals you need to make flash powder. You must be over 21 or at least sign the order that says that you are 21. There is no way that they can find out. I DO NOT suggest that you buy their water proof fuse because it sucks! Go to a gun shop in your area and ask for cannon fuse. It's probably around 35 to 40 cents a foot and is water proof and MUCH better quality. You do have to be 16 or 18 to buy it. Hope you enjoyed this file. There will be many more to come, so give us a call at 913-432-4495. K.C. Hack Shack My next file will be on the art of making CO2 bombs. Later, From: Anonymous Caller... call at 913-432-4495. K.C. Hack Shack