Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mcvax!ukc!stl!stc!idec!prlhp1!paszkows
From: paszkows@prlhp1.prl.philips.co.uk (paszkows)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: 9-volt / rocket launcher?
Message-ID: <761@prlhp1.prl.philips.co.uk>
Date: 16 Jan 89 07:50:57 GMT
References: <2557@ddsw1.MCS.COM>
Reply-To: paszkows@prlhp1.UUCP ()
Organization: Philips Research Laboratories, Redhill, UK
Lines: 24

In article <2557@ddsw1.MCS.COM> benfeen@ddsw1.UUCP (Ben Feen) writes:
>
>How can I use a 9-volt battery and other componentsx
>  to heat something up enough that I can light a fuse with it?
> I want something which will get hot without shorting out the 9-volt.
>Will diodes work, or am I mistaken?

I doubt whether you could obtain the desired temperature with diodes.

Use a piece of very fine wire, which when passing current through it will
get very hot indeed. 
One method I have tried is to use a Brillo pad ( TM ) - a mass of
steel wool will soap for cleaning pans.

Take about 1/2 cm3 of wool, stick two wires into it and pass current. Bit of
it will melt. I believe the IRA and other terrorist organisation used this type
of igniter in crude bombs. ( IT is enough to set of gunpowder or similar
explosive ).

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