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Posted

Lead media caused the grayish color. It shouldn't affect the BP other than the smoke will have trace amounts of airbourne lead. It's generally a good idea to avoid the smoke from any burning composition if possible.

Posted
So my bp/TT stars will be ok. But how do I clean my ball mill, it's full of kno3 dust caked to the walls? Is it safe to wash the mill drum with water, or will that effect later loads?
Posted
First get a wooden stick and pick out the big chunks (would be a shame to waste them, if you don't care about it then let em inside). Then get a bucket of water put the barrel inside. Next day nearly all kno3 should be dissolved, drain the water and give it a short wash to flhsh out all residues then let the drum dry.
Posted
Thanks! What about the lead media, I assume it doesn't rust?
Posted

Lead does indeed "rust" but the layer is inconsequential to the chems being mixed or ground. It is also so thin that it does not allow underlying materials to corrode beneath it as steel 'rust' would.

Posted

So i can wash lead media with water?

Posted

Yes. Just dry it before using it with anything else. I tend to "clean" my media with kitty litter, need that ground up anyway, but thats not always an option.

B!

Posted

Yes. Just dry it before using it with anything else. I tend to "clean" my media with kitty litter, need that ground up anyway, but thats not always an option.

B!

 

+1, don't wash if you dont have t.

  • Like 1
Posted (edited)
I've found using 1/4 teaspoon of washing powder and half filling the mill drum with water then running for 1 or 2 hours does a great job of cleaning the drum and your media. Edited by mercyfulfate
  • 4 weeks later...
Posted

I was looking at a 15lb rock tumbler today "Thumbler's Model B Rock Tumbler" anyhow was curious about the octagon shape of it for our purposes of making BP. Can anyone comment to this?

Posted
Blaster, the octagon shape functions similar to lift bars. The mill should be ran slightly slower than a round jar would be.
  • Like 1
Posted

Blaster, the octagon shape functions similar to lift bars. The mill should be ran slightly slower than a round jar would be.

 

OK, so for the FNG's, i.e. me, how fast is that?

Posted

I've often heard recommendations of around 40rpm for the octagon/hexagon jars. This is down from around 70ish for a similarly sized round jar.

  • Like 1
  • 2 months later...
Posted
Ok so if I buy the harbor freight 6# tumbler the best thing is to just run 1 canister correct? How many 50 cal balls shoul I order for that set up thanks
Posted

5lbs of .500 lead media balls is desired charge for one jar. Should be half full of media.

Posted

It works out to around 200-250 .50 cal lead balls.

Posted
Where would be a good place to get em I saw dags link to bps in another post but sold out
Posted

Yep, just made up the last of the lead I had on hand.... 18 hours sitting = 140 lb.s of nice hard balls. Whew.... re watching Justified!

I have them on ebay also... I will find a faster way eventually, about tired of doing it already. I have made somewhere upwards of 800 lbs in the last month. yak!!!

just printed a shipping label for some off ebay.. :)

Posted (edited)
Sorry but one more question before I order the lead from caleb. are those special ceramic ones comparable or how bout brass ones I know it said to cut your own out of brass rods but I see that being a pita without the proper saw. any links to something a little more environmentally friendly it looked like lead kinda leaks i assume the hardend ones are much better butif lead is what works the best then lead it is! Edited by captainG
Posted
Capt. G, yes run only one drum. Also, go to tractor supply with the belt that came with your mill and replace it with an o-ring as close to the same size as possible. The belts that come with those mills have a very,very short life span. Trust me on this. The o-ring will last a long time.
  • 5 months later...
Posted (edited)
Ok so I got my lead...thanks caleb!..milled my first bstch and itwas all caked to the bottom of the mill seems to burn pretty good but I have nothing to compare it to.noe I tried a second batch and it is clumped in balls a little bigger than the lead balls. Is this normal that needs to just be broke up or is it supposed to be all powder when you open it?edit opend 2nd batch all stuck to bottom but breaks up into fine powder?? Edited by captainG
Posted

If the mill mpwder caked up it WAS damp. Charcoal will take up 20% of it's dry weight and pot nitrate will take up enough to block up if the surroundings are damp. Put the ingredients in a warm place for a few hours, then weigh out and mill. 1/ the mixture will be right because you didn't weigh water, 2/ it will mill properly to free flowing powder.

Posted (edited)
That's what I was afraid of ..high southern humidity I viewed another article where mumbles put it in the oven is that safe for the charcoal as well Is the powder I made ruined or can I maybe put some silca gel in it then re mill for a while Edited by captainG
Posted

I've found using 1/4 teaspoon of washing powder and half filling the mill drum with water then running for 1 or 2 hours does a great job of cleaning the drum and your media.

To me, that sounds like unnessesary waste of washing powder.

Anyway, make sure to clean all of that out as well, and/or make sure there are no incompatibilities with the chemicals you're milling.

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