Thermite Anyone?

So, cutting steel to make trailers is an interesting job. There are a lot of different parts we make in the fab shop, and a couple of good byproducts I want to see if I can get my hands on. The first, is the sawdust from the steel cut off saw. When it comes off of the saw, it looks like fireworks, but it cools to a black dust. It's magnetic, it stinks, and it covers my clothes when I'm done. I believe it's what's known as black or blue iron oxide. It differs from red iron oxide (rust) because it is oxidized at a high temperature.

I don't claim to understand this too well, but I believe that means it's burnt, not just rusty.

The other byproduct is saw dust from the aluminum saws. There's no real heat involved in these, and no oxidation. It's just ordinary aluminum dust.

This is where it gets interesting, and where Berserk may have to stop reading for liability purposes.

Seems that when you mix about a quarter of one with three quarters of the other you get a mixture called thermite. Thermite is used to weld railroad pieces together. When you burn it, you are left with a puddle of molten iron. You can cast this iron into a mold, or burn through things. It will burn a hole through the hood of a car, through the engine block, and out the bottom with only a flowerpot full. It will do more than that if you place the flowerpot over the gas tank.

Now, I don't plan on doing anything so destructive, but ever since I heard of the stuff, I kind of wanted to make it, who wouldn't, and now I find myself working daily with the raw ingredients I need. Also, it seems I can use a sparkler or a matchbook to ignite it as well, so I don't even need the usual magnesium fuse, which might be somewhat difficult to come by.

So, Mom's cautioning aside, anyone have any thoughts on this stuff?



Check out this Wikipedia article on thermite if want to know more about it, or see pictures and videos.