Carbid Canon

To celibrate new year it is an old habit to shoot with calcium carbide. This happens mostly in the eastern part of the Netherlands. From now on I will call this for its Dutch name, Carbid. Carbid is cheap and a legal substance. The use of Carbid is regulated by laws. Please make sure you know the regulations before trying to use it.

Also it's good to consider safety while trying to make explosions. Exploding is fun but you don't want to use any healthcare.

• Be aware that exploding gas gives a flame
  • Flames can burn you directly
  • The devices used can be hot
  • ignite the explosing at safe distance
• Explosions can be loud
  • Keep a safe distance
  • Use hearing protection

Carbid is calcium carbide CaC2. By adding water to carbid it will produce acetylene or ethyn C2H2. The complete reaction is:

CaC2 + 2H2O --> C2H2 + Ca(OH)2

In mass ratio this will be:

64 g Carbid + 36 g water gives 26 g acetylene + 74 g calciumhydroxide

A common gaslaw is that 1 mole of a gas is aprox. 24.5 liters gas. In the reaction all the components are in moles. So 64 grams carbid, wich is 1 mole, will give us 1 mole, that means 24.5 liters of gas.

My canon (container) has a volume of 1.83 liters.

Carbid explodes only in a mixture with air between 15% (LEL) and 82% (UEL). Above and beneath there will be no boom. A safe level of gas is about 60%.

With my container that will be 1.1 liter.

Instead of using 64 grams of carbid necessary for 24.5 liter gas, I will use a ratio of 1.1 / 24.5 x 64 grams = 3 gram

The use of water will be the same ratio. 1.1 / 24.5 x 36 = 2 g = 2 ml

The recipe is not very precise but in the wrong amount of Carbid and water there will be no explosion. The better the quantity and ratio between the component the more powerfull the explosion will be.

1. First place a lump of Carbid in the container
2. Then add water in the right amount ( I used a syringe )
3. Put the ball in the explosion opening
4. Wait for two minutes
5. Ignite
6. BOOM

Foto1 shows the ingnition spike. In fact its just a nail in a fuseholder. This nail is isolated for a part and mounted with tiewraps in the "sundhole" (foto2). The sparknail is wired to the secondary coil of an high voltage transformer, the other end of the transformer is wired to ground (foto3).

I used a ready product for the high voltage transformer from AliExpress. The transformer requires a primairy voltage of 6-12V and produces a spark. If no spark can be produced because of the gap between sparknail and ground is to big, the transformer might be damaged. maximum 1.5 to 2 cm is prescribred.

In a thea box I've placed a accu and a switch as if it was a real detonator.

Last chapter

Making explosions is not as innocent as it might seem.

• It might make noise
• It might produce flames
• It might produce explosive gasses
• It might make parts flying around

Always wear safety glasses while working with explosions to protect your eyes against damage.

Don't touch parts that have taking part in the explosion without heat protective cloves. You could get burned

The fun of making explosions is that the explosive gasses expand while combusting. It is lot of fun outside in a safe environment. It is less fun in a small apartment with bad ventilation.

Make sure that you don't have any loose parts on your canon witch could become a projectile. You might get hit.

In short. Think and than act. If something goes terrible wrong call a doctor right away.