My laser now creates explosions!

[Greenmechanic]

I don't think this has ever been posted on here before, (I did a thorough search) if is has I couldn't find it.
You know those little red plastic "ring caps" that fit in a capgun? The one that are $1-2 for 100-150 at the dollar store
Guess what? darken them with a sharpie, hit them with almost any laser and they will go boom!
I have set one off using my 50mW greenie. It took a couple seconds with the 50mW. Using a 140mW 405nm they will pop instantly.

One thing though, make sure you keep your laser at least a foot from the cap, as they shoot crap out back toward the laser. (or put a clear CD case between the cap and your laser).
They don't make as loud of noise as when shooting them in a capgun but it is still a very cool effect.

I'm going to play around with putting them in a plastic bottle, or under a small plastic Jello cup or in a white balloon filled with H+O.......Lots of possibilities for :eg:

 

[Don't Laze Me Bro]

hey good idea

 

[photonaholic]

I have many, but since someone could read and try, I'll elect not to describe how.

The caps are harmless, so cool idea!

 

[Moptsp]

Brings me back to when I was young tryingto get out the powder by biting at the plastic. Needless to say, I "ate" some black powder. Bout made me gag. Yes, no need to tell me that was stupid.

Though, do you have to color it black? Can you not remove the white lid to expose the black powder? It wouldn't "pop" at this point but it should light.

Still good idea.

Thanks,
Moptsp

P.S.
You ever taken scissors and cut through the center of one of these real fast? Makes a nice swifty sound and flame.

 

[photonaholic]

Caps do not contain traditional black powder, You can beat black powder with a wooden mallet all day and it will not detonate.

There is a mix of mercury fulminate in there. Same stuff used in gun primers, just a bit less of it.

 

[Trevor]

A friend of mine gave me some caps to do this with.

I'm reluctant to do this because of the lens. Maybe with an intervening piece of glass I guess (or in a bottle).

-Trevor

 

[Don't Laze Me Bro]

A friend of mine gave me some caps to do this with.

I'm reluctant to do this because of the lens. Maybe with an intervening piece of glass I guess (or in a bottle).

-Trevor

Use the clear part of a CD case!

 

[BuildAbluraylaser]

I can sometimes get my hands on big (1.5cm in dia.) caps.

When you hit them with a blunt object, they explode, and they really go boom. But when you use a laser to fire them, they often spray a huge ball of fire (30cm in dia.) towards the laser (and you)

 

[billg519]

This does work quite well. I got good results with a bluray. It easily popped them from a few feet away. The mixture in my particular ring caps is potassium chlorate, red phosphorus, silica, and a glue. Not much of a bang, more of a pffft ...

YouTube - Bluray Laser Pops Ring Caps

 

[Don't Laze Me Bro]

This does work quite well. I got good results with a bluray. It easily popped them from a few feet away. The mixture in my particular ring caps is potassium chlorate, red phosphorus, silica, and a glue. Not much of a bang, more of a pffft ...

YouTube - Bluray Laser Pops Ring Caps

NICE man! that is pretty sweet! my caps make way too big of a "POP" they usually shoot fire up about 7-9 inches!!!