4 Ways to Make a Smoke Bomb

2025 Author: Jason Gerald | gerald@how-what-advice.com. Last modified: 2025-01-23 12:04

Are you ready to make an awesome smoke bomb? Whether you're looking to make smoke for dramatic special effects, chemical experiments, or just simply love smoke, this guide will show you how to make an amazing smoke bomb with just a few ingredients that you can easily find in stores. Read on to learn some ways to make smoke bombs with potassium nitrate and sugar, ping pong balls, or ammonium nitrate.

Step

Method 1 of 4: Using a Ping-Pong Ball (Easy Way)

Step 1. Prepare three or four ping pong balls

For this method, you don't need to buy other materials, just prepare household appliances such as aluminum sheets, pencils, screwdrivers, and scissors.

Step 2. Make a hole in one of the ping pong balls

You can make holes with a screwdriver or knife.

Step 3. Cut the other ball into small pieces and insert it into the hole of the ping pong ball

Step 4. Insert the pencil in the hole

• Wrap completely in aluminum foil. Pencils are used to make molds for aluminum foil.

  

Step 5. Take out the pencil

The pencil shape will be left behind and become a funnel for the smoke to escape through the aluminum sheet.

Step 6. Take the smoke bomb into an open area away from people or pets

Step 7. Light the end of the foil by placing the lighter under the ping pong ball

The fumes will come out of the hole in the ball into the smokestack.

Step 8. Throw bombs and watch the bombs smoke

Run away, and don't breathe toxic fumes.

Method 2 of 4: Making a Cooking Smoke Bomb

Step 1. Prepare the materials

Smoke bombs are made from a simple mixture of potassium nitrate and sugar. By mixing these ingredients and melting them, you can create a flammable product that produces a swirl of smoke when you ignite with a fire. Here are the ingredients you'll need:

• Buy potassium nitrate, also called potassium nitrate online. You can also get it from your local gardening supply store as this chemical is also used to fertilize the soil.

  

• Prepare the sugar. Brown sugar is thought to produce a thicker-looking smoke, but white granulated sugar can also be used.

  

• Take baking soda. Adding about a tablespoon of baking soda will make the smoke bomb burn longer.

  

• Prepare the short wick to be inserted into the smoke bomb.

  

• Prepare an iron skillet.

• Prepare a cardboard box covered with aluminum foil.

  

Step 2. Put on the safety device

Wear gloves, goggles and an air mask.

Step 3. Put the ingredients in a cast iron skillet

Measure three parts potassium nitrate to two parts sugar.

Step 4. Heat the skillet slowly over low heat

Stir the mixture constantly until it is completely melted. When the sugar has caramelized, it will turn brown or black.

Do not overcook the mixture. Take care not to burn. If it starts to smoke, turn off the heat immediately

Step 5. Add a tablespoon of baking soda

Step 6. Carefully pour the mixture into the cardboard box

Step 7. Insert the wick while the mixture is still soft

Step 8. Allow the mixture to completely harden

It takes about an hour for the mixture to harden.

Step 9. Install the smoke bomb in a safe place outside the house

Take it where you want it and light the wick.

Method 3 of 4: Making a Tube Smoke Bomb

Step 1. Prepare the materials you need

Smoke bombs are made from a simple concoction of potassium nitrate and sugar. By grinding these ingredients together and blending them together, you can create a smoke bomb that is just as good as a store-bought product. This is what you will need:

• Prepare potassium nitrate, which is also called potassium nitrate.

  

• Buy sugar.

  

• Prepare baking soda.

  

• Prepare a cardboard tube. A tube the size of a toilet paper roll is pretty good. Cut the cardboard into pieces. Glue one piece to one end of the tube. Save the second piece to use once the jar is filled with the powder you will be making.

  

• Prepare the short wick to be inserted into the smoke bomb.

Step 2. Wear safety devices

Wear gloves, goggles and an air mask for your safety when conducting experiments.

Step 3. Grind the ingredients

Using a coffee grinder (which you never use again to grind coffee) or a mortar and pestle, grind the ingredients separately. Grind the potassium nitrate to a fine powder, then grind the sugar. Since these materials are flammable, you must be very careful to avoid sparks when grinding the materials.

Step 4. Determine the amount of the powders and mix them together

The ratio you need is three parts potassium nitrate and two parts sugar. Weigh these powders using a kitchen scale, then place them in a bowl and mix them together.

Step 5. Mix the baking soda

Step 6. Pour the mixed powder into the cardboard tube

To make pouring easier, you can use a funnel, or put the powder in a small plastic bag and cut off one end, then pour.

Step 7. Glue the other piece on top of the tube

Make sure the pieces are attached properly.

Step 8. Insert a wick or piece of wire greased with burning liquid

Cut a small hole in the tube cap, then insert the wick into it. The wick should be long enough to give you time to move away when turning on the wick.

Step 9. Place the bomb in a strategic place

Place it in an outdoor area where there are no buildings, trees, people, and pets. Never set a smoke bomb indoors.

Step 10. Turn on the wick

Step away when the fuse is lit and enjoy your smoke bomb.

Method 4 of 4: Using Ammonium Nitrate

Step 1. Open the cooling pad (cold pack)

You can buy it at drugstores. These cooling pads contain ammonium nitrate, which can be used to make smoke bombs. Discard the water bag inside.

Wear gloves when handling grains. Ammonium nitrate is not really toxic if ingested, but try to avoid it. If it sticks to the skin, wipe it off with a cloth, and shower as soon as possible. Always wash your hands several times after you are done

Step 2. Pour all the granules into the bucket

Step 3. Add water little by little

Stir until the granules are sufficiently dissolved. If there is too much water, the bomb will not emit smoke.

Step 4. Separate the old newspaper into 10 sheets

Make sure you use old newspapers. New newsprint has a waxy coating so it doesn't burn properly.

Step 5. Fold each sheet of newspaper twice to make ten loosely folded quarter-shaped squares

Step 6. Dip the folded papers one by one into the ammonium nitrate solution

Dip one at a time into the water, and shake it off, dipping one at a time into the solution for about 30 seconds.

Step 7. Lift and unfold the paper

Do this step slowly because the paper tears easily.

Step 8. Place the paper outside to expose it to the sun

The driveway is good enough to use as a drying area. If you are in a shady, windy area, lay out newsprint and place stones/weights at the four corners of each sheet to prevent the paper from flying. You can tell when the paper is ready to use if it can be easily lifted off the pavement.

Step 9. Roll up the newsprint

Tie in the middle using a wire. Don't tie too tightly.

You can cut the newsprint, tear it in half, or leave it whole before rolling. Up to you. Experiment with different lengths and widths

Step 10. Light your smoke bomb outside

There's nothing quite like the surge of energy you get when a smoke bomb produces a thick plume of white smoke.

If your smoke bomb doesn't work right away, don't be discouraged. Try again using less water

Tips

• In the US, potassium nitrate is completely legal to buy. If you can't find it at a drugstore, look at a gardening or home improvement store.
• Do not inhale smoke. Although this smoke is not toxic, it is not good to cover the lungs by inhaling large amounts of smoke.
• Use no more than five smashed ping pong balls when making this type of smoke bomb.
• Grind the powder properly.
• Obviously, don't light smoke bombs indoors.
• Using the second method, make sure not to ignite the mixture in the pan as you could burn it.
• Ammonium nitrate fumes are toxic and should not be inhaled under any circumstances.