KCL04 Black powder

[zwdog922]

I was looking around on pyroguide when I found a compostion article on perchlorate black powder. Since my black powder never seems to be fast enough, can I replace this for normal black powder? Basically I just want some basic information about it and its usage for lift in star mines and arial shells. Is granulation possible? Since you dont ball mill it that would also save alot of time and energy.

[TYRONEEZEKIEL]

It is not practical to get by with out making good Black Powder. I wouldnt put my bet on the perchlorate stuff.

 

Do you mill your powder? if so, for how long?

[zwdog922]

I typically mill it for about 12 hours. my mill is ok but I use small copper coated bb's as media, that could be the culprit.

Honestly i'm just pretty lazy and dont feel like messing with a ball mill when making one of the most used comps in pyro.

Edited July 9, 2009 by zwdog922

[deadman]

Your not making one of the most common used comps. Black powder is THE most common used comp in pyro. I promise you it is so much more worth it to you to invest into your ball mill rather than into your perchlorate bp. Not only on a cost bases 50cents for a pounds of pot nitrate vs 7 dollars for a pound of perchlorate, but it will help whenyou want to have some of your star comps mixed together or have a faster rocket fuel. If it's just the media go to the local gun shop and get 10 dollars worth of 50 cal muzzle loader bullets. 12 hours in a weak ball mill will be good enough for what you need with those.

[zwdog922]

thanks deadman, by the way, I love youre sig. Its very inspiring Edited July 9, 2009 by zwdog922

[TYRONEEZEKIEL]

certainly. BB's dont have enough mass to create enough impact on the powder to integrate the chemicals. I use the same lead shot in my mill, and I have perfect powder in 8 hrs.

[The-T]

You could also use a bunch of Quarters and Nickels. Thats what I use in my mill and I get great results.

[zwdog922]

ok ill try the lead shot. thx

Really? Ive used quarters and nickels before, they didnt seem tow rok really well for me since the weren't sperical.

Edited July 9, 2009 by zwdog922

[Mumbles]

I see they have not filtered all of the bullshit off of pyroguide yet. That is just a lazy form of KP, and will preform identically. It's really no good for lift as it requires a high pressure to burn fast enough. It will work pretty well for burst, but as a lift you might be putting yourself in danger from low lifts.

 

I've often wondered if you were to confine it, in the maltese style of the lift maroon, if it would work. I'd be afraid of blowing guns though. There is a pretty steep pressure/speed curve on the stuff.

[Ralph]

your right about pyro guide the forum is good but some of the info in the wiki is well not to great there is even a permangentate flash page

[Arthur]

Good BP is a first essential for making any sort of firework. There is little progress to be made without good BP, no lift, no rockets, and little for burst.

 

Sulphur and nitrate are trade chemicals of good purity. Charcoal hold the key to formulation. get a good charcoal -if you cannot crumble the charcoal lumps by hand it will not make good charcoal. If you have fine powder ingredients then 4hours in a good mill will make good meal, if the ingredients are coarse then go for 8 - 12 hours.

 

Use a decent mill with lead media.

 

Perchlorate "BP" is a recipie from Shimizu who uses it for very specific burst purposes when managing the chemical incompatibilities in some assembled devices. It works for these purposes but you still need to have ultrafine charcoal which takes a ball mill with you or your supplier.

[50AE]

Be patient and work on your ball mill first. If you can't make acceptable black powder, your pyro hobby will be a nightmare.

[zwdog922]

So do yall think this would suffice? Lead Slingshot Ammo Edited July 9, 2009 by zwdog922

[deadman]

The .44 caliber would probably work just as well as the .50 caliber that I started out with. I eventually decided it was a very expensive way to get lead and started casting my own. This is what I had before It seams lead ammo prices are going up. I don't know about in other areas, but they probably figure that the lead ammo ban means we have to pay more for ammo anyway now. Allright back to topic.

 

In a very similar way to this.

http://www.privatedata.com/byb/pyro/ballmill/index.html

 

I got easily over 100 pounds worth of dirty tire weights for free. My "crucible" was an old bean can pinched with pliers for the spout. I already had a bernzomatic torch and mapp gas makes quick work of melting lead. Propane would work as well. My form was just a 4x4 block of wood with 5/8" holes drilled into it. A splash of cold water helps loosen the slugs, but sometimes they do get stuck in the wood and you have to bang it quite hard to get them out.

 

Check out the ball mill thread(s).

Edited July 9, 2009 by deadman

[Swede]

KP or perchlorate BP is impact-sensitive. Put a bit on a steel plate and give it a modest tap with a hammer = CRACK! BP does not do that. You cannot mill perchlorate BP, it must be carefully mixed, whereas BP is far more forgiving. Go for good BP X 1,000.

[50AE]

I've cast my media using long ferrite cores of the same size. I just fix them, pour the molten lead in, let it dry for seconds and using heat resistant gloves and a wooden stick, I push the lead cylinders out, they drop with ease.

 

http://www.allproducts.com/ee/coremt/21-ferrite_core-l.jpg

Edited July 9, 2009 by 50AE

[zwdog922]

you dont have to "lube" the cores? Edited July 9, 2009 by zwdog922

[50AE]

No, I don't have to. The lead will slide without problems.