Lamp Black

[JMA375HH]

Just was wondering if it is possible to make your own Lamp Black if so how is this done. Or is this just one of those chem not worth the time to make.Is lamp Black something that could be purchased locally threw some kind of business or art store. I ask because where I live chem are very hard to come by.

JMA

[Ventsi]

You can make it by burning various oils under a metal plate with the tip of the flame touching the plate. Then just scrape off the carbon residue. Expensive and unpractical but it works.

 

BTW, I don't mean to be a douche or anything , but I think your avatar doesn't comply with forum rules...

[JMA375HH]

Thanks But Until Administrator contacts me it stays. But thank you for your thoughts.

[Arthur]

Cabot say that carbon blacks are made from heavy oil feedstocks carefully and partially burned and the soot collected.

 

However conductive blacks are sometimes called acetylene blacks because they are sourced from acetylene gas. I think Cabot's "sample" is 5 kilos!

 

Remember that carbon blacks are so fine that they float about in the air if the jar is disturbed, -you will need PPE and get messy all the same.

 

MASSIVE amounts of carbon black are used in the tyre industry, A tyre can be 30% carbon black by weight. If you have a tyre buiders in the neighbourhood ....... not a tyre fitter's though

[inonickname]

Like said, just set up a rig to burn acetylene (in limited air/excess fuel). Then collect the soot on a plate or whatever means you choose. Some plastics will also make a lot of similar soot when burnt, though I've never tried catching and using it.

[Twotails]

I should be getting some lampblack (from hardwood) i've tested it, and it works fine, although it does smell like a campfire. Personaly i like this better than the stuff i bought from skylighter, it almost granulated and it's basicly dust free, although it does need a quick mill in the coffee grinder, or short run in the ball mill for compositions(after you mill it, it gets free-flowing again) I have to go pick it up, so untill i do, i have no idea how much i have. I guess it's a whole five gallon bucket full. I'll do some math and offer some up for sale oncei get it. Anyone who's interested PM me, and i dont mind shipping under 1lb of materal( like if you only wanted to try out 8oz, ect)

[dagabu]

I should be getting some lampblack (from hardwood) i've tested it, and it works fine, although it does smell like a campfire. Personaly i like this better than the stuff i bought from skylighter, it almost granulated and it's basicly dust free, although it does need a quick mill in the coffee grinder, or short run in the ball mill for compositions(after you mill it, it gets free-flowing again) I have to go pick it up, so untill i do, i have no idea how much i have. I guess it's a whole five gallon bucket full. I'll do some math and offer some up for sale oncei get it. Anyone who's interested PM me, and i dont mind shipping under 1lb of materal( like if you only wanted to try out 8oz, ect)

 

Lampblack?

 

It sure sounds like charcoal to me. Lampblack is not made from wood but petro chemical soot and not a solid in any way.

 

D

[Arthur]

That may be fine as charcoal but it's not lampblack.

[Mumbles]

They sell granulated lampblack to the tire industry, I do believe. It makes it much easier to work with. I don't think there are any binders, just pressed into pellets. I looked into it once, but a lot of people discouraged it, saying it wouldn't work as well, and you could never get it as fine as the stuff we normally use. I don't know whether or not to believe that.

[gordohigh]

My local sewels hardware has it in the cement colors area in 5 lb boxes, I think it was 11 dollars.

 

The big box home improvement stores don't have much so try a local long time hardware or possibly Ace, they seem to carrry more good stuff for pyro.

[Twotails]

Its not charcoal, I know the diffrence(your kinda retarded if you dont after dealing with lampblack)

 

Lampblack can be made with ANY fire rich in fuel , low O2 , so yes, it can be made from pitchy hardwoods. Pine pich, when burned makes Exelent carbon black, but being pinepich its a pain in the rear to work with. The reason mine is kinda granulated, is becouse when scraped off the collector, it comes off in thick flakes, and small bits, resembling Obsinian(Volcanic glass) in texture untill ground. Poplour(S/P?) wood, makes some decent lampblack if cooked right at a maintained tempiture(hot enough to burn the wood, but not so hot it burns the carbon black when it settles on the collector)

[Mumbles]

Just remember that not all lampblacks/carbon blacks are created equally either, nor do they all work as well as others.

[dagabu]

Its not charcoal, I know the diffrence (your kinda retarded if you dont after dealing with lampblack)

 

LOL! How true!

[Twotails]

IMO, this one(the one im dealing with) seems to work just as well, or better than skylighters Lampblack, Cheaper too. If all works out, it should be like $8.00 per lb.

[Mumbles]

$8 a pound is still pretty high. While it may be cheaper than skylighter, that isn't really saying anything.

 

http://shop2.chemassociates.com/shopsite/Chemassoc2/PAS-lampblack.html

 

If you order 2.5kg (5.5lbs), it gets down to about $5 a pound.

[Twotails]

Im just saying $8, becouse its a ballpark guess(it probably wont go higher, it's dependent apon how much i end up with) its also less dusty than regular lampblack with equal, or better results.

[Mumbles]

It sounds as if you are making your own. There are a few things you may want to keep in mind.

 

1. Sulfur in the lampblack will increase sensitivity.

2. Unburned oil, or partially decomposed oil will also increase sensitivity.

3. If your product is forming as a cake, you'll never get it back as fine as the stuff formed as a powder.

 

I'd be particularly worried about #2 with what you're describing. You were asking about high lampblack mixes a while ago (I think), many of which that were provided had chlorates in them. I'm sure your stuff will work fine from a performance standpoint, I just want to make sure you're aware of any potential hazards. There may be some way to wash it, or extract with something to see if there is anything that will dissolve (oils or what not).

[pyrochris732]

All I know is that im a newbie and lampblack was the messiest shit ive ever touched!! It was a nightmare!

[Twotails]

Im going to be doing some tests with it, Skylighter lampblack Vs My lampblack in both chemical filtration(seeing the diffrence on oil % fat content, ect) and in sensitivity, got to test im unsure, but i guess mixing an equal part SL lampblack with Pot.Chlorate, and same for mine, then testing the pressure it's needed to set off, then a friction test(not too sure how this could be done). I wouldent(as of now) say its good for Highly sensitive compositions, but for standard rocket tails, some stars, and maby as a fule in cremoras, it may work nicely. Im still making those Lancaster gold stars, and they do contain chlorate, for those i'd use commercial lampblack. I may(if bord this summer) try a 50g batch to test side-by-side my LB Vs Skylighters LB.

[Mumbles]

A qualitative friction test can be done by grinding a small amount in a mortar and pestle. Based on how much pressure is needed to make it crackle, you can get an idea of sensitivity. It might not be a bad idea to do with with chlorate and perchlorate vs sulfur or lactose just for reference.

[scythe]

Twotails:

The reason mine is kinda granulated, is because when scraped off the collector, it comes off in thick flakes, and small bits, resembling Obsidian(Volcanic glass) in texture until ground

 

Sounds to me like you are using the creosote build up that you find commonly in fireplace chimneys rather than lamp black.

Creosote would be made up of all the un-burnt saps and stuff from the wood, so you have no guarantee as to its chemical make up at all, or even that it will be a repeatable substance as it will depend on the individual wood being burnt which will also vary from tree to tree and season to season.

 

Given that acetylene is readily (plumbers use it all the time for soldering copper pipes for hot water and gas lines) available and all you need is a torch set up, a single size E cylinder should give you more than enough, all you would have to do is figure out the best way to collect the residue.