20 Sep
2018
20 Sep
'18
11:20 p.m.
Anyone have advice on making thermite? Ingredients, sources, proportions?
The internet seems to think that just using aluminum powder with ferric
oxide is relatively hard to ignite, and that some manganese dioxide would
help with that.
Without spending too much time shopping, it looks like I can get:
* aluminum powder, 5 micron, 2 lb for $34
* ferric oxide, 10 lb for $27
* manganese dioxide, 1 lb for $39
20 Sep
20 Sep
11:33 p.m.
On 09/20/2018 08:20 PM, Eric Smith via cctalk wrote:
Anyone have advice on making thermite? Ingredients,
sources, proportions?
The internet seems to think that just using aluminum powder with ferric
oxide is relatively hard to ignite, and that some manganese dioxide would
help with that.
Without spending too much time shopping, it looks like I can get:
* aluminum powder, 5 micron, 2 lb for $34
* ferric oxide, 10 lb for $27
* manganese dioxide, 1 lb for $39
I'd just give the drive to my friend with a big chipper "hog" and watch
the destruction. Maybe run over it with his D8 Cat a few times. A good
hydraulic press should help. Or just melt the thing down in a forge.
--Chuck
11:37 p.m.
If you're that intent on firey destruction, it would be much simpler &
safer to use an oxyacetylene cutting torch, or a plasma cutter.
On Thu, Sep 20, 2018, 10:20 PM Eric Smith via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
wrote:
Anyone have advice on making thermite? Ingredients,
sources, proportions?
The internet seems to think that just using aluminum powder with ferric
oxide is relatively hard to ignite, and that some manganese dioxide would
help with that.
Without spending too much time shopping, it looks like I can get:
* aluminum powder, 5 micron, 2 lb for $34
* ferric oxide, 10 lb for $27
* manganese dioxide, 1 lb for $39
21 Sep
21 Sep
12:39 a.m.
Have you heard about a pointy hammer? :)
2018-09-21 0:37 GMT-03:00 drlegendre via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>:
If you're that intent on firey destruction, it
would be much simpler &
safer to use an oxyacetylene cutting torch, or a plasma cutter.
On Thu, Sep 20, 2018, 10:20 PM Eric Smith via cctalk <
cctalk at classiccmp.org>
wrote:
Anyone have advice on making thermite?
Ingredients, sources, proportions?
The internet seems to think that just using aluminum powder with ferric
oxide is relatively hard to ignite, and that some manganese dioxide would
help with that.
Without spending too much time shopping, it looks like I can get:
* aluminum powder, 5 micron, 2 lb for $34
* ferric oxide, 10 lb for $27
* manganese dioxide, 1 lb for $39
1:17 a.m.
I find it enjoyable to disassemble the drives that I want to dispose of.
I take all of the metal bits and throw them in my scrap metal recycling
bin. I throw the boards in my electronics/e-waste recycling bin. I used
to keep the magnets, but I have a pretty good magnet collection now and,
with newer drives, it is too much work to remove the magnets from the
parts they are bonded to.
alan
On 9/20/18 9:39 PM, Alexandre Souza via cctalk wrote:
Have you heard about a pointy hammer? :)
2018-09-21 0:37 GMT-03:00 drlegendre via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>:
> If you're that intent on firey destruction, it would be much simpler &
> safer to use an oxyacetylene cutting torch, or a plasma cutter.
>
> On Thu, Sep 20, 2018, 10:20 PM Eric Smith via cctalk <
> cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> wrote:
>
>> Anyone have advice on making thermite? Ingredients, sources, proportions?
>>
>> The internet seems to think that just using aluminum powder with ferric
>> oxide is relatively hard to ignite, and that some manganese dioxide would
>> help with that.
>>
>> Without spending too much time shopping, it looks like I can get:
>> * aluminum powder, 5 micron, 2 lb for $34
>> * ferric oxide, 10 lb for $27
>> * manganese dioxide, 1 lb for $39
>>
1:27 a.m.
Be aware that a cheap way of making fairly pure oxygen is just by heating up manganese
dioxide, which will cause anything that is a like a flame to burn much hotter. I remember
doing an experiment in grade school where you heat up a tablespoonfull of MD in a test
tube with an alcohol burner or (even a match under the tube), then slowly insert a
popsicle stick with a glowing ember (you light the stick with a match then blow it out to
get the glowing ember). The result is that the stick bursts into flame rather violently.
Just saying "BE CAREFUL".
Wayne
On Sep 20, 2018, at 9:39 PM, Alexandre Souza via
cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Have you heard about a pointy hammer? :)
2018-09-21 0:37 GMT-03:00 drlegendre via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>:
> If you're that intent on firey destruction, it would be much simpler &
> safer to use an oxyacetylene cutting torch, or a plasma cutter.
>
> On Thu, Sep 20, 2018, 10:20 PM Eric Smith via cctalk <
> cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> wrote:
>
>> Anyone have advice on making thermite? Ingredients, sources, proportions?
>>
>> The internet seems to think that just using aluminum powder with ferric
>> oxide is relatively hard to ignite, and that some manganese dioxide would
>> help with that.
>>
>> Without spending too much time shopping, it looks like I can get:
>> * aluminum powder, 5 micron, 2 lb for $34
>> * ferric oxide, 10 lb for $27
>> * manganese dioxide, 1 lb for $39
>
8:04 a.m.
Or just throw it in the garbage.? Do you really think people are going
thru your
stuff looking for data?
bill
On 09/20/2018 11:37 PM, drlegendre via cctalk wrote:
If you're that intent on firey destruction, it
would be much simpler &
safer to use an oxyacetylene cutting torch, or a plasma cutter.
On Thu, Sep 20, 2018, 10:20 PM Eric Smith via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
wrote:
> Anyone have advice on making thermite? Ingredients, sources, proportions?
>
> The internet seems to think that just using aluminum powder with ferric
> oxide is relatively hard to ignite, and that some manganese dioxide would
> help with that.
>
> Without spending too much time shopping, it looks like I can get:
> * aluminum powder, 5 micron, 2 lb for $34
> * ferric oxide, 10 lb for $27
> * manganese dioxide, 1 lb for $39
>
8:10 a.m.
I can only assume someone is paying you to do this for insurance or legal
purposes. There is a good poem, "John Barleycorn Must Die" which has a lot
of useful suggestions.
bill
On Fri, Sep 21, 2018 at 8:04 AM Bill Gunshannon via cctalk <
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Or just throw it in the garbage. Do you really think
people are going
thru your
stuff looking for data?
bill
On 09/20/2018 11:37 PM, drlegendre via cctalk wrote:
If you're that intent on firey destruction,
it would be much simpler &
safer to use an oxyacetylene cutting torch, or a plasma cutter.
On Thu, Sep 20, 2018, 10:20 PM Eric Smith via cctalk <
cctalk at
classiccmp.org>
wrote:
> Anyone have advice on making thermite? Ingredients, sources,
proportions?
>
> The internet seems to think that just using aluminum powder with ferric
> oxide is relatively hard to ignite, and that some manganese dioxide
would
> help with that.
>
> Without spending too much time shopping, it looks like I can get:
> * aluminum powder, 5 micron, 2 lb for $34
> * ferric oxide, 10 lb for $27
> * manganese dioxide, 1 lb for $39
>
9:07 a.m.
Take them up to the 'range, around Virginia or Eveleth MN, and pay one of
the demo crews to stick the drives at the bottom of their next borehole.
Ka-blooey! Nothing left but an artificial bauxite deposit.
On Fri, Sep 21, 2018, 7:10 AM Bill Degnan via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
wrote:
I can only assume someone is paying you to do this for
insurance or legal
purposes. There is a good poem, "John Barleycorn Must Die" which has a lot
of useful suggestions.
bill
On Fri, Sep 21, 2018 at 8:04 AM Bill Gunshannon via cctalk <
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Or just throw it in the garbage. Do you really
think people are going
thru your
stuff looking for data?
bill
On 09/20/2018 11:37 PM, drlegendre via cctalk wrote:
ferric
If you're that intent on firey destruction,
it would be much simpler &
safer to use an oxyacetylene cutting torch, or a plasma cutter.
On Thu, Sep 20, 2018, 10:20 PM Eric Smith via cctalk <
cctalk at
classiccmp.org>
wrote:
> Anyone have advice on making thermite? Ingredients, sources,
proportions?
>>
>> The internet seems to think that just using aluminum powder with > oxide
is relatively hard to ignite, and that some manganese dioxide
would
> help with that.
>
> Without spending too much time shopping, it looks like I can get:
> * aluminum powder, 5 micron, 2 lb for $34
> * ferric oxide, 10 lb for $27
> * manganese dioxide, 1 lb for $39
>
12:19 p.m.
On Fri, Sep 21, 2018 at 6:04 AM, Bill Gunshannon via cctalk <
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Or just throw it in the garbage.
That's way too good for these *&#$ing ST3000DM001 drives, and won't provide
anywhere near enough sense of satisfaction.
Do you really think people are going
thru your stuff looking for data?
No, not worried about that at all. Disk was encrypted (dmcrypt/LUKS) and
keys have been destroyed. Not to mention that most of these drives managed
to destroy the data on their own initiative.
12:43 p.m.
Hmmm...? OK? ?take a? giant? sledge and beat the living? hell out? of? it
Great? physical release and? ?data? pretty well? ?toast... and the sound is.... glorious!
?
And? besides.... you get? some? exercise!
?
Ed#
?
?
?
?
?
?
In a message dated 9/21/2018 9:20:25 AM US Mountain Standard Time, cctalk at
classiccmp.org writes:
?
On Fri, Sep 21, 2018 at 6:04 AM, Bill Gunshannon via cctalk <
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Or just throw it in the garbage.
That's way too good for these *&#$ing ST3000DM001 drives, and won't provide
anywhere near enough sense of satisfaction.
Do you really think people are going
thru your stuff looking for data?
No, not worried about that at all. Disk was encrypted (dmcrypt/LUKS) and
keys have been destroyed. Not to mention that most of these drives managed
to destroy the data on their own initiative.
12:54 p.m.
If I wanted to reduce a drive to slag, I?d just put it in a propane furnace (actually the
drive would
go into the crucible). They generate up to 2700F (~1500C) and they?re for melting gold,
silver, copper,
etc. So I suspect it would do the job. ;-) Plus you?d a nice molten mess that you can
pour out.
TTFN - Guy
On Sep 21, 2018, at 9:43 AM, Ed Sharpe via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Hmmm... OK take a giant sledge and beat the living hell out of it
Great physical release and data pretty well toast... and the sound is....
glorious!
And besides.... you get some exercise!
Ed#
In a message dated 9/21/2018 9:20:25 AM US Mountain Standard Time, cctalk at
classiccmp.org writes:
On Fri, Sep 21, 2018 at 6:04 AM, Bill Gunshannon via cctalk <
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Or just throw it in the garbage.
That's way too good for these *&#$ing ST3000DM001 drives, and won't provide
anywhere near enough sense of satisfaction.
Do you really think people are going
thru your stuff looking for data?
No, not worried about that at all. Disk was encrypted (dmcrypt/LUKS) and
keys have been destroyed. Not to mention that most of these drives managed
to destroy the data on their own initiative. 
2:06 p.m.
On Fri, 21 Sep 2018, Eric Smith via cctalk wrote:
That's way too good for these *&#$ing
ST3000DM001 drives, and won't provide
anywhere near enough sense of satisfaction.
Eric hasn't specified [and shouldn't have to] as to WHY,
but here are some idle speculations:
1) Reduce the likelihood that they will end up on eBay as "Seller
Refurbished" or "New, other".
1b) to put on eBay as "New, other" or "seller refurbished", WITH
PICTURES,
as a commentary on eBay condition descriptions.
2) Seagate might agree to refund the price on that batch, but only if
they receive the old drives back.
3) The client won't pay for the software development that was done, but
the client's lawyers are demanding their drives back.
4) retaliation in kind for the SS damage of drives of Steve Jackson Games
5) as a test suite for development of thermite (Does Amazon sell pre-made
thermite?)
6) Maybe Eric just wants to vent some anger over problems he had with
them.
2:16 p.m.
On Fri, Sep 21, 2018 at 12:06 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk <
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Eric hasn't specified [and shouldn't have to]
as to WHY,
but here are some idle speculations:
Mostly #6, and a little bit of #5. I'd be delighted to offer "retaliation
in kind for the SS damage of drives of Steve Jackson Games", but I don't
think destroying my own drives provides that.
5) as a test suite for development of thermite (Does
Amazon sell pre-made
thermite?)
6) Maybe Eric just wants to vent some anger over problems he had with them
On the other hand,
1) Reduce the likelihood that they will end up on eBay as "Seller
Refurbished" or "New, other".
1b) to put on eBay as "New, other" or "seller refurbished", WITH
PICTURES,
as a commentary on eBay condition descriptions.
maybe after application of thermite I might sell them as "Seller
Refurbished".
Eric
3:16 p.m.
On Sep 21, 2018, at 11:16 AM, Eric Smith via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
On the other hand,
1) Reduce the likelihood that they will end up on eBay as "Seller
At that point, sell them in an Art Gallery.
Zane
Refurbished" or "New, other".
1b) to put on eBay as "New, other" or "seller refurbished", WITH
PICTURES,
as a commentary on eBay condition descriptions.
maybe after application of thermite I might sell them as "Seller
Refurbished".
Eric
4:18 p.m.
> 5) as a test suite for development of thermite
(Does Amazon sell pre-made
> thermite?)
On Fri, 21 Sep 2018, Eric Smith via cctalk wrote:
Mostly #6, and a little bit of #5. I'd be
delighted to offer "retaliation
in kind for the SS damage of drives of Steve Jackson Games", but I don't
think destroying my own drives provides that.
You hadn't previously explicitly mentioned that they were yours.
Let us know how your homemade recipe does on the Kilo-Seagate measurement
scale.
5:49 p.m.
On 9/21/18 1:06 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote:
On Fri, 21 Sep 2018, Eric Smith via cctalk wrote:
Cadweld Thermite Bonding Kits are listed on Amazon.
Personally, I would prefer to drop these drives into the Sun.
.
That's way too good for these *&#$ing
ST3000DM001 drives, and won't
provide
anywhere near enough sense of satisfaction.
5) as a test suite for development of thermite? (Does Amazon sell
pre-made thermite?)
7:05 p.m.
I'd think a nice blast with a oxy-acetylene torch should do what is needed. Even if
it doesn't melt the disk, it will surely exceed the Currie point and all data is
gone.
Dwight
________________________________
From: cctalk <cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org> on behalf of Jerry Weiss via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Friday, September 21, 2018 2:49:30 PM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: Re: Advice requested on proper disposal of Seagate ST3000DM001 disk drives
On 9/21/18 1:06 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote:
On Fri, 21 Sep 2018, Eric Smith via cctalk wrote:
Cadweld Thermite Bonding Kits are listed on Amazon.
Personally, I would prefer to drop these drives into the Sun.
.
That's way too good for these *&#$ing
ST3000DM001 drives, and won't
provide
anywhere near enough sense of satisfaction.
5) as a test suite for development of thermite (Does Amazon sell
pre-made thermite?)
7:06 p.m.
What about a nuclear bomb?
2018-09-21 20:05 GMT-03:00 dwight via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>:
I'd think a nice blast with a oxy-acetylene torch
should do what is
needed. Even if it doesn't melt the disk, it will surely exceed the Currie
point and all data is gone.
Dwight
________________________________
From: cctalk <cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org> on behalf of Jerry Weiss via
cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Friday, September 21, 2018 2:49:30 PM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: Re: Advice requested on proper disposal of Seagate ST3000DM001
disk drives
On 9/21/18 1:06 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote:
On Fri, 21 Sep 2018, Eric Smith via cctalk
wrote:
Cadweld Thermite Bonding Kits are listed on Amazon.
Personally, I would prefer to drop these drives into the Sun.
.
That's way too good for these *&#$ing
ST3000DM001 drives, and won't
provide
anywhere near enough sense of satisfaction.
5) as a test suite for development of thermite (Does Amazon sell
pre-made thermite?)
3:31 p.m.
On 09/21/2018 12:19 PM, Eric Smith via cctalk wrote:
On Fri, Sep 21, 2018 at 6:04 AM, Bill Gunshannon via
cctalk <
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Shooting them is best and percussive therapy can be good.
However from a practical sense I take them out to the shop and drive a
8p nail or two
through them? taking care to go through the media and the board.
Makes short work.
Allison
Or just throw it in the garbage.
That's way too good for these *&#$ing ST3000DM001 drives, and won't provide
anywhere near enough sense of satisfaction.
1:45 p.m.
On 2018-09-21 13:42, Eric Smith via cctalk wrote:
On Fri, Sep 21, 2018 at 11:28 AM, Fred Cisin via
cctalk <
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Keep them for "Independence Day III" ;-)
Put it in a gift-wrapped box next to you on the
bus.
Whoever steals it will get just what they deserve.
:-)
But actually I wouldn't wish ST3000DM001 drives on my worst enemy!
2:17 p.m.
Do any of the rifle ranges near Vegas rent use of a Browning 50 caliber
machine gun?
(or artillery?)
Maybe a VERY high powered laser cutter, to cut the letters N F G THROUGH
the drives.
Convince North Korea that there would be special symbolism to attaching
one to the nosecone of each of their nuclear missiles.
Or:
Convince North Korea that those are what they need to improve the data
processing of their nuclear program.
If they were mailed anonymously and unlabelled to various TLAs, how much
effort would be wasted in the attempts to read them?
2:36 p.m.
Anyone headed for Hawaii? It'd be interesting to see what some molten
lava would do to one...
--Chuck
5:22 p.m.
All the molten lava is done. You could still smash it with a lava rock.
Dwight
________________________________
From: cctalk <cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org> on behalf of Chuck Guzis via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Friday, September 21, 2018 11:36:25 AM
To: Fred Cisin via cctalk
Subject: Re: Advice requested on proper disposal of Seagate ST3000DM001 disk drives
Anyone headed for Hawaii? It'd be interesting to see what some molten
lava would do to one...
--Chuck
2:16 p.m.
On Friday (09/21/2018 at 11:42AM -0600), Eric Smith via cctalk wrote:
On Fri, Sep 21, 2018 at 11:28 AM, Fred Cisin via
cctalk <
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Ship them across town by FedEx,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCGBNj-aSwA
--
Chris Elmquist
Put it in a gift-wrapped box next to you on the
bus.
Whoever steals it will get just what they deserve.
:-)
But actually I wouldn't wish ST3000DM001 drives on my worst enemy! 
7:48 a.m.
If my memory of O Level chemistry classes is anything to go by, the
idea was that you used a piece of Magnesium ribbon to ignite it. I
don't recall Manganese Dioxide being part of the recipe.
On Thu, Sep 20, 2018 at 10:20 PM Eric Smith via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Anyone have advice on making thermite? Ingredients, sources, proportions?
The internet seems to think that just using aluminum powder with ferric
oxide is relatively hard to ignite, and that some manganese dioxide would
help with that.
Without spending too much time shopping, it looks like I can get:
* aluminum powder, 5 micron, 2 lb for $34
* ferric oxide, 10 lb for $27
* manganese dioxide, 1 lb for $39
8:51 a.m.
Burning of potassium permanganate to manganese greensand will often get it
going. You are on your own for figuring out how to do that.
Thermite is not the ultimate destructive force some people seem to think it
is. If you're trying to totally liquefy the platters you'll probably need
to remove them from the drives and put them in something capable of
containing the thermite for at least a little while (e.g. graphite
crucible). The usual, "put it in a flower pot" will likely either result in
a mess or a smallish hole through the platter, which really isn't any
better than running a drill through it. The suggestion of using an
acetylene torch is far more practical, if you for some reason are really
needing to turn platters into blobs.
Thanks,
Jonathan
On Fri, Sep 21, 2018 at 8:45 AM Robert via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
wrote:
If my memory of O Level chemistry classes is anything
to go by, the
idea was that you used a piece of Magnesium ribbon to ignite it. I
don't recall Manganese Dioxide being part of the recipe.
On Thu, Sep 20, 2018 at 10:20 PM Eric Smith via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Anyone have advice on making thermite? Ingredients, sources, proportions?
The internet seems to think that just using aluminum powder with ferric
oxide is relatively hard to ignite, and that some manganese dioxide would
help with that.
Without spending too much time shopping, it looks like I can get:
* aluminum powder, 5 micron, 2 lb for $34
* ferric oxide, 10 lb for $27
* manganese dioxide, 1 lb for $39
12:42 p.m.
On Fri, Sep 21, 2018 at 6:51 AM, systems_glitch via cctalk <
cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Burning of potassium permanganate to manganese
greensand will often get it
going. You are on your own for figuring out how to do that.
Multiple sources, including Robert on this list, tell me just to use
magnesium ribbon. I just looked it up; it's inexpensive and should be very
easy to use.
Thermite is not the ultimate destructive force some
people seem to think it
is. If you're trying to totally liquefy the platters you'll probably need
to remove them from the drives and put them in something capable of
containing the thermite for at least a little while (e.g. graphite
crucible). The usual, "put it in a flower pot" will likely either result in
a mess or a smallish hole through the platter, which really isn't any
better than running a drill through it.
All the more reason to experiment with it!
Elsewhere it's been suggested that somewhere between 0.25 and 0.5 kg of
thermite ought to do the job without needing to disassemble the drive
first. I've got sixteen drives to experiment with.
2081
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