My homemade black powder

[brian1]

means HF claims it's 12, probably really only about 6 in the real world

[Whiterabbit]

And I just have the 6-er a-frame HF press. based on the above picture, seems to do just fine. I'm a happy camper.

On the other hand, it is dirty dirty dirty, and I get less percieved recoil (no chrono data yet) compared to goex. Since my club, we swab between shots, it's not that big a deal...

[brian1]

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

I see occasional references to a puck die you apparently make, but I have not been able to find, in this 90 page thread, where the puck dies are introduced or described. Can you repost info on that, please? I have a Grizzly 30 ton press, so that should get the job done.

Interesting, Fly, that you started out as a newbie on this thread, and now you're the go-to expert.

I've been reading the posts on this thread for the last week or so, and today went out and got the hardware to make the TLUD charcoal maker. This spring I cut down a huge willow: black willow, I believe, so I should have lots of material to start making charcoal. I also have lots of white ash & poplar around here, when the willow runs out. I understand they will work, too.

[rancher1913]

pm fly, he sells them and black willow charcol to help newbies get going. got my die from him last week and plan on giving this a try next week.

[fishingsetx]

I see occasional references to a puck die you apparently make, but I have not been able to find, in this 90 page thread, where the puck dies are introduced or described. Can you repost info on that, please? I have a Grizzly 30 ton press, so that should get the job done.

Interesting, Fly, that you started out as a newbie on this thread, and now you're the go-to expert.

I've been reading the posts on this thread for the last week or so, and today went out and got the hardware to make the TLUD charcoal maker. This spring I cut down a huge willow: black willow, I believe, so I should have lots of material to start making charcoal. I also have lots of white ash & poplar around here, when the willow runs out. I understand they will work, too.

I cant recommend fly's die enough, and its vert reasonably priced. I dont want to say cheap, because fhe only thing cheap about it is the price!

Here is mine after several lbs of powder. Still looks brand new (although a little dirty).

Send him a PM and he'll get you fixed up!



Guns have only two enemies: rust and politicians!

[Hotfxr]

What do you mean by this? Are you pressing 12 or 6?

Steve

Harbor Freight tools are so cheap for a reason. I bought the 12 ton press in the hopes that it might generate 6 tons of pressure. I actually think it does a bit better, but maybe that's wishful thinking.

In hindsight, I left out an important little tidbit. When I use the 2" die I got from Fly, I use a 6 ton press. I use the 12 ton when I use the 3" die I made out of ABS & Steel. Using plastic spacers I press 4 layers approximately 3/8" thick.

[shaune509]

The HF jack should make the rated tonnage, it's the flex of the A frame that will give the user an uneasy feeling when pushed to the rated tonnage. My shop press is pump powered and maxes @30 ton, the 4' wide bed frame flexes but its still in working condition after 35 years of use. As I see it the HF type has the advantage that you can hold the pressure to allow the water to work out and hold the grain structure in the puck.
Shaune509

[Fly]

Brian1 quote ( Interesting, Fly, that you started out as a newbie on this thread, and now you're the go-to expert.) Wrong on both.
I have never said I was a expert on making black powder or ever heard anyone here say I was???? You then said I started out as a
newbie on this thread. I have been making Black Powder since 2000.I have been a member of the PGI since 2005. Making fireworks
involves making quality BP before anything else, for it is the holy grail to any night display you have ever watched.

I have been in Black powder shooting since 1977. The muzzle loading hobby has been in my blood since started. I started having trouble
finding real BP locally about 2007. I started thinking about trying the powder I made for Firework effects in my muzzle loaders & did with
so, so results. So I started a testing system & spent many,many hours before being happy with my results. A few years before that thread
ever came about I started a few threads on this same form & some others. I got run off one site for even suggestion making BP at that time.

Even this site I had some people attract me for suggesting such & saying I was crazy & would get some one hurt with such a thought. Well I
reframed from posting on the matter here after all that. Then Atom started that post using the CVI method of make BP & I chimed in as to
how I made mine. At that time I was still just making screened powder for rifles. It works good but being it is not as dense you must forget
using a powder measure, it must be weighed it get the same amount. I could deal with that to a point but pushed me over to corning was
revolvers.

If you wanted to shoot 30 grains forget that with screened. So I started corning & tested dies for the process with a small home press. I,m
a retired tool & die maker & still have some of my machine tools & here is where I,m today. I love this hobby & only try to help the ones trying
to learn & get started. I make very little on these dies after buying material taking each package 15 miles to town. I can make much more
doing machine work for the locals. I could do all I want of that but don't want to. Heck that's why I retired. I hope I answered your questions
for I started not to.
Fly

[brian1]

Jeeez. don't "fly" off the handle. It was meant as a compliment. I had thought from something i read on this thread that you were a newbie when the thread started. It's a bit hard to memorize 90 pages of posts, so apparently I was mistaken. I'm sorry if I offended you

[Boz330]

One of the problems with the printed word is that you don't have inflection that would clarify some comments. When I read my posts before posting sometimes they sound different than I mean them to be so I try and use an emogee to help get my idea across. Most everyone here seems to try and help each other out. I've sure learned a lot and tried to pass on help when I can.

Bob

[Fly]

Ya Bob is right. On the net it is hard to know how a comment should be taken. When we communicate in person
we do it with more than words. Face shall expression, tone of voice etc. Sorry I took it wrong. I try & help every
one I can. But at the same time I never want to come across as a know it all. I learn things every day from these guys.

When I was learning I learned making BP from my pyro buddys. But when I started making it for the fire arms it was
a different cat. I was on my own & burned up a lot of the stuff I made. The good side I could use it up some way or
other in my fireworks. I just do not want guys to make the mistakes I have in the learning curve. It is not rocket
science. But there fast powder & slow powder, as dirty burning powder & cleaner burning powder.

We have a thread that many here can help any newbie getting started. This is THE BEST thread on the net for this subject.
The Folks to thank for it are the Cast Boolits web site. There the ones that made a sticky & supported us.

Fly

[maillemaker]

A 12-ton HF press appeared on facebook for sale for $50, but I missed it.

Steve

[luvtn]

Would a 1 ton arbor press do the job for puck making? Still trying to accumulate necessities, make charcoal, and hunt, and make some Christmas presents.
luvtn

[fishingsetx]

Would a 1 ton arbor press do the job for puck making? Still trying to accumulate necessities, make charcoal, and hunt, and make some Christmas presents.
luvtn

I would think that would depend on your puck die size. A smaller diameter die should take less tonnage. If I remember correctly, Fly recommended a 4 ton minimum with his die. To me, it wouldnt be worth the effort if I had to press pucks with a die that was 1/4 the size of the one im using now.

Im sure someone more knowlegable will respond soon and can give you some ideas.

I use a 6 ton in a homemade jig. I need to rebhild it because its all bent up from the 6 ton HF press.

You can see it under the plastic bins

Guns have only two enemies: rust and politicians!

[Fly]

I guess HF no longer sells 6 Ton bottle jacks, but check this 8 ton out for $27. With a 20% coupon you pay $21.50.
Make a frame like Fish did & your ready to go. Forget the one ton arbor press.
https://www.harborfreight.com/8-ton-...ack-96648.html
Fly

[Whiterabbit]

I'll bet anyone here ten bucks that they made no changes on the 6 ton bottle jack production line other than to change the label that goes on the jack.

[rancher1913]

I'll bet anyone here ten bucks that they made no changes on the 6 ton bottle jack production line other than to change the label that goes on the jack.

they just gave it a longer handle to up the tonnage

[rancher1913]

quick question because I really don't want to comb through 90 pages to review, what size copper pipe are you guys using for the ball mill and how long of pieces. willow is in the retort right now and I am ready to load my new ball mill just as soon as I make the pipe pieces.

[fishingsetx]

quick question because I really don't want to comb through 90 pages to review, what size copper pipe are you guys using for the ball mill and how long of pieces. willow is in the retort right now and I am ready to load my new ball mill just as soon as I make the pipe pieces.

I used 1/2" copper tube cut in 1" lengths and filled it with lead

Guns have only two enemies: rust and politicians!

[Whiterabbit]

I used my plain jane roundball mold for my flintlock and cast using my hard lead for smokeless pistols.

I also tried plain old hard cast 45 caliber bullets but roundballs work way, way better.