clarkie752 Posted May 11, 2014 Posted May 11, 2014 I just started building fireworks in January so I am very new to this hobby. I read on this site that if I use willow charcoal instead of the air float I got from sky lighter my bp would better. I just ordered 8 pounds of willow lump charcoal from custom charcoal.com. What do I need to do to turn it into air float? I have a ball mill but I am not sure if I needed to break it up before I put it in there or just put the lumps right in my mill jar. Also about how long should I mill it to get it to air float state?
clarkie752 Posted May 11, 2014 Author Posted May 11, 2014 Oopps. I posted this in the wrong section. Sorry this is my first time posting on this site.
Bobosan Posted May 11, 2014 Posted May 11, 2014 I just finished 8 pounds of customcharcoal.com willow. It needs to be broken up with a heavy hammer or 4x4 in a bucket previous to milling. There is uncooked willow wood in the 8 pounds and you'll notice it when breaking it up. Milling time was about two hours per batch and then screened with 20 mesh left me with about 2-3% of non-airfloat willow out of the 8 pounds. This willow is much much harder than paulownia and heavier in weight. Haven't produced and BP with it yet.
clarkie752 Posted May 11, 2014 Author Posted May 11, 2014 OK I have to go to Lowes for wood to build more racks anyways so I will pick up a piece of 4x4 whileI'm there. Thanks for your help bobosan
TYRONEEZEKIEL Posted May 11, 2014 Posted May 11, 2014 You don't have to necessarily use a wooden 4x4 to crush it. I have a blender dedicated for pyro. It makes light work of the lump charcoal from them. I also just straight mill it when the pieces are anywhere from gravel to gobstopper size. It will take 30 minutes or so per batch to get airfloat, but it works well
clarkie752 Posted May 11, 2014 Author Posted May 11, 2014 That's a good idea to and sounds less messy. Thanks Tyrone. If i use a 30 and 100 mesh screen after milling the charcoal would iI be able to use the +100 and -30 mesh charcoal and use it in the d1 glitter formula from the sky lighter site??
Mike Posted May 11, 2014 Posted May 11, 2014 For crushing down lump charcoal, a hand cranced meat grinder is also god.For d1 i woild use some finner milled charcoal
uncrichie Posted May 12, 2014 Posted May 12, 2014 You don't have to necessarily use a wooden 4x4 to crush it. I have a blender dedicated for pyro. It makes light work of the lump charcoal from them. I also just straight mill it when the pieces are anywhere from gravel to gobstopper size. It will take 30 minutes or so per batch to get airfloat, but it works well Tyroneezekiel, is the blender your using the standard kitchen tabletop type? Or is it a small coffee blender? Last question, do you fill it to the top or half full? Many thanks. Kurt
TYRONEEZEKIEL Posted May 12, 2014 Posted May 12, 2014 Yes. If you use screens, then you can use those for d1 stars, although you should use a much better spark charcoal like pine. I use a full size kitchen blender that I used to use for smoothies years ago. I tried grinding magnalium in it and ruined it, so I just use it exclusively for charcoal now. I start of with about 1/4 full and let it blend into powder. Then I will add chunks in little by little until its mostly powderized. Then it goes right into the mill.
Mumbles Posted May 12, 2014 Posted May 12, 2014 I wouldn't use anything but airfloat charcoal for glitters. Coarse particles can lead to excessive fallout. Having everything +100 mesh could make for a way too long lived effect.
Peret Posted May 13, 2014 Posted May 13, 2014 I noticed recently that Hobby Chemical is selling willow charcoal. It's fairly costly at $8.50 a pound, but it's already ground pretty fine (though not air float) and may be a good source if you just want to try a little. A pound of charcoal makes ten pounds of BP. http://www.hobbychemicalsupply.com/servlet/the-131/Charcoal-Black-Willow/Detail
hindsight Posted May 21, 2014 Posted May 21, 2014 Peret, Thanks for the source info. The willow charcoal arrived from HobbyChemical as described, ready for the ball mill without the aggravation of grinding lump charcoal nor the mess of airfloat.
clarkie752 Posted May 23, 2014 Author Posted May 23, 2014 Update. I got my willow charcoal in on monday. I picked up a blender from a yard sale for 2 bucks and use that for busting up the charcoal. I made my first batch of black powder with the willow and did a burn test of the meal powder to compare speed of my new willow powder compared to my old commercial airfloat powder. The burn test showed the willow bp far out performed my airfloat powder. I was using about 16 percent of the shell weight to get my 2.5" shells up to about 300 feet with my old powder. I am excited to baseball test my new willow bp. I am positive i wont be using 16% on 2.5" shells anymore. Thanks everyone for all the help on how to process my willow charcoal from customcharcoal.com.
MWJ Posted May 23, 2014 Posted May 23, 2014 I put all of my lump charcoal in an empty 50lb grain (I have chickens) bag, seal it off them pound it with a plastic mall hammer on my concrete floor in the shop, then screen in through a 20 mesh then a 40 mesh. I get both coarse and airfloat charcoal. Works great. I'm growing some Paulownia trees now and will have some charcoal or wood available to people here next year.
Bobosan Posted May 24, 2014 Posted May 24, 2014 I put all of my lump charcoal in an empty 50lb grain (I have chickens) bag, seal it off them pound it with a plastic mall hammer on my concrete floor in the shop, then screen in through a 20 mesh then a 40 mesh. I get both coarse and airfloat charcoal. Works great. I'm growing some Paulownia trees now and will have some charcoal or wood available to people here next year. Knew the Paulownia grew fast but a year? If and when you do get some cookable wood next year, I suspect you'll enjoy the hell out of the faster BP it makes and be reluctant to part with it.
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