HOWTO Build a Nuclear Device

[mmotyka at lsil.com]

"!Dr. Joe Baptista" <baptista at pccf.net> wrote :
>
>
Where did this bullshit come from? Did someone take a ravioli recipe and
do some search and replace?

Is Dr. Joe Baptista really Jim Choate in disguise?

My favorite short quote : 

"The trick is to bring the U-235 masses together at the same time."

I'm slow, I know, so I'm still trying to figure out how to do it any
other way when you have only two pieces. Could someone help me
understand this part of the design?

I would have to say, though, that my absolute favorite part is where one
starts with a supercritical mass and subsequently divides it into two
equal parts in order to prepare the device. ROTFL.

Anyone gonna post fast neutron cross-section data for Pu and U isotopes?

M

>One thing that is bothering me these days are all the reports coming out
>of Afganistan that nuclear bomb making plans were found.  Big
>deal.  Anyone on the planet can make a nuclear device if they have the
>appropriate materials.  The hard part is staying alive due to exposure
>while manufacturing the device.
>
>If however death is not an issue then the process itself becomes easy to
>accomplish.
>
>Materials
>---------
>
> 4 stainless steal salad bowls (5 - 8 inch diameter)
>10 pounds of U-235 (Plutonium)
> 1 containment cylinder in which to fit the salad bowls
> ? some explosives - C4 platic works best - but TNT or gun powder is
>acceptable.
>
>Assembly
>--------
>
>10 pounds of U-235 is required to achive critical mass.  However less will
>work but you will get a sub critical mass on detonation.  The difference
>is taking out an entire city as opposed to a few city blocks.
>
>Divide the U-235 into two five pound masses.  Beat it evenly into the 
>inside of one of your salad bowls.  U-235 is malleable like gold so you
>should have no problem shaping it.  Do the same with the other U-235 mass
>and shape it into the other salad bowl.
>
>Keep the two bowls apart - you don't want an accident to cause your
>project to go critical.
>
>C4 explosives work best.  You simply mold the C4 into the other two salad
>bowls.  This is the most dangerous part of the project.  Improper handling
>of C4 can cause an explosion.  But gun powder is just as effective.
>
>Now fit the U-235 salad bowls into the C4 salad bowls and place them at
>each end of the cylindrical containment.  Connect your explosives to a
>detonator and close off the ends of the cylynder.  Make sure the detonator
>sets off both explosives at the same time.
>
>The trick is to bring the U-235 masses together at the same time.
>
>And thats it.  I would recommend some form of protection while building
>the project.  The aprons worn by dentists will work.  They will protect
>you to some degree from radioactive poisoning.  However - your life is
>only being prolonged by taking such measures - you still will end up dead
>due to the U-235 radiation regardless of what you do.
>
>And thats it.
>
>Conclusion
>----------
>
>Anyone on this planet can build a nuclear device.  So the only issue in
>building the device is the will to die for a cause.  And the only thing I
>find unfortunate in all of this is that there are so many causes that
>people are willing to die for.  And war will not make those reasons go
>away - it will only encourage them.
>
>regards
>joe baptista
>