13 replies to this topic

[dave89]

Hello im new to this forum and this is my first post other than my introduction.

I have a bag of magnesium that is about 30 mesh and was just wondering if there are any methods of grinding this down, i tried with a pestle and mortar for hours to no avail. I currently dont have a ball mill so that would be out of the question for the moment but am planning on getting one sometime early next year.

Any advice would be much appreciated

[portfire]

Hi Dave and welcome.

Reading your first post I assume your after making your flash more reactive?. As you are new to the hobby I would strongly advise you stay away from the stuff until you have gained some experience with the basics and then some (I don't mean flash BTW)

As for milling your Mg, don't bother, the consequences can be very damaging to your person

http://www.pyrosocie...mp;hl=Magnesium

[dave89]

Thanks for the advice mate i think im just being impatient because i dont have the tools to make black powder yet.

Is there any other uses for this magnesium i now have sitting around doing nothing you may suggest?

[wjames]

ive advised you against making flash at the moment, now someone else has !!!!

I'd advise leaving "sitting" around doing nothing, best thing for it untill you have a good use for it.....30 mesh has its uses.


As for the tools to make BP, I don't have a ball mill....and can make fairly decent speed BP with not that much effort....2 Coffee griders for seperate chems, and i buy my charcoal as airfloat..... It works for lift powder, once its granulated anyway.

Works for all my star comps, Rockets, and salutes !

[dave89]

I didnt know you could do that, what sort of coffee grinders? electric or manual? Iv gathred from other posts that i should have one for oxidisers and another for fuels but am i fine if i stick to this or is there anything else i should be carefull of?

[pyrotechnist]

Just a bit off topic but do you have any videos of your black powder WJames to see how good coffee grinders are before I ever go out and buy one as a quicky grinding method? would be interested.

[wjames]

I'll video some next time i make a batch !
I use an electric coffee grinder, as you correctly stated, 1 for fuels, 1 for oxidisers.....Keep them seperate, keep them CLEAN !!! i clean mine out every time u use it ! I know other people on this forum use "blenders" for grinding down chems....its also a good option......

They do work, mine will turn Kn03 into a powder not unlike icing sugar, in 30 seconds....

Remember, if you grind up everything, then mix it....you still only really have green mix......but add some binder, and rice it.......You'll be very suprised at how quick it is !

[pyrotechnist]

I used to use a blender for my KNO3 but found the particle size to vary to much, may try a coffee grinder though for quick batches etc. Have you ever tried wetting your green mix and then grinding it a little within a motor and pestle ? it improves the speed quite a bit.

[wjames]

yip, it sure does !

[dave89]

Remember, if you grind up everything, then mix it....you still only really have green mix......but add some binder, and rice it.......You'll be very suprised at how quick it is !

Here come the noob questions....

By binder do you mean dextrin or are there others available? And im not quite sure what you mean by rice it, by that do you mean wet it and put it through a mesh to make rice size grains?

Thankyou all for your help by the way, i think it was a very good idea joining this forum.

[pyrotrev]

You don't need to mill it down very fine to be able to use it. Coarse magnesium (treat with linseed) can make some nice streamer stars, and if ground down a bit to -60 mesh can be used in coloured star compositions.

[pyrotrev]

You don't need to mill it down very fine to be able to use it. Coarse magnesium (treat with linseed) can make some nice streamer stars, and if ground down a bit to -60 mesh can be used in coloured star compositions.

[starseeker]

[quote name='dave89' date='Nov 18 2008, 09:51 PM' post='52045']
Thanks for the advice mate i think im just being impatient because i dont have the tools to make black powder yet.

All you need is a pestle and morter,and then use the CIA method,once granulated this will give you perfectly usable B.P.

[seymour]

Here come the noob questions....

By binder do you mean dextrin or are there others available? And im not quite sure what you mean by rice it, by that do you mean wet it and put it through a mesh to make rice size grains?

Thankyou all for your help by the way, i think it was a very good idea joining this forum.

Dave, You are spot on, that is exactly what ricing is! It may take a few attempts to get the water % right though, too much water and your "rice" becomes "noodles" and too little and it will crumble before you get a chance to granulate.

Yes, thee are other binders available. Dextrin is commonly used because it can be made at home from corn flour. Other commonly used binders include:


Soluble Glutinous Rice starch (SGRS). This is a very strong binder favored by the Japanese. As far as water wetted binders go, it has a superior water proofing qualities (go figure!) and is good for rolling layerd stars where you want minimum mixing between the layers.

Gum Arabic (GA) is a Protein/Carbohydrate based gum which is harvested from trees in Northern Africa, the Middle east and India. It is very very strong and is favored by the Maltese, other Europeans and Me. Even the Japanese admit it is the best choice for Black match, though they leave out the fact that it might be the best choice for stars too! of all the water wetted binders GA should dry the fastest, though do not take this as gospel. (Shimizu) Gum Arbic is also good in that it is acidic and does what Boric acid does in nitrate/Al compositions.

Parlon is a great binder as well as chlorine donor. It's solvent is Acetone.

Nitrocellulose is also used as a binder, mainly in Ammonium perchlorate stars where they need to be sealed from the Potassium nitrate soon to be coated on in the form of prime.

Red Gum is used as a binder, though like dextrin I differ from the mainstream and see it's main use only as a fuel. It can be activated by Acetone or Alcohol.

Shellac is an old binder which has not lots it's value. Shellac is activated with Alcohol.

There are many many more.

As you see I like Gum Arabic. It can be bought from such places as a pottery supplier or Inoxia.