Ball Mill Media

[drhall762]

Not sure where this should go so here it is. Move as you see fit.

I am getting geared up to produce my own BP for ML, cartridge and fireworks use. One thing that helps with that is a ball mill (rock tumbler). Lead, brass and ceramic seem to be the top 3 choices so that there is little chance of the compounds going BOOM! Most folks using lead are using soft lead balls and say they deform easily and cause some contamination of the product. While I have straight lead I can cast with I also have WW and Lino. I was gravitating towards WW and then if the balls are too soft, hardening the next batch.

This is the point where I say "What do any of you think???"

Thanks,

[Chicken Thief]

On a visit at the last Danish BP mill i noticed that the media in the pounding/powdering mill is brass balls.

[calaloo]

I read a article in a metal detecting magizine several years ago. They were finding a lot of brass balls over a large area. Research revieled that a black powder works had exploded there a hundred years or so before.

[357 Voodoo]

Brass works the best but is expensive. I use ACWW for my ball mill. I change them out after a few uses and remelt.

[ChuckJaxFL]

Brass works the best but is expensive. I use ACWW for my ball mill. I change them out after a few uses and remelt.

Why? Do they wear out?

[drhall762]

The operative word is expensive. Priced 5/8" C260 and they run about $1.40 each. Think that made up my mind on that. Lead alloy it will be. May heat treat them just for grins and see how well they hold up.

[KCSO]

Wooden mill with hard wood balls was the last one I saw.

[Lee]

The charcoal and sulfur can be milled together, WITHOUT the potassium nitrate. Use SS balls for that part of the operation. The potassium nitrate can be milled by itself, be sure to clean out the mill well if using the same container/balls/etc.
Then just mix the ball milled materials together, and proceed. Or dissolve the potassium nitrate in water, per the instructions on this site, and proceed.
No risk of BOOM if done that way. I personally would shy away from final ball milling of AL:L components. But that's just me. YMMV.
There is an umpteen page thread on this site "My Homemade BP" it's in the muzzle loaders section.
A long read, and very well worth it.
I'm making my own willow charcoal right now, going to try making my own also .....

P.S. I keep reading that typically "a couple hours" is all the ball milling that's needed ..... Lee

[mold maker]

Is there any reason why 1/2"+ round balls of linotype wouldn't work, with less wear and longer life?
I still haven't located any black willow. I used to know where a ***** Willow tree was, but when I went looking, there was a building in it's place.
I read where they are hard on sewer pipes, and most folks have had them removed, for that reason.

[357 Voodoo]

Chuck they deform and start shedding small fragments.

mould maker My worry with lino would be if it were too brittle or not. I think the next batch of balls I cast will be out of babbit

[Chicken Thief]

Glass marbles?

[drhall762]

Actually thinking Brass Rod. 5/8" dia. by 72" long well under a dollar an inch. Cut it with a bandsaw so each piece 5/8 long, debur and call it good. I have been reading that the cylinder shape is better than the spherical for actual milling.

[TRX]

I used a $15 Lee round ball mold and cast a couple hundred lead balls for mine.

Now that zinc is so common, it might be a good way to get some use out of it... I'm not sure an aluminum mold would work great for that, though.