99% Nitromethane?

[Randy Powell]

I had to chuckle the other night. I watched an episode of Law and Order: Los Angeles. They were tracking this guy down and found out that he had ordered model airplane fuel to make a bomb. When they got to the distributor, he told them that the guy had bought Zen-Max fuel in 5 gallons plastic containers (they showed some clear plastic 5 gallon jugs with what looked like green detergent in them). The officer is reading the label on the "fuel" and says, this stuff is 99% nitromethane. The distributor says, yea, that's pretty standard. (Really? Know anyone using 99% nitro fuel?) The bad part was the cop saying well, all he needs is fertilizer. Can you imagine if Timothy McVey knew about this?

While entertaining, it's certainly at best misleading. All we need is the government putting highly restrictive controls on model airplane fuel because some idiot writer can't do research.

[Paul Smith]

Nitro sure has a richly undeserved reputation.

The bomb-maker could do more damage with plain old gasoline, kerosene, or diesel fuel.

I think nothing of having model fuel in the house.  It  hasn't killed me yet.  The gasoline is out in the shed.

[proparc]

They should have focused on the Castor Oil to crack the case. Diarrhea, extreme dysentery, those are the clues!!!

[Tim Wescott]

They mangled the part about what you do need, too -- ANFO is what McVey used -- Ammonium Nitrate and Fuel Oil -- the ammonium nitrate is fertilizer, but he still needed the diesel or furnace oil for the rest.

[Randy Powell]

That was part of the point. They suggested that McVey used nitromethane. It was a fun story, but it should have some connection to reality.

[dirty dan]

The McVey bombing is the big reason we are having trouble getting nitromethane. While his bomb was primarily stuff like diesel fuel and fertilizer he did add an unknown (to me at least) quantity of nitromethane to the brew.

This is why Homeland Security is on the case. Further, this is why even a major fuel supplier like VP Racing Fuels no longer stocks nitromethane.

Dan

[Paul Smith]

They mangled the part about what you do need, too -- ANFO is what McVey used -- Ammonium Nitrate and Fuel Oil -- the ammonium nitrate is fertilizer, but he still needed the diesel or furnace oil for the rest.

What Timmy really needed was a second driver to drive either the rental truck or the Vega getaway car. 

They never seemed to care much about that small detail.

Unlike his middle eastern counterparts, Timmy was also able to detonate his device with something more advanced than crossing two wires or lighting a match.

[Chuck Feldman]

Ah Yes the old Nitro stigma. Having worked in an Explosives plant I have lots of experience with the Nitro families. If they remove Nitromethane from our fuels I won't Care. I prefer Nitro benzene cause it smells so nice. Of course they might eliminate that to. Then we will have to run FAI fuel.
It is all progress right? Remember this "The only thing that is for sure is that nothing remains the same." 

[Paul Smith]

We used to use the cherry pop (nitro benezene) but it was taken away behind some silly cancer scare. 
Most of the people who used the stuff for the whole decade of the 60's are still around. 
And some of them are still doing that other cancer thing that smells more like smoldering garbage.

[Jim Thomerson]

A friend bought a gallon of nitromethane at a hobby shop recently.  No names given for security purposes,

[steven yampolsky]

FAI fuel, whoohoo!!!!!!! 

 

[phil c]

We used to use the cherry pop (nitro benezene) but it was taken away behind some silly cancer scare. 
Most of the people who used the stuff for the whole decade of the 60's are still around. 
And some of them are still doing that other cancer thing that smells more like smoldering garbage.

nitrobenzene is a pretty potent carcinogen causing many kinds of cancer in multiple species.  In people it is linked to kids getting brain cancer when their fathers were exposed..  Even back in the 60's they had strict rules on using it in chemistry lab.  It also cause a type a anemia.

Actually, model use in a fuel is probably pretty benign, as long as you don't go into a closet and sniff the fumes.  Harder to get much better ventilation than at a flying field.

[Larry Cunningham]

Wait, weren't the bomb ingredients fertilizer and diesel fuel?

Law and Order is another ignorant program, written for ignoramuses, the same ones watching Dancing With the Stars, American Idol, plus all the programs with a canned laugh track.

L.

"You've no idea of what a poor opinion I have of myself, and how little I deserve it." -W.S. Gilbert

[Larry Cunningham]

Speaking of bombs, I hear LiPos make a pretty good smoke bomb.. ;->

L.

"However, never daunted, I will cope with adversity in my usual manner..sulking and
 nausea." -Tom K. Ryan

[Pinecone]

The issues start when buying drum quantities. 

[Randy Powell]

Didn't mean to start a discussion of the merits of Nitromethane. I just thought the misrepresentation of the material on this TV show was not only stupid (big surprise, it's Hollywood) but some idiots would believe it.

[Chris McMillin]

Oh, That's why you brought it up? I didn't know
Chris...

[Richard Grogan]

It's only TV.Please. Do not try this at home!     

[W.D. Roland]

Only TV
Good tool for bypassing normal thought process and installing info directly to the sub conscience.
The seed is planted.

On lighter note:
In younger days would take empty jugs of fuel with out the cap, hold upside down and as it is pushed foward pass a BIC lighter by the opening and woosh! turn it loose for a 50-75ft high rocket flight!
DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!
I am an expert

If you come over you can watch me do it!

If you have some K&B speed fuel(50%) bring it, its the best!

[john e. holliday]

It is amazing you are still with us.

[Tim Wescott]

Only TV
Good tool for bypassing normal thought process and installing info directly to the sub conscience.
The seed is planted.

On lighter note:
In younger days would take empty jugs of fuel with out the cap, hold upside down and as it is pushed foward pass a BIC lighter by the opening and woosh! turn it loose for a 50-75ft high rocket flight!
DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!
I am an expert

If you come over you can watch me do it!

If you have some K&B speed fuel(50%) bring it, its the best!

That sounds like too much fun.  If I suddenly stop posting, suspect alcohol burns.

[Brett Buck]

We used to use the cherry pop (nitro benezene) but it was taken away behind some silly cancer scare. 
Most of the people who used the stuff for the whole decade of the 60's are still around. 

   I generally take the same tack when discussing "potential carcinogens" (like the Asbestos removal industry/scam) but nitro benzine is the real deal.

    Brett

[Howard Rush]

I used a lot of oil of mirbane.  I even tasted it (it tastes bad).  I'm kinda interested in what kind of cancer it causes, so I can watch out for it.

Asbestos killed my father-in-law.  I think his family got $9 each in a class action suit. 

[W.D. Roland]

Howard R

This should be the MSDS on the stuff
http://www.chemyq.com/en/xz/xz12/114998qpmct.htm

Mo stuff
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobenzene


What I breathed of the 'Shoe polish' from other fliers burned fuel may or may not be part of my current health issues.
Elbow deep in polyester vinyls, MEKs, Solvents, Gasoline, Paints..so forth did not help matters.

The coke bottle full of possibly contaminated brake fluid( was on bench to see if the kerosene separated out) looked like coke, did not taste the same, kind of greasy going down.


Yes Doc, Somehow I survived

Things that did not cause harm, The 60s and 70s

Fuel can rockets( Tim bring your fuel cans over here where I can give some adult supervision

40ft fall from top of neighbors chimney, Kinda in a hurry to get down after dropping a Big bag of fire crackers down said chimney, did get the 'Hippie' party below movin!

The big, full can of startin either in the burn pit, The fire ball, smoke ring, mushroom stalk. My very own private miniature Atomic bomb looking thing!.LOUD

The motorcycle crash and 1/2 block slide...bike and pavement on fire. dumb teenager slid free and clear.

Real M-80s are really loud inside a car. makes neat hole in the floorboard.
Good for other stuff also.

Not going to talk about all the adults missing black and gun powder that seemed to disappear, rapidly in volume.
Something about the Mag powder?

The sand dune at the gravel pits had just the right arc to run and jump off of and fly for 100ft or so before sliding to a stop in the long slope at the end. 15ft altitudes would be a good estimate. Hippies shouldn't drink...... 

Bat kites, after installing broom stick spars will break .018 stranded lines when flown in Hurricanes. You think Rat racers pulled hard? Ha!

Big solid fuel rocket motors. Who needs the rocket part? I will say no more about this!

Snow sleds can do around 80mph when pulled by a truck with a ski rope.

Did you know water ski's stop real fast when you reach out to the beach?

The nice little Opel 57R was useless once wadded into a ball.

The 120mph formula car crash into the concrete wall was not as bad as one would think. The suspension failure was not planed.(2004)

How many people can live in a Corvair Van, with airplanes? Girl friends included? 

Well I better stop while I'm ahead and go do something sane, like put my hands and fingers close to a spinning propeller device.

So if one is sane does it mean they are in it? Always wondered about that.....

What can I say?

[john e. holliday]

After reading this, no way can I top it.  Most of my antics was on two wheels.  Pedal power and gas.  Drag strip was the safest place for motorcycles.

[W.D. Roland]

Well I did survive some how

Would I do it all again?

Only a small part of it..Things hurt now