Safest way to make black powder?

[SharkWhisperer]

Glad to hear that, I was getting worried after ordering like $100 of chemicals. I got willow charcoal crumbles, so I guess I'm good.

Did you make the willow charcoal yourself, or is there a commercial source for reasonably priced willow "crumbles" available?

[justvisiting]

If you use good BP charcoal, well-made, and well-milled, you can make screen-mixed powder that's rivals commercial powder. This mixture can be dampened with 2 or 3% water, and pressed into pucks quite easily. The pucks can be broken down to make excellent black powder. There is no binder to have issues with, no purchase of solvents, no concerns with potassium nitrate crystals slowing your powder, and perfect repeatability. It's the safest and best way to make black powder, and is well-proven. The same mixture can be pucked more lightly, and screen-granulated, to make pre-moistened propellant for nozzleless rockets or end burner rockets. The pre-moistened powder stores well in a properly sealed container. The same can be done with 60-30-10 to make nozzled rockets.

[Pyro55]

How about someone analyze this video?

[Carbon796]

Annoying to watch, obviously doesn't know what real BP is, or the proper way to incorporate comps. Almost made some scratch mix prime though . . .

[Bourbon]

He had never made black powder before. His science experiments were directed toward a younger audience.

 

He was a good guy. Liked to goof around, and pyro, things that explode. Maybe not a pyrotechnician though. When he passed away, left a couple million sad kids.

[Carbon796]

Well, he still hasn't made blackpowder. It is distinctly different than gunpowder, and is not interchangeable. Regardless of wether he was a good guy or not. If your using the wrong terms, their still wrong. And, if your technique is wrong and poor, being a good guy doesn't make that better. A clear disregard for safety and common sense. Biased towards a younger audience on a public media. Doesn't really add to a good guy's reputation.

 

The OP asked for the video to be analyzed. Its misleading and poor in its usefulness.

[Bourbon]

It was an opinion. Not a defensive reply. Feel free to trash away.

[Carbon796]

Glad you cleared that up for yourself.

[SeaMonkey]

Growing up in the '40s and '50s, the making of Black Gunpowder was almost

a rite of passage from twerp to teen.

 

Always in small quantities with a Mortar and Pestle and we knew somehow that

we had to wet it and granulate it for best performance.

 

Our Mortar and Pestle were most often homemade, so to speak, with whatever

suitable ceramic bowl we could find and a hardwood stick carved to a rounded

end to look like the real thing.

 

Back then the Saltpeter, the Sulfur and the Charcoal were all readily available at

any Pharmacy or Drug Store.

 

Without a scale of any kind we just had to try various proportions of the ingredients

until we got it about right.

 

The freedoms we enjoyed in those old days are fondly remembered.

 

A frequently referred to book in the School Library, which had pictured details

on the process, was A. Frederick Collins The Boy Chemist pre WW2 edition.

That book also showed us how to make Guncotton if we were able to get

the appropriate Acids.

Edited December 12, 2020 by SeaMonkey

[Bourbon]

Glad you cleared that up for yourself.

Happy Holidays