Making Picric Acid from Aspirin

 Picric Acid can be used as a booster explosive in detonators, a high
explosive charge, or as an intermediate to preparing lead picrate.

Material Required
-----------------
Aspirin tablets (5 grains per tablet)
Alcohol, 95% pure
Sulfuric acid, concentrated, (if battery acid, boil until white fumes
     disappear)
Potassium Nitrate (see elsewhere in this Cookbook)
Water
Paper towels
Canning jar, 1 pint
Rod (glass or wood)
Glass containers
Ceramic or glass dish
Cup
Teaspoon
Tablespoon
Pan
Heat source
Tape

Procedure:
---------

1) Crush 20 aspirin tablets in a glass container. Add 1 teaspoon of water
and work into a paste.
2) Add approximately 1/3 to 1/2 cup of alcohol (100 millilitres) to the
aspirin paste; stir while pouring.
3) Filter the alcohol-aspirin solution through a paper towel into another
glass container. Discard the solid left in the paper towel.
4) Pour the filtered solution into a glass or ceramic dish.
5) Evaporate the alcohol and water from the solution by placing the dish
into a pan of hot water. White powder will remain in the dish after
evaporation.

NOTE: The water in the pan should be at hot bath temperature, not boiling,
approx. 160 to 180 degress farenheit. It should not burn the hands.

6) Pour 1/3 cup (80 millilitres) of concentrated sulfuric acid into a
canning jar. Add the white powder to the sulfuric acid.
7) Heat canning jar of sulfuric acid in a pan of simmering hot water bath
for 15 minutes; then remove jar from the bath. Solution will turn to a
yellow-orange color.
8) Add 3 level teaspoons (15 grams) of potassium nitrate in three portions
to the yellow-orange solution; stir vigorously during additions. Solution
will turn red, then back to a yellow-orange color.
9) Allow the solution to cool to ambient room temperature while stirring
occasionally.
10) Slowly pour the solution, while stirring, into 1-1/4 cup (300
millilitres) of cold water and allow to cool.
11) Filter the solution through a paper towel into a glass container. Light
yellow particles will collect on the paper towel.
12) Wash the light yellow particles with 2 tablespoons (25 millilitres) of
water. Discard the waste liquid in the container.
13) Place articles in ceramic dish and set in a hot water bath, as in step
5, for 2 hours.

Reclamation of RDX from C-4 Explosives

RDX can be obtained from C-4 explosives with the use of gasoline. It can
be used as a booster explosive for detonators or as a high explosive charge.

Material Required
-----------------
Gasoline
C-4 explosive
2 - pint glass jars, wide mouth
Paper towels
Stirring rod (glass or wood)
Water
Ceramic or glass dish
Pan
Heat source
Teaspoon
Cup
Tape

NOTE: Water, Ceramic or glass dish, pan, & heat source are all optional. The
RDX can be air dried instead.

Procedure:
---------

1) Place 1-1/2 teaspoons (15 grams) of C-4 explosive in one of the pint jars.
Add 1 cup (240 milliliters) of gasoline.

NOTE: These quantities can be increased to obtain more RDX. For example, use 2
gallons of gasoline per 1 cup of C-4.

2) Knead and stir the C-4 with the rod until the C-4 has broken down into small
particles. Allow mixture to stand for 1/2 hour.
3) Stir the mixture again until a fine white powder remains on the bottom of
the jar.
4) Filter the mixture through a paper towel into the other glass jar. Wash the
particles collected on the paper towel with 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) of
gasoline. Discard the waste liquid.
5) Place the RDX particles in a glass or ceramic dish. Set the dish in a pan of
hot water, not boiling and dry for a period of 1 hour.

NOTE: The RDX particles may be air dried for a period of 2 to 3 hours.
See later file......

Carbon-Tet Explosive

 A moist explosive mixture can be made from fine aluminum powder combined
with carbon tetrachloride or tetrachloroethylene. This explosive can be
detonated with a blasting cap.

Material Required                                 Source
-----------------                                 ------
Fine aluminum bronzing powder                     Paint store
Carbon Tetrachloride                              Pharmacy, or fire
         or                                       extinguisher fluid
tetrachloroethylene                               Dry cleaners, pharmacy
Stirring rod (wood)
Mixing container (bowl, bucket, etc.)
Measuring container (cup, tablespoon, etc.)
Storage container (jar, can, etc.)
Blasting cap
Pipe, can or jar

Procedure:
---------

1) Measure out two parts aluminum powder to one part carbon tetrachloride or
tetrachlorethylene liquid into mixing container, adding liquid to powder
while stirring with the wooden rod.
2) Stir until the mixture becomes the consistency of honey syrup.

CAUTION: Fumes from the liquid are dangerous and should not be inhaled.

3) Store explosive in a jar or similar water proof container until ready to
use. The liquid in the mixture evaporates quicky when not confined.

NOTE: Mixture will detonate in this manner for a period of 72 hours.

How to Use:
----------

1) Pour this mixture into an iron or steel pipe which has an end cap threaded
on one end. If a pipe is not available, you may use a dry tin can or glass
jar.
2) Insert blasting cap just beneath the surface of the explosive mix.

NOTE: Confining the open end of the container will add to the effectiveness
of the explosive.