Mach25 Posted July 5, 2012 Posted July 5, 2012 HI All, Working on my second batch of BP after successfully double ball milling my first attempt. Very happy with the outcome but a quick question. I know many formulas call for meal but is there a composition that uses granulated BP with some additions to make a decent fountain comp?. I added some 5% Charcoal, 2% Iron Oxide !!! and 5% aluminium and got a nice slow burn with lots of sparks but its did leave much residue and started to chuff a bit.
bob Posted July 5, 2012 Posted July 5, 2012 I can`t see why not just don`t add much if any dextrin you want the grains to be softbob
Mach25 Posted July 6, 2012 Author Posted July 6, 2012 (edited) I can`t see why not just don`t add much if any dextrin you want the grains to be softbob I'm using red gum granulated with alcohol through a pretty fine screen. Grains are pretty sturdy I think I used about 1.5 to 2% red gum. Is it the Iron Oxide III thast leaving the slag or is it the aluminum? Thanks for the help Edited July 6, 2012 by Mach25
Seymour Posted July 7, 2012 Posted July 7, 2012 It could even be the BP. Not all black powder is clean, and you can have stuff that is perfectly serviceable, but still slags up a tube. Neither the Fe2O3 or the Al are likely to help though, and they could be the cause. Fe2O3 is generally used in silver glitter fountains, not plain silver, so you can get what you want without it. What grade Aluminium are you using? Adding some corned grain powder is sometimes done with slaggy mixes, like glitters, where, because the black powder is not mexed evenly withthe mix, it can both burn fiercely helping to clear out slag, but also that it does not excessively degrade the glitter spritsel formation. If you have really serious slag buuldup, it might help, but your mix should not burn this unclean, 5% Al is not much, up to 20% is common. How bad is the slag buildup? What size tube are you using and what size choke are you using?
Mach25 Posted July 9, 2012 Author Posted July 9, 2012 Hey Seymore...thanks for the reply. The granulated stuff burns great alone and I can get a unchoked 3/4" tubes to end burn very vigorously without much residue at all. I was looking to slow down the burnrate so I added the FE203 and some 320 Al. The sparks were amazing and a 6" length of 3/4"tube put out a a short but very tall fountain. I am procedding to my next batch of BP so I will keep some meal for fountain and gerb tests but i was looking for a quick way to use granulated BP for fountains with addition of something else. I did add Charcoal and sulfur as well the FE and AL. I just screen it in to the BP and then pressed it into the tube. Anyway thnaks for the help
Mach25 Posted July 23, 2012 Author Posted July 23, 2012 I have switched over to meal as the fountain base and added about 15% spherical aluminium. Here is my first attempt. Note I seem to burning up every tube I can make and slag is like molten lava. I think I am going to re screen the base and then try a lower % of aluminum. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOjDwupf25E&feature=g-uplIt could even be the BP. Not all black powder is clean, and you can have stuff that is perfectly serviceable, but still slags up a tube. Neither the Fe2O3 or the Al are likely to help though, and they could be the cause. Fe2O3 is generally used in silver glitter fountains, not plain silver, so you can get what you want without it. What grade Aluminium are you using? Adding some corned grain powder is sometimes done with slaggy mixes, like glitters, where, because the black powder is not mexed evenly withthe mix, it can both burn fiercely helping to clear out slag, but also that it does not excessively degrade the glitter spritsel formation. If you have really serious slag buuldup, it might help, but your mix should not burn this unclean, 5% Al is not much, up to 20% is common. How bad is the slag buildup? What size tube are you using and what size choke are you using?
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