Pick a desolate wasteland like a playa in Nevada, or in the Aussie's Simpson Desert, or perhaps Soho. Supply copious amounts of a relatively stable explosive, like ammonium nitrate, along with reliable detonators and a scrapyard full of old plumbing, pressure vessels, water tanks, and what-have-you for bomb casings. Customers buy umpty-ump kilos of explosive, put it in the container of their choice, add a detonator, and button it up. Then they take it out to the range and detonate it. For an extra fee the bombperson (ie AfroAssault) will videotape the explosion from a close-in bunker using a system of blast-resistant periscopes, and/or provide you with old cars, ratty mobile homes, or defunct aircraft to be blown up by your bomb. I envision fathers and sons on school holiday spending many carefree hours building bombs and blowing up things.

We really don't want to train people in actual bomb-making, so the explosive used should be something either not easily available to the public or else tightly controlled, or both (ammonium nitrate is probably out). Also, the detonators should be a 'black box' as far as the user is concerned--a sealed device which offers no hints for making such a thing at home.

Perhaps punchcards would enable repeat customers to earn a trip to view the annual Thermonuclear Spectacle emceed by Micky the Fish in the Gobi Desert.
-- Dog Ed, Apr 24 2001

Redundant? http://www.halfbake.../Explosions-For-Fee
[egnor, Apr 24 2001, last modified Oct 04 2004]

(?) Nevada Rocket Fuel STILL PHOTO http://www.flash.ne...t Explosion- Nevada

A still of the Nevada rocket fuel plant explosion that Dog Ed spoke of. Interestingly, this is a site belonging to a Certified Fire & Explosion Investigator [noggins, Apr 24 2001]

(?) video here (really poor quality quicktime) http://www.lvrj.com...ws/packages/pepcon/

Crappy channel 13 (Nevada station) footage. Not the one that Dog Ed described, though. [noggins, Apr 24 2001]

A currently working link of what's listed above http://www.chemaxx.com/explosion1.htm
[normzone, Jan 11 2006]

A great way to let off steam, legally. Instead of people going crazy at work/school and shooting others, they could have this outlet. An added bonus to society would occur if they blew themselves up in the process - the gene pool can do with a cleanup. For the rest of us it would be a new fun thing to do on weekends.
-- jetckalz, Apr 24 2001


Yes, they are called computers. Are, the marvels of technology. But the bombing works for me.
-- oobersteph, Apr 24 2001


egnor: re [redundant?]: Not quite the same concept (building my own bombs would contribute a lot to the fun for me, and that's part of neither Explosions-For-Fee nor Bid-A-Boom) but it is similar. If more Halfbakers think its a duplication then I'll ax it.

There's an amazing video of an explosion at a factory which made solid rocket fuel--in Nevada, I believe. The video was shot from a nearby mountaintop, and you see the flash and then the shockwave racing across the desert. I'll see if I can dig up a link.
-- Dog Ed, Apr 25 2001


Doesn't REAL TV already meet the needs of this market segment for free?
-- wasraw, Apr 25 2001


EXCELLENT idea.
-- AfroAssault, Apr 27 2001


With remote cameras, record the imprint left by explosive ropes on quarry walls or vast smooth desert sand. $1000 for a 'MOM' ($1 million for .MOM) and up, higher for 'BILLY BOB luvs MARY LOU'
-- reensure, Apr 27 2001


I think people should be able to bring their own explosives, detonators, etc, although stuff should be provided for those who don't know how to make their own. This would provide a creative outlet for those who want to make thier own bombs from stuff they get off the net, and would allow for a wider range of spectacles (mix in various metal filings, make napalm, etc.) You should also be able to bring stuff you don't want to the range and put it on the bombs, like explosins-for-free. Gallager would have a field day. Also, only one bomber should be allowed in a certain area at a time. We don't want the stupid people (ie ones who blow themselves up) to take too many smart people with them. Finally, if this is ocurring in the US, you're going to want a pretty comprehensive waiver. If the stupid people don't try to sue you themselves, their estates will.
-- nick_n_uit, Apr 28 2001


nick_n_uit: BYOB (Bring Your Own Bomb) works for me. A trifle more dangerous. Maybe we'd have to set up outside the USA--buy a desert island that has no water, no resources, and no endangered species. Let's apply to the B&M Gates foundation right away.
-- Dog Ed, Apr 28 2001


Sweet i'v always wonted to take 10 pounds of C4 and blow a car to bits.
-- Jammer, Jan 10 2006


"Bits" doesn't even begin to describe the glass and metal hailstorm that would result from applying ten pounds of C4 to an automobile.
-- justaguy, Jan 11 2006


The safest way to do this would probably be to have the civilian make the bomb out of pre-formed or pre-made explosive, so that he/she/it doesn't know how to make the explosive, just how to solder wires.

Have the bombsperson (great term, btw) carry the detonator and trigger. Civilian walks out onto range and places the bomb, bombsperson then walks out on the range and applies the detonator, all the while carrying the trigger with him/her/it.

Bombsperson returns, hands trigger to customer, and puts fingers in ears.
-- shapu, Jan 11 2006


The only real problem i would have with this idea would be the patriot act. As of now computers are monitoring all channels of communication looking for key words such as bomb, plot, death and so forth. So if i were to say that i could construct a remote detonator using a garage door opener, I would come under suspision and be sent off to gitmo.
-- Antegrity, Jan 11 2006


The suspision is a partner particle to the traditon.
-- normzone, Jan 11 2006



random, halfbakery