Source for Nitrocellulose

[giod]

Looking for the best place to buy NC online..

 

Thanks!

[Carbon796]

http://www.firefox-fx.com/ChemN-P.htm

 

I buy the solid N/C, gun cotton. Then mix as needed.

[giod]

http://www.firefox-fx.com/ChemN-P.htm

 

I buy the solid N/C, gun cotton. Then mix as needed.

 

Thanks just made a nice order. Cool site!

[taiwanluthiers]

If you live outside of the US, try using celluloid. There's ping pong balls but you can't always be sure if it is in fact celluloid.

 

I have confirmed that all Fender guitar picks uses celluloid, as I just lit one and it burns VERY well... in fact hardly leaves a trace and it goes up like "WHOMP!". So if you need NC try dissolving Fender guitar picks. Make sure it says Fender on it, because Dunlop (which seems to be more common here in Taiwan) do NOT use Celluloid but they use Nylon.

[Mumbles]

Celluloid and NC are not exactly the same. Celluloid has a lower nitrogen content, and contains significant amounts of camphor and other stabilizers. In my experience, it doesn't work nearly as well as using legitimate nitrocellulose or smokeless propellants. Ping pong balls and guitar picks also seem like horrendously expensive way to get it.

[taiwanluthiers]

I realize that, but not everyone is able to get real NC and while it's easy to make it, stabilizing them is another matter altogether. People have already suggested ping pong balls but guitar picks are cheaper than ping pong balls (especially when purchased in bulk quantities) so it's not really a bad way of getting NC. In particular guns are highly restricted outside of the US and therefore NC propellants are generally not sold to the public. Yes there are things like .22 blanks for nail guns but chances are those are double based and therefore may contain nitroglycerin which I am not sure if it will be good for use in pyro. How highly nitrated do they need to be? I read visco uses low nitrated lacquer for the coating (it seems more for waterproofing than as pyro conductor).

[leedrill]

double base powders are best for DE's, so ive read. supposed to perform better than just NC but the NC content is surprisingly low in green dot {what seems to be the favoured brand} off memory is only 60% or under NC content . NC seems to have a hell of a lot of beneficial uses in pyro mainly as a waterproof binder and for reliable priming techniques id assume the coated visco does have a lower nitration content due to it being diluted to save costs and nothing else imho the higher quality NC you use the better but for visco coating you could use a lot of other stuff but as always the less smoke the better

 

for those who have not seen it a lot of people dont know the power it has

watch from 4mins on

[laserkoi]

if your in the uk . oliverbrown.co.uk sells

Nitrocellulose Prills 100g = £2.35

 

200g = £3.89

500g = £8.19

1kg = £14.99

 

Common Name: Nitrcellulose Prills

Molecular Formula: (C6H8(NO2)2O5)n

Usage: Can be used to make pure nitrocellulose lacquer ideal for dragon eggs and crackle effects, very easy to make.

Shipped damp so will need to be dryed.

[taiwanluthiers]

I'm guessing this is the really pure, highly nitrated stuff so it must be stored wet? I've never seen any handloading powder that's stored wet. I don't know where to get real NC, because smokeless powder aren't sold to the public here. Only thing I can think of is either hilti gun cartridges or flash paper/cotton... but it's an expensive way to do it for sure...

 

Can NC even be shipped without hazmat?

[Jonathan]

MagicGeek.com sells "flash cotton". Also "flash string" and "flash paper". I've bought all three but haven't tried any of them. MagicGeek is an online store that sells mainly to magicians. I'm guessing the products in question are nitrocellulose.

[taiwanluthiers]

I can buy those locally, but at around 2 dollars per sheet, a small sheet at that, it's really expensive to do it that way.

[laserkoi]

http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/888965.pdf

 

explosibility Hazard of Unpigmented Industrial Nitrocellulose.

 

according to this pdf file is classed as exempt from explosive regs .if its mixed with not less than 1 third of it weight with water (see page 11 of the obove pdf file

[Jonathan]

If you've got the inclination, the equipment, the chemicals, and the knowledge (including safety procedures), you can make your own nitrocellulose. There are plenty of online tutorials. At a minimum in terms of chemicals, you're going to need H2SO4 and KNO3 (or HNO3).

[Mumbles]

Nitrocellulose is one of these tricky things to make. Preparing small quantities is one thing. It's a whole different animal trying to make useful quantities of quality material safely. I really don't recommend anyone try it without instruction from someone experienced in making large amounts.

[azhomegrown]

Carbon796 is right on there. I picked up some or the solid myself it was like $11 or so for a pound and all you have to do to use it is add acetone. All I can say is that I don't think ill ever use it all, this stuff goes a long way. You will not be dissapointed.

[taiwanluthiers]

I know how to make them, at least initially. I have no idea how to stabilize them for the long term though, and for that I won't really try it in anything of use... might make some for kicks but it won't be something I'd hold onto. The only other idea is take them from Hilti gun cartridge but I don't know if it's safe to do that. Rimfire cartridges tend to be a little dangerous to take apart.

[TheExplosionist]

It can be salvaged cost-effectively from shotgun shells or you can just buy NC prills from http://www.oliverbrown.co.uk/.

 

 

edit: I see line breaks still don't work in IE10 x64 without using "toggle edit mode".

Edited September 24, 2013 by TheExplosionist

[taiwanluthiers]

I don't live in a "free country" where you can buy shotgun shells at gun shops. Also I don't think oliver brown ships outside of the EU. There's always flash paper and flash cotton, however they are expensive.