Danger - Potential Destructive Device Alert

I recieved this via a personal email and wanted to share this....

Apparently these things are popping up around the country....

Be aware, do not pick up....keep an eye out for trash in your yard!

To see the impact of the detonation, scroll down to the video:

.............made with household ingredients:

http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/bottlebomb.asp

Thanks.

I do think it is a bit irresponsible telling folks how to build one in the article.

It's a shame the video taker flinched so badly at the explosion, I couldn't get a good look.

That being said, I have no problem experimenting with household chemicals. However, leaving them for others to discover is dangerous and malicious, and they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

sultan62 said:

It's a shame the video taker flinched so badly at the explosion, I couldn't get a good look.

That being said, I have no problem experimenting with household chemicals. However, leaving them for others to discover is dangerous and malicious, and they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Click to expand...

It looks just like a dry ice 'bomb'.

Actually its anything that contains hydrochloric acid. The hydrochloric acid reacts violently with the aluminum foil after it burns through the aluminums corrosion layer. It is not a sit and wait to be disturbed 'bomb' as once they are mixed they reaction doesn't stop until the aluminum is consumed. Just like dry ice in a soda bottle it builds pressure until the bottle lets go and does about the same amount of negligible damage since it is only a rapid pressure release. The nasty side comes from the gas produced if you inhale it.
I am very familiar with this reaction because I use 50/50 diluted hydrochloric acid and water to remove aluminum deposits from carbide router bits (The Works does it in a pinch but takes much longer). I would never place it in an enclosed container; only an open tray outside as the gas released is quite nasty. It's a good cheap way of salvaging $60 to $80 bits after they load up.