nesc39 Posted April 9, 2015 Posted April 9, 2015 So my last 5 batches of bp are a nightmare. Im using a harbor freight rock tumbler ball mill and have made plenty of perfect batches of bp. All of a sudden, using all the same products as always my bp is sticking together in the mill. Somehow it gathers on the bottom of the rotating container, The lead balls pack it down and at the end of the mill I end up with a half assed puck of barely mixed up bp. I actually can snap the pieces! The first time this happened was at the end of last summer when it was really humid out so my first thought was something was wet so I took my nitrate and heated in the oven for two hours at 100°. That didn't work. I tried 4 more times this winter when the air was bone dry but still had the same problems. Any ideas. ?
nt8 Posted April 9, 2015 Posted April 9, 2015 Maybe the nitrate is dry, but the charcoal can contain wet.Large surface of good charcoal can bind many wet, mainly not store humidity proof. 1
Arthur Posted April 9, 2015 Posted April 9, 2015 15% charcoal makes more difference than any other ingredient. Wrong wood -no good. Damp and it will clump. Try a silica gel packet in your charcoal container. 1
schroedinger Posted April 9, 2015 Posted April 9, 2015 Did you test the bp, if bp is fine enough it can start to cake and be a sign that your mill run is finished.
enanthate Posted April 9, 2015 Posted April 9, 2015 Cook your charcoal in the oven. You could've searched on this topic
memo Posted April 9, 2015 Posted April 9, 2015 had the same problem, i started drying everything before i ball milled. no more problems. humidity is a bitch.
nesc39 Posted April 9, 2015 Author Posted April 9, 2015 Thanks for helping guys. Sorry I didn't search. I'm on a iPhone and it's a pain and takes forever. I appreciate your time. I will try drying the charcoal as I haven't done that yet. I'm using willow.
db5086 Posted April 9, 2015 Posted April 9, 2015 What do you mean by nightmare. I too live in a high humidity locality and just have accepted the fact that my mill powder is going to clump. I actually prefer working the mill on a humid day for static issues being reduced. Just break the puck up, screen it, and back in the jar it goes to finish. I'm with Schroedinger on the clump indicating a completed mill run since I'm so used to it and my powder performs just fine clump or no clump.Just an extra step in the process but then again so is drying out charcoal or potassium nitrate in an oven. Try granulating some and see if it performs. You may be surprised and it can't hurt.
Blackthumb Posted April 10, 2015 Posted April 10, 2015 Roll up some newspaper...cook it...problem solved and fast BP....little mess...
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