I HAD one of those... and I accidentally broke it today! I will be buying another one to replace it.
And yes, I'll be working towards finding the minimal foil. This is for the steel caps (and later the aluminum tube when it arrives). For now I will
focus on processing my shell casings. Punching out the primer is harder than I thought, since I don't have reloading tools (yet). So I drilled through
the back. I noticed that the 7.62x39mm is MUCH thicker than the 5.56x45mm! I broke a drill bit in the process! Another tool to replace!
Quote:
Well done on the tests so far, what was the mass of EM in each of your test caps?
I'm actually quite proud of my latest test overall. If the new mostly bottomless steel caps can exceed that, then I think I would have achieved my
goal of making a blasting cap that is on par with the commercial or military caps. When I read the Improvised Munitions Handbook section on detonators
(and I should have memorized it better, since it had some information that could have made my life much easier) the warning at the end really
captivated me 'Detonator has considerably more power than a military blasting cap and should be handled carefully'. I don't know why, but just that
made me really, really want it! UndermineBriarEverglade - 14-8-2024 at 23:57
First cap. 7mm aluminum tube closed with foil. 250mg of ETN hand pressed to 1g/cm3 (), plus 50mg loose, detonated with EBW. 1mm steel plate. Bucket of cat litter worked well to muffle sound. I guess I should increase the
charge amount?
Sir_Gawain - 15-8-2024 at 08:55
Definitely increase the amount. I would add a third layer of ~500 mg ETN pressed or cast to high density. I used 500 mg melt cast because pressing to
high density in thin aluminum tubes can cause them to deform. I also figured it would help seal the end of the tube. ManyInterests - 15-8-2024 at 17:10
I feel jealous! That is actually quite impressive for a first time cap. I wish I could have had that kind of result early on!
That being said, I will concur with Sir_Gawain about melt-casting ETN. When you melt-cast powdered ETN and grind it back up again, it is of much
higher density and you will see markedly improved results from similar weights.
For me I am going to make another 10 detonators to test for next time. This time I hope it will be finally... FINALLY the time when I succeed. I will
do 4 steel bodies, all with the ends cut off, but 2 will have just electrical tape at the end to seal the other side (and only one layer) and the
other 2 will have some foiled pressed and some tape to hold that in place. the foil isn't 100% unpushable, but it does need a thwack to get it loose.
I hope that still provides the same purpose as foil.
The other 4 detonators will be 2 5.56x45mm/.223 and 2 7.62x39mm cases all processed as per the Improvised Munitions Handbook. Deprimed and drilled
from the back, so the explosive train will start from the hardest and end in the softest. I will have one of each kind sealed with some foil and
crimped mildly to hold it in place and taped, the other two will just be taped.
The final 2 will be made from the aluminum tube I ordered (which hasn't arrived yet). One with some foil and tape at the end and the other with just
tape.
All loadings will be 1g of pressed ETN and 0.3g of 1:1 ETN:NHN mix as usual.Laboratory of Liptakov - 15-8-2024 at 23:08
Finally I see pictures with entire assemble with tube. Good work with EBW. On picture is see damage of aluminium cavity. According all is it
full detonation 250 mg ETN. Damage of 1 mm of steel plate is little bit weak, but it can be cause aluminium tube. If should by the tube from steel,
the hole in 1 mm steel would by bigger and rouded. Inner diameter is 7 mm ? 250 mg in inner diameter 7 mm is too small. This diameter require minimal
400 mg of ETN for output segment. ETN should by form a square height...
), plus 50mg loose, detonated with EBW. 1mm steel plate. Bucket of cat litter worked well to muffle sound. I guess I should increase the
charge amount?