35 lbs of bad powder - what to do?

Well, I'm not going to throw any ideas in as to HOW to dispose of the powder.

All I'll say is that if you need some visco fuse, you have my email address. :D

-M
 
Not Higginsons OEM 4350, is it? [N-160] I disposed of 21 pounds of it that went south on me. Made a wonderful, if short-lived flame in my outdoor firepit. Eagleye.
 
I used some old Blue Dot to blast a large rock in the road at a buddy's cottage. I had previously drilled the rock cut to use explosiveless mortar to break the rock, but there was a huge piece that had not broken. There were about 8" of burden to break. I figured we'd start real light and work up, so I started with 1/4 cup of powder (I might add here that I have 20 years' experience with dynamite). I put the powder in a baggie in case there was any water in the hole, along with a model rocket detonator. I filled the remaining 2 1/2 feet of hole with fine sand. Man, were we surprised!!!! That puppy broke! The tarp we had put over the rock and covered with sand flew about 30 feet in the air. A large 200 pound+ chunk flew about 10 feet and grapefruit-sized pieces flew well over 100 feet. Fun!!! I'd be curious to try the same on a large stump. (BTW I had checked beforehand, and AFAIK, no laws were broken)/
 
Papaclaude said:
I used some old Blue Dot to blast a large rock in the road at a buddy's cottage. I had previously drilled the rock cut to use explosiveless mortar to break the rock, but there was a huge piece that had not broken. There were about 8" of burden to break. I figured we'd start real light and work up, so I started with 1/4 cup of powder (I might add here that I have 20 years' experience with dynamite). I put the powder in a baggie in case there was any water in the hole, along with a model rocket detonator. I filled the remaining 2 1/2 feet of hole with fine sand. Man, were we surprised!!!! That puppy broke! The tarp we had put over the rock and covered with sand flew about 30 feet in the air. A large 200 pound+ chunk flew about 10 feet and grapefruit-sized pieces flew well over 100 feet. Fun!!! I'd be curious to try the same on a large stump. (BTW I had checked beforehand, and AFAIK, no laws were broken)/
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For interest sake, lets say I needed to contain, in a similar manor as the hole in the rock, a light 'blast' in order to give it the gusto to remove some unoccupied old beaver dams/lodges...
Suggestions?
 
Higginson OEM4350 and Bofors #44 as well. Do as eagleye suggests. Burn it.

You must be careful though, the gasses coming off that stuff are toxic and corrosive.

If you decide to use it as fertiliser, dump it into water first. Mix it up and spread it around. It will take a few months to disintegrate completely but it won't be dangerous. The real problem with putting it on the lawn, is that if your lawn is more than just a troublesome, time consuming ornament, the granules have a habit of sticking to the kids clothes for a month or two. Othe than that, it makes it super green and makes it and the weeds grow and bloom quickly. Best place I've found to dump it is the wife's flower beds. Do this in the fall. Now is a great time. It will all be gone with the snow and she will think her thumb has gotten very green.
 
marcons said:
whatever the verdict is on the 35lbs of powder, it must be documented on video
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ripple_rock.jpg


I think I see a sledgehammer...
 
I have never seen powder go bad before so I am not certain exactly what happened. It is H4350 in 1 lb containers. Word from Hodgdon is that it was exposed to heat and or moisture. The granules are changing colour (darker) and clumping slightly and it smells slightly bad. Clearly something is not right.

Rather than take a chance we'd rather burn the stuff off. Just gotta find a safe place to do it.
 
I see a sandpit, a post hole digger, some fence pipe, speaker wire, and model rocket igniters....

Biggest. Roman. Candle. Ever.....
 
if it's in 1lb containers i would check lot numbers
and check several different cans to check if they are all bad

i have seen rust in the bottom of a can and it worked ok

do like when you go some where and you do not like what you are told get a second opinion
 
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