Posted by David Sherman on Friday, December 22, 2000 at 10:42:46:
In Reply to: Machine tools: are you serious? posted by Charlie on Thursday, December 21, 2000 at 23:53:38:
I have a couple klystrons, but I don't think they could detonate or be detonated. They're old microwave transmitter tubes. Just looks like a fancy vacuum tube. As I understand it, detonating a nuclear bomb, at least the old-fashioned ones, is mainly a problem of shaped charges and careful timing, along with an "initiator" which generates fast neutrons quickly. I can't see how microwaves would figure in, but I'm no physicist.
As for registering machine tools, I used to know a fellow who referred to a 10" mill bastard file as his "Mexican milling machine". I'll bet a patient guy with a file and a pile of interesting scrap metal could make a thoroughly deadly handgun. So they'll have to register all the files too!