135 replies to this topic

[al93535]

Does anyone have any idea about how much force a vice can exert when really clamped down until no futher movement can be achieved? I've got a fairly new vice and I twist as hard as I can to compress my BP into a puck. I could fashion a hydraulic press, but if the vice can exert a few tons then I think its fine.

[Sprengman]

I don?t think that a vice can push a few tons. The maximum force is about 1 ton. But if you have a hydraulic vice you are able to push up to 5 tons.

[Pretty green flames]

YAY

i made my first batch of BP.....the good stuff..... (at least for me )
when in a fine powder state it makes a shhhhhhhhh when burning

when it is made into pulverone it just makes shhh.....THUMP-ish sound

it leaves minimal residue.....maybe becouse im using beech charcoal

Just so......i only ball mill it for 2 hours and it comes out excelent.
My ball mill must be very efficient

But something bothers me.....when in the mill for only 1.5 hours it starts to clump at the muth of the bottle and it forms a solid mass......without any drop of water....
why is this

[Steve]

The Clumpyness of bp I'm fairly sure is because of the sulphur, which is colloidal and so sticks together, a property only seen in black powder when you have a very homogenous mix, and also the same property which allows you to make pucks, otherwise they would just crumble.

[al93535]

I've noticed my best BP comes from when it clumps in the mill. Its always faster then the powder that never clumps for some reason.

[Pretty green flames]

it's the same case with my BP.

Maybe it's some kind of indication that the BP is ready

[Sprengman]

The clumping is not because of the sulfur. Its because of the potassiumnitrate wich have the characteristic to clump in a fine powder even when its dry.

This is annoying, but if the potassiumnitrate clumps its an indication that it is fairly fine.


The problem with the lumps in finished blackpowder can be disengaged by drying it in the sun.

[adamw]

It is thought to be because of the sulphur. It has been written quite a lot about this.

[karlfoxman]

i made a patch of bp the otherday and WOW what a difference willow makes!!!! me and my friend went to the common near where he lives looking for willow trees. what we found was great. next to the tree was a pile of logs! the trees had been recently cut back. brilliant!!!! if your making bp and not using willow then i strongly advise using it. it burns fast. good for lifts! obviously if you dont want fast bp then use different wood.

[Pretty green flames]

I agree....Willow really does make a huge difference. I was stuck using beech and what a lame BP it made, After a while i got fed up with it and made some willow charcoal.
Even my willow green meal burns faster than 3h ball milled beech BP.

[paul]

Yep, it?s the same with poplar for example. Blackpowder made with BBQ charcoal milled for many many hours can?t even be compared to 2-3 hour milled blackpoweder with willow or poplar (nearly the same).

[broadsword]

I did a test a couple of weeks ago:
2 Ball Mills Containers exactly the same size, with the same amount of media in them, in one I put:
75g KN03
10g sulphur
15g BBQ Charcoal

And in the other i had
75g KN03
10g sulphur
15g Willow charcoal (Artists Sticks!)
I used artists sticks becasue then they will be pure willow and wouldnt be over/under 'cooked'.

I milled them on the same mill for 24hrs, and the difference was HUGE!
The BBQ charcoal BP would probably struggle in a stargun, but the Willow BP it makes a loud thud
For people using BBQ charcoal, i found it was good to help you learn and so you do not start on something too powerful, but once you get used to using BP then use Willow!

[Pretty green flames]

Ahh my first vids of Willow pulverone burning

(Right click and save target as)

http://www.infernola...st/Image001.MOV

http://www.infernola...st/Image002.MOV


Please tell me if this is good enough for launching shells
This has only been milled for a good hour.

Enjoy

[broadsword]

That does look good, but im not sure whether its the microphone but it sounds weird! Rather like its confined!
Test it in a Star Gun! you should hear a loud but low tone 'Thud'
But if this is your first batch of lift powder maybe you should try Starmines?