Hello friends.
If any of you are planning to do anything that lives up to the /cyber/ dream of raiding corporate facilities, you need some serious kit and planning. One of the tools I've found exceedingly useful is the illustrious compound, thermite. It can be used for melting security fences, sabotaging equipment (cameras/computers/you name it), and anything that requires destruction or heating. It's also fairly quiet for what it does.
So, if you're looking into how to get your hands on some, here's a basic guide to creating it at home.
Thermite is actually a name for many different mixtures, all made up of two parts: A reactive metal and a metal oxide. It works by a simple redux reaction that swaps the oxidation to the reactive metal, releasing a shit ton of heat in the process.
Realistically, the only metal you should use for the reactive metal is Aluminum. It works well, and is readily available.
For the oxide, you have two common options: Copper (II) Oxide, and Iron (III) Oxide. Copper ignites at a lower temperature, meaning charges made with it are easier to light, but in my experience Iron makes a more reliable reaction.
Now, to prepare the Thermite itself, you want to have these chemicals in the finest powder you can get them in, then mix them together, with a proportion of ~2/3-3/4 Oxide and ~1/4-1/3 reactant. Precision isn't required here.
To light, you'll need something hotter than a match to do it. As stated previously, Copper Oxides also start the reaction easier. You can light a strip of Magnesium or use a sparkler to light charges reliably.
Also, make sure to be wearing a glove to prevent burning yourself, and shield your eyes adequately.
Last thing is acquisition of materials. Powdered aluminum is actually what's inside an Etch-A-Sketch, so if you can find one of those lying around you're set. Alternatively, you can just grind down some aluminum. Copper Oxide is possible to create at home by just heating Copper in an oxygen atmosphere until it oxidizes. Iron (III) Oxide, on the other hand, is very hard to get pure. You can get it from a chemical supplier, but that can look suspicious, and be an unwanted paper trail.
Thanks for reading, pyrotechnic responsibly, and feel free to share other effective chemicals/equipment itt.