                               Dream-X Presents
                                "RDX Explosive"
                                  by ChiPPy


Materials:

Hexamethylenetetramine (drug stores under Hexamin, Urotropine, & Methenamine)
Strong Nitric Acid (chemical supply house or some hardware stores)
Acetone (drug stores and hardware stores)
Scale with gram accuracy
Graduated Cylinder (cc or ml) or measuring cups
Thermometer 20-100 degrees Celsius or 68-212 degrees Fahrenheit
Several large quart canning jars
Two large basins or bowls made of metal or some other heatable metal
Paper Towels


Procedure:

1)  Place one half cup or 120 ml or cc of nitric acid in a large canning jar 
    and bring the temperature to between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius (68-86 F)
    by putting the jar in a basin of cold water.

2)  Keep the thermometer in the jar so you can closely maintain the
    temperature between your basins of hot and cold water.

3)  Weigh out 70 grams by weight or 18 teaspoons by  volume of  hexamin. 
    Then start adding the hexamin slowly at 1/2 teaspoon at a time over a 15 
    minute time period.  
    All the while maintaining the temperature between  20 and 30 degrees 
    celcius by moving it in and out of the cold water basins.

4)  When all the hexamin is dissolved in the acid heat the solution to 55
    degrees Celsius (131 F) by placing the jar in a basin of hot water. 
    Then maintain this temperature for about ten minutes.
                                                                      
5)  Now remove the jar from the basin of hot water  and  place it in the basin
    of cold water and cool the jar to 20 degrees Celsius (68 F).  Now when the
    solution reaches 20 degrees Celsius add 3 cups (750ml) of  cold  water and
    white salt will appear.

6)  Now the white salt is RDX and should be handled with care.  
    Now filter the Acid/Water/RDX solution through a paper towel covering 
    the mouth of another jar.

7)  Wash the RDX crystals off the paper towel and add an additional 3 cups 
    of fresh cold water & a teaspoon of sodium carbonate to neutralize the 
    acid.
    Now stir rapidly for 3 minutes and then filter it out again.

8)  It is now usable, but I prefer purifying it by filling a quart canning 
    jar 2/3 full of acetone & heating the acetone then adding the RDX 
    crystals to it a half teaspoon at a time until it completely dissolves 
    in the acetone.

9)  Now that it is all dissolved let the solution cool to room temperature 
    and let it stand for one hour.  
    The RDX will then precipitate again into  it's salt.  
    Then you must filter it through a paper towel around another jar & rinse
    it with cold water the same way you did before.   
    Now you  have  the finished product roughly 1 and 1/2 ounces of RDX.

10) Now store your finished product (after it dries) in ajar with an air 
    tight lid for future use.  
    Seeing that RDX does not lose it's effectiveness for months.

Uses:

RDX is a very powerful explosive however it can be compressed into tubes to
make detonators. Later in this newsletter I will prescribe a method for making
detonators in which RDX will be used  along with other explosives before 
mentioned.  
RDX however is sensitive to friction, and can be used as an explosive by 
itself.  
It is also commonly referred to as Clyclonite.

So, have fun!

Greetz  
       ChiPPy


(c)Dream-X '98
Released on 7-03-98
