THEONE Posted January 10, 2022 Posted January 10, 2022 Even if blackmach is made with a slow BP, it will still perform really well inside a paper tube. For making blackmach BP was thinking not to use my willow charcoal but any other charcoal i can get. I am sure it will still work nicely. What it is more important to me is, when you use it for crossmaching or "priming" the spollette with it, is it better for it be burned fast (using willow ball milled BP) or slow (lower quality charcoal using a coffee grinder) ?
Arthur Posted January 10, 2022 Posted January 10, 2022 Personally I consider it best to have one good powder in several mesh cuts, if you want less power use less powder. Whether willow charcoal is easily and economically available to you in your locale I don't know. However once you have good powder with an economical charcoal that's all you need. You will determine what locally available wood makes good powder -there are also resources on the http://www.wichitabuggywhip.com/fireworks/index.html
THEONE Posted January 10, 2022 Author Posted January 10, 2022 Personally I consider it best to have one good powder in several mesh cuts, if you want less power use less powder. Whether willow charcoal is easily and economically available to you in your locale I don't know. However once you have good powder with an economical charcoal that's all you need. You will determine what locally available wood makes good powder -there are also resources on the http://www.wichitabuggywhip.com/fireworks/index.htmlI have access to willow and pine, but pine is super easy for me to get so i am going to use pine for blackmach / spollettes and willow for lift and burst. BTW is there any way to make blackmach more flexible ? so it wont crack or flake when you house a spollette with it ? Will just a bit of wood glue (PVA) about 1% to the BP/ dextrin mix make the blackmach more flexible ?
Bourbon Posted January 10, 2022 Posted January 10, 2022 (edited) I just read thee other day, someone was using thinned white glue as a binder for more flexible blackmach. When bending, no busting or cracking, also, no crumbles. I can't remember where though. They said it didn't seem to slow it to much as long as it was thinned enough. I think they said 50/50. They said it worked great. Edited January 11, 2022 by Bourbon
Richtee Posted January 10, 2022 Posted January 10, 2022 (edited) I’m gonna try some spray adhesive down a length of tube, and just pout powder thru it. Or- possibly coat the string with the stuff and roll on the powder. I don’t use much QM obviously. Barely any as I’m “retired” heh..but I still do smaller projects now and again, and enjoy working on methods of construction. Edited January 10, 2022 by Richtee
Richtee Posted January 10, 2022 Posted January 10, 2022 Well, the tube/spray works. I bet the string would too... and should be quite malleable I’d think. Used 3M “77” spray adhesive.
THEONE Posted January 10, 2022 Author Posted January 10, 2022 Too bad you have retired, i can see not much going on to this forum anymore. That is sad.
Carbon796 Posted January 11, 2022 Posted January 11, 2022 (edited) Using a faster BP quality powder is preferable to a slower one, for spolette's. It will contribute to a more reliable device. And, reduced timing errors, if you use them for precise timed effects. The BM should have the BP slurry thoughly worked into the core of the string. With the excess removed from the outside, with a sizing die. If your just coating the outside of the string with slurry. Its typically referred to as bundle match. Which is far less durable. My preference would be a hotter, faster, aggressively burning BM. For top hat-ing/cross matching fuse, spolette's and nosing spolette's. If it's slow and sluggish. It may not withstand stronger breaks and higher velocity's. You don't want it to contribute to delayed timing and ignition issues. Edited January 11, 2022 by Carbon796 1
THEONE Posted January 11, 2022 Author Posted January 11, 2022 Thanks for your reply. So i am going to use pine charcoal BP for quickmach only. Blackmach for spollettes would be made with willow charcoal. 2 types of blackmach. Spollette composition also with willow charcoal.
Jimson19 Posted February 28, 2022 Posted February 28, 2022 Use laundry starch as a binder for blackmatch fuse...the blackmatch is not very stif and when bending it wont crumble.
Maserface Posted February 28, 2022 Posted February 28, 2022 I agree that you want your match made with good strong burning powder. You use relatively little powder for how much match you get so its even economical. It makes more sense to cut your black powder speed/quality elsewhere.
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