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High Explosive Printer

Press print and run.
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A large explosive device, in the range of a 1/4 stick of dynamite is loaded in the printer.

The paper is loaded over top of the charge, and when you press print, the image is mirror-printed on the paper using a traditional ink jet style print head. The ink however, is not designed to dry quickly, and has an abnormally high flash point.

A steel plate is loaded a couple of inches above the paper, and upon completion of the image, the charge is detonated, transferring the image to the plate.

I would imagine that it would not be an accurate reproduction of the original, but would likely be pretty neat looking.

Giblet, Jan 06 2006

(?) One of Cai Guo-Qiang's gunpowder "paintings" http://www.pbs.org/.../c/cai-draw-001.jpg
[DrCurry, Jan 06 2006]

Exploding bridgewire detonators http://en.wikipedia...ridgewire_detonator
[Aq_Bi, Jan 06 2006]

The discovery of explosive printing. http://en.wikipedia.../wiki/Munroe_effect
...in the 1880s. [coprocephalous, Jan 06 2006]

[link]






       There is an artist who makes pictures by tracing them with gunpowder then igniting it (along with more transient works made entirely out of fireworks). You might be able to interest him in your device.
DrCurry, Jan 06 2006
  

       I had considered a project in which a series of artworks would be created by placing cans of spray paint in front of a bleached wood "canvas", then shooting them. Each different color would be shot with a different weapon. The painting would be produced by the "exit wound", together with the impact of the projectile on the block. The crossbow might actually pin the can to the block, if all went well. The 50 caliber machine gun round might blast a hole in the block.
bungston, Jan 06 2006
  

       I did a series of prints back in the '70s based on a technique called "electrohydrodynamographics" which consisted of exploding various wires by discharging high-energy capacitors through them, just above a piece of paper.   

       My mainstay system was based on a 20kV 10mA power supply, a 200J (20kv, 1uF) capacitor, and an ignitron (pool of mercury and an electrode in vacuum, set to conduct by discharging a small capacitor to form Hg vapor. Discharge was through either fine aluminum wire, or copper wire, or fairly heavy 60/40 lead/tin solder. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME.   

       The field of exploding wires (and foils, for that matter) is fairly well researched. One of the interesting properties is that the huge magnetic field generated by high currents caused by energy discharge in small time (10s of usec.) causes the plasma vapor generated to form bands, or striations, perpendicular to the path of discharge.   

       Various of the metallic oxides generated at different energies are fairly colorful, and merely molten (unvaporized) solder blobs follow interesting patterns (like stones skipping on water!) under the influence of the shock wave.   

       One could observe the discharge with dark glasses and ear protection. Paper was held in place by clips, the top of the discharge box was 1-1/4" of Lexan plastic, the box of 2x4" wood.   

       I never did try printing words/ images, just thought the explosive patterns were pretty cool.
csea, Jan 06 2006
  

       Another interesting property of exploding wires is it produces enough energy to directly detonate high explosives. The safety and utter simplicity of such a detonator made it possible to precisely implode nuclear material into a compact mass. Indeed, it was invented for this very application.   

       [bungston], the painting would be produced by exploding cans, not just the exit wound. Pressurized propane lives within spray paint.   

       [Giblet], I'm afraid a "1/4 stick" of dynamite (the unit is meaningless, dynamite comes in all shapes and sizes) would completely obliterate the printer, including the ink. What does the flash point of the ink have to do with anything? High explosives rarely ignite combustible materials.
Aq_Bi, Jan 06 2006
  

       bungston: I can't help but be reminded of the "artist" in "Good Advice," where Charlie Sheen is hit in the face by some paint explosively projected from, well, you need to see the film.
DrCurry, Jan 06 2006
  

       //DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME// I didn't, but made a helluva mess of my office.
coprocephalous, Jan 06 2006
  

       There was an artist who sandwiched objects between steel plates and then placed bags of ANFO on them and the image of the object became fused into the plate by the explosion if memory serves.
oneoffdave, Jan 06 2006
  

       Yeah. I remember seeing something about her. I think she would detonate the art in one of the california deserts.
bristolz, Jan 06 2006
  

       New printing technique + explosives = bun.   

       [csea] - Is that true about Dolby Digital Film Sound? Did you have anything to do with the awesome Dolby SR?
wagster, Jan 06 2006
  

       Ray Dolby spoke of csea as leading the group that adapted SR to the SR·D film product. Just that alone is fairly awesome.
bristolz, Jan 06 2006
  

       SR was flawed but easily the most impressive analogue NR system I've ever heard. Many respected engineers record at 15ips using Dolby SR because it adds really smooth tape compression while reducing noise to digital levels.
wagster, Jan 06 2006
  

       [Aq_Bi]   

       Blew up a computer mouse with a "1/4 stick of dynamite" the other day, and the remeains of the mouse gave me the idea.   

       Not being an expert, all I know was that it was 3 inches long and exactly the width of the opening on the bottom of the mouse, where the ball protudes from, around 5/8 of an inch. It was the loudest thing I've ever heard aside from a small squadron of jets firing up their engines at 150 ft.   

       The mouse had a distinct red pattern on it, the same size and shape as the piece of paper casing from the stick that made it's way inside the mouse.   

       There was also a whit flash when it went off, which I imagined was hot. Thus the ink.   

       Also, I never once claimed this to be a multi use printer.
Giblet, Jan 07 2006
  

       Where's [AfroAssault]? This is his sort of idea!
DesertFox, Jan 07 2006
  
      
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