My homemade black powder

[indian joe]

I didn't like the sifted powder, I found the grains irregular and fragile to the touch, turning into powder easily. I make discs without worrying about the density, just to make the grains hard and classify them in the sieves. In addition to being more professional visually, right?

Ps:my BP is staying around 1 to 1.1g/cc. Interestingly, I read somewhere that bp weighs 16gn/cc.

I use 2% good dextrin - the screened stuff is holding up well - 2018 vintage and I cart it around to shoots in a powder horn just like ya would with bought stuff - the thing I like about it is - easy - and much easier to get a good percentage of FFF - not nearly as much lost as fines and dust.

Everybody is doing this simple basic process just a little different than everybody else it seems

[brian1]

It depends on what you consider best. Black powder is a fast powder that ignites very easily, but it is dirty. Of the kno3-based gunpowders, I like the golden powder, which is 60% kno3 and 40% ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Very easy to make at home and produces very clean gunpowder. The power is similar to black powder.

My wife buys citric acid powder from Amazon for cleaning. Is citric acid the same thing as ascorbic acid, or should I look for ascorbic acid explicitly?

[Nobade]

It's ready to use! The one I make is as fast as BP or more! Test the cooking time, the longer it takes, the more golden it becomes... until it turns caramel colored... after which it catches fire. Also try varying the proportions of nitrate and acid slightly. And it really creates a lot of smoke, but have you noticed it cleaner?

Thanks! It didn't take long to cook and is not gold but rather tan colored. Do I need to use more water, or reduce the heat to get it to cook longer? Once it turned into dough I couldn't stir it any longer so I figured it was done. I'll keep playing with it.

[Nobade]

My wife buys citric acid powder from Amazon for cleaning. Is citric acid the same thing as ascorbic acid, or should I look for ascorbic acid explicitly?

Definitely not the same thing. I bought a bag of "pure vitamin C" from Amazon. I just looked for the cheapest kind they had that was pure. It's called Micro Ingredients brand. $20 for one kilogram.

I figure if my powder experiments don't pan out I can eat what's left.

[indian joe]

My wife buys citric acid powder from Amazon for cleaning. Is citric acid the same thing as ascorbic acid, or should I look for ascorbic acid explicitly?

not the same thing

[Sandro_ventania]

Hey guys. I made two records today. Their measurements... 54.1mm in diameter and 4.2mm in height, weighing 20g. The other disc was 54.3mm x 6mm, weighing 27.5g. I think I miscalculated, because it gave me 2g/cc...wow!

[Sandro_ventania]

Thanks! It didn't take long to cook and is not gold but rather tan colored. Do I need to use more water, or reduce the heat to get it to cook longer? Once it turned into dough I couldn't stir it any longer so I figured it was done. I'll keep playing with it.

You can even add 5% iron oxide... creating the crimson powder. I've never tested it, but they say it greatly increases the Powder's speed.

[Sandro_ventania]

My wife buys citric acid powder from Amazon for cleaning. Is citric acid the same thing as ascorbic acid, or should I look for ascorbic acid explicitly?

It's not the same thing, but it has a good chance of working very well!! Ascorbic acid is C6H8O6, citric acid is C6H8O7. One more oxygen molecule can be a positive thing! If I had citric acid right now, I would test it immediately!!!

[2TM101]

If you have some commercial powder you can use that for a basis. Use a big measure like 10cc. 10cc of swiss or goex should weigh 17 grams. You can use that to make sure you are measuing it correctly.

Then weigh 10cc of your own stuff. If you do the riced method without compression you will get something like 1.2 or even less. I have a 40mm die and a 6t press, I get about 1.6 on the first pucking.

Its more than enough for the Sulfur to act as the binder with no Destrin needed. At the end of the Corning stage a good bit of it has returned to being Meal powder and it goes through the puck & corn process again. After the second compression I make it to 1.7. I mix it in with the first batch and get an overall density of maybe 1.65,which is good enough for me.

[2TM101]

https://pyrodata.com/PyroGuide/index...(Uncooked).htm

I use this but add a pinch of Dextrin just to make the pucks hold together as it never gets wet. Its basically the equivalent of green mix.

The Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) wasn't discovered until 1912 and could not be produced until 1928, a full half century after smokeless powder. And it still costs twice as much as what it is (mostly) replacing. Making this an expensive replacement for an already obsolete product. But still about half the residue and you can use smokeless powder bullet lube.

[Sandro_ventania]

If you have some commercial powder you can use that for a basis. Use a big measure like 10cc. 10cc of swiss or goex should weigh 17 grams. You can use that to make sure you are measuing it correctly.

Then weigh 10cc of your own stuff. If you do the riced method without compression you will get something like 1.2 or even less. I have a 40mm die and a 6t press, I get about 1.6 on the first pucking.

Its more than enough for the Sulfur to act as the binder with no Destrin needed. At the end of the Corning stage a good bit of it has returned to being Meal powder and it goes through the puck & corn process again. After the second compression I make it to 1.7. I mix it in with the first batch and get an overall density of maybe 1.65,which is good enough for me.

If you or someone can measure 10cc (a 10ml syringe is equivalent) of commercial black powder and weigh it... because they say 1.7g/cc but how is the measurement done, on the compacted disc or on the processed grain?

[Sandro_ventania]

https://pyrodata.com/PyroGuide/index...(Uncooked).htm

I use this but add a pinch of Dextrin just to make the pucks hold together as it never gets wet. Its basically the equivalent of green mix.

The Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) wasn't discovered until 1912 and could not be produced until 1928, a full half century after smokeless powder. And it still costs twice as much as what it is (mostly) replacing. Making this an expensive replacement for an already obsolete product. But still about half the residue and you can use smokeless powder bullet lube.

Do you make the dry mix? Try cooking with a little water as explained in previous messages. There is no need for binders or pressing a disc, as when cooked it forms a very hard stone, just grind and sieve.

[dtknowles]

https://pyrodata.com/PyroGuide/index...(Uncooked).htm

I use this but add a pinch of Dextrin just to make the pucks hold together as it never gets wet. Its basically the equivalent of green mix.

The Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) wasn't discovered until 1912 and could not be produced until 1928, a full half century after smokeless powder. And it still costs twice as much as what it is (mostly) replacing. Making this an expensive replacement for an already obsolete product. But still about half the residue and you can use smokeless powder bullet lube.

Since it is replacing sulfur and charcoal, what are you using for a price basis? Charcoal on the market is not very good and not cheap.
Tim

[DoubleBuck]

Hey guys. I made two records today. Their measurements... 54.1mm in diameter and 4.2mm in height, weighing 20g. The other disc was 54.3mm x 6mm, weighing 27.5g. I think I miscalculated, because it gave me 2g/cc...wow!

Sandro;
First of all, those are phenomenal density numbers! I have a couple of questions, if you don't mind. What did you use for charcoal? Are the pucks damp, or dried? And, what was your pressing method? Meaning, did you press and wait, and press more, or press and reload? If you didn't miscalculate, you definitely can get all the density you need. Guys shooting cartridges will be knocking on your door, begging....

[Sandro_ventania]

Sandro;
First of all, those are phenomenal density numbers! I have a couple of questions, if you don't mind. What did you use for charcoal? Are the pucks damp, or dried? And, what was your pressing method? Meaning, did you press and wait, and press more, or press and reload? If you didn't miscalculate, you definitely can get all the density you need. Guys shooting cartridges will be knocking on your door, begging....

I'm experimenting with some woods. I have 3 batches of powders ready with different charcoal. One made from toilet paper, one from Embaúba (Cecropia peltata) similar to Balsa and one from Grandiúva (Trema micrantha), this one is promising, I chose it because it has an interesting popular name...gunpowder wood! The records that I weighed and measured are hers. My way of pressing is no different from yours...I use a 10 ton press...I moisten the powder until the dust stops (I weighed the powder while it was still dry to have an exact measurement, without the water). I make thin discs, one at a time, press them, leave them for 2 minutes and remove them from the press. I have ground and sieved the disc as soon as it comes out of the press, there is less dust left and drying it in granulated form is much faster. If you have any questions, feel free to ask, I will be happy to answer! I might try to make a video next time, some might think I don't know how to use a caliper.

[DoubleBuck]

Sandro;
There are so many woods, you may have got one that will do just what you say. I've heard of pressing a 2.0 density puck, but my highest has been about 1.8. For most of the woods I have used, it's hard to get above 1.7. Keep us informed. It sounds like you've got something good happening!
I was asking about the wet puck, because that would make the puck heavier, but if you had the dry weight, then that is ruled out.

[Sandro_ventania]

Sandro;
There are so many woods, you may have got one that will do just what you say. I've heard of pressing a 2.0 density puck, but my highest has been about 1.8. For most of the woods I have used, it's hard to get above 1.7. Keep us informed. It sounds like you've got something good happening!
I was asking about the wet puck, because that would make the puck heavier, but if you had the dry weight, then that is ruled out.

today I measured 10 cc of 2F powder using a syringe as a measure. I will post the photos. If they can do the same test, the comparison would be interesting.

[indian joe]

sandro
10cc of Goex 5FA =10.67
10cc of my FFG (pucked) = 9.75
10cc of my FFFg (screened) = 8.45

I wouldnt entirely trust any of our measurements as comparison, after all we are using a 10cent syringe - mine is a smaller diameter 10cc total - yours a 20cc or 50cc? - eyeball filling to the mark? I like the comparison back to commercial powder with known performance - but even that has a decent margin for error

my FFG 91% of the Goex weight
a little surprised at the screened powder density reading 79% but I have worked on that and it looks good powder (my screened is always noticebly darker than pucked)

looks like you have at least equalled any commercial with your density - lets see how velocity per grain goes?
(Wano is more dense than Goex but energetically inferior by a good margin)

I am watching the toilet paper thing but the hybrid willow is working good for me and its right there out the window - I am a kind of aint broke dont fix it person - dont mind making powder but way more fun shooting it...................................

[DoubleBuck]

Sandro;
I would be glad to do it for you. But all I have is 3fff and fines. I have no commercial or 2ff to compare for you.
Indian Joe;
I am watching the toilet paper thing but the hybrid willow is working good for me and its right there out the window
Joe; the TP is on THIS side of the window! You don't even have to get cold, (Or, in your case, hot) to get it! While you're setting there "lookin' out the window" at your willow, you can figure out how you're gonna approach the problem at hand....
Then the light bulb comes on and, sure enough, TP's the answer! To the problem at hand, and the powder shortage, too!!!
Same sing. Same sing, Joe. Same damn sing....

[Sandro_ventania]

sandro
10cc of Goex 5FA =10.67
10cc of my FFG (pucked) = 9.75
10cc of my FFFg (screened) = 8.45

I wouldnt entirely trust any of our measurements as comparison, after all we are using a 10cent syringe - mine is a smaller diameter 10cc total - yours a 20cc or 50cc? - eyeball filling to the mark? I like the comparison back to commercial powder with known performance - but even that has a decent margin for error

my FFG 91% of the Goex weight
a little surprised at the screened powder density reading 79% but I have worked on that and it looks good powder (my screened is always noticebly darker than pucked)

looks like you have at least equalled any commercial with your density - lets see how velocity per grain goes?
(Wano is more dense than Goex but energetically inferior by a good margin)

I am watching the toilet paper thing but the hybrid willow is working good for me and its right there out the window - I am a kind of aint broke dont fix it person - dont mind making powder but way more fun shooting it...................................

I'll post a photo of my 3F made from toilet paper. My syringe is 20ml. For complete impartiality, I say that I added the powder and tapped the table a few times to accommodate the grains.


FFFg toilette paper 10cc