This is what I am doing today...

[AlaskanGuy]

At the local school, I have been volunteering with the chemistry class seniors, and we are making homemade black powder and fuses for homemade rockets which we will launch on the last day of school.... So I am at the park in town, making willow charcoal for the BP rocket fuel. Might was well tech the kids something in chemistry that is fun... But I doubt that you could get away with doing a chemistry project like this in any place else, but in remote alaska...lol.... Which is why I love living in the small places of alaska... Where else can you learn to make Holy Black in High School....

104992

And while i am waiting for the kids to show up at 2pm, and I have a good hot fire running, might was well smelt up some excess pure lead chunks i got from a sail boat.... 104994

Only in Alaska... :bigsmyl2:

[Rojelio]

I think it's an excellent idea!!

[bones92]

Good on ya. You can bet those youngsters will remember this for the rest of their lives.

[AlaskanGuy]

I am sure the kids will have a lot more fun when stuff goes bang... He he

[mooman76]

At first I thought weight a minute. You can't be doing this at school, you'll get fired but then I remembered where you are. It's good that some places still have some since. A guy posted on another board that he dresses up and brings BP guns to school every year and put on a demonstration(including shooting) and talks about the period. I think he was from North or South Carolina.

[mikeym1a]

This is neat stuff. I wish someone had taught me that kind of stuff when I was a kid. BUT, my dad would "absolutely not!" buy me a chemistry set. neat. Good for you! mikey

[dikman]

Well done, sir! In this politically correct age I cannot for one moment envisage a school anywhere in Australia being allowed to do such a project. (That dutch oven looks like a small steam engine!!).

[Zymurgy50]

My chemistry teacher in high school had an apple orchard and made and sold cider in the fall. One day he came to school with a bushel of apples and a 10 pound bag of sugar. First lesson was in fermentation, second lesson was in distillation. Yes, I learned how to run a still in high school...............

[DR Owl Creek]

Good for you!!!

Dave

[AlaskanGuy]

Today, as part of the class, we will be making home made fuse cord out of cotton yarn, potassium nitrate, and house hold sugar.... After all, every good rocket needs a fuse.....

AG

[TheGrimReaper]

That is too cool!!!

[Hickok]

Yep the kids would love it, and I myself would like to be right there enjoying it too!

[AlaskanGuy]

Yea, it is fun.... The kids diddnt like the making of willow charcoal very much as it takes hours and is kinda boring, but todays class on making slow burning fuse is really kinda fun...

If anybody wants to see a Video on the very simple way to make slow burning fuse, just PM me...

AG

[TNsailorman]

Semper Fi mac. Glad to see someone teaching the kids something useful instead of what can we do for the dear leader. james

[starmac]

When you start a class on homemade C4, I want in. lol

[AlaskanGuy]

Actually starmac, we both know you already have everything you need for that ...lol

[ACrowe25]

I love chemistry, all aspects of it. But I guess I'm kinds biased as it's my career choice.

Good on you AG

[w5pv]

Old Granny Woman and I almost put a show on for the neighbors over me trying to explain the way PH scale works she couldn't grasp the concept of seven being nutural.

[AlaskanGuy]

Lmao at W5pv... Good thing they diddnt call the police ...

[AlaskanGuy]

Today, we are testing burn rates of home made fuses for use in our rockets.....

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We will be checking fuse speed, burn speed per inch and so on.....

AG

[starmac]

Well did you blast them off, where is the pictures of all the happy kids? lol

[AlaskanGuy]

Well, after all that work... There is a city wide burn ban. So we cant launch till we get some rain.... Who would have thought WE would be praying for rain in cordova.... Its like folks in hell asking to put another coal on the fire...lol

[starmac]

Yep, unreal isn't it. lol It sounds like the peninsula is burning up though.