196 replies to this topic

[knackers]

on reading this thread and ( it is very interesting ) it is quite apparent that we are all using different apparatus to obtain similar results, and i would like to add that those using a lead milling medium will have a lead contaminated bp product, which not only is very toxic but will hinder burn rate, if using lead its gotta be hardend lead which can be found in solid shotgun cartridges, not big fishing sinkers,

[BlackMesa]

Hello, im rather new to this and im sorry if you have already explained this, though i have not found the answer in this thread. Can anyone shed any light on my problem with my BP?

the BP mixed thoughroughly from pre-milled Kno3, C, S (in 75:15:10 respectively) is rather difficult to ignite (may take serveral seconds of hoding a flame to it in low wind to ignite it) Burns slowly with a red flame and produces alot of liquid residue of a green/white colour, which then dries hard when it cools. This residue can extinquish the burning powder, particulary when confined.

So, i can tell somthing is wrong here but i cant put my finger on what part of it. Can anyone think what may be causing this residue and slow burn rate? (could it be caused by innacurate measuring, lack of mixing/milling, or an impure ingredient?

Any thoughts on the matter are appreciated!

[MDH]

For questions such as yours in the future it'd be much better if you also told us where you obtained your potassium nitrate, what kind of charcoal you were using, what mill with how much weight of composition in it, etc.

The only thing I could make out of this is that perhaps you have a bad charcoal.

[digger]

Hello, im rather new to this and im sorry if you have already explained this, though i have not found the answer in this thread. Can anyone shed any light on my problem with my BP?

the BP mixed thoughroughly from pre-milled Kno3, C, S (in 75:15:10 respectively) is rather difficult to ignite (may take serveral seconds of hoding a flame to it in low wind to ignite it) Burns slowly with a red flame and produces alot of liquid residue of a green/white colour, which then dries hard when it cools. This residue can extinquish the burning powder, particulary when confined.

So, i can tell somthing is wrong here but i cant put my finger on what part of it. Can anyone think what may be causing this residue and slow burn rate? (could it be caused by innacurate measuring, lack of mixing/milling, or an impure ingredient?

Any thoughts on the matter are appreciated!

This has been covered on this site before. It could be any or all of the things you mention.

I assume that you weighed the ingredients on accurate scales, if so that eliminates that.

BP is pretty tolerant to chemical quality (obviously certain things make the best powder), so if the chemicals are correct it should work to a greater or lesser extent.

Did you just mix the ingredients together, if so this will not do.

Do a search for making black powder and you will find the answers.

[BlackMesa]

The charcoal originally comes from barbecue charcoal, its meant to not contain lighter fuel though, could this still be a problem?

The Sulphur was from a lab website

The Kno3 came from Ebay but is meant to be at least 98% purity

in Mixing them i disolved my Kno3, mixed the S and C, poured the S,C mix back into the Kno3 and water solution and left the water to evaporate, then pesteled(if that is a verb) the hardened block it left me until it was a powder.

Edited by BlackMesa, 31 July 2008 - 08:07 PM.

[MDH]

That pretty much is your problem. Your charcoal is about 50% clay. It's not meant to burn fast.

You will want a charcoal that crumbles easily into a fine powder between the fingers, and is lightweight.

[digger]

The charcoal originally comes from barbecue charcoal, its meant to not contain lighter fuel though, could this still be a problem?

The Sulphur was from a lab website

Briquet's or lump wood?

[BlackMesa]

Briquet's or lump wood?

Lumps, the pieces seem to stil resemble wood, e.g all different sizes and in wood-like shape with a grain visible.

[digger]

Lumps, the pieces seem to stil resemble wood, e.g all different sizes and in wood-like shape with a grain visible.

Ok then it should not contain clay. This will probably not make the best BP, but I have made acceptable powder from this. So back to how did you weigh and mix the chemicals.

[BlackMesa]

Ok then it should not contain clay. This will probably not make the best BP, but I have made acceptable powder from this. So back to how did you weigh and mix the chemicals.

So this residue im getting is a consequence of poor mixing and not impure chemicals?

Okay well im still getting together all the equipment i need to do this efficiently, but as i dont have a ball mill yet :Buying premilled reagents, disolving my Kno3 and mixing my sulphur and carbon in this thing i made, its sorta like a ball mill but not electricaly powered but since they are already milled i fiured a few minutes of it would get them pretty mixed, and it seems too. Then i put my mixture into the water my Kno3 is disolved in and stir it until the mixture has sunk (this is the 'CIA method' no? its meant to be) then i leave the water to evaporate and pestle and mortal the hardened block which is left behind when the ater has evaporated, leave for an hour or so and that is what i would considermy meal powder. Although it does burn, nowhere near as effectively as it should do - it is similar to how Kno3 and Sugar burns - not very effective.

Ingredients measured by weight 75:15:10 although my scales arnt too accurate, i have however ordered some accurate to 0.1 grames

I have also ordered a copy of 'Blackpowder Manufacturing, Testing and Optimisin' (if that is the correct name) - will this be usefull to me?

[digger]

So this residue im getting is a consequence of poor mixing and not impure chemicals?

Okay well im still getting together all the equipment i need to do this efficiently, but as i dont have a ball mill yet :Buying premilled reagents, disolving my Kno3 and mixing my sulphur and carbon in this thing i made, its sorta like a ball mill but not electricaly powered but since they are already milled i fiured a few minutes of it would get them pretty mixed, and it seems too. Then i put my mixture into the water my Kno3 is disolved in and stir it until the mixture has sunk (this is the 'CIA method' no? its meant to be) then i leave the water to evaporate and pestle and mortal the hardened block which is left behind when the ater has evaporated, leave for an hour or so and that is what i would considermy meal powder. Although it does burn, nowhere near as effectively as it should do - it is similar to how Kno3 and Sugar burns - not very effective.

Ingredients measured by weight 75:15:10 although my scales arnt too accurate, i have however ordered some accurate to 0.1 grames

I have also ordered a copy of 'Blackpowder Manufacturing, Testing and Optimisin' (if that is the correct name) - will this be usefull to me?

Just one last question, what is the source of your kno3?

[BlackMesa]

Just one last question, what is the source of your kno3?

The Kno3 was from Ebay and is meant to be 'food grade' ~98% purity

For future batches im lookig to get my Kno3 from that online garden centre website mentioned earlier in this thread.

I heard some Kno3 is duped to reduce its burn rate, is this true?

[digger]

So this residue im getting is a consequence of poor mixing and not impure chemicals?

Okay well im still getting together all the equipment i need to do this efficiently, but as i dont have a ball mill yet :Buying premilled reagents, disolving my Kno3 and mixing my sulphur and carbon in this thing i made, its sorta like a ball mill but not electricaly powered but since they are already milled i fiured a few minutes of it would get them pretty mixed, and it seems too. Then i put my mixture into the water my Kno3 is disolved in and stir it until the mixture has sunk (this is the 'CIA method' no? its meant to be) then i leave the water to evaporate and pestle and mortal the hardened block which is left behind when the ater has evaporated, leave for an hour or so and that is what i would considermy meal powder. Although it does burn, nowhere near as effectively as it should do - it is similar to how Kno3 and Sugar burns - not very effective.

Ingredients measured by weight 75:15:10 although my scales arnt too accurate, i have however ordered some accurate to 0.1 grames

I have also ordered a copy of 'Blackpowder Manufacturing, Testing and Optimisin' (if that is the correct name) - will this be usefull to me?

How did you grind the charcoal to a fine dust?

Just roughly mixing them together like that does not really mix them properly. The idea of a mill is to incorporate the chemicals into each other.

The CIA method is a bit more involved than that. Dump all of you chems in the minimum amount of nearly boiling water to just dissolve the kno3. Mix them around for a bit and then chuck them into a bucket containing at least the same volume again of alcohol. The kno3 will then come straight out of solution. Strain this mixture through a Hessian cloth, wring it out, granulate it through a fine mesh onto news paper and dry it. You should get a decent powder.

Yes the book should be interesting, but not really necessary for making decent BP.

[BlackMesa]

How did you grind the charcoal to a fine dust?

Just roughly mixing them together like that does not really mix them properly. The idea of a mill is to incorporate the chemicals into each other.

The CIA method is a bit more involved than that. Dump all of you chems in the minimum amount of nearly boiling water to just dissolve the kno3. Mix them around for a bit and then chuck them into a bucket containing at least the same volume again of alcohol. The kno3 will then come straight out of solution. Strain this mixture through a Hessian cloth, wring it out, granulate it through a fine mesh onto news paper and dry it. You should get a decent powder.

Yes the book should be interesting, but not really necessary for making decent BP.

[digger]

I have purified kno3 myself a couple of times to see what the adulterants are. I have found some to contain 0.5% clay which should have little or no effect, other nitrates which again should have little effect, but worryingly one source had a very small amount of iron fillings in it (albeit a very small amount).

Edited by digger, 31 July 2008 - 08:42 PM.