I was watching a bomb disposal show last night and one bomb they found was (apparently) really sensitive, one knock could set it off etc etc etc. To get rid of it, they loaded it into a truck and drove 100km away (along with a lot of other bombs) to detonate them safely.

So, if the bomb was so sensitive, any knock could set it off, how did it handle being in the back of a ute driving over bumpy roads for 100km without detonating? I thought maybe they defused it before putting into a truck but then they wouldn’t need to detonate it later as it would then be inactive.

Divine Angel said:

I thought maybe they defused it before putting into a truck but then they wouldn’t need to detonate it later as it would then be inactive.

What else would they do with them, auction them off along with recovered goods? Explosives can get unstable as they age, no point storing them in a warehouse somewhere.

i would imagine the rendered it safe before transport. they blow them up even when they are ‘safe” because that is the best way to get rid of them. they can’t use the components for anything.

Defused it first I’d say.
They have to destroy old explosives because they can become unstable, apparently.

also they like blowing shit up.

I knew they’d have to detonate them anyway at some point.

ChrispenEvan said:

also they like blowing shit up.

Otherwise they can become unstable.

ChrispenEvan said:

also they like blowing shit up.

Makes for good telly. Just ask the Mythbusters.

had a mate whose nickname was gelignite. he used to sweat a lot and became unstable with age.

My dad was (before i was born) an armourer in the Air Force (he was also an armorer later, but that’s another story).

He spent a lot of time blowing up surplus munitions from WW2.

Acquired much useful knowledge.

An old housemate of mine used to be a combat engineer in the Singapore army (national service), disposing of unexploded munitions (I think on the practice ranges). They’d sign out more C4 than what they needed, take care of the bomb, then blow up the rest for lulz.

the “sweat” from gelignite is nitroglycerin and it will give you a really bad headache if you get some on your skin.

Infrequent exposure to high doses of nitroglycerin can cause severe headaches known as “NG head” or “bang head”. These headaches can be severe enough to incapacitate some people; however, humans develop a tolerance to and dependence on nitroglycerin after long-term exposure. Withdrawal can (rarely) be fatal; withdrawal symptoms include headaches and heart problems and if unacceptable may be treated with re-exposure to nitroglycerin or other suitable organic nitrates.

For workers in nitroglycerin (NTG) manufacturing facilities, the effects of withdrawal sometimes include a “Monday morning headache” in those experiencing regular nitroglycerin exposure in the workplace, leading to the development of tolerance for the vasodilating effects. Over the weekend, the workers lose the tolerance and, when they are re-exposed on Monday, the drastic vasodilation produces tachycardia, dizziness, and a headache.[2

wiki

You can also set fire to your C4, and use it to heat water for coffee. It’s mostly hexamine.

A 1-inch cube will burn for long enough to heat water for two cups of instant.

ChrispenEvan said:

also they like blowing shit up.

That goes without saying.. ;)

captain_spalding said:

My dad was (before i was born) an armourer in the Air Force (he was also an armorer later, but that’s another story).

He spent a lot of time blowing up surplus munitions from WW2.

Acquired much useful knowledge.

I’e got images of my dad clearing and laying minefields.

captain_spalding said:

You can also set fire to your C4, and use it to heat water for coffee. It’s mostly hexamine.

A 1-inch cube will burn for long enough to heat water for two cups of instant.

Wasn’t that what the sandshoe bomber tried.. ?

you can also get rid of old explosives by sending it through the post to local politicians and media identities

wookiemeister said:

you can also get rid of old explosives by sending it through the post to local politicians and media identities

You clearly don’t fear the NSA.

“Sandshoe bomber”?

captain_spalding said:

“Sandshoe bomber”?

The guy on the plane who lost his detonator ignition and tried burning his shoes with matches..

roughbarked said:

captain_spalding said:

“Sandshoe bomber”?

The guy on the plane who lost his detonator ignition and tried burning his shoes with matches..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Reid

wookiemeister said:

you can also get rid of old explosives by sending it through the post to local politicians and media identities

.
Is this one of those “Win/win” situations?

Oh, yeah, him.

Yeah, he was trying to light a fuse of some sort. Presumably led to some kind of detonator.

If he’d lit the explosive itself, he would’ve probably just give himself the classic cartoon ‘hot-foot’.

Which would’ve been about the only additional thing he could have done to further emphasis a supreme FAIL.

captain_spalding said:

Oh, yeah, him.

Yeah, he was trying to light a fuse of some sort. Presumably led to some kind of detonator.

If he’d lit the explosive itself, he would’ve probably just give himself the classic cartoon ‘hot-foot’.

Which would’ve been about the only additional thing he could have done to further emphasis a supreme FAIL.

Exactly. Since his fuses failed.. he was wasting his time.

roughbarked said:

captain_spalding said:

Oh, yeah, him.

Yeah, he was trying to light a fuse of some sort. Presumably led to some kind of detonator.

If he’d lit the explosive itself, he would’ve probably just give himself the classic cartoon ‘hot-foot’.

Which would’ve been about the only additional thing he could have done to further emphasis a supreme FAIL.

Exactly. Since his fuses failed.. he was wasting his time.

In this instance we can observe at least one instance where whacko’s are incapable of applying just a little science… and be thankful for that small fact.

At SME (School of Military Engineers) one of the tests for fuze setting is putting half a stick of jelly into a slit trench and watching it burn. The tricky bit is the class does it at one minute intervals so if you are first up you spend 15 minutes looking at a burning fuse. The class is assigned a position and with instructors (a lot of instructors) you do the procedure for timing the fuse, which involves cutting off the first 60 cm or so and discarding, then timing the burn rate on another length. Calculate the length you need to detonate your charge at the same time as everyone elses charge.

You are lined up at near the trench and one by walk out, light the fuse (matches fuzee) and drop it into the trench and get to watch it as everyone else does theirs at intervals. When the last person puts theirs in you then all walk (not run, never run) back to the safe position and watch everything go bang at once.

Skunkworks said:

At SME (School of Military Engineers) one of the tests for fuze setting is putting half a stick of jelly into a slit trench and watching it burn. The tricky bit is the class does it at one minute intervals so if you are first up you spend 15 minutes looking at a burning fuse. The class is assigned a position and with instructors (a lot of instructors) you do the procedure for timing the fuse, which involves cutting off the first 60 cm or so and discarding, then timing the burn rate on another length. Calculate the length you need to detonate your charge at the same time as everyone elses charge.

You are lined up at near the trench and one by walk out, light the fuse (matches fuzee) and drop it into the trench and get to watch it as everyone else does theirs at intervals. When the last person puts theirs in you then all walk (not run, never run) back to the safe position and watch everything go bang at once.

I’ve played in this arena.. and survived. Did at least once also hold a shot firers permit.

I have no current need to actually use it otherwise I’d attempt to take that further.

Skunkworks said:

At SME (School of Military Engineers) one of the tests for fuze setting is putting half a stick of jelly into a slit trench and watching it burn. The tricky bit is the class does it at one minute intervals so if you are first up you spend 15 minutes looking at a burning fuse. The class is assigned a position and with instructors (a lot of instructors) you do the procedure for timing the fuse, which involves cutting off the first 60 cm or so and discarding, then timing the burn rate on another length. Calculate the length you need to detonate your charge at the same time as everyone elses charge.

You are lined up at near the trench and one by walk out, light the fuse (matches fuzee) and drop it into the trench and get to watch it as everyone else does theirs at intervals. When the last person puts theirs in you then all walk (not run, never run) back to the safe position and watch everything go bang at once.

Sounds like a fun day at school.

Chrispen, I make this threat.. One day soon I’ll endeavour to venture into your territory where you may have a chance to meet the actual person.

party_pants said:

Skunkworks said:

At SME (School of Military Engineers) one of the tests for fuze setting is putting half a stick of jelly into a slit trench and watching it burn. The tricky bit is the class does it at one minute intervals so if you are first up you spend 15 minutes looking at a burning fuse. The class is assigned a position and with instructors (a lot of instructors) you do the procedure for timing the fuse, which involves cutting off the first 60 cm or so and discarding, then timing the burn rate on another length. Calculate the length you need to detonate your charge at the same time as everyone elses charge.

You are lined up at near the trench and one by walk out, light the fuse (matches fuzee) and drop it into the trench and get to watch it as everyone else does theirs at intervals. When the last person puts theirs in you then all walk (not run, never run) back to the safe position and watch everything go bang at once.

Sounds like a fun day at school.

The most fun day at school I didn’t want to have was to be too exuberant at attempting to smell mustard gas.

don’t bother roughie.

ChrispenEvan said:

don’t bother roughie.

no, you’ll only roughen your delicate palms.

the reason being is that you are a selfish prick. you don’t know when to shut up and not post. this means you have no consideration for others, which goes back to my first point.

ChrispenEvan said:

the reason being is that you are a selfish prick. you don’t know when to shut up and not post. this means you have no consideration for others, which goes back to my first point.

I’m OK if that is your only problem.

However I think there is more depth than you are offering.

roughbarked said:

ChrispenEvan said:

the reason being is that you are a selfish prick. you don’t know when to shut up and not post. this means you have no consideration for others, which goes back to my first point.

I’m OK if that is your only problem.

However I think there is more depth than you are offering.

or was it that you preferred I didn’t answer this post?

Peak Warming Man said:

Defused it first I’d say.
They have to destroy old explosives because they can become unstable, apparently.

It had never occurred to me that old explosives can be less stable over time, but that makes sense. A slow evaporation over years can make many explosive compounds, such as picric acid, much more sensitive to touch. A soaking in water would cure that but it the hole through which evaporation takes place is small, liquid water wouldn’t penetrate fast enough to be useful. It’s an idea though, watering your bombs before moving them.

On the other hand … I’m missing some understanding here. Old dynamite is nitroglycerin stabilized by adding an absorbent material such as sawdust. Soaking dynamite in water would be very very bad. The absorbent material would be ineffective at absorbing the large quantities of water given off by the decomposition of nitroglycerine, making it touch sensitive.