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A Little Scary..Recreating Powder Mill Explosion

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  • A Little Scary..Recreating Powder Mill Explosion

    Danville, PA as in past years has a celebration called the Iron heritage Festival a very nice event on its past. However, was just reading about the recreation of an explosion at the then Black Powder Mill in Danville.

    An excerpt from the article...

    Two of the more anticipated events this year, according to Hause, are the hot air balloon rides on July 18 at Danville Middle School and the black powder detonation on July 19 at the original site of Danville's powder mill behind Geisinger Medical Center along Powder Mill Road.
    The black powder project is the latest experiment derived by Van Wagner, a Danville native and local historian, and his faithful volunteers, who have spent each year of the festival adding their own special touch to the heritage festival.
    The group has done several living history recreations over the years, such as handcrafting an early 19th century log raft and floating it down the Susquehanna River, as well as setting up a week-long charcoal-making campsite last year to showcase the authentic process of turning wood into charcoal.
    That same homemade charcoal will be used again this year to make black powder.
    "Since black powder was one of the key ingredients behind the iron industry, we figured that would be a neat thing to try," Wagner said. "If you couldn't blast loose the iron ore, limestone and coal; there wouldn't be iron."
    Wagner, a science teacher at Lewisburg Area High School, researched how to make black powder and tested the process at his Danville home. From the successful experiments, Wagner is now eagerly looking forward to putting the practice to use for the festival.
    "We will lead a hike up to the site where we believe the mill was and have a short discussion on the techniques used then, and then detonate the powder, " Wagner said. "It doesn't matter what age you are, there is something special about fireworks


    This seems a little scary to me making and setting off black powder to resemble an explosion...I wonder how big they plan the explosion to be along with making black powder. Hope the insurance policy is good... a link to the complete article

    Marc Riddell
    1st Minnesota Co D
    2nd USSS Company C
    Potomac Legion

  • #2
    Re: A Little Scary..Recreating Powder Mill Explosion

    Yikes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Tom "Mingo" Machingo
    Independent Rifles, Weevil's Mess

    Vixi Et Didici

    "I think and highly hope that this war will end this year, and Oh then what a happy time we will have. No need of writing then but we can talk and talk again, and my boy can talk to me and I will never tire of listening to him and he will want to go with me everywhere I go, and I will be certain to let him go if there is any possible chance."
    Marion Hill Fitzpatrick
    Company K, 45th Georgia Infantry
    KIA Petersburg, Virginia

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    • #3
      Re: A Little Scary..Recreating Powder Mill Explosion

      That gives me almost as warm a fuzzy as that dang anvil shooting at Bridgeport. Just dont make no sense. There is enough liability out there with out this one!
      Robert W. Hughes
      Co A, 2nd Georgia Sharpshooters/64th Illinois Inf.
      Thrasher Mess
      Operation Iraqi Freedom II 2004-2005
      ENG Brigade, 1st Cavalry Div. "1st Team!"
      Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America

      Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
      And I said "Here I am. Send me!" Isaiah 6:8

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      • #4
        Re: A Little Scary..Recreating Powder Mill Explosion

        Originally posted by Marc View Post
        as well as setting up a week-long charcoal-making campsite last year to showcase the authentic process of turning wood into charcoal.
        That's the part that would make me more nervous. Not that it's a problem for experienced charcoal burners. But during the deliberate setting off of the powder, everyone's expecting it and they can be put at a safe distance, and the explosion can only be as big as the amount of powder used.

        Charcoal mounds, on the other hand, burn day and night, and occasionally go boom at unexpected moments, and they can be pretty big. This explosion spread debris for an acre:

        At the time of the explosion the pit was full of wood, which had been burning about an hour according to the process of making it into charcoal. Suddenly there was a loud explosion, and the wood pit and everything in the vicinity went into the air. Bangor Maine, 1890
        That was at a brick-enclosed pit, but I'd guess that the demonstration mound was done this way, which would be a very common method. As that article says:

        The collier had to get the thickness of the cover just right; if he made it too thin, the fire would break through and set the entire pit aflame; if it were too thick, an explosion of trapped gas could destroy the pit.
        If the charcoal burners know what they're doing, I don't really see it as a problem. Historic charcoal burns are done regularly. But still, I think it could have been the bigger boom if something went wrong.

        Hank Trent
        (portraying an iron prospector this fall, who's supposedly seen a lot of charcoal mounds burning)
        hanktrent@voyager.net
        Hank Trent

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        • #5
          Re: A Little Scary..Recreating Powder Mill Explosion

          That is a very good point Hank....I remember talking to Mark Pflum of Durell's Battery a few years back about him learning and working with the charcoal makers in Berk's County, PA and he stated the same thing how it can be quite dangerous.

          Since I have moved Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site is right up the road about 17 miles and I plan to visit this summer or fall. I guess it goes back to the Rev War and also provided iron etc for the civil war.

          My main concern on the article on the powder mill besides setting off an explosion since it did not state how large was making your own blackpowder which as we all know could be a serious danger.

          What event are you doing the iron prospector?
          Marc Riddell
          1st Minnesota Co D
          2nd USSS Company C
          Potomac Legion

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: A Little Scary..Recreating Powder Mill Explosion

            Originally posted by Marc View Post
            What event are you doing the iron prospector?
            Marmaduke's Raid. I'll be from Ironton, Missouri then, although I actually live not far from Ironton, Ohio. Actually, there's an original piece of charcoal from a 19th century charcoal mound sitting beside my keyboard right now.

            Hank Trent
            hanktrent@voyager.net
            Hank Trent

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            • #7
              Re: A Little Scary..Recreating Powder Mill Explosion

              Yeaaaaaah. Right. Come watch science teacher Van Wagner and his top honor student Johnny Knoxville recreate the big black powder boom.

              Wagner: Say, Johnny! The fuze just seems to be a smolderin'.

              Knoxville: Fart on it smart teacher and maybe the breeze from your ass will move it along.

              Wagner: OK, Johnny. But I'll have to remove my Nomex fire proof suit and bomb squad armour first. Then I'll be able to get my butt properly over the glowing ember. You sure are funny Johnny!

              Knoxville: Van now that you're in position, I'm going behind the bunker before you grunt.

              BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!

              Knoxville: Hi, I'm Johnny Knoxville. And I just blew up my "few bricks short of a load" science teacher.

              Play theme music....

              Somebody please get this thing on film. $100,000 Funniest Video winner for sure.
              Matt Woodburn
              Retired Big Bug
              WIG/GHTI
              Hiram Lodge #7, F&AM, Franklin, TN
              "There is a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

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              • #8
                Re: A Little Scary..Recreating Powder Mill Explosion

                Bad idea! I hope they have enough construction helmets and kevlar vests for the whole crowd.
                Sincerely,
                William H. Chapman
                Liberty Rifles

                "They are very ignorant, but very desperate and very able." -Harper's Weekly on the Confederate Army, December 14, 1861

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                • #9
                  Re: A Little Scary..Recreating Powder Mill Explosion

                  You could always release 1400 ren faires in black lycra with the word "boom" painted on their chests.

                  Just a thought.
                  [FONT=Century Gothic]Alan Poor/Independent[/FONT]

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