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MineralMan

(146,254 posts)

49. I learned to make gunpowder

Tue Apr 16, 2013, 08:01 PM

Apr 2013

from a science book I read at age 10. Since i had a chemistry set, I made some. I made some firecrackers with it, following directions in another book, which described how to make fuses. Both books came from my local library. I showed them to my father, who was proud of my initiative.

They blowed up real good.

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Explosives in Boston could have been traced if not for the NRA? [View all] BainsBane Apr 2013 OP

The NRA is also behind the blocking of the ATF director Cali_Democrat Apr 2013 #1

absolutely BainsBane Apr 2013 #4

I wondered about that too. femmocrat Apr 2013 #2

Only if commercial explosives were used. hobbit709 Apr 2013 #3

What about the fertilizer type bombs? BainsBane Apr 2013 #5

Theoretically yes sarisataka Apr 2013 #6

as an aside BainsBane Apr 2013 #7

Ammonium nitrate NH3 is absorbed by plants as a nutrient. hobbit709 Apr 2013 #15

The properties of nitrates are widely useful sarisataka Apr 2013 #20

wow, I think I'll stick with compost BainsBane Apr 2013 #39

The water you pour onto your houseplants can also be used to make a bomb Travelman Apr 2013 #106

Only if the fertilizer has a tracer in it. hobbit709 Apr 2013 #8

Isn't the point that the NRA has opposed such tracers? BainsBane Apr 2013 #11

The NRA was opposed to putting the Jenoch Apr 2013 #27

A number of members, including yourself, BainsBane Apr 2013 #29

I should have read the entire thread before posting. Jenoch Apr 2013 #34

I believe you were the first to mention the farmers union BainsBane Apr 2013 #36

Only in firearms propellants. AtheistCrusader Apr 2013 #32

Last information I heard was that the Boston bombs used black powder. thucythucy Apr 2013 #58

It was agriculture interests that opposed taggants in fertilizer slackmaster Apr 2013 #46

yes, but taggants are used in Switzerland BainsBane Apr 2013 #64

Yes, and the taggant contents are changed only every few months. slackmaster Apr 2013 #70

Why do "normal" people want/need to know how to make explosives? SoCalDem Apr 2013 #37

I learned to make gunpowder MineralMan Apr 2013 #49

It must be a guy-thing SoCalDem Apr 2013 #50

More a science geek thing. MineralMan Apr 2013 #51

This Mom is glad her sons were not into blowing stuff up SoCalDem Apr 2013 #54

I'm 67 we used to make it in school. oldbanjo Apr 2013 #52

What if you have to fight a Gorn? tclambert Apr 2013 #53

Thread win. n/t X_Digger Apr 2013 #83

Tribbles are the real danger. BainsBane Apr 2013 #85

Science. And homemade fireworks can be fun if done safely. aikoaiko Apr 2013 #55

You don't live on a farm Chuuku Davis Apr 2013 #63

I don't know about normal BainsBane Apr 2013 #75

The mechanics of building an atomic bomb are pretty straightforward. Llewlladdwr Apr 2013 #81

It does make the eyebrows go up, doesn't it, SoCalDem! I'm with ya. calimary Apr 2013 #77

what a waste my life has been dothemath Apr 2013 #62

I wasn't interesting in making bombs. hobbit709 Apr 2013 #65

Don't blame the NRA cvoogt Apr 2013 #9

I blame both nt BainsBane Apr 2013 #12

Fair enough cvoogt Apr 2013 #14

I agree with that BainsBane Apr 2013 #21

it is totally entrenched cvoogt Apr 2013 #24

public financing of elections BainsBane Apr 2013 #28

wholeheartedly agree cvoogt Apr 2013 #30

The Supreme Court BainsBane Apr 2013 #38

yeah, because money = speech cvoogt Apr 2013 #40

public funding of elections is necessary for democracy. stevebreeze Apr 2013 #43

tangents have been used before, on an experimental basis oldhippydude Apr 2013 #10

Sines have also been helpful, but cosines, not so much. nt bike man Apr 2013 #47

my bad.. relied on a spell checker that overcompensated oldhippydude Apr 2013 #56

I know what you mean. I hate it when the spell checker can't figure out bike man Apr 2013 #93

... LAGC Apr 2013 #57

I thought I heard it was smokeless black powder NightWatcher Apr 2013 #13

You were told wrong Chuuku Davis Apr 2013 #66

Do you know what the explosive was? BainsBane Apr 2013 #67

A mixture of sulphur, saltpeter, and charcoal Chuuku Davis Apr 2013 #78

based on watching the videos? BainsBane Apr 2013 #80

Yes Chuuku Davis Apr 2013 #82

No, why would I have seen explosions? BainsBane Apr 2013 #84

Videos have been all over the internet. GreenStormCloud Apr 2013 #102

ah, seeing it on TV BainsBane Apr 2013 #110

The videos do show a lot of smoke with the explosion. GreenStormCloud Apr 2013 #118

Are you talking about the Senate vote today? BainsBane Apr 2013 #120

Nobody claimed to have it all figured out. GreenStormCloud Apr 2013 #121

That didn't stop you from insulting me BainsBane Apr 2013 #122

You threw the first insulting snark in your post #110. GreenStormCloud Apr 2013 #128

It has nothing to do with taking it BainsBane Apr 2013 #134

By your argument, the store surveillance videos were also meaningless. GreenStormCloud Apr 2013 #135

No, by your argument BainsBane Apr 2013 #136

Not everything requires a PhD. GreenStormCloud Apr 2013 #137

I also heard black powder. thucythucy Apr 2013 #68

It is true and not... sarisataka Apr 2013 #16

yeah, I'm confused about the bomb BainsBane Apr 2013 #17

Had to look it up sarisataka Apr 2013 #25

Thank you so much BainsBane Apr 2013 #26

Latest I heard is that black powder was used thucythucy Apr 2013 #59

Interesting BainsBane Apr 2013 #61

The National Acadamy of Science recommended not to put taggants in blackpowder hack89 Apr 2013 #18

That was for detection (pre-explosion) mikerose Apr 2013 #88

Thanks for that clarification BainsBane Apr 2013 #89

But have future circumstances warranted their use? hack89 Apr 2013 #92

The claim is that the taggants reduce effectiveness by a tiny fraction? Guessing 1%? nt Bernardo de La Paz Apr 2013 #19

Untrue. I dislike the NRA, but that's misleading to the point of being a lie. Xithras Apr 2013 #22

Thanks for your explanation BainsBane Apr 2013 #23

It would be nice to get an updated NAS look at the topic. Xithras Apr 2013 #31

18 years is a long time in terms of technological development BainsBane Apr 2013 #35

Seems to me like Congress is the one blocking this from happening. nt valerief Apr 2013 #33

Check out this article from 1996.... veganlush Apr 2013 #41

Thanks for the link BainsBane Apr 2013 #112

But the good news is.... Jerry442 Apr 2013 #42

The scourge of Sudafed BainsBane Apr 2013 #44

Has the FBI announced that it is unable to trace the explosives used in the Boston Marathon bombing? slackmaster Apr 2013 #45

Last I heard black powder WAS the explosive used, thucythucy Apr 2013 #60

"Smokeless" and "black powder" are mutually exclusive. Smokeless powder makes a little smoke. slackmaster Apr 2013 #69

I distinctly heard "smokeless black powder" thucythucy Apr 2013 #71

Yes, anyone who said "smokeless black powder" is not knowledgable about the subject. slackmaster Apr 2013 #73

An ex FBI guy just said "maybe smokeless powder" BainsBane Apr 2013 #76

How does putting taggants in black powder add up to "less freedom"? thucythucy Apr 2013 #96

Must government respond to EVERY major crime by enacting new laws? slackmaster Apr 2013 #97

So basically, you can't answer the question. thucythucy Apr 2013 #99

It would hurt my freedom in two ways: 1. By raising the price of powder, and 2. Causing taxes... slackmaster Apr 2013 #100

Oh you poor poor thing! thucythucy Apr 2013 #115

You seem pretty upset about this. slackmaster Apr 2013 #116

And you're not? thucythucy Apr 2013 #117

Black powder is easily made at home. GreenStormCloud Apr 2013 #104

So fine, then the terrorists who plotted this attack thucythucy Apr 2013 #114

I am pointing out how ineffective the laws that you want would be. N/T GreenStormCloud Apr 2013 #119

You are arguing for the convenience of bomb makers. thucythucy Apr 2013 #125

Problem Mitchell Apr 2013 #124

So let's put some real effort into researching ways thucythucy Apr 2013 #126

Stupid fucking ignorant reporters Chuuku Davis Apr 2013 #79

Why don't you take a little break? Sounds like you need it..... (nt) Paladin Apr 2013 #95

Yep - and we got a whole basement full of Popgun Fondlers here who defend the NRA every step of apocalypsehow Apr 2013 #48

The point is this technology could have advanced to the point where it was useful, mountain grammy Apr 2013 #72

Yes, they impede research BainsBane Apr 2013 #74

You seem to be very eager to throw away the First Amendment. GreenStormCloud Apr 2013 #86

Bullshit BainsBane Apr 2013 #87

They've got ca. 4 million members. How do you propose to shut them down? friendly_iconoclast Apr 2013 #90

to fund their opponents BainsBane Apr 2013 #91

That isn't what he said. GreenStormCloud Apr 2013 #94

He said nothing about using the govt BainsBane Apr 2013 #108

You know what, pal, the NRA is suppressing everyone's free speech with wads of money mountain grammy Apr 2013 #98

You have said some things that aren't true. GreenStormCloud Apr 2013 #101

Enough! The NRA is suppressing the Constitution. mountain grammy Apr 2013 #103

How are they suppressing it? I still have all my rights, and so do you. N/T GreenStormCloud Apr 2013 #105

The First Amendment BainsBane Apr 2013 #109

The NRA minority is suppressing my right for an up or down vote on background checks. mountain grammy Apr 2013 #127

Please show where that right is listed in the Constitution. GreenStormCloud Apr 2013 #129

show me your right to own a weapon if you're not part of a "well regulated militia." mountain grammy Apr 2013 #130

That horse is dead. You can quit beating it. GreenStormCloud Apr 2013 #131

you forgot BainsBane Apr 2013 #111

tell that to doctors in Florida BainsBane Apr 2013 #113

Clearly! Thank you. mountain grammy Apr 2013 #133

+1 uponit7771 Apr 2013 #132

NRA = Terrorism Enablers Blue Owl Apr 2013 #107

Yep saw this on the last word tonite hepkat Apr 2013 #123