Spolette timing 1/4 ID Tube

[giod]

Tested first spolette. 2 inches ten seconds. How does This compare ? Fast, slow, perfect?

 

Any advantage to packing it damp or is dry the way?

Thanks

Edited September 9, 2013 by giod

[nater]

Press or ram it dry. I use commercial meal-d for consistency, comparable finely granulated homemade BP also works. Your timing seems a bit slow, the general rule is about 3 seconds of burn time per inch of powder.

 

Most important is that you know your timing and yoy able able to produce consistent results with each spolette and with each batch of powder you use. Once you time your BP and are happy, I would set a good amount aside just for spolettes and label the burn rate so you don't forget.

Edited September 9, 2013 by nater

[Col]

Mine run about 2.4 sec/inch with milled bp, 5 sec/inch might leave you more vulnerable to a blow through with short timings.

[Mumbles]

Is this with homemade BP? I agree with everyone else, it on the slow side of things. 2.5-3 seconds per inch in quite typical.

 

If you're intending to use these as timing devices in shells, have you seen how to appropriately match both sides?

[giod]

Is this with homemade BP? I agree with everyone else, it on the slow side of things. 2.5-3 seconds per inch in quite typical.

 

If you're intending to use these as timing devices in shells, have you seen how to appropriately match both sides?

 

yes homemade BP.. haven't seen how to "Match" yet, this was just a preliminary test to see the burn rate. Any advantage of using granulated to make spolettes, or should i just use my BP straight out of the mill?

 

using this: http://www.pyrodirect.com/Item/065-0001

 

Thanks!

[nater]

Granulated BP compresses easier and is much less dusty to ram or press. Try for yourself both ways, but I bet you would never ram mill dust again.

[psyco_1322]

If your bp is only burning 5sec/in, that's pretty slow, you should work on that. My milled bp, with a slow hard wood charcoal burns at 2.6sec/in, and is what I use for spolettes. As stated already, you don't want to try to ram mill dust, once you have tried, you will know why. Just granulate the powder finely with a 5% dextrin, probably best to mill that in with the rest of the chems.

[giod]

If your bp is only burning 5sec/in, that's pretty slow, you should work on that. My milled bp, with a slow hard wood charcoal burns at 2.6sec/in, and is what I use for spolettes. As stated already, you don't want to try to ram mill dust, once you have tried, you will know why. Just granulate the powder finely with a 5% dextrin, probably best to mill that in with the rest of the chems.

Yeah mill dust is MESSY! tried ramming some GRAN BP last night, much better~ is the 1/4" ID tube the standard on spolettes? my first batch of BP also had 5% dextrin, might that slow it down?

[Mumbles]

Dextrin will slow it down some minor degree. That's not your problem though. If the rest of us can easily make sub 3 sec/in BP with dextrin, so can you. It's either your process or your materials (usually charcoal).

 

I'll see if I can find the tutorial I have on priming spolettes.

 

No, 1/4" is not the standard for spolettes. The general standard is 5/16"ID x .5 or .55" OD and parallel wound as mentioned in Fulcanelli. Those 1/4" spiral wound ones are sort of pieces of shit compared to the real deal. I had to use a reinforcing sleeve to get them rammed hard enough. Even then, they're not quite as reliable/precise. They can work though if you're careful in how they're made.

[nater]

I have been using 1/4" spolettes in small shells 3" or less. Although I use the NEPT that I bought with a SBR kit.

[psyco_1322]

Dextrin will slow it down some minor degree. That's not your problem though. If the rest of us can easily make sub 3 sec/in BP with dextrin, so can you. It's either your process or your materials (usually charcoal).

 

I'll see if I can find the tutorial I have on priming spolettes.

 

No, 1/4" is not the standard for spolettes. The general standard is 5/16"ID x .5 or .55" OD and parallel wound as mentioned in Fulcanelli. Those 1/4" spiral wound ones are sort of pieces of shit compared to the real deal. I had to use a reinforcing sleeve to get them rammed hard enough. Even then, they're not quite as reliable/precise. They can work though if you're careful in how they're made.

 

I think he is using different tubes other than the spiral red ones. Im not sure if they are as good as pyrodirect says, but they couldnt be worse.

[giod]

I'm guessing the "airfloat" charcoal I'm using may be the culprit. going to make a new batch of BP with White pine and test that. also i was roughly estimating the time in my head, will use a stopwatch next time. @Mumbles I assume when you said "Match" both side this means to "Prime"?

[Mumbles]

In a way. You prime both ends with sticks of blackmatch.

[psyco_1322]

I'm guessing the "airfloat" charcoal I'm using may be the culprit. going to make a new batch of BP with White pine and test that. also i was roughly estimating the time in my head, will use a stopwatch next time. @Mumbles I assume when you said "Match" both side this means to "Prime"?

 

At the very least, use a stopwatch. If you can, video the burn, and watch the video frame by frame, and you can get a pretty accurate timing.