Hmmm, When 16 I was determined to 'get an edge' on any bullies in school
Previous QOTWs dealt with me getting arrested for making rockets from lab chemicals and shower rail that didn't fly but blew up- let off by the fuzz because thy saw it as a misguided science project.

My co-conspirators found 'British Woodland Herbs and Flowers' in the school library which helped describe and illustrate which growing plants you could extract sedatives from (valerian, dill etc) so we tried to make our own organic highs. Didn't manage it, and found that trying to eat a film capsule full of dill that had been steeped in bacardi did not tase good or even have an effect. Just as well, as at that age we had no idea what the LD50 was for these substances. We had the wit to stay away from mushrooms, monkshood and digitalis though.

After using the remainder of our black powder/magnesium mix for just setting off 'flares' (small film canister and match head fuses to set off the charge) we experimented with the old weedkiller/icing sugar mix, however the IRA had been using agrochemicals in bombs so the weedkiller was all laced with fire suppressants, thus it finished with a rather pathetic fizzle.

Then the other guys found information on nitrating toluene to make TNT, all you needed was...toluene, and concentrated sulphuric an nitric acid. They managed to purloin a small amount of each from the chemistry lab, in dropper bottles normally used for indicator because we didn't trust a rubber bung to hold in the concentrated acids.

I was the only one whose oldies were going to be out for the evening so we tried to cook it up in my folks' kitchen. Their superior A-level chemistry knowlede meant they were dictating the procedure. Mixed up in a boiling tube, supported on three sides by the wooden clothes-peg style tube holders, then heated in a water bath at 110 centigrade (added salt to the water to raise its boiling point) and sat at the table playing cards, occasionally checking to see for the formation of tell-tale yellow crystals.

Another round of cards was being played when there was a small thunk and we looked around to see the boiling tube bouncing and rattling around in the saucepan, hissing where the contents were pushing out past the bung.

Like a flash we all dashed out into the hallway, fearing a mighty bang to follow... but none did. After a few nervous moments of shitting bricks, we all decided that it was my kitchen so I would have to go and defuse the situation. Bastards :-).

Edging towards the stove with my arm over my eyes, I turned off the hob and took the tube out of the pan, leaving it to cool outside on the terrace. When it was looking less dangerous we poured the black, tarry, sticky muck out of the tube on to a saucer. A few days drying out and it was just like a marmite shitstain, and not looking very dangerous.

It was disposed of. Unfortunately the guys had already promised people some visible proof of success, so the decision was taken to get some sea salt crystals and use food dye to make 'yellow crystalline TNT' in a small jar. Apparently it was convincing enough to make a few weeds jump back in fright when the jar was shaken. Falsifying experimental results, tsk tsk!

My final school days project was an electronic kit to make a strobe, just a circuit board and components. It was OK but a bit weedy, and I had no reflector to direct the light pulses from the Xenon tube. So where do you get one? I tried a regular torch reflector, not much use though. What about this old camera flash unit? That has a reflector. I'll take it apart and use it instead.

While doing so I wondered about the flash itself- basically an inch long lighting bolt. That must be quite a lot of volts. I charged up the flash with the cover off and did the quick 'dab fingers on the wires quickly to see how much it hurt' and BY JINGO it made me jump. A plan hatched... the old flash unit was put back together with soldered wires protruding through the case from the terminals of the Xenon tube.

These wires were taped to the back of my old goalie gloves and routed to little spirals of bare wire around the fingertips of the index and middle finger. So now, I could switch on the flash in my pocket and theoretically jab an assailant with my isolated fingers, giving them a discouraging shock. Yes, I did read a lot of comic books when I was young.

To demonstrate I showed a few jeering schoolmates my invention and explained what it could do if any of them was brave enough to 'volunteer'. They still took the piss so I touched the metal edge of a locker, providing a spark and a snap that was slightly more impressive than the ones that automatically light gas rings. Suddenly there was a lot less jeering, and even less likelihood of a wanker chock full of bravura to sample my mighty thug pacifier.

I waited for the whine of the flash unit to settle, indicating readiness for another go and then did it again. SNAP. WOW. Drat, the bare copper wires had spot-welded themselves to the locker frame. Cue derisive laughter again as I struggled to pull the coiled wire free, stretching it out like a corkscrew. Damn. Hard pull- something snapped and I skulked off feeling a bit less the cocky showman.
( Rotating Wobbly Hat That's not a banana. THIS is a banana., Thu 9 Aug 2012, 20:55, 1 reply)

I did that with
my old camera. Absent mindedly poking around inside it, to see what's what.

The capacitor for the flash holds a pretty good charge, doesn't it? Especially when you're not expecting it. It one of those 'Did someone just creep up behind me and twat me with a rolling pin?' moments.
(username failed moderation, Fri 10 Aug 2012, 8:57, closed)