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LAN_403

cduma

Mon Feb 09 2009, 01:12AM

Registered Member #1822 Joined: Fri Nov 21 2008, 08:04PM
Location:
Posts: 300

I realy want to perform some experiment with thermite but, buying powderd aluminum is very expensive. Can I combine aluminum shavings and powder?

Backyard Skunkworks

Mon Feb 09 2009, 01:49AM

Registered Member #1262 Joined: Fri Jan 25 2008, 05:22AM
Location: Maryland, USA
Posts: 451

If the shavings are very fine, I'd think so, provided the mix still has a lot of powder in it. It's actually not that hard to make aluminum foil into powder in a blender (provided you fill it with water to prevent the flash fire hazard.) And remember to be very careful, thermite will continue to burn at several thousand degrees despite attempts to put it out; any batch bigger than a few grams can present a real hazard to safety and property.

aonomus

Mon Feb 09 2009, 02:40AM

Registered Member #1497 Joined: Thu May 22 2008, 05:24AM
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 801

To correct Skunkworks, any attempt to put thermite out with liquids or gasses will cause flash-steam explosions, or spray of molten (and burning) metal. Be safe and follow local laws and regulations...

big5824

Mon Feb 09 2009, 06:17PM

Registered Member #1687 Joined: Tue Sept 09 2008, 08:47PM
Location: UK, Darlington
Posts: 240

when grinding the aluminium the finer you get the grains the better. But like skunk said, aluminium power can catch fire quite easily I think.

Doubl3 Helix

Tue Feb 10 2009, 02:15AM

Registered Member #1548 Joined: Mon Jun 16 2008, 09:22PM
Location: Ohio
Posts: 61

Yes this is correct, aluminum is a very reactive metal, especially when there is a high surface area(such as when it is a very fine powder). I have never ground Al down to powder, so I cannot vouch for the method mentioned by Skunkworks; however, I can't imagine that it would be very pure, or of a very good mesh size. But then again it is thermite and not star composition or rocket fuel...so it could most likely suffice.

Note that thermite is an dangerous beast, and the reaction will more than likely not stop unless the fuel is consumed. Plan ahead with every use of thermite, and be responsible with it. Also make sure you have a reliable method of igniting the mixture. I'm assuming that you are going to make Fe203 + Al thermite, this mixture, as you know needs a very large amount of energy to start, so use magnesium ribbon, or some other type of thermite ignition composition.

Here is a thread about different thermite mixtures over at apcforum.net, its a pretty good read if you are interested in this hobby...

cduma

Mon Feb 16 2009, 10:56PM

Registered Member #1822 Joined: Fri Nov 21 2008, 08:04PM
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Posts: 300

Yeah I know the dangers. My plan is to do the reaction over dirt after checking for anysort of pipelines. I will also try to not have the thermite reach the dirt although there isnt much I can do to stop it...

I want to see how much thermite it takes to destroy a harddrive. Theory: not much at all. I think 1cc will be overkill

I am going to use a sparkler for the ignitor BTW

[Edit: Double post]

Hon1nbo

Tue Feb 17 2009, 12:03AM

Registered Member #902 Joined: Sun Jul 15 2007, 08:17PM
Location: Pacific Northwest USA
Posts: 1042

please edit your posts rather than double posting...
and depending on your powder quality, it might take more than one cc... depends on what you consider "destroyed"...

MOT_man

Sat Jul 18 2009, 08:39AM

Registered Member #1127 Joined: Mon Nov 19 2007, 12:08AM
Location:
Posts: 139

If you want to see a truly unique form of Thermite then try Copper Oxide Thermite. It burns faster than black powder. Very spectacular! I have a video I could post. This material is also used in Special FX industry as well.
USE IT SAFELY.... DO NOT CONFINE OR COMPRESS IT... SHOCK/IMPACT SENSITIVE!

Hon1nbo

Sat Jul 18 2009, 04:32PM

Registered Member #902 Joined: Sun Jul 15 2007, 08:17PM
Location: Pacific Northwest USA
Posts: 1042

MOT_man wrote ...

If you want to see a truly unique form of Thermite then try Copper Oxide Thermite. It burns faster than black powder. Very spectacular! I have a video I could post. This material is also used in Special FX industry as well.
USE IT SAFELY.... DO NOT CONFINE OR COMPRESS IT... SHOCK/IMPACT SENSITIVE!

you can use quite a few metal oxides for a Thermite reaction, from what I understand you can even use Uranium Oxide, though I would never due to the radioactive smoke and the fact that if there is any Uranium metal dust it can ignite spontaneously...

Zorink

Sun Jul 19 2009, 02:49AM

Registered Member #1292 Joined: Wed Feb 06 2008, 04:09AM
Location: Mesa, AZ
Posts: 25

try ebay. I got 5 lbs of Al powder there for around $25

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