Type II Magazine Refurb

[Arclight]

I am almost done refurbishing and getting sign-off on a pair of type II magazines I bought at auction. Is anyone interested in learning more about this type of build-out?

[IndianaPH]

I would like to see it and learn about it. Thanks.

[nypyro]

I'm interested.

[Arclight]

So here is some background: I volunteer with a land trust that looks after a bunch of cave properties. I got into micro-blasting and small rock removal products that are classified as "SED" or "special explosive devices" by ATF and exempt from licensing. In looking at moving up to better products with proper electric ignition and more capability, I determined that I would have almost as much paperwork and expense with a limited user permit vs. just getting a type 20 that can do everything, including pyro later.

So I started on that path. The biggest issue there is storage, whether it's for pyro display, manufacturing or what I'm doing.

While I could have got away with a type IV magazine and 1.4 rock breaking products, I decided to also price out type II mags. There is a place local to me in California that builds these, and I was quoted about $7K minimum for a 36x36x36 model. I have the use of some land away from the city where it would be legal to install one, but cost is obviously a big issue.

After talking to Dan at Tannerite, I decided to start looking for used type portable (type II) magazines. A few months back, a bunch came up on Ritchie Brothers' Auction, and I was able to get two of them via Internet bidding. The cost was not a lot over the value of the steel (one about 1,200lbs and the other around 3,500) but transportation was $1,500 or so. We got bids on uShip and went with one that sounded reliable. In retrospect, there probably would have been more bids had we described them as "Heavy steel boxes" instead of "explosives magazines."

Keep in mind that these are 100% 1/4" steel plate, 1/4" steel hoods on the locks, and 3 or 4" hardwood lining. This is not something you're going to handle yourself without the use of a forklift.

Attached are pics from the auction. As you can see, they are quite rusty, having come from an East Coast construction outfit.

[Arclight]

The first step was to power-wash them, inside and out. There is no way of knowing if someone stored leaky dynamite in these things at one time, so I pressure-washed the floor and then tore it out, as it was badly deteriorated from moisture. The outside and bare-metal of the floor got stripped with an angle grinder and knotted wire wheel. If you are doing this, only buy the knotted wire wheel, as they don't shed bristles and impale you through your jeans. Also, PLEASE wear a respirator!

After doing this, I treated the exterior and floor with Eastwood Phosphoric Acid Rust Converter. I used a weed sprayer, and made sure to get every surface. This product gets into all of the areas you can't scrape and converts the rust to a protective Phosphate coating. The floor in the second pic has been treated and you can see how it turns the rust white.

After treatment, it must be thoroughly washed off and allowed to dry.

Other than the floor, the hardwood lining was in pretty good shape, so we're only going to do a little touch-up work there.

[Arclight]

The next step was to apply a rust-preventative primer. I went with Rustoleum 7400 Yellow. It's provides a lot of corrosion protection, and is compatible with metal that isn't completely clean. Here is the smaller magazine, cleaned and primered. A smooth foam roller works well on this type of surface.

I cleaned off the old markings and also added additional steel around the lock covers. The newer models seem to come with this. I also modified the hasps to accept a larger Abus padlock and welded on tabs so that I can place a cargo container seal on it.

Magazines need to be checked every 7 days, so this will allow me to have the neighbor look in it without needing to have access.

[IndianaPH]

Looking great. I had been checking govplanet.com for used military magazines, but hadn't thought about Ritchie Brothers. I'm going to keep searching.

[Arclight]

Check all of the auction sites if you really want to do this. There seem to be more commercial than military mags out there. Keep in mind that magazines from a military base are typically big, and they may or may not be built to ATF specs. The DOD has their own requirements list that is a bit different.

If it only has one shrouded lock on it, that's a good indication that it isn't going to pass without at least some work. If there are other problems, like the steel isn't 1/4" then you have a big problem. The same applies to magazines from Canada, always check into it.

[Arclight]

I have also seen military containers on Craigslist that would qualify as a Type IV with the addition of a second lock. Use the keyword "explosives" when you search.

[IndianaPH]

Arclight, thank you very much for the information!!

[Arclight]

Today I'll be installing the new floor. Will update with some pics.

[Arclight]

Okay, the first stop is the place I buy all of my items for safety-critical projects: Harbor Freight. Their vibrating saw is actually perfect for removing water-damaged wood without having to rip everything apart.

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[Arclight]

And here is what $200 worth of hardwood looks like. FYI, it's sold by the "board foot" and you really need a way to rip and cut it if you are doing a project like this. My little Ryobi table saw wasn't happy about sawing 12" Poplar and Oak planks, but got the job done.

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[Arclight]

I fixed the damaged spots and sawed down the 1" thick boards to cover the floor. The old floor was 2" thick hardwood (minimum specified per ATF) and was made up of overlapping planks. I used construction glue to put it together, and will probably add a few countersunk screws to make sure it won't warp or delaminate. I'm pretty sure the screw heads need to be covered, so I'll pick up some wood putty on Monday. I put the less-expensive Poplar on the bottom and the Red Oak on top. I figured it would wear better.

ATF doesn't specify a wood type, just that is MUST be hardwood and not a soft wood, plywood, or even a hardwood plywood. I also used Oak on all of the repair spots.

So far I I am into this project about 25 hours and $350 in wood, paint, metal and supplies. The coast would be a lot more if all 6 sides needed replacing or you were doing a scratch build! Now I know why a bullet-resistant type II starts at $5K and goes up from there.

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[Arclight]

Today I finished up the wood work and got them painted. I ran out of Liquid Nails and screws last time, so I got more supplies and returned with determination.

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I tidied up the interior, sanded the countersunk screw holes that I had filled with Plastic Wood putty, and gave everything a quick wipe with some stain. Everything feels really secure now, and I'm confident I got rid of all of the questionable wood.

[Arclight]

Next came painting, which I luckily got some help with. I went with Rustoleum 7400 Enamel in Gloss White, which was the recommended topcoat for the Zinc primer. I also gave the locks another test-fit and used a flap wheel on the angle grinder to relieve some wood on the door that was binding. Now everything fits and closes nicely.
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All that's really left is to maybe seal the floor, give the top one more coat of paint, and install them. ATF inspection is already scheduled!

[displayfireworks1]

Man that last picture of the magazine sure is a pretty thing to look at. And its going to live in the state of California , that makes it even prettier. LOL Is that a ventilation device on the top? Curious if it is adjustable?

[IndianaPH]

Arclight, that looks great. Good job on the refurbishment. Good luck with the inspection and interview!!

[Arclight]

Thanks! Both magazines have vents. The small 12-case model has them on the sides, (those are the steel louver things) and the big one also has a top vent. All of them are screened and have a heavy steel cover like a mail slot that is designed to deflect bullets and make it hard to reach inside. They are welded in place. The purpose of the vents is to:

1. Allow airflow, so that fumes won't build up. Unlike pyrotechnics, blasting products like ANFO can can have oil and other "wet" ingredients.
2. If it were to explode for some reason, the vents are supposed to let out the over-pressure so that it doesn't become a fragmentation hazard.

Outdoor magazines rated for 1.1 product (type I or type II) have to be able to resist a .308 bullet fired into them from 100' away. If it's an indoor magazine and the building provides protection (i.e. block walls) then it doesn't need to be bullet resistant.

Section 555.208 is the ATF rule on this, and they also have a couple of publications on the website.

Once you pass ATF, California also requires that you get a local permit to use/store explosives, which is either issued by the fire department or County Sheriff. In my case, it's the Sheriff. Depending on the county, they might ask for nothing (other than ATF approval), licenses (i.e. display pyro license or blaster's license), letters from your employer or venue, and insurance. Lucky me, this county requires all of those.

Fortunately, some of the same places that write display pyro policies will also insure small-scale blasters. Unfortunately, the minimum policy is pretty expensive.

Good times!

[Arclight]

Today was installation day! We trucked the magazines to the final site this morning, leveled the ground with a bulldozer and built berms to barricade them from each other and the adjoining property.



If you decide to do this, you will definitely need to rent or borrow an off-road forklift.

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Final installation (after paint touch-up). They still need to have grounding rods installed and some leveling, but we're basically done.

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Inspection is next month. Hoping it goes well!

[Arclight]

Quick update: I installed grounding rods and attached with #6 solid wire. I had forgotten how much driving grounding rods in hardpan ground sucks.
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I also got them leveled up and tested the locks again. Inspection is on Monday!
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[Arclight]

ATF inspection was today. The long and the short of it is that everything was in order and I now have numbers on those magazines. The blue envelope should be incoming. Note that this was for a type 20, which I believe is a bit more involved process than a type 54.

A few notes:
I had some professionally-engraved data plates made and fixed them to the inside of the magazines. I highly recommend doing this if you do an overhaul project like this. The cost is minimal, it looks good and it makes it clear to everyone what they're looking at.

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I also numbered them to match the paperwork and added a safety placard:

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The things you're definitely going to get inspected on if you install a type II:
1. The lining must be the required 2" or more of hardwood, and not plywood.
2. The locks must have 5 or more tumblers and at least a 3/8" shackle and 1/4" thick steel hoods.
3. The table of distances must be observed, and you will need to sign your areal view and certify to its correctness. Note that they will combine magazine capacities if there are multiple units close together. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as it means you can distribute the total allowed product weight any way you like, vs. having 100lbs here, 300lbs there, etc.
4. If it's a cubic yard or less in volume, it must be bolted down to a secure object. This is more of a thing with job boxes/etc. But some type II mags are that small.
5. Your paperwork for the site must be in order (i.e. ownership documents or a signed lease).

[IndianaPH]

Arclight, looks great, congrats on the inspection.

[Mattp]

WOW!! that was a lot of work.. great job!! very thorough and OCDish job you did. but it really came out nice!!... thanks for being so detailed in your posts too!! very informative on the whole process

[Arclight]

WOW!! that was a lot of work.. great job!! very thorough and OCDish job you did. but it really came out nice!!... thanks for being so detailed in your posts too!! very informative on the whole process

Thanks! I take a very methodical approach to things that can kill me, and try to make it show in every aspect. The next (hopefully last) step will be a County inspection from the local Sheriff's department. Once I'm signed off, I'm thinking about installing a sun shade over each to support some lighting and keep the product a bit more climate-controlled.

In the mean time, I've also learned a lot more about locks and locksmithing. I highly recommend looking at the Abus 83 series of padlocks, with 6-pin Schlage cylinders. They ship blank and you can get them keyed at any locksmith (or better yet, order there). You can also order a pinning kit and do it yourself for about $50.

They sell several models that meet the 3/8" shackle requirement, and you can also key your gates, sheds, etc. to match your magazine, or have them master-keyed so that someone else can open the gates but not the magazines.

[Arclight]

Final update: 12 days after interview and inspection, I have my blue envelope and a new Type 20. Thanks for everyone's advice!

[IndianaPH]

Congrats! Again, great job on the magazine!! Thanks for all of the pictures.