slug 1 #1 January 24, 2004 Workers Taped Together Explosive Pieces 2 hours ago By MATT KELLEY, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON - Workers at the only U.S. factory for dismantling nuclear weapons risked an explosion this month by taping together broken pieces of high explosive being removed from the plutonium trigger of an old warhead, federal investigators said. The unorthodox handling of the unstable explosive increased the risk that the technicians would drop it and set off a "violent reaction," the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board said Tuesday in a letter to Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham. Such a reaction could have "potentially unacceptable consequences," board chairman John T. Conway said in the letter, which raised disquieting questions about safety at the Energy Department's Pantex nuclear weapons plant near Amarillo, Texas. No one was hurt and nothing exploded. No Comment R.I.P. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #2 January 24, 2004 Now see, if they would have dropped it and blown the installation off the desert floor, then Amarillo would have something to call their own...and people make Aggie jokes...*shakes head*--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lolie 0 #3 January 24, 2004 Damn, I was hoping this would be an appropriate thread to post a picture of me wearing my duct tape halter top. -Miranda you shall above all things be glad and young / For if you're young,whatever life you wear it will become you;and if you are glad / whatever's living will yourself become. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
indyz 1 #4 January 24, 2004 I think you could get away with it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #5 January 24, 2004 .oh.oh..it is..really...no one's looking...go aheadI wish I still had the pics of this Little, Chesty Texas redhead, wearing nothing but black duct tape as a Dom suit SWEET!_______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #6 January 24, 2004 Quote...and people make Aggie jokes...*shakes head* An Aggie, a Longhorn and a wanna be (nota) supermodel were going to the store...----- ~~~Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #7 January 24, 2004 Actually for those who don't "know" about explosives it might have seemed like a big deal. The problem with old explosives is that they are usually brittle if not all ready crumbling. In this case I am pretty sure the explosives were in a solid shaped form, say something like COMP B for example, to fit in the area around the plutonium trigger. The tape was probably a good idea in trying to keep the explosives intact during the removal. However, if the big bomb disassembly book says do not use tape during removal then it's usually not a good idea to use it. In this case the Defense Nuclear Facilities safety Board felt it was not a good idea. Not knowing all the details makes it hard to say exactly what happened but it sounds like a knee jerk reaction to people doing what was the best course of action at that given moment. Military grade explosives are the most stable explosives out there( sounds like an oxymoron eh?). What I think more than likely happened is that they identified that tape was being used during disassembly and to mitigate any potential risk(s) , no matter how astronomical, they made a recommendation. I think journalism may have made it sound more dangerous than it really was. Kinda like they do with skydiving"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deuce 1 #8 January 24, 2004 Dude, you are really scary sometimes.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #9 January 24, 2004 QuoteDude, you are really scary sometimes.... Yeah, thats what I'm paid to do"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slug 1 #10 January 24, 2004 QuoteActually for those who don't "know" about explosives it might have seemed like a big deal. The problem with old explosives is that they are usually brittle if not all ready crumbling. In this case I am pretty sure the explosives were in a solid shaped form, say something like COMP B for example, to fit in the area around the plutonium trigger. The tape was probably a good idea in trying to keep the explosives intact during the removal. However, if the big bomb disassembly book says do not use tape during removal then it's usually not a good idea to use it. In this case the Defense Nuclear Facilities safety Board felt it was not a good idea. Not knowing all the details makes it hard to say exactly what happened but it sounds like a knee jerk reaction to people doing what was the best course of action at that given moment. Military grade explosives are the most stable explosives out there( sounds like an oxymoron eh?). What I think more than likely happened is that they identified that tape was being used during disassembly and to mitigate any potential risk(s) , no matter how astronomical, they made a recommendation. I think journalism may have made it sound more dangerous than it really was. Kinda like they do with skydiving Reminder to self : Do Not piss off "Mr" LouDiamond. I'm sure he exists, just don't know or want to or need to know where. R.I.P. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slug 1 #11 January 24, 2004 QuoteDamn, I was hoping this would be an appropriate thread to post a picture of me wearing my duct tape halter top. Lolie I started the thread so feel free to post the picture. It would be the bomb! R.I.P. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #12 January 24, 2004 Lou.....I'm starting to get the idea that you may be an 18C. You aren't one of those guys that "gets off" on over pressure during breaching are you? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #13 January 24, 2004 QuoteI'm starting to get the idea that you may be an 18C. You aren't one of those guys that "gets off" on over pressure during breaching are you? I am a Z right now but I used to be a C back in the day. Over pressure is cool until you feel like your chest is being collapsed, every thing in moderation"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #14 January 24, 2004 I get it to a degree. My Dad died from chemical exposure for E.O.D. while "rescuing hostages on foreign soil". he never met my son. Amazing that they make some today & don't have to detonate to still kill someone. They were sloppy with "Chem/homemade" back in '60s too Here's a simple one you know of. when blowing up beaver dams to -20 temp(UP-State NY) makes you have to "warm up" your basic dynamite for use. (that used to get my dad ticked off)_______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
