Quote Originally Posted by KenWats View Post
Stan,

It looks like more information about the construction and components of the devices are coming out now.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/nationa...33jEe63afQsseK

It still doesn't change the fact that were I in their shoes, I'd want to test my design before kicking it off. It's a lot of trouble and risk to end up like the Times Square bomber. Then again, I'm an experienced manufacturing engineer, so some of that is probably fruit of my own experience at work. Never fails, anything we don't prototype/plan meticulously goes horribly wrong on the first try, doesn't matter how similar it is to something else we already make. I suppose smarter minds than mine are working on the test shot angle.
Hey Ken,
We generally build five identical devices. One we blow and the rest we let students render safe with the equipment available.

Based on what we have (not the article) there is evidence that those two Delta Hotels did do some testing. Perhaps not for the very reasons you would though

They would have needed around 10 pounds to do what they did and so the fireworks angle won't work for many obvious reasons. Carl earlier in this thread explained just how easy you can mail order 50 pounds.

Most of the examples we have of dumb criminals would indicate that there were not smarter minds than yours at work