crazedguy - 15-11-2010 at 18:34
could a cattle prod that runs in the 3000-5000 volt range be used for an electric bridge wire
or why couldnt it be used and what would be necessary for such a detonation of PETN or ETN
DougTheMapper - 15-11-2010 at 19:02
I don't think it'll have enough current to explode any sort of bridgewire. I've had success with a camera flash circuit and christmas lights, shown
here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EJ8EPgGRdg
I've yet to try it with ETN, but that's pending for this weekend.
crazedguy - 15-11-2010 at 19:18
thought it seemed like a decent idea since i could get a hold of a cattle prod fairly east
DougTheMapper - 15-11-2010 at 19:47
You could always try it if you can get the cattle prod cheaply. I merely suggested the camera flash circuit as I took mine from a $5 USD disposable
camera.
mnick12 - 15-11-2010 at 20:02
I would agree with Dougthemapper, I doubt a regular cattle prod or any other device like it would have any significant amount of energy in its
discharge. In fact I wouldn't call it stretch to say there is less than a few joules in a discharge. You could however hook it up with a large
capacitor 5kv @ a few microfarads should be plenty of energy to pop some aluminum wires. Look around for capacitors on ebay, a while ago I got 36 250v
1100uf caps for a ridiculously low price. Im sure you could find some for a good deal.
crazedguy - 15-11-2010 at 20:07
your probably right about that mnick because although the high voltage it would be very low current
the idea was to no make your own capacitor setup but to use something prebuilt
Twospoons - 15-11-2010 at 20:50
Cattle prods will be well under a joule, probably as low as 0.1 J. I used to work in that industry as an engineer.
Contrabasso - 4-12-2010 at 10:09
There is a possibility that a cattle prod spark could directly initiate some HEs. However I wouldn't like to be close enough to a detonation to try
it! Look at the concept of the nonel/shocktube igniter used with electric fire cintrollers like the Shrike and the Scorpion (as found on Blaster's
tool and supply website.
crazedguy - 4-12-2010 at 14:08
well since i posted this i have done some learning that it doesnt have nearly enough the amperage
but i suppose that if it could set off by spark then it may work
but could my 200 mW laser initiate ETN?
[Edited on 4-12-2010 by crazedguy]
quicksilver - 6-12-2010 at 07:09
I doubt it. The reason is that GOOD quality ETN will be clean clear crystals that may refract light enough to defuse the heat. Try it and see. It may
initiate if the ETN were compressed enough to that it was essentially an oblique surface but not scattered about; even a bit.....it would need to get
as much heat energy as possible. I think that any laser that burns a clean hole in linen or cotton-rag paper will initiate ETN that is compressed
enough to stop all reflection.
crazedguy - 6-12-2010 at 09:25
just tried it didnt work but i will try what you said
quicksilver - 7-12-2010 at 07:56
Laser initiation had been discussed in the Forum some time back. I can't say for sure but I think that it's not a specific energy level (within
reason): I think it may be a low end of 300-500mw on up to a watt. There are some variables that may enter the picture here in that while I had heard
that burning paper was about 500mw enough, the lenses may not be appropriate to concentrate that wattage to a point of concentration appropriate
enough for the experiment. If the lenses are aligned and appropriate to burn paper, that level of energy should initiate. HOWEVER - there is a safety
factor in that the focus must be far enough away to maintain distance standards safety criterion. Therefore the focus of 200mw may burn or reach a
close point, it does not good at a few feet distant. A proper testing medium would need a very flat black background and a layer of energetic that is
thick enough to eliminate transparency (but still have that within a few milligrams) etc.
I do know that 1 watt will get hot enough to maintain heat energy at distance with a CO2 laser adjusted to below .5mm and lens distance maintaining
focus at 100meters; I don't have enough of a background with lasers & optics to say what distance proper focus could achieve 140-200C with a
200mw. The optics and setup may cost well more than a 1 watt laser to begin with. A search in the Forum may turn up the actual specifics as I believe
that there has been well researched documentation on the subject. I think even NASA did some work on that subject.
[Edited on 7-12-2010 by quicksilver]
gregxy - 7-12-2010 at 12:34
It also depends on what you mean by initiate.
A laser pointer (or one made from a CD burner) that can
"burn paper" might work if you place the ETN on a
dark surface. Over 10 or 20 sec the etn will melt, decompose
and then possibly burn or explode.
I have a 30mw laser and cannot feel any heat at all from the
beam. I think there are videos on youtube of people popping
baloons and melting dark plastic with 500mw lasers.
This is different from direct initiation which uses a high power pulsed laser (several mega watts of power and initiation in
a microsecond).
crazedguy - 7-12-2010 at 15:45
my laser hurts on skin and can melt thin plastic but wouldnt melt the ETN or do anything really