The shaped charges of explosive are an older(almost dying)passion of mine.Did anyone of you tried to make one?
What I made was a pretty dangerous device as I used as explosive HMTD or AP.I described the device here on forum a long time ago.The fact is that a very small shaped charge(about 2-3g of HMTD) made a nice round hole (0.8cm in diameter) in a big steel coin (2mm thick).I was impressed how powerfull a device like this may be.Imagine that it goes off in your pens as you are carrying it around!Good bye family!
Now I won't repeat those experiences.I'd try a stable explosive instead of AP or HMTD.
Have you ever made a shaped charge?And,most important,did it worked?
Take care!

I've made the casing for shaped charges before, I was going to use them on the propane project. I decided to wait on the propane project ... mostly because I've been flat broke since late December. I promise it'll happen eventually... sorry about the straying off topic.

So for a shaped charge, I have a few pointers in case you have done no research:
The cone of the charge should be from .75 to 1.5 times as far from the target as the charge is wide.
Copper is regarded as the best metal for the cone of the charge.
For best results use an explosive with a VoD of >6800m/s.
That's all I can think of now...

Hold off your thing? A propane tank costs...three dollars? Oh well, maybe I can beat you to it then!

I haven't made any yet, but I plan on doing so when I get a chance. I'll probably use AP or HMTD first, but once I make TNP I'll try with that.

I had to dispose of my aging AP (underground detonation) and now I'm out of money and H2SO4, so I can't make new AP. So I'd need a twenty to come my way before I can do it: $10 for acid, $3 for propane, $3 for H2O2, and $4 for gas in the car... I'd use the bank card, but it got mangled and I'm waiting for the replacement.

Then I'll let you know about my shaped charges...

OK David,any sign we'll get from you after that,it will mean that you're still alive!
"Every KABOOOM!!! fills my heart with joy"(hell no!I'm damn scared!!! )
Take care!!!

You could make novelty shaped charges like popular cartoon charachters for example and sell them to children...

I don't think you know what a shaped charge is. Its not explosive formed into a shape. Its actually a cone of metal with explosive packed behinde the "tip" part and when the explosive goes off, the metal becomes plasma.

And selling explosives to kids is a BIG no-no!

i only sell to people my own age, but it is still weird how little people my age, and even a lot older, know.

Aechean,I know what a shaped charge is.In those small shaped charges of HMTD I used aluminium foil(bad idea as it increases the instability of HMTD).As I know,the metal used for the cone is melted and projected forward with enormous speed.Because of the geometrical shape of the explosive charge,the main power of the blast it is concentrated in a small area.That's why a relatively small shaped charge can make a hole in a thick plate of metal.
I think that we all should learn as much as we can about explosives,especially if we give advices and if we really make and use explosives.Anyway,every year skilled pyros are hurted or die by accident.There is a thin line between safe and non-safe.Knowledge keeps us safer but nobody can predict everything!
So take care and don't forget:explosives aren't toys!

����The 'cone' portion of the charge need not be a cone. It can also be a parabolic dome or any other concave shape with a defined point of focus. I find that making the charge dish shaped is in fact easier, because parabolic dishes are easy to plot and easy, in fact, to find premade moulds for (large lenses, easter egg shells, and so on).

~Zero

I learnt something today

I was talking to OniOuji, by the way.

I still dont under stand how a shaped charge wrok really. Id really like to make one soon.

I'm sure there is a website that explains it much better than I can, but basically the shape causes shockwaves from the detonating explosives to converge and reflect in one direction. Of course some energy goes other directions, but much more is directed to a single point this way then just detonating a plain old lump of HE.

quote:

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Originally posted by Zero the Inestimable:
����The 'cone' portion of the charge need not be a cone. It can also be a parabolic dome or any other concave shape with a defined point of focus. I find that making the charge dish shaped is in fact easier, because parabolic dishes are easy to plot and easy, in fact, to find premade moulds for (large lenses, easter egg shells, and so on).

~Zero

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Interesting, I have several of those. My Dad's friend can cast stuff in aluminum, copper ect. I was thinking of having a few copper shapes cast and make a few prodotype charges.

Any more objects that are dish or cone shaped? I am itching to do some comparision tests, so I need a thin cone and a thin dish shape (the plastic egg).

OK Aechean,no problem.My mistake.
Shaped charges are very interesting and they work better if plastic explosive is used.I know it is hard to get or to make...
In the WWII the German Army had a very effective light weapon called "Panzerfaust".It was in fact a kind of small rocket launcher.A shaped charge was projected forward and in expert hands this device destroyed many American,British and Russian tanks!
The shaped charge head of Panzerfaust was a standard product also used in a type of landmine.
You may search the web for informations regarding the history of weapons and explosives.I learned a lot of interesting things.
Sven Hassel was a German soldier(in fact he was born in Denmark)in the WWII and he wrote a series of books that made him VERY popular,at least in Europe.Try to read his books,you'll see the war from a different perspective.Somehow he was inspired by an older book about the WWI,"Nothing New on the Western Front",wrote by Erich Maria Remarque,book banned by the Nazi regime.I'd say this book is more artistic than Hassel's writings.And we like artistic stuff!
Take care!

The panzerfaust (german for tank fist) was one of the most effective single shot AT weapons of the war. I have some video footage of them in use if someone wants them.

Yes,Sven Hassel also used it in the WWII and he was only complaining about the launching flame which made the shooter visible and vulnerable.On Discovery Channel I saw some filming of Panzerfaust launches and their effects.

i have an old text file with instructions on making and detonating plastic explosives using potassium chlorate and vaseline. i'll post it if anyone wants to hear it(which i doubt)

Actually chlorate/petrol jelly has poor detonation velocity, therefore it is a poor choice for a shaped charge.

Think of a shaped charge as a flexible ice cream cone. Now say it is in the starting postion and looks like " /\ " When you press on the very top (as the explosives would be doing, but at much greater spped and force) the cone inverts itself and begins to point down, like " \/ " When this is all done very fast with a highly brisant explosive, you get a high speed/high energy slug of liquid metal, which can be used to cut targets.

That would mean the best place to put a detonater (or fuse if you're using a primary) would be behind the point of the cone, right? I would think so.

By The Way: I got 32oz (946mL) of H2SO4 for about $3usd and a pound (454g) of KNO3 for $4usd at Lowes. I also have a date se for the propane project: Feb. 8 at about 6 in the morning which is still dark (means I wake up at 4). It's about the soonest I can get to my blast site, stay tuned.

I would assume so, but I do not know. Try searching, but I doubt you will find much. If you do, post it.

"......That would mean the best place to put a detonater (or fuse if you're using a primary) would be behind the point of the cone, right? ......"

Right. At the top of the charge and perfectly centered. In general, when designing your shaped charge, how well it performs its intended role will be dependent on several factors....

1) Design. A badly made shaped charged performs as well as it was designed (meaning gold=gold & shit=shit). The cone (liner) should be perfectly aligned with the body of the device and the explosive should be packed to a uniform density with no air pockets (a liquid explosive would likely have a perfect uniformity regarding density).

The detonation should begin at the exact rear center of the charge.

The quantity of explosives used would be based on the height of the cone/liner... meaning the thickness of the charge (from the top of the cone to the top of the charge) should be equal to or greater than the height of the cone.

2) The Explosives Detonation Velocity. The more powerful the explosive, the better. A detonation velocity of 6,000 meters per second or greater is recommended, but anything with a det velocity of 3,000 mps up to 6,000 mps can be used... the shaped charge just won't penetrate as much (or as well) than if you used a better explosive.

3) Containment/Confinement. An explosive with a det velocity of 6,000 mps + won't need any extraordinary confinement. A tin can should suffice. But anything with a lower det velocity than that will need strong sidewall confinement, such as a steel pipe.

4) Liner. As was said earlier, copper is considered the optimum cone/liner material, but mild steel, aluminum, and glass is just as serviceable.

Preferably the cone will have an apex angle between 30 and 60 degrees (45 degrees is a good compromise). Cone thickness should be uniform and the shape should be proportional (round) from the top (apex) to the bottom (mouth) of the cone.

5) Standoff. As was stated earlier, a standoff should be used for maximum performance. Optimum standoff distance between the base of the charge/cone and the target can be from 3/4 to 1 1/2 times the diameter of the cone/liner.

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Linear shaped charges opens up a whole other can of worms....

[This message has been edited by d1ng0 (edited 01-16-2003).]

Nice job Dingo. I am glad to see you posting.

The copper cone is best at a 45 degree angle made from a single sheet of copper. And it might be a good idea to heat it before use so that it becomes soft and not hard after being worked into a cone.

why not make an alloy, like 75 percent copper, and 25 percent of another metal, like aluminum becuase it is soft too. Lead would be good too, becuase it is very soft and heavy, so momentum will be greater.