Mindphreak Posted November 3, 2008 Posted November 3, 2008 Since aluminum powder for fp is expensive, a few weeks ago I decided to attempt to make some. I'm going to grind down an al block using sandpaper attached to a motor as described here http://gamekeeper.deds.nl/metal_grinding_machine.html . I've already bought the motor, and once it ships I will begin construction of the machine. If I put it in the ball mill for a few days after grinding, will it be good for fp? Any suggestions? As far as dark aluminum goes, I have read that adding 5% fine charcoal will make suitable powder.
tentacles Posted November 3, 2008 Posted November 3, 2008 If you put it in the ball mill for a few days, all you're likely to get is unusable and pyrophoric aluminum. A bag full of hurt, if you will. Grinding the aluminum seems like just about the hardest and slowest way you could choose to produce it. Milling aluminum without good techniques is a GREAT way to get seriously hurt and make a useless product. See, aluminum is very ductile, and when you smash two tiny bits together between anvils (hard media) they will squish together into a LARGER particle. I think I read the smallest you'll get from ball milling Al is about 200-250 mesh. We're not really big fans of making salutes here. They have their place, but it's not the be-all etc. To mill it smaller you have to mill it WET (NOT WATER) with a stearic acid/solvent solution. This means your mill jar has to be able to slosh around harsh solvents for days or weeks. Also, you'd have to source stearic acid. Sound expensive yet? I could suggest ways to successfully manufacture a suitable material for this purpose, but I won't. You sound too much like a salute maker at this point. 8 posts and you want to make dark aluminum, apparently in sizable quantities because you're not willing to spend the ~$20/lb it costs from good suppliers? Why would any self-respecting pyro site have excerpts from the anarchists cookbook? I think you need to read some better sites, sir, and you've come to a very good place for that. I suggest also, www.wichitabuggywhip.com/fireworks for some good reading as well.
TheSidewinder Posted November 3, 2008 Posted November 3, 2008 Mindphreak, Since you're new here, I suggest you read a LOT of the posts about our position with respect to Flash. We allow its discussion only in a mature and intelligent fashion, and we frown on its use for simply making a boom. This is a dedicated and pyrotechnics serious site, and we emphasize safety above all else. You're playing with a dangerous and potentially FATAL composition. Tentacles is correct about sites that have information from the Anarchist's Cookbook. They are suspect right from the beginning. When you've read a number of posts on the subject here, then perhaps you'll see what we mean. And this thread is now locked.
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