My homemade black powder

[Vettepilot]

Yeah, I think so. My web research indicated the same; just thought I would run it by you guys.

Thanks for the response!

Vettepilot

[Vettepilot]

Well, I've rounded up pretty much all of my materials and supplies, got my press home, etc. Guess now it's time to get busy building things!

I am normally good at math, but I am running into a mental block today. Guess that happens with old age.... Anyway, my tumbler jar will be 6" diameter, about 6" long. Roughly 1 gallon capacity I suppose. My grinding media will be wheel weight lead cast into 1/2" copper tubing, 1/2" long.

What I am trying to figure out today, is how many of those media I will need to 1/2 fill my tumbler jar.

Anyone?

Thanks,
Vettepilot

[OldBearHair]

Well, I've rounded up pretty much all of my materials and supplies, got my press home, etc. Guess now it's time to get busy building things!

I am normally good at math, but I am running into a mental block today. Guess that happens with old age.... Anyway, my tumbler jar will be 6" diameter, about 6" long. Roughly 1 gallon capacity I suppose. My grinding media will be wheel weight lead cast into 1/2" copper tubing, 1/2" long.

What I am trying to figure out today, is how many of those media I will need to 1/2 fill my tumbler jar.

Anyone?

Thanks,
Vettepilot

Hey this might be a good time to start a "Guess how many of these will equal a half gallon" contest.

[Vettepilot]

Yeah, I do tend to over-think things. I know I don't have enough of the 1/2" copper tubing though; was wondering how much more to buy. They don't "give" copper away anymore...

Thanks,
Vettepilot

[William Yanda]

Well, I've rounded up pretty much all of my materials and supplies, got my press home, etc. Guess now it's time to get busy building things!

I am normally good at math, but I am running into a mental block today. Guess that happens with old age.... Anyway, my tumbler jar will be 6" diameter, about 6" long. Roughly 1 gallon capacity I suppose. My grinding media will be wheel weight lead cast into 1/2" copper tubing, 1/2" long.

What I am trying to figure out today, is how many of those media I will need to 1/2 fill my tumbler jar.

Anyone?

Thanks,
Vettepilot

I suspect that if you melted the equivalent of 1/3 of your tumbler jar of lead and cast that into media shapes you would be pretty close.

[William Yanda]

Lags
If you started a shallow cut in the pipe and the coupling, wouldn't that allow the die to fail by cracking without exploding?

[LAGS]

@William Yanda.
I did try the cuts or score lines in the PVC plastic.
It did cause them to split right where the score line was, and not explode and go flying.
But the down side was, I could not add as much pressure to the powder before the die split.
With the material I am using, I get about three pressings per die, before they have Expanded too much to seal.

But if I just press the powder and not let it sit for more than a Minute with pressure on it , the die doesn't seem to expand as fast and I can get double the pressings.

[Vettepilot]

I would rather not saw the lead. My plan is to cut the tubing into 1/2" pieces before casting them full of lead. I am going to bore short blind holes in wood to hold the little tubes for casting.

Thanks for the ideas/responses,
Vettepilot

[Hotfxr]

I would rather not saw the lead. My plan is to cut the tubing into 1/2" pieces before casting them full of lead. I am going to bore short blind holes in wood to hold the little tubes for casting.

Thanks for the ideas/responses,
Vettepilot

.
The first set of milling pellets I made up I had the brilliant idea of filling a couple 12" pieces of copper with lead and cutting them. Two cuts with the cutoff saw and the blade was so full of lead it wouldn't cut any more. Same story on the band saw. For the next set I did what you are planning on. Used a pipe cutter to cut the pieces so they both ends had that slight bevel on the end, cut holes in a board, set the copper pieces in and poured. I kept part of an old hacksaw blade soaking in flux and skreeded off the tops with it avoid scraping, sanding, or attempting to cut of the lead domes on the tops. Worked like a dream.

[Boz330]

I had trouble with round balls and did it like Hotfxr and it worked much better. If it is working for you that is great, no sense fixing what ain't broke.

Bob

[Hotfxr]

Indian Joe, for a few years I had no problem with milling balls. Then for some reason the mix started winding up a solid ball in the middle of the canister. We figured that it was caused by higher humidity. Changing to the pellets has stopped that, at least for now.

[Vettepilot]

Well, the thing is I love the smell of BP, but don't relish the thought of it being infused with lead when I am inhaling it. (Valid concern or not.) Besides, I really think these copper coated lead media are going to do the best job of milling. But man, it does take a lot of them!! I've got 16 feet of copper tubing cut up into half inch pieces, and I don't have quite enough yet! In my studies of all this, I have seen some people using marbles. I don't think they could cause a spark.... What do you guys think?? (Considering using some marbles along with this copper clad lead.)

Vettepilot

[Eddie2002]

I've been using a mix of different sized lead balls as a tumbling medium with no problems. I've noticed that the balls get a thin coating of the fine powder on them which I would think prevents them from wearing down while tumbling. I've only made about 3-4 pounds of screened powder so far so if there is any wear isn't that apparent yet.

[Boz330]

The problem I had using a Harbor Freight tumbler was that it was smooth inside unlike the Thumbler Tumbler that has 6 flat sides. The round balls tended to push the powder up against the ends where it caked to the ends instead of staying in the middle where it could be milled. The lead filled copper solved that problem.

Bob

[Boz330]

yep! thats what happens at my place too - but if the ingredients are properly dry (almost impossible in some climates!) If I have my components properly dry - no clumping - the meal comes out like talc. I can get that done - some of you fellers living in humid climates would find it really hard .

I live in the Ohio Valley and in the summer humidity is 80 to 90%.

Bob

[Vettepilot]

I was born in Ohio and remember those sweaty summers. I don't know which is worse; that, or 120 degrees here in the Arizona deserts! :>(

Vettepilot

[4t5]

It seems that y'all are having trouble with your PVC dies splitting under pressure. I have not read the whole thread, and maybe someone has mentioned this already. I use a piece of 3" PVC pipe with a slit down the side. I put an old fashioned piston ring compressor around it, and then insert my ram, which is a piece of aluminum barstock. After pressing, I remove the ring compressor, the PVC expands, and the puck falls out. You have to keep the ring tool clean and oiled after you are through, as it will rust quickly from exposure to the sulfur in the mix. Hope this helps.

[LAGS]

@ indian Joe
I think the problem was Over pumping the Jack that split the die .
It cant be the cold here in a Arizona.

Once I get moved into my new house, I will go down to the plumbing supply house and pick up some Schedule 80 PVC pipe to make more dies.
The plumbers on my jobs never have any on their trucks, and I am going to Retire this month, so there goes a lot of Free Material that I have gotten for years from the contractors.
Like Lead Flashings , Copper Pipe, and PVC scrap

[Boz330]

Best thing I can tell you is start reading it is long but there is a wealth of info here. Welcome!

Bob

[Fly]

Yes you came to the right place. Your story is the same as the rest here. It is fun, & safe if you keep it safe & stick to the laws. The law
is simple. Keep it away from open flame or sparks & you should be fine. DO NOT USE Ferrous metal like steel or any thing that can spark
in making black powder. Welcome to the dark side.

Fly