12 inch shell

[pyroguy1960]

You are 100% correct dagabu, the only real part of making them I enjoy is putting the shells together and seeing what goes into them as far as chems to make the various effects. The very laborious processes of mixing chems, pumping/priming stars, coating burst, taping shells & milling BP I could really do without. Probably stems from the fact that I'm a complete lazy ass and avoid manual labor at all costs.

 

To each his own.

 

 

 

[Updup]

Up,

I just cut the wood into small pieces, and put it in paint cans and cook it on my gas grill right now. I plan on making a better system soon.

 

How long does it take you to cook your charcoal on your grill? I've been using an open fire and its a pain to get going and stuff each time I want to make charcoal.

[dagabu]

UP, Try a double retort, it takes very little wood to cook the charcoal and the smoke is lessened.

[davis050594]

Dagabu, couldn't agree more with the statement about the two types. I personally find the building process almost more fun than shooting. I actually feel kind of depressed sending the shell up because of all the work. Then I see it burst and no one can take the smile off of my face. It's the same way with 1.4 shows. On the 4th I watched a lot of hard work go wrong. But after all was said and done, it was a blast.

 

Also, where does one get a retort? I plan to keep makin my own charcoal, but the paint cans and a fire method is a pita.

[dagabu]

The retorts I am speaking of are using a 55 gallon can around a 30gallon can. The best one I have seen so far, uses a chimney (6" vent pipe) on top of the 55 gallon can that when lit, burns off all of the volatile gasses.

 

The 30 gallon is filled tight with wood, small holes are punched in the top, it is then placed inside the 55 gallon can and the 55 gallon can is filled with wood around the 30 gallon can. There are large vent holes around the bottom and the lid has the 6" chimney.

 

Put the lid on after lighting the fire and let her burn.

 

 

http://www.pyrobin.com/files/charcoal5.jpg

[FrankRizzo]

The retorts I am speaking of are using a 55 gallon can around a 30gallon can. The best one I have seen so far, uses a chimney (6" vent pipe) on top of the 55 gallon can that when lit, burns off all of the volatile gasses.

 

The 30 gallon is filled tight with wood, small holes are punched in the top, it is then placed inside the 55 gallon can and the 55 gallon can is filled with wood around the 30 gallon can. There are large vent holes around the bottom and the lid has the 6" chimney.

 

Put the lid on after lighting the fire and let her burn.

 

 

You should put the inner can in upside-down, and let those volatilized gases do some of the work.

[Updup]

You should put the inner can in upside-down, and let those volatilized gases do some of the work.

 

It would be hard to tell when its done if you did that.

[pyrojunkie]

Up,

They take about an hour. This is only useful for small batches though.

[pyroguy1960]

So what kind of wood are you using? I'm gonna have to go down this road it looks like if I want to make alot of 12 inchers, goex cannon would get awfully expensive.

 

Where is a source for the wood? I think framing lunber from lowes or home depot is yellow pine in the northeast where I'm from...don't think that's useful for BP.

[pyroguy1960]

I have easy access to oak, maple, spruce, pine, hickory, hemlock & birch Edited December 5, 2010 by jms04081974

[Algenco]

So what kind of wood are you using? I'm gonna have to go down this road it looks like if I want to make alot of 12 inchers, goex cannon would get awfully expensive.

 

Where is a source for the wood? I think framing lunber from lowes or home depot is yellow pine in the northeast where I'm from...don't think that's useful for BP.

 

 

there are several types of wood that can be used to make BP comparable or better than Goex

 

Dan Creagans site lists burn rates of most woods.

You can compare burn rates and lift capabilities for wood available to you.

 

If you decide to go for the hottest, I have Pawlownia

 

http://creagan.net/fireworks/charcoal_tests.html

[pyroguy1960]

Thanks for that link, very helpful. Seems like maple, hickory or white birch are all suitable choices...

[pyrojunkie]

I'm using Alder. I work at a cabinet shop, and we did a job with Alder, and I took home a ton of drop off. I am very satisfied with the results. In fact, I can't imagine being able to get better results with anything else. I plan to stick with Alder just because it has been working good, and if I change then I would have to go through all of the dialing in again.

[Algenco]

find what works for you and stick with it

[pyrochris732]

 

I have yet to find a charcoal that produces suitable homemade powder. I've tried commercial airfloat & some softwood pine. The pine powder was about half the strength of goex. Has anyone tried that willow charcoal that Hobby Chem Supply sells?

 

 

what??!! There are tons of charcoals that are suitable for lift. Willow is awesome for lift. Also, you dont have to press and corn your BP at all. You can rice it and even add a small amount of binder like CMC to keep the granules stronger.

 

While I think it takes away from the experience, I know what you mean by not wanting to make your own lift. But I will not spend 20 bucks on a pound of goex anymore.

[pyrochris732]

Also, nighthawkinlight has a good video on youtube regarding making reasonable amounts of charcoal very cheaply and easily.

[pyroguy1960]

I'm going back to the drawing board on this, ordering a better mill that can take a full charge and I also ordered some black willow charcoal....more to come... that thumblers mill is ok, but if you load it up halfway with lead media it doesn't spin...motors not powerful enough. Edited December 16, 2010 by jms04081974

[pyrochris732]

just get a bigger motor and smaller pulley for it. YOU will save a lot of money.

[pyroguy1960]

I thought about that, but at the end of the day I'm too lazy and I want something that's absolutely bulletproof that I don't ever have to think about again.... ordering one of these next week.

 

http://www.pyrosupplies.com/shop/page/product_detail/Product/d473b714fa9858513e59b7dabbe2cac6.html

[pyroguy1960]

The barrell from the thumblers looks like it will fit on that one too, so I can use one barrell exclusively for BP and one for charcoal...

[dagabu]

I thought about that, but at the end of the day I'm too lazy and I want something that's absolutely bulletproof that I don't ever have to think about again.... ordering one of these next week.

 

http://www.pyrosuppl...dabbe2cac6.html

 

You are kidding me!! Hey, its your money after all but for 1/2 the price you could get one of these.

 

LINK

[pyroguy1960]

I like those octagonal lined barrells, actually thinking of getting the one those does two barrells at once, it's only 125 more...

 

They look worth the money, nice heavy duty and what not, want the next one to be the last one I'll ever need ya know?

Edited December 16, 2010 by jms04081974

[dagabu]

I think that after you read Lloyd Sponenburgh's book about ball mills, you will see that octagonal jars are much less efficient then round PVC jars and are made from a rubber of some sort that absorbs impact.

 

Thats all great for making shiny rocks but all wrong for fast and efficient ball milling.

[Mumbles]

I could find only one mention of octagonal barrels in Lloyd's booklet, and it was not discouraging. Octagonal barrels operate like 8 lifter bars, and thus require a lower speed. The formula Lloyd gave is for cylindrical barrels. Octagonal require speeds around 30-40RPM, not 60-80 like common cylindrical jars. As far as the jars absorbing some of the impact, it shouldn't matter as the majority of the grinding happens between the media, not between the media and wall. In any case, the barrels in question are steel, lined with a hard rubber.

 

If you're serious about getting one of those mills, they're made by a company named Diamond Pacific. I believe Lortone also makes similar models. If you search for them, you can typically find much better prices.

[pyroguy1960]

I did look up the mills in diamond pacific's catalog, the prices they list are exactly the same that are on that website. Edited December 16, 2010 by jms04081974