18 replies to this topic

[Pyro Harold]

Wondering if anyone makes thier own lift powder for their shells, or do most people just buy ready made black powder FFF grade? I know that it's a bit of a process to make some good powder that able to lift a shell consistantly.

[dogsbody]

have a read through the Forum, several people have already discussed this.

welcome

[Pyro Harold]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I was more asking to get a consensus if many people bother to make there own, I know the procedure of making it.

Do you make your own, or purchase?

[Mortartube]

Make it personally.

[Karl]

Yep I think most of us that class ourselves as true pyros will make their own.

[leosedf]

For many of us this is the ONLY way to do it.
We make many things, lift, BP, fuses, etc.

[PyroCreationZ]

I've never had access to commercial BP but ever since I started doing pyro I make it myself
It's been said but I too think about 95% of the hobby pyros make it themselves.

[Mumbles]

Back when powder was cheaper, a lot more people just bought it. I personally primarily make my own. One area though that I've found worth it to purchase commercial powder is for spolettes though. For the small amount used, it's relatively inexpensive in the long run. I've tried making large batches of powder specifically for spolettes, but even then it wasn't consistent enough. I must have had some sort of contaminant in my BP as it would absorb water over time whether pressed or loose in the container, and slow down which would ruin my timings. It worked out for me to be around $0.10 in powder per average sized spolette, which was worth the consistency to me.

[dan100]

make.
fff will only be good for some shell sizes anyway.
100g is said to be the amount you can make to experiment with.
buying would require licensing to aquire and probably be sold in larger quantity, someone correct me if im wrong.

a pyro without lift is like a painter with no brush and the understanding that comes with making things is invaluable[to me anyway]
its not as complicated as you may think with the right approach.
dan.

[digger]

but you could only use 100g neq total each item you make and test

I am not completely sure that is correct. This is something that is currently getting clarified with the legislation committee (mainly Wayne). The BP would not be part of the experimental weights as it is a classified composition. For instance you could conceivably make a 100g comet and then fire it using BP from your store this would take the NEQ over 100g, however there would still only be 100g of experimental composition. This of course assumes that you are using bought BP.

The further current complication is that guidance has not been issued yet regarding the manufacture of devices with experimental compositions. However we hope that this will be sorted out in due course.

Theoretically BP should always be bought as you can't keep making BP experimentally, as it is being manufactured for the purpose of lift/break and you are sure of its performance. Hence it is no longer an experimental composition and will then fall under manufacture of explosives. However I am sure that this is rarely observed.

One thing to bear in mind when applying for your COER is that you should declare what it will be used for and not just for muzzle loading etc. This is an interesting one. There are a couple of people on here who are applying for COER with experimental pyrotechnics list as the use. so There are people here who could help you through the process.

Of course this only relates to the UK

Edited by digger, 29 June 2011 - 09:10 AM.

[Pyro Harold]

My biggest mistake when I first tried making some was the quality of the chemicals, particularly the Potassium Nitrate, the mixture did not burn consistently and I also believe my milling time was insufficient.

I need to do some more research to get a good mixutre going. It was just a lot easier for me to buy some black powder. I'm glad that almost everyone is making their own, it means you are getting consistant, reliable results.

[megabusa]

I make all my own BP.

BBQ lumpwood charcoal makes adequate lift.

Home made willow charcoal makes good burst.