Dimensions of 1900 Dynamite Stick

[Niederlander]

Gentlemen,
      Does anyone know what the dimensions of a stick of dynamite was about 1880-1900?  I need to know, and I can't find that information anywhere.  Thanks!

[Delmonico]

As far as I know back then as now the sticks varied is sizes depending on how big of a bang was needed.  As far I I know there never has been or is a standard" size.  Let me do some asking though.

[Delmonico]

http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/United_States_patent_78317

Also:

Dynamite is an explosive material based on the explosive potential of nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth (kieselgur: United States spelling; kieselguhr: UK spelling) or another absorbent substance such as sawdust as an absorbent. It was invented by Swedish chemist and engineer Alfred Nobel in Krümmel (Geesthacht, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany), and patented in 1867. Military dynamite achieves greater stability by avoiding nitroglycerin.

It is usually sold in the form of a stick 20 centimetres (roughly 8 inches) long and 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) in diameter, but other sizes also exist. Dynamite is considered a high explosive, which means it detonates rather than deflagrates. While TNT is used as the standard for gauging explosive power, dynamite actually has more than 60% greater energy density than TNT.

Dynamite was invented by Alfred Nobel and was the first safely manageable explosive stronger than black powder. Nobel obtained patents for his invention: in England on 7 May 1867 and in Sweden on 19 October 1867. He originally sold dynamite as "Nobel's Blasting Powder". After its introduction, dynamite rapidly gained popularity as a safe alternative to gunpowder and nitroglycerin. Nobel tightly controlled the patent, and unlicensed duplicators were quickly shut down. However, a few American businessmen got around the patent by using a slightly different formula.


http://www.oregon.gov/osp/AES/Pages/Dynamite.aspx

http://www.enotes.com/dynamite-reference/dynamite

This could be an interesting read:

http://books.google.com/books?id=8IdBAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA66&lpg=PA66&dq=sizes+of+dynamite&source=bl&ots=1N7Ny2DK5J&sig=JHT0zzfWBUMzRjGQ_4xaLgqUcFs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=H1XOUffgLo3VigKU2YCQDA&ved=0CFoQ6AEwCDgK#v=onepage&q=sizes%20of%20dynamite&f=false

http://www.studymode.com/essays/Introduction-For-Dynamite-730620.html


I would guess the 8"X 1" would be as close to standard then as now.   

Woops, got to go, I hear a helly-copter overhead and someone is at the door.   

[Mean Bob Mean]

Gentlemen,
      Does anyone know what the dimensions of a stick of dynamite was about 1880-1900?  I need to know, and I can't find that information anywhere.  Thanks!

I have set off a couple tons of it, it only came in one size and from what I recall from talking to the old timers they have always been close to that size, possibly a tad smaller diameter wise in the old days, but about 8x1.

[Pitspitr]

Woops, got to go, I hear a helly-copter overhead and someone is at the door.   

Yeah, that was my thought too.
We might want to be careful what we ask and where we ask it. I know why you want to know but not everybody is going to understand that you just want to make a PC (Period Correct) looking replica.

[JimBob]

This would have been a very common size-1 1/8 or 1 1/4 diameter by 8 inches long-

[St. George]

After you've made your sticks, and wrapped them in the appropriate heavy paper - get a rubber stamp made, and mark them 'INERT'.

Scouts Out!

[Blair]

When I worked as a hard rock miner out in Colorado we used three sizes of what we called "slick powder". (not specific to the time period!)
The smallest was 1" X 12". This was most often used to "shoot" (blow up or brake down large rocks), rated at 60%. This stick powder was most like the normal stuff you see, except for the 12" length.
The next sixe was 2" X 18". This was rated at 80%.
Last was a stick powder called UNO-GEL (spelling). Was also 2" X 18" and rated at 80%. This stuff came in a plastic (Sausage-like) casing, was gelatin in consistency, silver in color and smelled fish oil.
Most all of our shooting was done with electric caps, with 0 to 30 mille-second delay times.
 Blair

[Niederlander]

I may just paint them, as, unlike the real ones, these will be reused a lot!  I don't know how the heavy paper will hold up.  Anyone know what color they should be, paper or paint?

[JimBob]

Big wood dowel of appropiate size(wooden handrail),wrap in brown wrapping paper glue it on,or paint,dip in paraffin for added realism.

[Sam Perfye]

Ned, size really depends on how deep you want to fish. . Al.

[Bat 2919]

Ive always found you can fish deeper if you just cut the fuse a little longer.  Kinda like attaching a wire to the pin on a frag before you throw it in the water to get a little more delay. 

[Mogorilla]

Just a warning and a funny storry when using pretend dynamite.  When I was 8, a friend and I were playing cops and robbers.   It was 1974, so the guns looked more realistic.   We wanted a bomb, so I grabbed the road flares that my dad had boxed for disposal, removed the nail end and with wire, an alarm clock and some tape, it looked pretty good.    We were playing when one of us told the girl down the street we were going to blow up her house.   Her mother was outside, saw what we had and lets just say, "FREAKED OUT!!!!".   We continued playing, content that we had driven the girl down the street to her house when the local constabulary pulled up.   We were "arrested" from our backyard, taken to jail and our moms were called.   Through the tears we told him we were playing and they were road flares.  Town as about 6,000 people and everyone knew everyone.   Moms came and got us, we were in trouble.  Dad was in REAL Trouble for not throwing them out sooner.  Cops got a big laugh.   Called me and my buddy he dynamite twins until we graduated highschool. 

I am betting now days, we would have done time in Juevy and it would have made CNN news.

[Pitspitr]

Yeah, times have changed.

My little brother is a couple of years younger than you, but he was about that same age when he and his best friend both got cap guns for Christmas. They were playing together over Christmas vacation when they decided to rob the bank. Shortly before noon they walked in the bank and announced that it was a hold up. The tellers all giggled and gave each one a sucker. Outside the bank they agreed that their holdup had worked so well that they should go rob Buck's Bakery where the result was the same except that Buck gave them a cookie or a roll or some such. As they walked out the door the town noon whistle blew. They panicked, decided that they'd better split up and each one ran home and hid their cap guns. A few days later  one of the "victims" mentioned the holdup to my mom who was; naturally, mortified. When she asked him about it, my brother produced "States evidence," the uneaten cookie and lollipop as well as the cap gun used in the holdup. He was, of course convicted, sentenced to a weeks grounding and the cap gun confiscated.

Lord, it was great growing up in a small town during a time when people still used common sense.

[Mogorilla]

yeah, the good old days, riding bikes anywhere, no worries about strangers because there weren't any.   One guy going in to buy a brick of 22s, while the rest of us sat on bikes with rifles strapped to our backs.  riding out of town to shoot frogs at the river, waving to the local cops as you did.   Good times.

Funny, the other dynamite twin called me one night to ask if I was watching Justified.   Told him I was recording it.  Told me to watch it and call him back.   It was the episode where a guy comes strapped with dynamite around him.   Raylan asks him if he knew where he was from, guy says no, Raylan says (close quote), In Kentucky, we know the difference between Roadflares and dynamite, then proceeds to cuff him.    I had not laughed that hard in years.   Apparently housewives in Illinois did not know the difference.

[Delmonico]

Wow, either I was a good kid or never got caught, I waited till I was 18 to have to be bailed out.   Did knock a kid cold with a baseball bat at about age 4,  he was fine, he started it, he hit me with a plastic one first and all I had was the wood one.  I had to sit on a chair at my Aunt's house till my Mom got back. 

Now the underwater lights would have been cool if they worked, I think a penny in place of the fuse might have workedand making diamonds from coal was a failure also.  Coal, a vise and a Berns-O-Matic.