Black Betty - The Tannerite Mortar

Once upon a time, a lonely piece of steel drainage pipe had a dream of being something more... something great.

Along came a young man with dreams of turning everyday objects into projectiles using a home-made mortar and a binary explosive consisting of aluminum powder and ammonium nitrate, ignited by a single high-velocity bullet.

With the help of an old camera tripod, some paint, clear lacquer, a couple 4" stainless hose clamps, about 20 washers, some 1/2" nuts and bolts, an iron bar, a high-speed-rotary tool, and a drill...

the lonely 4" steel pipe became... Black Betty

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Black betty
• tannerite
• mortar
• binary
• explosive
• shooting
• range
• rifle
• explosion
• aluminum
• ammonium
• nitrate
• day
• target
• exploding
• accident
• firecracker
• fire
• cracker
• fuse
• test
• experiment

[oahuguy]

Respond to this video... it was the tape that blocked the passfire,masking tape in the sun make the sticky stuff gooey paper tape should do. get yourself a pack of e-matches and fire it remotely . HELUVA bang though ! aloha

[Sphynckter]

@oahuguy Thanks for the tip! I considered using rocket ignitors (left over from my model rocket days)... but didn't think it would set off the Tannerite. I'll try that with some black powder next time. Great idea!!!

[Sphynckter]

Wow, I'm amazed by how much negative energy is floating around on the internet. This isn't supposed to be a serious mortar... nor is it supposed to be a serious scientific experiment of any kind. I'm just having fun with Tannerite (at a safe distance). Relax people... it's just YouTube.

[Sphynckter]

@MlkePortnoy - I admit that I am a fool. But seeing as how I'm now I've got the attention of an obviously intellectual being... could you please tell me how much energy (and at what time/transfer rate) is required to ignite this stuff? I'm such an idiot... I started by slamming rocks together, but didn't record that because the camera was too difficult to operate. Thanks for your help, Mike.

[Sphynckter]

@murdkipz , yeah, I saw the video and read the instructions. Only a fool would think that there's something magical about a really fast piece of lead that would make it the only way to ignite a binary. This is a matter of energy transfer; I wanted to know how much (or little) energy is required to start the reaction. Obviously, the Tannerite explosion is enough to ignite more Tannerite, otherwise there wouldn't be an explosion. By the way, it's "high velocity" not "high caliber".

[534gah]

well i just hate to see all the idiots out there doing stupid illegal shit with this abnormally safe product. By putting stuff on, under, in or around this stuff is highly stupid and constitutes making a bomb. If you can see it,it can see you. just be safe man,

[Sphynckter]

@534gah - Thanks for the advice. As an ignorant-but-normally-law-abid­ing citizen, I'll be sure to turn myself in to the ATF as soon as I can figure out how to operate my telephone. I would really hate to ruin anything for all of the REAL target shooters out there. I sincerely apologize. By the way, I had to listen really carefully to your post - as it was hard to hear you all the way up there on your horse... you should yell louder next time.

[paintball4symbolizm]

the moth prolly wont up like wtf!!

[XxTeamHazMatxX]

Where does everyone get powdered aluminum? And can't powdered aluminum be set off from static discharge? Or is that just when mixed with an oxidizer? It's been awhile :/

[Julius44bc]

The firecrackers would work just fine. Just substitute diesel fuel for the aluminum powder. Before you do that be sure to increase your life insurance substantially.

[PsychoticBovine]

I wonder if NASA is still wondering how a bowling pin is orbiting the earth?

[surfboardhacker]

Poor moth :(

[Libertusss]

A white moth? Oh My God... You have released 'THE WHITE MOTH' !!!