My homemade black powder

[Vettepilot]

So I'm going to use a Dutch Oven with two 1/4" pipe thread holes in the lid, and a bolt in thermometer, for cooking my charcoal. The vent holes of course, will be plugged with 1/4" pipe plugs once outgassing is complete. Cooking will likely occur using a turkey fryer propane setup.

Two questions. One, I read somewhere, (can't find it again), that using such a setup and limiting the cooking temp to the optimal 600 degrees farenheit maximum, that cooking could take 8 hours! Could that be right??

Secondly, do you think clamps will be necessary/advisable to keep the Dutch Oven lid tightly shut?

Thanks,
Vettepilot

[Wolfmanjack]

I used an old paint can on my first run with a propane burner. It took forever to cook the charcoal. Much faster and cheaper to just build a little fire in the backyard.

[Eddie2002]

A old 2 lb cookie tin with a 1/4 inch hole in it's lid works well. Once it stops outgassing I drop a 1/4 inch bolt in the hole. My fire pit is a metal tire rim loaded with wood chunks and the cookie tin fits onto it nicely. It takes a good three hours to process a full tin and I need refill the fire pit a couple times. Cheap, low tech but it works well enough for me.
Cooking time depends on how much wood you have in the dutch oven, how small the chunks are and if the wood is wet or dry. It might be faster to run the dutch oven only partly full to get a better heat distribution and quicker conversion to charcoal. I don't think clamps would be needed to hold the lid on, maybe just wrap the dutch oven with some bailing wire to keep it on tight. Luck with it and have fun.

[Hotfxr]

Yes, I had noticed your post about your success. But so many others have mentioned that even with supposedly sufficient press forces were only achieving 60 to around 75% of commercial densities.

For my personal shooting, it probably won't be a significant issue as I probably will only use it in my muzzle loader. I did shoot some black powder substitute shot gun shells I had loaded last weekend though, and that was a real kick in the a##! Lots of fun. Also, I can only assume that denser powders would be more durable in handling and storage. And besides, I'm curious and always seek answers and knowledge. (That's why I love this thread, and everyone's contributions. I've learned a lot, even though I had been informally studying the subject for 6 months to a year before I happened across this thread.)

Thanks,
Vettepilot

Before I reached this density, I always had a problem with the grains reverting back to powder. I don't have that problem any more. Even BP that has been banging around in the possibles bag for months still maintains its form. I give all the credit to FLY who sent me the charcoal.

[LynC2]

So I'm going to use a Dutch Oven with two 1/4" pipe thread holes in the lid, and a bolt in thermometer, for cooking my charcoal. The vent holes of course, will be plugged with 1/4" pipe plugs once outgassing is complete. Cooking will likely occur using a turkey fryer propane setup.

Two questions. One, I read somewhere, (can't find it again), that using such a setup and limiting the cooking temp to the optimal 600 degrees farenheit maximum, that cooking could take 8 hours! Could that be right??

Secondly, do you think clamps will be necessary/advisable to keep the Dutch Oven lid tightly shut?

Thanks,
Vettepilot

I use a dutch oven from Harbor Freight. I have a single 1/4" pipe in mine for a vent stack. I don't use any clamps on mine as the tar generated seems to seal the lid after I turn the heat off.

[Nobade]

I use a dutch oven from Harbor Freight. I have a single 1/4" pipe in mine for a vent stack. I don't use any clamps on mine as the tar generated seems to seal the lid after I turn the heat off.

Same as my setup. Works great and is cheap.

[TheOutlawKid]

Vettepilot, if youre still lookin for some mutton tallow durofelt is a great source. I got mine there along with the felt for wads. Great company to work with too

[Nobade]

Vettepilot, if youre still lookin for some mutton tallow durofelt is a great source. I got mine there along with the felt for wads. Great company to work with too

That's good to know. Didn't know they had it also.

[TheOutlawKid]

Yeah and they sell it well packaged for those who want to keep some stored. It came in two blocks each seperately vacuum sealed. Each block was a half pound. Quite impressed with the way they packaged/shipped my order.

[Vettepilot]

She is out of sheep tallow at Durofelt and has lost her source. She's making a trip to India over the holidays I believe, and is going to look for a new source there.

Dixie gun works no longer lists it either, and is extolling the virtues of Mink Oil plus their other, commercial lubes.

I got some from "Grass fed Beef" online, but you have to fill an order with other stuff from them to make a 75$ minimum order. Nice people and very fast shipping though. There is a $9.50 "Handling Charge", but then actual shipping is free.

Vettepilot

[Vettepilot]

And that's saying something, as shipping costs have gone berserk these days!!!

Vettepilot

[Vettepilot]

I've decided to cook my charcoal over my propane turkey fryer as unfortunately I am presently living in town and a fire in the backyard would rile the locals.

Additionally, my studies of BP charcoal indicate that keeping the max temp to 320c makes the best CC, and I can regulate that easier with the propane setup.

Vettepilot

[ogre]

I believe that you are talking about "grassland beef" not grass fed beef. That is where I get my lambs tallow. I believe it comes from down under hence the availability is opposite from us in the northern hemisphere. Anyway, nice people and a very good product. I was well pleased with it.

[Vettepilot]

Yes, that's the one. Thanks.

Vettepilot

[TheOutlawKid]

Ive made charcoal while living in the middle of the city...i just did it in a bbq pit using a paint can retort....no one noticed or cared too much as to what i was doing.

[TheOutlawKid]

Ive got a quick question for any of you out there with more experience. All my black powder chemicals aside from my charcoal comes from duda diesel. I got their 10 pound bag of commercial sulfer powder. Its very pure but is it also considered "rubber makers" grade sulfur? I ask because they say the acidity makes a difference on how corrosive the black powder is. I called duda and i was told a supervisor/manager would call me back within 10 minutes yet they never called and its been days. Their large 50 pound bag of sulfer says its rubber makers grade, the other smaller batches dont say that...yet they posted the same lab test paper work for all their sulfur basically saying its all the same batch. What do you all say/think/know? My black powder is great....but if i can improve it by changing the sulfur to make it less corrosive then id definitely want to go that route. Just not sure if i am using the best sulfur possible. Thanks everyone.

[Nobade]

It will be fine. You could buy fancy lab grade sulfur for big money and never see a difference. Any more the stuff commonly available comes from the scrubbers on coal fired power plant stacks and is quite pure. One thing you don't have to worry about.

[TheOutlawKid]

Thanks nobade, its pretty pure stuff...the sheet data says so atleast and it makes my black powder just fine. But you know how most of us black powder guys are...always trying to make a better batch of powder than the last batch we made.

[Vettepilot]

I believe the highest corrosion factor comes from salt, which of course comes from the Potassium Nitrate. The salt draws and traps moisture, and that causes rust/corrosion. In any case, quick and proper cleaning negates it. I carry a good spray bottle of cleaner with me on shooting outings, and use it to hose down the barrel after the days shooting. Then I clean as normal once home.

Man, I've spent a good bit of time in the hot and humid Sea of Cortez areas. That salt air is like pure acid and attacks EVERYTHING!!

Vettepilot

[Vettepilot]

Being rather an "anal retentive" perfectionist myself, I wouldn't either, though really, 10% of 10% is only 1% and likely wouldn't have much effect. For those just granulating and not pressing, it might allow for leaving out other binders, allowing a net gain in efficiency. Who knows...

Vettepilot