# Official Fuse Thread #

[haddo]

I'm new to all this pyrotechnics and i was thinking can you make a fuse by by soaking rope in kerosene and letting it dry overnight??

[headcase]

No, all the kerosene will evaporate.

[jellocaca]

same thing with soaking it in gas?

[Shalshaska]

Yes, all petroleum based fuels will evaporate within about 30 seconds to a minute of soaking it. In fact, so will most flammable liquids, so that wouldn't work too well. The ACB has a pretty good fuse (although pretty much nothing else).

There is a huge number of potential homemade fuses, made with just some type of oxidizer and fuel mixed in water, which string or something is put into.

Some oxidizers are KClO3, KClO4, KClO3 or KMnO4, and there's no excuse for not being able to get some kind of oxidizer since all of these are available over-the-counter except, save KClO4.

As for fuel, just use sugar. Just stick with a basic 1:1 ratio for the fuse mixture, and mix it with about the 2x the volume of boiling water to dissolve it.

[haddo]

cool thanks for the info ill do that

[NuraLorb]

You realy need to do alot more reading before you attempt anything.

On the other hand Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi

[pyromainiac420]

Use sparklers, they give long delays. JUst make sure that the sparks cant hit your charge prematurly.

[Jago]

i've always used sparklers, worked fine for me.
Like pyro said, take appropriate measures to make sure sparks don't hit the charge. Just take it up propperly. And tape up/dip the base in wax so the metal isn't exposed (if using AP or any other peroxides).

[haddo]

what shops can i get oxidizers from??

[Shalshaska]

Wal-Mart has Spectracide brand Stump Remover which is 98% KNO3, and you can (reputedly) get KClO3 at pet stores as fish bowl oxygenating tablets, though I haven't been to a pet shop yet.

[Jago]

Originally Posted by haddo

what shops can i get oxidizers from??

Depends on what you are after. There's allot of different oxidizers.

[Shalshaska]

Addition: Potassium Permanganate is also available at some hardware or home stores as iron filter cleaner, but you might not want to mess around with that one yet, since my first time playing around with it and some Al powder, I lost some hair : /
It's one of the more unpredictable oxidizers.

[sakaxxx]

when i did not have a fuse i used to take a piece of toilet paper and saltpeter with sugar
i then mix the saltpeter sugar with water and smear it over the toilet paper
it burns relay slow and is surprisingly good

[detonate]

fer a supper long delay u can use stiks of of incence just rember to cut off the bottom extra stick without the incense on it. and on top of it it smells good

[spedboy]

duct tape and gun powder

[blank stare]

I've used that, spedboy, and I was thoroughly surprised how fast it went. I guess I shouldn't have been. Same way with a straw filled with gunpowder.

[headcase]

Just a post to bring this thread back from the depths.

Gunpowder in a straw isn't reliable enough a fuse for any serious charges. Make a proper fuse. It's this kind of laziness that loses people fingers. The fuse is as crucial a part of your device as the primary explosive.

Also, check this out; Alan Yates' Laboratory - Fuse Making

[ArsenalFC]

Originally Posted by Shalshaska

Yes, all petroleum based fuels will evaporate within about 30 seconds to a minute of soaking it. In fact, so will most flammable liquids, so that wouldn't work too well. The ACB has a pretty good fuse (although pretty much nothing else).

There is a huge number of potential homemade fuses, made with just some type of oxidizer and fuel mixed in water, which string or something is put into.

Some oxidizers are KClO3, KClO4, KClO3 or KMnO4, and there's no excuse for not being able to get some kind of oxidizer since all of these are available over-the-counter except, save KClO4.

As for fuel, just use sugar. Just stick with a basic 1:1 ratio for the fuse mixture, and mix it with about the 2x the volume of boiling water to dissolve it.

Can anyone tell me how reliable, in terms of consistency these fuses are?

[Hetfield]

These are uk based, so i'm sorry if they are no help to you

I find that if you can powder it fine enough, potassium chlorate works quite well for me, you can buy it in aquarium shops as "Supa fish" tank oxygenating tablets. when powdered and mixed with sugar (I use icing sugar for speed of reaction, at a ratio of 1/1) they burn very violently with a blue/white flame

Also, another commonly available oxidiser is Sodium Chlorate, which, in the UK at least, is available over the counter in most places as a none selective weedkiller. (Check your local Outdoor Market.) The only problem with sodium chlorate though is the presence of a fire depressant. It doesn't make Much difference but you would be much better off with Potassium Chlorate I Belive as the supafish tablets are i belive 98% pure (the rest is probably just binding agent to make it stay as a tblet once pressed).

Hope this helped, and let me remind you not to walk until you can run.

-Hetfield

[fenderbender48]

Originally Posted by Hetfield

Hope this helped, and let me remind you not to walk until you can run.

-Hetfield

You mean don't run before you walk... need some coffee?

One reliable fuze is a magnesium strip. You can buy it online and maybe other places I don't know. United Nuclear sells it by the roll for $7.50. What's nice is you don't have to worry about it corroding, and you have to be very deliberate about lighting it. I don't recommend using an ordinary lighter on a windy day, as it would be nearly impossible to light it. If you have a propane torch, that's a different story...

[General Grim]

One reliable fuze is a magnesium strip. You can buy it online and maybe other places I don't know. United Nuclear sells it by the roll for $7.50. What's nice is you don't have to worry about it corroding, and you have to be very deliberate about lighting it. I don't recommend using an ordinary lighter on a windy day, as it would be nearly impossible to light it. If you have a propane torch, that's a different story...

Magnesium not only corrodes (if kept out of oil) but it requires a source of oxygen to burn. It will not burn through tight holes.

Want fuse? Stick with black match or Visco.

[ArsenalFC]

Originally Posted by Shalshaska

Yes, all petroleum based fuels will evaporate within about 30 seconds to a minute of soaking it. In fact, so will most flammable liquids, so that wouldn't work too well. The ACB has a pretty good fuse (although pretty much nothing else).

There is a huge number of potential homemade fuses, made with just some type of oxidizer and fuel mixed in water, which string or something is put into.

Some oxidizers are KClO3, KClO4, KClO3 or KMnO4, and there's no excuse for not being able to get some kind of oxidizer since all of these are available over-the-counter except, save KClO4.

As for fuel, just use sugar. Just stick with a basic 1:1 ratio for the fuse mixture, and mix it with about the 2x the volume of boiling water to dissolve it.

Could adding sulfur to this work as well? 1:1:1 or something?

[X-ray Cat]

Get a long sheet of aluminum foil, spread a 1 cm wide line of BP out from top to bottom and roll it up very tightly. Works very well. Test it and thou shall see! The tighter you roll, the slower it burns.

[General Grim]

Originally Posted by X-ray Cat

Get a long sheet of aluminum foil, spread a 1 cm wide line of BP out from top to bottom and roll it up very tightly. Works very well. Test it and thou shall see! The tighter you roll, the slower it burns.

Wouldn't advise it, gaps or skips in the BP train could cause it to act like quick match- making it either explode or burn rapidly.

[X-ray Cat]

Try it a couple of times and test the burning time. Been using it for years, and has always worked for me.. Burns incredibly slow actually and unlike paper (i don't know why) doesn't shoot forward nor explodes. I once tried the same thing with bp in paper and that thing just bluntly exploded, pretty loud actually.. Give it a shot at a 30 cm long one with AL foil and you will be surprised. When i made an explosive charge with semtex-roach he too was extremely sceptical about the thing (he insisted on him lighting one and seeing that it actually works) and was surprised after the test. However.. It's been profen to work till it has once failed and explodes ofcourse. Haven't experienced that yet though..

[General Grim]

Originally Posted by X-ray Cat

Try it a couple of times and test the burning time. Been using it for years, and has always worked for me.. Burns incredibly slow actually and unlike paper (i don't know why) doesn't shoot forward nor explodes. I once tried the same thing with bp in paper and that thing just bluntly exploded, pretty loud actually.. Give it a shot at a 30 cm long one with AL foil and you will be surprised. When i made an explosive charge with semtex-roach he too was extremely sceptical about the thing (he insisted on him lighting one and seeing that it actually works) and was surprised after the test. However.. It's been profen to work till it has once failed and explodes ofcourse. Haven't experienced that yet though..

Everyone isn't you, no one uses the name black powder as you and your vague instructions are unlikely to help.

[X-ray Cat]

Pfff, you are such a narrow minded person aren't you?? I point out a plan that in my experience actually works (countless times) and you think you can actually walk by and post your shitty response disproving my method without even trying it :S. Not trying to be a bastard here but if you keep going like that you're a very shitty scientist and I sincerely hope you'll never end up doing any scientifical research as you'll undoubtedly will fuck up. Every theory will be correct till proven wrong. Prove my wrong boy.

Just test it dude.. Show me a film of my idea failing or the whole thing blowing up and THEN you can run me over with a truck of comment saying i'm wrong and i'll be PROUD to take it..

I must say though that my aluminum fuse is rather thick and is not ideal for small firecrackers (I only use it for big loads of HE). I use it as a delay fuse.

PS
What is wrong with the way i say blackpowder?? bp?? That term has been used for ages around this forum or at least in the old bombshock forum when there actually where people that didn't solely play with cherrybombs and napalm..

[General Grim]

Pfff, you are such a narrow minded person aren't you?? I point out a plan that in my experience actually works (countless times) and you think you can actually walk by and post your shitty response disproving my method without even trying it :S.

I have my reasons. Firstly I do not advise what you're saying because of the numerous different variables that are present in what you're advocating. For example: black powder grains, I believe you're using meal powder, if any member decides to take pulverone or any other grained BP then the effect will be like quick match (instant) and not a slow burning fuse. Secondly the rolling technique described, thickness of the black powder train, type of foil used, strength of the black powder and many other variables differ from person to person. I am specifically against your set of instructions because I've seen how things differ from person to person, a good example of this is KNO3/Sugar smoke mix: even though seemingly the mixtures are identical for two different people the results achieved can be disastrously different, with my smoke mix I can't use it as a propellant, others can, just as equally if I use a KNO3/Zn smoke mix then I can use that as a propellant whilst others can. These are actual examples of differing effects, seeing as black powder has more variables (hygroscopicity of charcoal, volatility of the wood before carbonisation etc.) I am adamant not to give advice based solely on my experience and include other factors such as others experience, ie: are there other guides based on foil and BP. Since there are none, your method isn't solid and shouldn't be advised, especially not to easily influenced and inexperienced people such as bombshock members.

Secondly, you're advising on such a sensitive aspect of pyrotechnics- delay and passing fire. It's often said that "Once the fuse is lit, there's nothing you can do about it", my problem is that if your poorly thought about technique of producing fuse fails (which due to the countless variables mentioned means it's more than likely to happen to several other people) it will mean that the device being lit could prematurely ignite. If that happens to be a large salute, some considerable damage can be done- especially if the pyrotechnician is startled and jumps back (potentially knocking over the device) by the fuse exploding. Why take the caution of a half-baked idea? Use regular fuse or tried and tested methods such as blackmatch, speaking of black match, it's a more economical idea, faster idea and more reliable idea.

Not trying to be a bastard here but if you keep going like that you're a very shitty scientist and I sincerely hope you'll never end up doing any scientifical research as you'll undoubtedly will fuck up.

That's completely to do with pyrotechnics and the topic at hand.

Every theory will be correct till proven wrong. Prove my wrong boy.

If yours gets proven wrong I would prefer if it didn't kill someone, so rather than wait for mistakes to happen I would actually just like to avoid them all together. Also, do not refer to me as "boy", as I decided not to scathe you as I do to many other members of this site.

Just test it dude.. Show me a film of my idea failing or the whole thing blowing up and THEN you can run me over with a truck of comment saying i'm wrong and i'll be PROUD to take it..

I am unable to test it as I have run out of charcoal suitable for black powder, I also find that the reliability and validity of the test is flawed as fuse isn't something that needs to work once, there will be constant use of your foil method if it is adopted by amateurs on this site and the changing variables means that eventually someone will be on the resulting end of a fuse failure. Also, your method, ironically, is very similar to my method of producing quick match, the only difference being that I actually intend for my fuse to burn quickly. Given the opportunity I'll make a video, but as I don't have the means to at the moment I will not.

I must say though that my aluminum fuse is rather thick and is not ideal for small firecrackers (I only use it for big loads of HE). I use it as a delay fuse.

I have to say it, you're a kewl, you take huge risks of using such an unorthodox method of making fuse to ignite devices that could easily kill you.

What is wrong with the way i say blackpowder?? bp?? That term has been used for ages around this forum or at least in the old bombshock forum when there actually where people that didn't solely play with cherrybombs and napalm..

It was a typo, meant to say "same" black powder, not "name".

EDIT: No response? Thought so. Next time you decide to step up, make sure you can back yourself up.

[X-ray Cat]

Dude, who the hell is gonna take a risk the first time he/she uses a new type of fuse?! You seriously think someone is gonna follow my description for a fuse and without checking just stick it in a carbomb??! If they where to test it (get a piece of their normal and trusted fuse to light my fuse) first, there would practicly be no risk involved in trying my method. You are kinda nitpicking.

PS reason for my "not backing up" lol, was not checking the site.

PS2
Yup, i am a kewl!

[jrly]

Originally Posted by X-ray Cat

Dude, who the hell is gonna take a risk the first time he/she uses a new type of fuse?! You seriously think someone is gonna follow my description for a fuse and without checking just stick it in a carbomb??! If they where to test it (get a piece of their normal and trusted fuse to light my fuse) first, there would practicly be no risk involved in trying my method. You are kinda nitpicking.

I am not saying you are entirely in the wrong and Grim was being a bit of an ass, but there are alot of stupid kids on this website and you can't assume that they will be wise enough to test what they do before they try to make a pipebomb and it blows up in there hand.

Anyone ever use string coated with nitrocellulose for a fuse?