[DL] Dynamite and TNT (was: A whole passel o' questions...)

["Heivilin, Jim" <banzai@missouri.edu>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ray C. [mailto:r_a_c_@hotmail.com]
> Subject: Re: [DL] A whole passel o' questions...
> 
<snip>
> :  3) What, exactly, is a blasting cap used for? I have a 
> loose idea, but would like an exact definition.
> 
> A great description of it was put eariler.  The "House Rules" 
> I use is that if you don't use a blasting cap (Which are NOT as stable as 
> dynamite!), you get a reliability check (18 or 19), if it fails, it
doesn't 
> go off.  Simple, no?
> 
Given that Nobel invented the blasting cap BEFORE he invented TNT I'm not
sure (other than availability) why you would try to detonate TNT *without* a
cap?  My gut feeling would be that the reliability would be a *lot* less
than that but I don't really have any data to back it up.  

> :  4) What the general way to use Nitro? How much shaking 
> does it take to blow up?
> 
> OK, seeing as I live (And have grown up) in a mining town, I 
> guess I can say this with great ability.  Simply FARTING 
> next to nitro will set it off.  One little jarred motion 
> will set it off!  
>
As an interesting aside, a George Mowbray was responsible for the first
large scale production of Nitroglycerin in the US.  And when he shipped it,
he shipped it was frozen (it freezes at 11 degrees C - 52 degrees F, so it
can be kept frozen by packing in ice).  The text I saw said ...
===================
Pure nitroglycerin, relatively insensitive in frozen form, freezes at about
11 C (52 F) and is, therefore, easy to keep frozen by packing it in ice. 
===================
So while it may be insensitive I suspect that drastic heating or other shock
might still set it off. 

> This is why dynamite is so loved, it's ALOT more stable.  
> Also, something most people don't realize, is that old 
> dynamite sweats nitro!  So, for you sadistic Marshal's 
> out there (Goff, you readin' this???)
> 
*Many* months (years?) ago there was a *long* discussion about TNT, dynamite
and explosives as well as (good) suggestions on how to handle them in DL
(including the dangers of "old" dynamite - once it's "sweated" the packing
container is now dangerous as well!).  Allan, any idea where they'd be in
the archives.  Quite a few qualified people (including a couple miners as
well as some military types) provided us with a lot of good info.  

Jim H.