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Thread: Tumbling toMake Black Powder

  1. 02-12-2020, 06:21 PM #1
    GregLaROCHE
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    Tumbling toMake Black Powder

    I’ve been thinking about making some BP. The biggest thing holding me back is that I don’t have anything to tumble it in. I know there are a lot of ideas for making your own, but frankly, I’ve got too many projects going already.

    I was wondering if I could put the ingredients in a five gallon plastic bucket with a tight lid and use an old cement mixer to tumble it. I would attach it to one side so it wouldn’t bounce around. Total time needed and the cost of electricity may make it impractical, but was just wondering if it would work.
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  2. 02-12-2020, 07:13 PM #2
    megasupermagnum
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    I've seen all sorts of things turned into tumblers. One slick one was a pipe threader. I'm not so sure a bucket inside of a cement mixer would work without a little modification to keep the bucket rolling straight. If you could somehow mount the bucket to the opening, such that it rotates with the barrel, not inside of it, you would likely have a workable setup.
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  3. 02-12-2020, 08:03 PM #3
    Valornor
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    I hate to be that guy....but there’s a few safety issues that come to mind....the small hairs on the back of my neck are tingling.

    Maybe a few more details on how you plan on mixing the ingredients, while preventing a build up of static is warranted.



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  4. 02-12-2020, 08:08 PM #4
    GregLaROCHE
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    Quote Originally Posted by Valornor View Post
    I hate to be that guy....but there’s a few safety issues that come to mind....the small hairs on the back of my neck are tingling.

    Maybe a few more details on how you plan on mixing the ingredients, while preventing a build up of static is warranted.



    Jay Andrew
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    Current thinking today is that static electricity won’t set off BP. I could however, run a ground wire from the bucket to ground.
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  5. 02-12-2020, 08:09 PM #5
    Valornor
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    Gotcha, my understanding was that it would. Guess you learn something new every day.



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  6. 02-12-2020, 09:10 PM #6
    swamp
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    The Harbor Freight single or dual drum tumblers work well milling all the ingredients singly and to mix. And they work for small batches of brass.
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    There is no problem so great, that it cannot be solved by the proper application of high explosives.
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  7. 02-12-2020, 09:41 PM #7
    Harter66
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    Swamp is right on this one . Small batches , make small mistakes .
    In the time of darkest defeat,our victory may be nearest. Wm. McKinley.

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  8. 02-13-2020, 12:30 PM #8
    dondiego
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    There is a sticky on the Muzzle Loading thread that has a lot of info in it. Start there.
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