129 replies to this topic

[chemicalwazi]

Maybe a bit of a dumb question but.....

How do you add binders to pyro comps.

I usually do it like this.

Damp the mixture with some water and add (Sprinkle) the needed amount of some binder to the mixture.

Something seriously wrong here ?

Take care

I find mixing the dry mix together well with the appropriate amount of binder
then adding your water or alcahol after is best. For star comps mixing in ziplock sandwich bags is great. No more dirty hands or spillages

[Harpoon]

I've got a couple of questions on chlorine donors...

What do chlorine donors do to improve a mixture?

Assuming saran is sold as "cling film" in the UK, would it be possible to process it into a powder form for use in compositions?

[BigG]

I've got a couple of questions on chlorine donors...

What do chlorine donors do to improve a mixture?

Assuming saran is sold as "cling film" in the UK, would it be possible to process it into a powder form for use in compositions?

Chlorine donours are used to generate colours. Cling film can not be processed into powder. Both questions been asked and excellent replays were made. Please search before posting.

[robfir]

I have some questions im hoping someone can help me with:

Is there any difference between making charcoal and buying it as lumps for BBQ?

Where can I buy a ball mill in the UK?

If I get some carbon powder is it better than charcoal when used for BP?

[broadsword]

I have some questions im hoping someone can help me with:

Is there any difference between making charcoal and buying it as lumps for BBQ?

Where can I buy a ball mill in the UK?

If I get some carbon powder is it better than charcoal when used for BP?

Most of those questions have been answered before. But heres a quick rundown of what I have been lead to believe (this doesnt make it true) And if i am wrong im sure someone will be quick to reply

Charcoal will be better if you make it yourself, useing any softwood (i think) will make a good BP. But for a beginner use BBQ charcoal. Make sure it is lumpwood as others have impurities. Myself being a beginner use bbq charcoal!

Ball mills can be brought from mineral jewellery specialists Click Here. but it is much easier to make one.

If the carbon powder you have got is basically soot i believe this is called 'lampblack'. But you will have to find out from more advanced members.

[cat]

>> Is there any difference between making charcoal and buying it as lumps for BBQ?

Most brands of charcoal briquets contain impurities to help it light, stay light and hold together. For instance the ones I use contain a clay binder, an oxidizer (looks like NaNO3). Plus there are other ingredients such as Agricultural Lime, Starch. I use Kingsford charcoal, it contains less then 50% carbon.

However, there are many brands that offer ?natural? wood coal you?d have to do the research to figure out the additives they use.

>> If I get some carbon powder is it better than charcoal when used for BP?

Short answer, it depends.. experiment. BTW: what effect are you looking for? Fast burn, gas production?

>> Charcoal will be better if you make it yourself, useing any softwood (i think) will make a good BP.

Softwood (many types) makes very effective BP, being soft and porous it is milled easily. For effects tigertail, etc, I strongly prefer hardwood. But there are 100 million resources out there on this topic and everyone has an opinion.

>> If the carbon powder you have got is basically soot i believe this is called 'lampblack'.

Most pure carbon powders make very poor BP and IMHO poor fuel sources, however it all depends on your desired effect. For instance graphite hardly burns when compared to a carbon with more impurities (ok there are a lot of reasons for this, molecule structure and reactiveness of organic deposits come to mind)

?Lampblack is obtained by the imperfect combustion of highly carbonaceous substances. It is manufactured from scraps of resin and pitch refuse and inferior oils such as tung oil, or fatty substances, such as naphthalene, and other similar combustible bodies rich in carbon, the finest lamp-black being procured by the combustion of oils obtained in coal-tar distillation? ? from the web

The usefulness of lampblack really depends on its origin. Heavy hydrocarbons with impurities such as sugars produce a nice fuel and seam to have lower ignition point. Lampblack is used as an opacifier(sp?) in composite fuel rockets and as conductive fuel in igniters, as well as long burning dull sparks in stars and tails, the list goes on.

-Cat

PS: http://www.ukrocketr...x.php/t604.html

[broadsword]

i have made quite a few batches of BP now. I think it is more green meal because i have not mixed them for very long. I get some powdered charcoal (curtosy of a Coffee grinder) and some powdered (This Stuff)and some KN03 fresh from Garden Direct (this is like caster sugar granules) and put all these together in a tub put the lid on and shake for about 5-10 mins.

When i light the meal it does not light easily i have to use a burning match head to light it!
BTW i am only testing very small amounts unconfined so ther is no real danger.
Also it does not bur particulary fast!
Is this because i do not have a ball mill yet? (Am in the process of making one!)

[Pretty green flames]

just mix em together isn't gonna make good BP.
Grind the 3 ingridients together in a mortar and pestle with some water and put it in a fridge for 20-30 minutes.

[broadsword]

Another newbi question
When BP is made or made into small pellets(wether this is pulverone or proper BP) it is given grades, can someone please explain thses grades for me please? I see things like 4FA etc

Also What is goex and why is it used in bursting charges etc?

[Pretty green flames]

Another newbi question
When BP is made or made into small pellets(wether this is pulverone or proper BP) it is given grades, can someone please explain thses grades for me please? I see things like 4FA etc

The more F's the finer the BP and the better quality

Also What is goex and why is it used in bursting charges etc?

I'd also like to know this

Edited by Pretty green flames, 01 December 2004 - 03:28 PM.

[Patrick]

Another newbi question
When BP is made or made into small pellets(wether this is pulverone or proper BP) it is given grades, can someone please explain thses grades for me please? I see things like 4FA etc

Also What is goex and why is it used in bursting charges etc?

U.S. Blasting Powder Grain Size

Type Mesh

FA 3 - 5
2FA 4 - 12
3FA 10 - 16
4FA 12 - 20
5FA 20 - 50
6FA 30 - 50
7FA 40 - 100
Meal D + 50
Fine Meal + 100
X-Fine Meal +140

Black Powder Grain Sizes

Cannon 6 - 12
Saluting 10 - 20
Fg 12 - 16
2Fg 16 - 30
3Fg 20 - 50
4Fg 40 - 100

[BigG]

Also What is goex and why is it used in bursting charges etc?

Goex is a known american BP brand. You can look up thier site on the internet - and it is used as a bursting charge.... becuase BP is often used as a bursting charge!

[broadsword]

I have now been able to make some fairly good bp now! using all ground up chamicals (around the size of flour) These have then been mixed up thourghly and i made some pulverone with them. I pushed the wet meal powder through 10 mesh. Will this pulverone be any good? for lifts possibly?

[paul]

It would be way better if you would let the KNO3 soak into the charcoal longer! Try the CIA method. I know it is messy, but people without ball mills can archieve good results with that.

[broadsword]

Here is a webpage where there are some pictures of my pulverone.
What can this be used for, any good for lift charge?

Pulverone Page