3 Simple Ways to
Share What You Make

With Instructables you can share what you make with the world — and tap into an ever-growing community of creative experts.

PhotosPhotos

Share one or more photos of a project, recipe, or whatever you've made, quickly and easily.

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

Step by StepStep-By-Step

Share your step-by-step photos with text instructions of what you made so others can do it too!

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

VideoVideo

Share your how-to video. You'll need your embed code from a video site such as YouTube.

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

Print PDF

Favorite

The Quick and Dirty Squib.

Make a squib (something that goes bang when you introduce an electric current) out of stuff lying around the home or office.

Remove these ads by Signing Up

Step 1Stuff you'll need...

$Stuff you\$

Wire (single core/ paper clips etc)
A broken light bulb
Matches
Pen knife
Long nose pliers
Crocodile clips and wire
Masking tape.

« Previous Step

Download PDFView All Steps

Next Step »

57 comments

1-40 of 57

May 3, 2011. 8:06 PMninja_maker says:

Hey, you could also coat the outside in whiteout. Just another explosive idea. BP

Dec 20, 2008. 10:53 AMThelonelysandwitch says:

cant you use the the graphite from the inside of a pencil? I think you can.

Aug 28, 2009. 10:46 AMmo5 says:

that would still be dangerous

Aug 29, 2009. 11:36 AMThelonelysandwitch says:

Nov 9, 2010. 4:37 AMbeehard44 says:

yeah but the resistance might be a little too high

Feb 16, 2009. 7:06 AMiloveairsoftstuff says:

light bulb filament? seriusly? dude. get some nichrome wire

Mar 1, 2009. 4:40 PM

Scissorman (author) says:

Yes! Seriously! 'Quick and dirty'. In the style of Macgyver. Using my ingenuity and whatever is around I will overcome all problems that are thrown at me.

Nov 9, 2010. 4:37 AMbeehard44 says:

what about super thin magnet wire from an old transformer?

Sep 12, 2009. 9:50 PMnewberrys says:

yeah lol. go the modern MacGyver!

Nov 16, 2009. 11:04 PMkinkzy says:

i want your coffe mug (:

Sep 14, 2009. 11:48 AMchicks dig me says:

i will go get my own cofee mug

Sep 11, 2009. 8:46 PMpattermon says:

can u make this with gun powder?

Aug 28, 2009. 10:45 AMmo5 says:

nice Instructable,but you have no way to turn this thing off unless you are like 2 feet away from in when it goes off. These light bulb filaments can heat up real quick an catch stuff on fire exspecialy if this thing is in carpet, and what about the tape, can't that catch on fire to. If you don't turn this thing off quick this thing can get real dangerous real quick. You might want to think this one through alittle bit more so people won't get hurt.

Dec 30, 2007. 2:56 PMe-hizzle says:

can you use the igniter for a model rocket instead of a 9 volt battery

Mar 26, 2009. 10:27 AMmr. grim says:

yes you can keep the wires seperate they have no insulation

Feb 13, 2009. 10:14 AMbobalini says:

u could connect it to a tripwire thad be hilarious

Mar 17, 2008. 4:10 AMkerosene-soaked-clothes-arent-fun says:

I demand you send me your mug!!

Jan 22, 2009. 6:11 PMultimachris says:

yes you can, i have tried it before.

Sep 24, 2008. 5:36 PMoniman7 says:

Love the mug

Aug 21, 2008. 7:41 PMgoeon says:

awsome 5 stars

Mar 4, 2008. 3:55 PMHOMEPIE64 says:

could you detonate with a remote control car? like take it apart and get the wires going to the motor and use those i have been trying to find out how to make a remote control squib

Aug 6, 2008. 7:01 PMpyra_builder_1337 says:

ye syou can if its got enough power

Apr 22, 2008. 5:40 PM

Lithium Rain says:

There's a scissorman?? Is there a scissorwife??

Jul 8, 2007. 1:18 PMJamesRPatrick says:

"Don't be stupid and treat this with respect."- Makes it seem like giving respect is stupid. Might want to edit that.

Jul 9, 2007. 2:35 PM

Scissorman (author) says:

Nah, it's fine as it is. If people don't get the idea, then the gene pool won't be suffering. Thanks all the same.

Oct 23, 2007. 5:20 PMthemasterpyro says:

AWNSER ASAP!!!!CAN YOU USE EXTRA FINE (VARNISHING) STEEL WOOL????

Apr 4, 2008. 5:59 PMrecyclebin says:

Any steel wool will work, as long as there is a high enough amount of voltage being sent through (9v works fine).

Oct 23, 2007. 5:58 PMJamesRPatrick says:

I personally don't see why not. Most grades of steel wool "burn" to a 9v battery.

Dec 16, 2007. 2:03 AMjeffconnelly says:

then do you think the winding wire stuff inside a small motor would be ok? it's about half the size of my steel wool, and I have a couple hundred meters of it. If it works...bye bye kitty...

Dec 16, 2007. 1:24 PMJamesRPatrick says:

I'm not completely sure, but I think the combination of thin wire and low conductivity makes steel wool burn. If it's inside a motor, it's probably copper, which conducts electricity much better than steel, so the resistance in the wire may not be great enough to heat it up. But if you don't care about the motor, you can try it; steel wool is pretty cheap and even cheaper when stolen from your neighbor's garage.

Dec 17, 2007. 4:21 AMjeffconnelly says:

Yeah, really.

Oct 25, 2007. 6:41 PMthemasterpyro says:

i just tried and failed, think i have to use a thicker wire? and do you know where i can get some nitric acid?

Oct 25, 2007. 6:53 PMJamesRPatrick says:

I say thinner. Make sure it's STEEL wool. Not just any metal wool won't work.

Oct 27, 2007. 5:51 PMthemasterpyro says:

oh right its asbestos, of course its steel wool as far as i know they dont make anything else

Oct 27, 2007. 9:46 PMJamesRPatrick says:

They have other metal abrasive wools out there.

Oct 28, 2007. 6:02 PMthemasterpyro says:

ah i see. sry bout being impatient and sarcastic in previous post.

Mar 17, 2008. 3:42 PMfinalcountdown213 says:

when u break the bulb, use a jacket or towel. I cut my hands so many times because of shattered glass.

Aug 9, 2007. 4:34 PMe-hizzle says:

how big is the explosion with one math?

Dec 12, 2007. 2:10 PM

Scissorman (author) says:

Geez I'm crap at replying. Sorry not been here for an age. When I originally made this, I used the filaments out of fluorescent tubes but any filament out of a bulb will do. Gets hot, blows up, job done.