My homemade black powder

[Fly]

6 ton is plenty. I used a 4 ton back when & it worked. When I first started making those puck dies
I played around with dia. Those dies with your 6 ton press will make them as hard as hockey pucks.

No worry, send some pictures Fly

[maillemaker]

Will the 6 ton get me up to the same density as Goex?

Steve

[Whiterabbit]

Nope!

But much, much better than a bench vise.

6 tons gets you in the neighborhood of 10-20% off of goex density, by my not-yet-scientific experience, which will soon be a scientific experience next time I go out, now that you have me losing sleep over it.

I've often thought about buying a 12 or 20 lb bottlejack to replace my 6-er, but I've been much more interested in playing with kernel size uniformity lately. An issue just solved, so it's a good time to play with density.

[Fly]

Guys I started corning with a 4 ton back when. I went to a 12 ton & I can not see much difference at all.

Just my 2 cents! Fly

[fishingsetx]

I get the same velocities with my 6 ton that i get with standard goex. My rig is home built and has a lot of flex, so im probably pushing 4 ton pressures anyway. I dont really see a need for anything more, but ymmv.

Guns have only two enemies: rust and politicians!

[fishingsetx]

How are yall breaking up the pucks once they are dry? Ive been using a hammer, but its a really slow process. Once they are broken up into smaller pieces, a coffee grinder makes short work of them, but it sure seems like the hammer part is the bottleneck once the pucks are dry.

Guns have only two enemies: rust and politicians!

[swamp]

Ceramic tile nippers work well. Harbor Freight has them. I use a set of small channel lock pliers. Haven't got around to grt the nippers. I have made two 1lb. batches. Next step is to see how it works in the gun.
swamp

[Nobade]

I use a coffee can and a baseball bat. The big end works well for smashing the pucks into smaller pieces and the can mostly keeps them from flying all over.

[Fly]

I use a ball bat also but never thought to use a can. Thanks Noblade, that's brilliant.

Fly

[Nobade]

You're welcome. My old steel can is pretty beat up but it still works after a few hundred pounds of pucks broken up in it. Guess I'll have to get a new one some day. Does coffee still come in steel cans?

[Faret]

You're welcome. My old steel can is pretty beat up but it still works after a few hundred pounds of pucks broken up in it. Guess I'll have to get a new one some day. Does coffee still come in steel cans?

Depends on the brand!

[fishingsetx]

You're welcome. My old steel can is pretty beat up but it still works after a few hundred pounds of pucks broken up in it. Guess I'll have to get a new one some day. Does coffee still come in steel cans?

I picked up a metal bucket at the dollar store this evening. It worked great and was even decorated! $3.50.

Guns have only two enemies: rust and politicians!

[Fly]

Ya I been using a old SS bowl, but when your busting pucks some of that stuff jumps out. The side are not tall enough.
Heck most stuff come in plastic containers now days. I going to look at the store & try to buy something I can use that's
packed in a can. If I can't I will go the bucket route.

Fly

[fishingsetx]

The bucket I bought is about 12" diameter at the top and about 8" at the bottom. The sides are about 12" tall. Pieces of puck still bounce outif you really lean into it.

Guns have only two enemies: rust and politicians!

[EMC45]

Depends on the brand!

Chock full o' Nuts

[luvtn]

I just finished the whole thread! It took me 2 weeks. I have begun accumulateing supplies. The really good news is I have "Tree of Heaven" trees in my front yard. Thank God I read this thread before I cut them down for a bonfire. I picked up some of the stump remover-proper type. I cannot find any sulphur. I will try farmers Coop, TSC had none. I picked up some applewood briquettes by Kingsford thinking that would do for my charcoal. Guess I will use it to make my charcoal now. Still need the grinder, and puck maker, and tumbler. May have my archery equipment sold come Thursday to "fuel" my black powder interest. Thanks to all for the information. Back in the sixty's I had played with this in the chemistry lab at school-smoking! Pyrodex is sooo dirty. I use my cap lock as a prop during an Haunted Woods, and now wish to go back to black powder.
luvtn

[luvtn]

Trying to pm Fly, but don't see a way to do so.
luvtn

[Boz330]

Trying to pm Fly, but don't see a way to do so.
luvtn

Click on his moniker and a window will come up with options, one being private message.
You can make a puck maker from PVC pipe and a round wood dowel (2") if you can find such a thing or turn it yourself if you're in a big hurry. Not trying to knock you out of sale Fly.
I use the tree-of-heaven and it works quite well. I have plenty around the farm, in fact more than I could use in several life times.


Bob

[fishingsetx]

Click on his moniker and a window will come up with options, one being private message.
You can make a puck maker from PVC pipe and a round wood dowel (2") if you can find such a thing or turn it yourself if you're in a big hurry. Not trying to knock you out of sale Fly.
I use the tree-of-heaven and it works quite well. I have plenty around the farm, in fact more than I could use in several life times.


Bob

I always build something before Ill buy it if I can, but I found that the wood would compress and deform in my 6 ton press very quickly. Fly's dies are awesome and VERY reasonably priced.

Guns have only two enemies: rust and politicians!

[Fly]

Ya Bob compresses his pucks in a vice. When you move up in tonnage like 4 tons & up the pvc will deform.
I have tried to keep the price as low as possibly & my puck dies will last as long as we do. Most here use 6 &
12 ton press.

Fly