unmilled charcoal

[madmandotcom]

why is it that after running my mill for a thew hours, when i opened it up, my kno3/sulfur was in a nice fine powder but my charcoal was still in large chunks? Edited January 3, 2012 by madmandotcom

[Mumbles]

It's probably because pyro jesus is trying to send you a message.

 

It's most likely actually because your charcoal chunks is not properly sized to the media and jar.

[Potassiumchlorate]

When I milled charcoal, I first milled it coarsely in a meat grinder to reduce it to about 1-2mm. You can't put in big chunks and expect them to be reduced to airfloat in a few hours.

[dan999ification]

mill charcoal seperately- mill charcoal and sulfur- mill bp composition- have good bp

i dont mill my charcoal but i do screen it and remove any lumps if you have lumps after milling the bp ratio could be wrong

with premilled charcoal and sulfur i have good bp in 3 hours, the nitrate is added coarse after the c and s are very fine

 

 

i mill 60/40 charcoal and sulfur until it fluffs up increasing in volume then take 25g of that hundred back to the mill and add 75g kno3,

3 hours later tada.

if you just bung it all in expect to wait a long time for it to be done if you prepare before hand you split the work and make bp quicker providing your mill is running to an optimal speed and fill/charge level

 

 

dan.

[usapyro]

I blend my charcoal until I don't hear any more "ping pings" of chunks hitting the sides of the glass then off it goes to the ballmill. Large pieces refuse to break up with a ballmill sometimes. Even ones that you can crush with your fingers!

[Blackthumb]

I mill my charcoal in a large octagonal wood mill. Mill it to air float quality then combine for bp...works everytime.

[Arthur]

Probably something to do with the initial particle size?!? If one puts <20mesh nitrate and sulphur into a mill with walnut sized charcoal the product will be as you describe. Try getting all ingredients to the same start point. If the charcoal is hard then it will never mill properly and never make good powder.

[madmandotcom]

ok, the biggest piece i had at the start of the process was about 5mm^3 Edited January 3, 2012 by madmandotcom

[DanielC]

What size mill ,type of media, and approximate charge weight of media are you using? It sounds like maybe the coal is undercooked (too hard) or the media charge is not ideal. I run my coal through an old hand crank meat grinder then into the mill. One more question...what type of wood used for coal?

[oldguy]

 

I bet it is UNDERCOOKED.

 

Try milling it by itself first.

If it doesn't get fine, it is undercooked.

[madmandotcom]

What size mill ,type of media, and approximate charge weight of media are you using? It sounds like maybe the coal is undercooked (too hard) or the media charge is not ideal. I run my coal through an old hand crank meat grinder then into the mill. One more question...what type of wood used for coal?

jar size:90mmx18cm

media:ceramic

aprox charge weight:500g

wood type:pine

i always hit my green mix repeatedly with a hammer before milling

Edited January 4, 2012 by madmandotcom

[DanielC]

In my small mill (4" long x 4"wide) I run just shy of 5lbs of hardened lead media. You can try weighing and milling your charcoal first then add your kno3, sulfur and dex. after about 30 mins.