Can't get lift!

[OldMarine]

I'd try a different charcoal before I threw up my hands. A pound of commercial airfloat is pretty cheap.

[schroedinger]

Airfloatf charcoal is cheap, a TLUD is ja made in 10 minutes from scrap parts. For an easy veraion you only need two cans.

[OldMarine]

Xzanth, if you're in the US, I'm going to cook some more Eastern Red Cedar charcoal this weekend and I'd be happy to mail you a sample to try.

[Xzanth]

Yeah I'm in the US. And sure I'll try it. Just PM me. That would be awesome. I'll look into airfloat. But these cookers I'm not understanding. If you could point me in the right direction to start, ID be happy to try one. I love tinkering.

[otto]

Xzanth, if you're in the US, I'm going to cook some more Eastern Red Cedar charcoal this weekend and I'd be happy to mail you a sample to try.

There's a stand up guy!

 

From my limited experience charcoal is equally as critical as proper processing. Measure the ID of your mill barrel and see where your speed falls. From my calculator it looks like this:

 

Target Speeds 4" - 86 - 99 rpm 6" - 70 - 81 rpm 8" - 61 - 70 rpm 9" - 57 - 66 rpm

 

Of course, I expect Lloyd to correct if I've miscalculated...... Sorry, no odd numbers but if you wish I can plug in whatever number you have and give you a range. Or share the Excel calculator.... either way.

 

Edit: TLUD, Google and you'll see. EZPZ way to make great coal. A bale of pet bedding (ERC) and you're in business!

Edited April 6, 2016 by otto

[Xzanth]

And with what I got, at least I know I can make a few ground fireworks. Ha-ha. Fountains or something. I got a lot of sparks when I screened aluminum powder in with some bp

[Xzanth]

There's a stand up guy!

 

From my limited experience charcoal is equally as critical as proper processing. Measure the ID of your mill barrel and see where your speed falls. From my calculator it looks like this:

Target Speeds 4" - 86 - 99 rpm 6" - 70 - 81 rpm 8" - 61 - 70 rpm 9" - 57 - 66 rpm

 

Of course, I expect Lloyd to correct if I've miscalculated...... Sorry, no odd numbers but if you wish I can plug in whatever number you have and give you a range. Or share the Excel calculator.... either way.

Yeah it's a 4" barrel. My rpms are good here

[Xzanth]

Sorry I really got to start using the quotes.. And stop replying like this is an instant messenger service. Ha-ha. Thanks my ninjas

[Xzanth]

Here is my mill I made

[OldMarine]

Doggone, that's a nice rig!

[Xzanth]

Doggone, that's a nice rig!

Thanks worked on it all day

[lloyd]

"Whoosh as in burns up instantly."

---------

No, that wasn't fast powder... that was fairly slow powder. I'd expect faster powder than that from briquette charcoal. Sorry...

 

Your mill is nice (very nice job), but the sound it makes pretty clearly indicates that your jars are severely over-filled. The noise from the jars/media should be louder than the motor and bearing noise, by a LOT. And the noise from the jars/media should be a continuous LOUD clatter, not the "pause/clatter/pause/clatter" we can clearly hear in the video. The fact that the clatter makes less noise than the bearings and motor says volumes about what's going on inside the jars.

 

When properly charged, your mill jars should not be more than a tiny bit over half-full. The noise they're making tends to indicate they're more like 5/8-to-3/4 full.

 

LLoyd

[Col]

Good job on the mill. You just need to get that "hunting" sound to change into a constant rumble

I cant really go by loudness cos the media doesnt make much noise to begin with. Using willow charcoal, the 25% charge in my 4.37L jars is 730g.

[Xzanth]

"Whoosh as in burns up instantly."

---------

No, that wasn't fast powder... that was fairly slow powder. I'd expect faster powder than that from briquette charcoal. Sorry...

 

Your mill is nice (very nice job), but the sound it makes pretty clearly indicates that your jars are severely over-filled. The noise from the jars/media should be louder than the motor and bearing noise, by a LOT. And the noise from the jars/media should be a continuous LOUD clatter, not the "pause/clatter/pause/clatter" we can clearly hear in the video. The fact that the clatter makes less noise than the bearings and motor says volumes about what's going on inside the jars.

 

When properly charged, your mill jars should not be more than a tiny bit over half-full. The noise they're making tends to indicate they're more like 5/8-to-3/4 full.

 

LLoyd

I'm guessing your talking about the PVC pipe with the marbles in it. . . it's good. Marbles are lighter hence the catching on the sides . thanks. Edited April 7, 2016 by Xzanth

[FlaMtnBkr]

Whoah! Stop the bus. I don't know if you mean marbles as in you are using glass marbles? If so stop! And don't use any of the stuff you have made.

 

There was a member that had a major accident in the last year where he lost body parts and lots of skin because he was using marbles. If that is the case stop messing with things until we can figure out what's going on. If that was an incorrect term, then carry on.

[Xzanth]

Marbles are for the kitty litter only lol.

[MadMat]

If you have to ball mill for 6 hours, there is something wrong with your set up... I've never had to mill my bp for longer than 4 hours (usually around 3- 3 1/2 hours works fine for me). I use willow or red cedar for my charcoal. They make close to equally good BP. I did some testing and the willow has only a slight edge over red cedar for BP performance.

[lloyd]

Xzanth,

YES, What Biker SAID! STOP using glass marbles NOW!

 

If you take a hunk of PVC and explode it, it does scary things. Have you read my article on "The explosion of a Milling Jar"? Marbles make jars explode. PLUS, they're really lousy media in that small a jar. You might never get to 'finished' with media that light in that small a jar.

 

Also... when you take a hunk of anything hollow and round, put end-caps on it, and mount it on a ball mill... it magically becomes "A Milling Jar" (that's actually the correct term for the containers on small mills with interchangeable milling vessels).

 

Lloyd

[lloyd]

Xzanth, something else came to mind: I can't really tell how those end-caps are held on. It _almost_ looks like you might be securing them with a "through-rod" that runs the length of the jar.

 

If that's the case, it will severely interfere with the cascading action that must occur to get good milling.

 

Just a thought.

 

Lloyd

[Xzanth]

Marbles are for the soft kitty litter. And the PVC is for that use only. I use the rubber jars with lead shot for BP. But the PVC are clean out plugs, no through rod

[Col]

Just use a couple of these, http://www.newmantools.com/petp/nylon_plugs.htm

[Xzanth]

Also. That video was just a test. There was only marbles in it. No kitty litter, which is why the stop go stop go sound.

[Xzanth]

Just use a couple of these, http://www.newmantools.com/petp/nylon_plugs.htm

Similar to that except I need a alen wrench to open it

Edit: I'll post a video to show you what it is then

Edited April 7, 2016 by Xzanth

[Xzanth]

Xzanth,

YES, What Biker SAID! STOP using glass marbles NOW!

 

If you take a hunk of PVC and explode it, it does scary things. Have you read my article on "The explosion of a Milling Jar"? Marbles make jars explode. PLUS, they're really lousy media in that small a jar. You might never get to 'finished' with media that light in that small a jar.

 

Also... when you take a hunk of anything hollow and round, put end-caps on it, and mount it on a ball mill... it magically becomes "A Milling Jar" (that's actually the correct term for the containers on small mills with interchangeable milling vessels).

 

Lloyd

Marbles make jars explode because glass can spark. Got it!

[Col]

Similar to that except I need a alen wrench to open it

Edit: I'll post a video to show you what it is then

The nylon ones are completely non metallic. If yours need a allen wrench there`s probably some steel involved