Making potassium nitrate/sugar smoke bombs got me thinking. That stuff is rock hard when it cools, so maybe I could use it to encase an exploisve. I'm kinda guessing that even though it's rock hard, it is probably brittle. So, any ideas on what I could add to it to make it stronger?

P.S. I'm too lazy to actually go out and buy cement mix.

Fiberglass, although it's not worth the effort....

What about a helluva lot of fine sand?

Just make the casing then cover it in a flammable laquer.

quote:Originally posted by mindfuck:

Just make the casing then cover it in a flammable laquer.

Probably all laquer is flammable... but why did you specify flammable laquer?

quote:Originally posted by TheMightyGoat:

Probably all laquer is flammable... but why did you specify flammable laquer?

Maybe he meant nitrocellulose lacquer.

Add fibres, rather like the idea with composite materials using fibres and something more rigid.

Teased out cotton wool might work. stuff might crack but shouldent fall apart.

Got a candy thermometer and your mom's cookbooks? One of those cookbooks likely has a candy section. The hotter a sugar compound is, the harder, and yes, more brittle, the candy will tend to be when it cools. -Rod-

In my experiences kno3/sugar smokebombs are not brittle. The solid it makes is pretty malleable I think. The one problem I'd worry about is how it tends to shrink and become gooey again after some time.