# Timothy McVeigh's bomb.......... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 17, 2003, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timothy-mcveighs-bomb/175879 "2003-05-17T12:19:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shep\_proudfoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@shep\_proudfoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shep_proudfoot)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timothy-mcveighs-bomb/175879/1 "2003-05-17T12:19:42Z")
How did the bomb in Oklahoma City operate? I know that fertilizer and diesel fuel were used, but how were thet used? Were they mixed together in drums or what? How was the bomb detonated? Using a timer? I’m just interested all these years and my interest has been renewed since Oklahoma will try Terry Nicholls again. SP ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timothy-mcveighs-bomb/175879/2 "2003-05-17T12:30:15Z")
Doesn’t this come awfully close to asking for a manual on how to ? Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timothy-mcveighs-bomb/175879/3 "2003-05-17T12:41:53Z")
I urge all Dopers to provide no information until the Mods can close this thread. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timothy-mcveighs-bomb/175879/4 "2003-05-17T12:47:19Z")
I live in OKC and have friends and family affected by this terrorist act. I realize that there may be a certain fascination in the mechanics or details of the bomb, but I would suggest leaving such info off of SDMB. A web search will get you specifics but may well turn up more than you want to know. No hard feelings towards you, understand… ---
**Author:** ![shep\_proudfoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@shep\_proudfoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shep_proudfoot)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timothy-mcveighs-bomb/175879/5 "2003-05-17T12:57:40Z")
I am not a terrorist or a sick person. I am sorry if I am frightening some people. If you desire to close the thread, go ahead. SP ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timothy-mcveighs-bomb/175879/6 "2003-05-17T13:41:20Z")
I understand the sensitivity of the SDMB administration regarding “how to” threads. Still, The History Channel broadcast an answer to the OP to millions of people. “How was it detonated?” I think that such a device requires a detonator. How do you make a detonator? I don’t know. Where can you get one already made (they’re used all the time by businesses who use explosives)? I don’t know. Would I tell how to make one or where to get one if I did know that information? No. I think that would be crossing the line on these boards. You might want to check The History Channel’s _Modern Marvels_, as they broadcast the show periodically. ---
**Author:** ![bradministrator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a698b9/32.png) [@bradministrator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bradministrator)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timothy-mcveighs-bomb/175879/7 "2003-05-17T13:47:21Z")
I’ll keep this short: Blasting cap and time-delay fuse. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timothy-mcveighs-bomb/175879/8 "2003-05-17T14:22:38Z")
The book “American Terrorist” goes into a little bit of detail about the bomb. The author of that book got these details from interviews with McVeigh. Check it out if you’re interested. You should be able to find a copy at your local library. ---
**Author:** ![matt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@matt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timothy-mcveighs-bomb/175879/9 "2003-05-17T14:56:03Z")
The following link contains part of the transcript of the Oklahama city trial, specifically the testimony of the expert witness on explosives, Paul Rydlund. It answers your questions in some detail. [http://www.okcitytrial.com/content/dailytx/043097p/PaulRydlundDirectExaminati.html](http://www.okcitytrial.com/content/dailytx/043097p/PaulRydlundDirectExaminati.html) ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timothy-mcveighs-bomb/175879/10 "2003-05-17T15:06:18Z")
Whats will all the paranoia? If I were planning to blow something up, the LAST thing I would do would be to go on a public forum and ask the world. This information is readily availible in any HS library and all over the internet. Its not like hes [Trying to build a H-bomb](http://my.ohio.voyager.net/~dionisio/fun/make-your-own-h-bomb.html) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timothy-mcveighs-bomb/175879/11 "2003-05-17T15:18:11Z")
> [@](#): > > Whats will all the paranoia? If I were planning to blow something up, the LAST thing I would do would be to go on a public forum and ask the world. The U.S. is an incredibly litigious society. Juries have awarded _huge_ amounts of money to plaintiffs even when anyone who looks at a situation logically can see that such awards are unjustified. For example, a couple, both of whom were instrument-rated pilots, lost control of their aircraft when they flew into a thunderstorm. Light aircraft are not designed to fly into T-storms. Nobody expects them to be able to. All pilots know that T-storms are to be avoided. But a jury returned a judgement of something like $41 million to the survivors because the aircraft (and occupants) didn’t survive the encounter. I think Lycoming had to pay some of that, even though the NTSB determined there was nothing wrong with the engine. Cessna stopped building piston-powered aircraft for _years_ after that – which helped to drive up the cost of used aircraft. It’s been said that half the cost of a new aircraft is for the insurance premium. Anyway, big judgements and actions against individuals and companies that are only periferally involved in an incident get people worried. Suppose someone – not necessarily **shep proudfoot** , but just someone who happens upon this thread – discovers how to make a bomb. He goes out and makes it and people are killed. It will be brought up in court that the SDMB and the _Chicago Reader_ provided information that allowed the bomber to build his device. You can say that the _Reader_ did not have any information that isn’t freely and easily available from many other sources; but if the bomber said, “I read about it at SDMB,” then juries will probably find the _Reader_ liable. Or maybe not. But the _Reader_ does not want to take the chance. At least, that’s how I understand it. If I misunderstand, then a mod or an admin can correct me. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/timothy-mcveighs-bomb/175879/12 "2003-05-17T15:23:14Z")
I don’t think we need to give instructions on how to build a fertilizer bomb. I’d probably allow a thread about how to build a thermonuclear bomb, because it’s not something anybody could do in his garage. bibliophage moderator GQ