3 replies to this topic

[Christian]

Hey, I was told that I would be able to make a black powder rocket with black powder that had been mixed with a mortar and pestle.

I decided to buy some airfloat willow charcoal, sulphur.. and I already had potassium nitrate (very pure 99,7 or something and some fertilizer grade). I just got it today, and I decided to try it. I mixed 1,5 grams C, 1 gram S, 7,5 grams KNO3 (the "very pure" one.. which feel just a little dampish for some reason.. while the fert. grade feels completely dry..). I gave it about 1 minute in the mortar/pestle as I didnt feel like I was ripping it finer after that. Then I tried about 1 gram on some paper in open air - burned, but pretty slowly. I have seen videos where black powder almost looks like flash powder or something. I thought putting it on pressure would make it burn faster. I put it in a 1/4 id tube, but no nozzle since I have not yet made the tools to do that. I stamped it a little with a glowstick.. that was the only thing I could fit inthere . Then, when it was almost full I put the fuse in and stamped some black powder on top of that, too. I also put it on a stick, but wasnt expecting it to fly or anything since it had no nozzle. So I lit it, and... well it burned the whole way through, and the tube went on fire on the last few seconds(well, red glowing in the end of the tube, and it deformed a bit, at least..). Oh, and in case you misunderstood it: nope it did not fly... not the least

So will this work better if I get a nozzle in it? Or what should I do to make it work better...

Sorry if its already here on the forum somewhere, but a quick search didnt find anything, and I am off to make a tool for the tubes. But would like to know how to fix this little issue.

Thanks a lot

[Bonny]

Hey, I was told that I would be able to make a black powder rocket with black powder that had been mixed with a mortar and pestle.

I decided to buy some airfloat willow charcoal, sulphur.. and I already had potassium nitrate (very pure 99,7 or something and some fertilizer grade). I just got it today, and I decided to try it. I mixed 1,5 grams C, 1 gram S, 7,5 grams KNO3 (the "very pure" one.. which feel just a little dampish for some reason.. while the fert. grade feels completely dry..). I gave it about 1 minute in the mortar/pestle as I didnt feel like I was ripping it finer after that. Then I tried about 1 gram on some paper in open air - burned, but pretty slowly. I have seen videos where black powder almost looks like flash powder or something. I thought putting it on pressure would make it burn faster. I put it in a 1/4 id tube, but no nozzle since I have not yet made the tools to do that. I stamped it a little with a glowstick.. that was the only thing I could fit inthere . Then, when it was almost full I put the fuse in and stamped some black powder on top of that, too. I also put it on a stick, but wasnt expecting it to fly or anything since it had no nozzle. So I lit it, and... well it burned the whole way through, and the tube went on fire on the last few seconds(well, red glowing in the end of the tube, and it deformed a bit, at least..). Oh, and in case you misunderstood it: nope it did not fly... not the least

So will this work better if I get a nozzle in it? Or what should I do to make it work better...

Sorry if its already here on the forum somewhere, but a quick search didnt find anything, and I am off to make a tool for the tubes. But would like to know how to fix this little issue.

Thanks a lot

It will definately work better with a nozzle. There is a wealth of information here on BP, you just need to look harder. A ball mill would be a great help in making BP.

[Christian]

Hi - yeah, I will try and look a bit more. But may it be because of the damp KNO3? And I am thinking about getting a ball mill, but it is a bit hard to find one outside of the USA. (Well not if paying 100$+ is "No problem"... but in the USA I saw one for 25$.. same model.)

[karlfoxman]

Guys! Blackpowder and ways to make it faster is already on the forum in great detail. Also threads on Ballmills is already here. Please do not start topics that are already there. Give it a search, also if no results look for older posts.