Time Bomb Prop

by Mattrox

25K19155

Intro: Time Bomb Prop

This is a little something I built during my spare time. It was a very simple build, to be honest, the hardest part was the wait for the paint to dry! The inspiration for this build was this video on IndyMogul. 

48 Comments

april.vangelderen 6 years ago

I'm doing something similar, but not as realistic because this is for a mining display (for outside) and the last thing I need is to be in the news for our local Bomb squad (yeah we have one in our town) to have to defuse a few pieces of wood and craft wire. However I def. like this one and I too am a fan of Indy Mogul :)

aaronmaxie 7 years ago

lol i was looking for this this is a perfect prop for the movie im filming!!!!

ArnoldS7 8 years ago

very nice job, a bit of advice from some one who did a lot of research in the prop area of things ;) I know I have a lot of time on my hands LOL.

Color the silver/white "Detonation Cord" a yellow or orange color and include the name Noble on the "Dynamite" and it will look even more realistic as the real deal (and that a certain company makes for law enforcement and military training) in that configuration would use the Yellow or Orange Detonation cords and the Red Dynamite Protective Wax Paper is from Nobles / Noble not sure of the exact name or "Charge" times per inch/yard for the Yellow and/or Orange "Det Cord" still very nice prop non the less :) if you ever plan to make more try Wax Paper (it is pretty easy to make too!) there is two ways both involve hot melted wax and at least one method involves open flame so do be careful though!

I also seguest you use a white candle or the same colored candle you want to use at the end of the build for instance yellow paper and a yellow candle.

Get a piece of card board or flat plastic piece (preferably as for plastic those used as milk jugs or similar that wont melt or warp from the mild heat of molten wax) than simply light the candle wait 3 to 5 minutes so it really starts to melt the wax nearest to the flames and than carefully tip it over so to cause the molten wax to fall on the paper you wish to coat in wax be careful though if the wax is too close to the flame the wick will dispense small pieces or flakes into the candle leaving behind black flakes in the wax which will look really bad at the end!

Also you have depending on the weather / temperature and air movement (wind or a Breeze) you only have about 3 to 6 seconds to use the flat piece of cardboard or plastic to "brush" / Coat the molten wax over the paper also work in grids meaning that you should concentrate on one grid at a time so as to thoroughly coat that grid and it also gives you a bit more time for the coating also it will allow you to apply several coats if you wish.

Always be mind full where the candle is in relation to your face ; hair ; body and clothing! as it will be lit until you are done unless you don't mind relighting it every time and risk those flakes getting stuck between the wax and paper!

Once it has dried simply but carefully peel off or scrape off (with a new piece of Cardboard) the extra and thicker layers and you will be left with one layer of wax paper , the more wax you use in covering the paper the thicker the layer (I would seguest 3 to 4 layers as it should increase the strength of the paper) one or even two layers causes the paper to become brittle and easy to crack or break.

Cardboard or anything else that wont heat up or melt easily can be used for the grids (also spraying it down with cooking spray should ensure it wont end up sticking to the paper)

The other method involves melting 4 to 6 candles per A4 or A3 paper in a cooking pot on the stove (use a pot you will never use for anything else especially food!) melt the candles and stir with a wooden stick or old wooden spoon again one you wont use for anything else, than you can simply dip the paper in the wax and let dry. This method allows you to apply only one coat though it is known that two coats produces the best results for high quality wax paper. Use old welding gloves or even better a "Dipping Rig" (basically a piece of wire or a stick with another wire attached to it and bend in a hook shape (two hooked wires can also be used) and pierce it on one or two sides of the paper (center for one wire and Corners for two) and away you go Alternatively crocodile clips (those used in electronics) can also be used or even wooden cloth pins if you have access to those.

The main reason for using Wax paper in explosive packaging is to keep the elements (dust and water) away from the explosives them selves in Dynamite especially the Nitro Glycerin and TNT types it also prevent what is termed "sweating" which is a condensation of the explosive chemicals that "bleed" or seeps through the encasing to the outside if left in that state for a year or so with out any one noticing the "sweat" it forms a crystal like substance and once the "sweating" has started the Dynamite becomes VERY unstable and prone to go off with even the slightest bump or even by simply touching it!

In the old days and even in some parts of the world today a lot of industries have a policy when it comes to storing Dynamite that states that the qualified expert is required to inspect all Dynamite Based Explosives every 4 to 6 months and turn the Dynamite Based Explosives over once every year to combat "Sweating" ;)

Hope this helps you and others interested in the subject!

of course there is to my surprise so many different variants and even different Explosive compounds out there in the world that pretty much anything can go! LOL

Also, out of interest the Old/Original Dynamite is said to smell exactly like Almond Nuts also of interest is that after 1980 if memory serves me right and after countless terrorist groups most notably the IRA (Irish Republican Army)`s bombings, Explosive manufacturers started to deliberately scent their explosives and colored them in a variety of colors from Yellow right up to even Pink most though not all explosives was colored in a Neon color to make identifying them easy for the Bomb sniffer dogs and Bomb Squad Units.

Arty Marty 7 years ago

I found an easy way to make paper look waxy is to paint it with shellac after you have finished. A couple of coats is still transparent, but gives it a good finish. I've only done it on brown paper though, not painted paper so test it first.

dombeef 12 years ago

Please dont bring this into an airport, ever!

dombeef 12 years ago

Nope, or anywhere in the public!

omnibot 12 years ago

Lol. Yeah, coz if I was making a real bomb I would paint it red and write "bomb" all over just so people knew.

ArnoldS7 8 years ago

Yep, according to the "Best Trained Profetionals in the World" Namely Department Of Defence ; Home Land Security ; NSA and FBI that is Exactly what a trained Terrorist would do! LOL :P

Blackie Ray 12 years ago

Funny you mention that. A few years ago a guy in Seattle put a car in a public plaza, a junker, and spray painted "Car Bomb" on the side. Ha-ha big joke.
Cops absolutely freaked out! What was meant to be conceptual art was viewed as a threat to public security. They arrested him, it took him months to extricate himself from the mess.

Law officers are very humorless...at least in Seattle.

Doctor Freeman 12 years ago

Do cops have common sense (Which I guess is not so common anymore)? I mean really, if someone has a car bomb, they aren't going to tell everybody about it.

darrenhall 10 years ago

Hi - cheers for the post - - not been on here a while.

I love this build - so many evil uses (evil smirk) - my lad is so bad at getting out of bed for one, would be funny as hell to drop this on his chest and say "you've got two minutes or else" - - can you believe this guy slept through a sonic grenade.

Keep those builds coming .

ArnoldS7 8 years ago

LOL, why not the try the S.A.S way? >:D two flash bangs! just remember to shut the door! if he is still asleep he is either deaf or dead! :P

Master Wasi 47 9 years ago

Nice job. Looks like a real bomb. Thank you.

tinker234 12 years ago

very nice job i like the idea i hope i could make something like this my friend was spewing about bombs so i think waking up with one on his bed might just do fine for his yelling

mattthomas992003 12 years ago

I did this with fusee's/road flares for a halloween prop. I left under the rear windshield in my car for a few weeks. You should have seen the looks on peoples faces.
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