        PYROTECHNICA ERRATA                                             139


                                    Chapter 10
        
                                PYROTECHNICA ERRATA
        
             There are many other types of pyrotechnics that a perpetrator of violence 
        might employ. Smoke bombs can be purchased in magic stores, and large military 
        smoke bombs can be bought through adds in gun and military magazines. Also, 
        fireworks can also be used as weapons of terror. A large aerial display rocket 
        would cause many injuries if it were to be fired so that it landed on the 
        ground near a crowd of people. Even the "harmless" pull-string fireworks, 
        which consists of a sort of firecracker that explodes when the strings running 
        through it are pulled, could be placed inside a large charge of a sensitive 
        high explosive. Tear gas is another material that might well be useful to the 
        sociopath, and such a material could be instantly disseminated over a large 
        crowd by means of a rocket-bomb, with nasty effects.
        
        SMOKE BOMBS
        
             One type of pyrotechnic device that might be employed in many ways would 
        be a smoke bomb. Such a device could conceal the getaway route, or cause a 
        diversion, or simply provide cover. Such a device, were it to produce enough 
        smoke that smelled bad enough, could force the evacuation of a building, for 
        example. Smoke bombs are not difficult to make. Although the military smoke 
        bombs employ powdered white phosphorus or titanium compounds, such materials 
        are usually unavailable to even the most well-equipped individual. Instead, 
        he/she would have to make the smoke bomb for themselves.
        
             Most homemade smoke bombs usually employ some type of base powder, such 
        as black powder or pyrodex, to support combustion. The base material will burn 
        well, and provide heat to cause the other materials in the device to burn, but 
        not completely or cleanly. 
        
             Table sugar, mixed with sulfur and a base material, produces large 
        amounts of smoke. Sawdust, especially if it has a small amount of oil in it, 
        and a base powder works well also. Other excellent smoke ingredients are small 
        pieces of rubber, finely ground plastics, and many chemical mixtures. 
        
             The material in road flares can be mixed with sugar and sulfur and a base 
        powder produces much smoke. Most of the fuel-oxidizer mixtures, if the ratio 
        is not correct, produce much smoke when added to a base powder. 
        
             The list of possibilities goes on and on. The trick to a successful smoke 
        bomb also lies in the container used. A plastic cylinder works well, and 
        contributes to the smoke produced. The hole in the smoke bomb where the fuse 
        enters must be large enough to allow the material to burn without causing an 
        explosion. This is another plus for plastic containers, since they will melt 
        and burn when the smoke material ignites, producing an opening large enough to 
        prevent an explosion.
        








                                (c) 1990 
        140                        The Survivalist's Second Strike Handbook


             MATERIALS                    EQUIPMENT
            Saltpeter (Potassium          Coffee Can 
                       Nitrate)
        
            Sugar
        
            Alcohol (100% is best, but 
              plain rubbing alcohol will work)
        
            Gunpowder (or some ground-up 
                       rocket engines)
        
            Matches 
        
            Cigarette
        
             (1) Combine the sugar and saltpeter in a 3:1 ratio (Sugar:saltpeter) and 
               heat over a low flame until the mixture has thoroughly melted togeth
               er (It will look like sticky white lumps when ready).
        
             (2) Stir continually while heating, and remove it from the flame at the 
               very first sign of smoke. 
        
             (3) Dump all of this "smoke powder" into a coffee can, and add some 
               match heads. 
        
             (4) Moisten the mixture with a little alcohol, and add gunpowder until 
               all the smoke powder is coated. 
        
             (5) Tape a cigarette between the match heads in an unopened book. Embed 
               the book into the mixture.
        
             (6) Light the butt, and walk casually away to find a nice alibi within 5 
               minutes.
        
        Notes:
        
             You should be able to find some Saltpeter in a local drug store.
        
             All of the gunpowder, match heads, and alcohol is simply to insure good 
        ignition. You can omit them, but if you have them, mix them in for reliabili
        ty's sake. For the fuse, you can either use the one listed, or either some 
        cannon fuse, or a rocket igniter and an electrical system.
        













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        COLORED FLAMES
        
             Colored flames can often be used as a signaling device. By putting a ball 
        of colored flame material in a rocket; the rocket, when the ejection charge 
        fires, will send out a burning colored ball. The materials that produce the 
        different colors of flames appear below.
        
        COLOR         MATERIAL                     USED IN
        ===========================================================
        red           strontium                   road flares,
                      salts                       red sparklers
                      (strontium nitrate)                          
        ___________________________________________________________
        green         barium salts                green sparklers
                      (barium nitrate)                             
        ___________________________________________________________
        yellow        sodium salts                gold sparklers
                      (sodium nitrate)                             
        ___________________________________________________________
        blue          powdered copper             blue sparklers,
                      old pennies                                  
        ___________________________________________________________
        white         powdered magnesium          firestarters,
                      or aluminum                 aluminum foil    
        ___________________________________________________________
        purple        potassium permanganate      purple fountains,
                                                  treating sewage
        ===========================================================
        
        TEAR GAS
        
             Tear gas is fairly complicated to make, however, and this prevents such 
        individuals from being able to utilize its great potential for harm. 
        
             MATERIALS                    EQUIPMENT
              10 grams glycerine          Ring Stands (2)
        
               2 grams Sodium Bisulfate   Alcohol Burner
        
                 distilled water          Erlenmeyer flask, 300 ml
                                          clamps (2)
                                          rubber stopper
                                          glass tubing
                                          clamp holder
                                          condenser
                                          rubber tubing
                                          collecting flask
                                          air trap
                                          beaker, 300 ml








                                (c) 1990 
        142                        The Survivalist's Second Strike Handbook


             1) In an open area, wearing a gas mask, mix 10 gms of glycerine with 2 
               gms of sodium bisulfate in the 300 ml erlenmeyer flask.
        
             2) Light the alcohol burner, and gently heat the flask.
        
             3) The mixture will begin to bubble and froth; these bubbles are tear 
               gas.
        
             4) When the mixture being heated ceases to froth and generate gas, or a 
               brown residue becomes visible in the tube, the reaction is complete. 
               Remove the heat source, and dispose of the heated mixture, as it is 
               corrosive.
        
             5) The material that condenses in the condenser and drips into the 
               collecting flask is tear gas. It must be capped tightly, and stored 
               in a safe place.
        
        FIREWORKS
        
             While fireworks cannot really be used as an effective means of terror, 
        they do have some value as distractions or incendiaries. There are several 
        basic types of fireworks that can be made in the home, whether for fun, prof
        it, or nasty uses.
        
             FIRECRACKERS
        
             A simple firecracker can be made from cardboard tubing and epoxy. The 
        instructions are below:
        
             1) Cut a small piece of cardboard tubing from the tube you are using. 
               "Small" means anything less than 4 times the diameter of the tube.
        
             2) Set the section of tubing down on a piece of wax paper, and fill it 
               with epoxy and the drying agent to a height of 3/4 the diameter of 
               the tubing. Allow the epoxy to dry to maximum hardness, as specified 
               on the package.
        
             3) When it is dry, put a small hole in the middle of the tube, and 
               insert a desired length of fuse.
        
             4) Fill the tube with any type of flame-sensitive explosive. Flash 
               powder, pyrodex, black powder, potassium picrate, lead azide, nitro
               cellulose, or any of the fast burning fuel-oxidizer mixtures will do 
               nicely. Fill the tube almost to the top.
        
             5) Pack the explosive tightly in the tube with a wad of tissue paper and 
               a pencil or other suitable ramrod. Be sure to leave enough space for 
               more epoxy.
        
             6) Fill the remainder of the tube with the epoxy and hardener, and allow 
               it to dry.






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        PYROTECHNICA ERRATA                                             143


             7) For those who wish to make spectacular firecrackers, always use flash 
               powder, mixed with a small amount of other material for colors. By 
               crushing the material on a sparkler, and adding it to the flash 
               powder, the explosion will be the same color as the sparkler. By 
               adding small chunks of sparkler material, the device will throw out 
               colored burning sparks, of the same color as the sparkler. By adding 
               powdered iron, orange sparks will be produced. White sparks can be 
               produced from magnesium shavings, or from small, LIGHTLY crumpled 
               balls of aluminum foil.
        
                 Example:  Suppose I wish to make a firecracker that will explode with 
               a red flash, and throw out white sparks. First, I would take a road 
               flare, and finely powder the material inside it. Or, I could take a 
               red sparkler, and finely powder it. Then, I would mix a small amount 
               of this material with the flash powder. (NOTE: FLASH POWDER MAY REACT 
               WITH SOME MATERIALS THAT IT IS MIXED WITH, AND EXPLODE 
               SPONTANEOUSLY!). I would mix it in a ratio of 9 parts flash powder to 
               1 part of flare or sparkler material, and add about 15 small balls of 
               aluminum foil. I would store the material in a plastic bag overnight 
               outside of the house, to make sure that the stuff doesn't react. 
               Then, in the morning, I would test a small amount of it, and if it 
               was satisfactory, I would put it in the firecracker.
        
             8) If this type of firecracker is mounted on a rocket engine, profes
               sional to semi-professional displays can be produced.
        
             SKYROCKETS
        
             An impressive home made skyrocket can easily be made from model rocket 
        engines. Estes engines are recommended.
        
             1) Buy an Estes Model Rocket Engine of the desired size,
                remembering that the power doubles with each letter. (See
                sect. 6.1 for details)
        
             2) Either buy a section of body tube for model rockets that
                exactly fits the engine, or make a tube from several
                thicknesses of paper and glue.
        
             3) Scrape out the clay backing on the back of the engine, so 
                that the powder is exposed. Glue the tube to the engine,
                so that the tube covers at least half the engine.  Pour a
                small charge of flash powder in the tube, about 1/2 an
                inch.
        
             4) By adding materials as detailed in the section on fire
                crackers, various types of effects can be produced.
        
             5) By putting Jumping Jacks or bottle rockets without the
                stick in the tube, spectacular displays with moving 
                fireballs or M.R.V.'s can be produced.
        
             6) Finally, by mounting many home made firecrackers on the 
                tube with the fuses in the tube, multiple colored bursts
                can be made.


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        144                        The Survivalist's Second Strike Handbook


        
             ROMAN CANDLES
        
             Roman candles are impressive to watch. They are relatively difficult to 
        make, compared to the other types of home-made fireworks, but they are well 
        worth the trouble.
        
             1) Buy a 1/2 inch thick model rocket body tube, and reinforce it with 
               several layers of paper and/or masking tape. This must be done to 
               prevent the tube from exploding. Cut the tube into about 10 inch 
               lengths.
        
             2) Put the tube on a sheet of wax paper, and seal one end with epoxy and 
               the drying agent. About 1/2 of an inch is sufficient.
        
             3) Put a hole in the tube just above the bottom layer of epoxy, and 
               insert a desired length of water proof fuse. Make sure that the fuse 
               fits tightly.
        
             4) Pour about 1 inch of pyrodex or gunpowder down the open end of the 
               tube.
        
             5) Make a ball by powdering about two 6 inch sparklers of the desired 
               color. Mix this powder with a small amount of flash powder and a 
               small amount of pyrodex, to have a final ratio (by volume) of 60% 
               sparkler material / 20% flash powder / 20% pyrodex. After mixing the 
               powders well, add water, one drop at a time, and mixing continuously, 
               until a damp paste is formed. 
        
                  This paste should be moldable by hand, and should retain its shape 
               when left alone. Make a ball out of the paste that just fits into the 
               tube. Allow the ball to dry.
        
             6) When it is dry, drop the ball down the tube. It should slide down 
               fairly easily. Put a small wad of tissue paper in the tube, and pack 
               it gently against the ball with a pencil.
        
             7) When ready to use, put the candle in a hole in the ground, pointed in 
               a safe direction, light the fuse, and run. If the device works, a 
               colored fireball should shoot out of the tube to a height of about 30 
               feet. This height can be increased by adding a slightly larger powder 
               charge in step 4, or by using a slightly longer tube.
        
             8) If the ball does not ignite, add slightly more pyrodex in step 5.
        
             9) The balls made for Roman candles also function very well in rockets, 
               producing an effect of falling colored fireballs.
        









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