Making BP?

[mdi]

My mind often wanders to one or another aspect of my guns/shooting/casting/reloading hobby and lately I've been thinkin' 'bout a muzzle loader, Hawken or Kentucky rifle, percussion to start. But I've noticed there is as much black powder available around here as smokeless powder, zip, zero, nada! I've researched a bit on making BP at home, but was wondering about the possibility of a big kaboom in my gun shed. I haven't read of any dangers other than the obvious; fire, dust, etc., and was wondering about if/how dangerous home manufacturing black powder really is?

OOPS! I should have looked at the stickies first, I've got two to read. But I would still like an comments on safety of home made BP...

LATER...
Hmmm. Just read the first 50 posts on the "My home made BP" thread and seems like 45 of them are just arguing about why one should try, and if the normal guy is smart enough. I would prefer positive folks answer my question as there is enough negative nattering nebobs running around telling me what is good for me...

[Rojelio]

"negative nattering nebobs"

I like that.:lol:

[Texantothecore]

Read the thread in black powder cartridge which starts with:

"DIY bp gurus"

The thread deals with production, engineering, safety and equipment issues involved in bp making. You will learn a great deal.

[AlaskanGuy]

My friend, I make mine, for the most part, in the kitchen.... Only when making airfloat charcoal do I do anything outside.... I think if you pay attention, and observe saftey common sense, you will be fine... I follow a simple rule, be safe, and have a Blast... He he

[OverMax]

Why. because you can._ Is it necessary. no._ Will it. There's always a possibility if your not careful._ To suggest otherwise. No. your old enough to make your own decisions._ Positive's: I think were both on the same page. Negativity: None. _ Sensitivity: None.~~ Well~?~ there might be if I find out your my neighbor. Suggestions: get yourself a ball mill and a good all weather extension cord.

[Boz330]

You can get what you want from the above sticky but you will have to skip over the non-relevant posts and you should be able to spot them. This is a situation where there is more than one way to skin a cat and they are all right. The same precautions that apply to smokeless reloading apply here and of course common sense.
Most folks worry about the milling process but in reality the milled meal burns pretty slow and I'm not so sure that the explosion would amount to more than the container popping open. If I had a spare $40 bucks to throw away I'd try blowing a ball mill up just to see how bad it really would be. The speed comes after screening or corning the powder, at that point it might be a real problem.

Bob

Bob

[mooman76]

I might finally have to break down and give it a try. Another place that I planned to get BP from quit selling it. Those that make it, where is a good place to get sulfur from?

[Texantothecore]

I might finally have to break down and give it a try. Another place that I planned to get BP from quit selling it. Those that make it, where is a good place to get sulfur from?

www.dudadiesel.com cheap sulfur and potassium nitrate.

[mooman76]

Thanks Texan. I should be able to get the potassium local but heard sulfur at a good price is more difficult. Not much willow here either but there is some. Not the best tree for the desert. We do have Desert Willow though and some people do have willow in their yard so maybe I can get some cuttings.

[Fly]

No sparks, No excess heat, No worry.I have made it to 69 years of age, & hoping to make it to 70.
I will bet what ever kills me will not be black powder making.

Fly

[Texantothecore]

Thanks Texan. I should be able to get the potassium local but heard sulfur at a good price is more difficult. Not much willow here either but there is some. Not the best tree for the desert. We do have Desert Willow though and some people do have willow in their yard so maybe I can get some cuttings.

You're welcome. Good luck and welcome to the family. Please keep us updated concerning your results as they will be of interest to many on this board.

[ksfowler166]

I personally have not make bp but this stuff is pretty common sense. None of the components of black powder are highly combustible. Actually the only one I think that is combustible is sulfur but that would be more of an annoyance then a danger. Another think black powder does not explode normally, meaning a can sprinkle a trail along your kitchen counter and watch it burn like a fuse. Black powder only explodes when contained in a pressure vessel like a barrel. Lastly contrary to popular myth black powder can't be ignited by static electricity. If the charge was large enough to ignite the bp then the powder would be the least of your worries.
http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/sparks/sparks.html

[aut0m4tic1]

Its not hard, its messy! Its also tons of fun. I use stump remover for potassium nitrate, garden dusting sulphur and scrap lumber for charcoal, 4" pvc pipe with rubber caps for a ball mill container and a window screen for corning.
Probably not the fastest bp, but it shoots my mini cannon, launches 12gauge shell rocket motors and works fine in a rifle too!
You won't be sorry you tried.
Cory

[mooman76]

I personally have not make bp but this stuff is pretty common sense. None of the components of black powder are highly combustible. Actually the only one I think that is combustible is sulfur but that would be more of an annoyance then a danger. Another think black powder does not explode normally, meaning a can sprinkle a trail along your kitchen counter and watch it burn like a fuse. Black powder only explodes when contained in a pressure vessel like a barrel. Lastly contrary to popular myth black powder can't be ignited by static electricity. If the charge was large enough to ignite the bp then the powder would be the least of your worries.
http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/sparks/sparks.html

BP does not burn slow like a fuse. It burns in a flash. I learned that the hard way but that's another story. People get that burn slow like a fuse from Hollywood.

[woodsxdragon]

Backwoodsmans had an article about making it from chicken... feces. About boiling it and running alcohol threw it. I guess that's similar too how it was made in france way back when. pretty wild read.

[ksfowler166]

Well Moonman I know that it is easy to outrun a burning trail of black powder, I have seen it before. Though fuse might not have been the best term what I meant was that bp doesn't all ignite at one. Like C4 will for example (I am assuming the use of a blasting not lighting it on fire).

[Fly]

Backwoodsmans had an article about making it from chicken... feces. About boiling it and running alcohol threw it. I guess that's similar too how it was made in france way back when. pretty wild read.

My reads like that are comming from outerspace believe me.

(wink) Fly

[Fly]

The powder you saw may have fuze powder.It not real fast.Powder can be made very fast or slow.
Fuze powder is not made to burn fast.



Fly

[Texantothecore]

According to one source willow black powder in an unconfined test vessel burns at 6.43 feet per second. It burns much faster in a vessel which will build pressure as the burn progresses.

[Fly]

According to one source willow black powder in an unconfined test vessel burns at 6.43 feet per second. It burns much faster in a vessel which will build pressure as the burn progresses.

This is indeed true.Black willow is the best of the willow charcoal.
Fly

[Texantothecore]

My reads like that are comming from outerspace believe me.

(wink) Fly


One of the guys on the forum boiled cow dung and successfully got a lot of kno3 from it.

He also mentioned that the stench during the process was mind blowing.
His comment was that doing this in a subdivision is not appropriate.lol

[Texantothecore]

Well Moonman I know that it is easy to outrun a burning trail of black jpowder, I have seen it before. Though fuse might not have been the best term what I meant was that bp doesn't all ignite at one. Like C4 will for example (I am assuming the use of a blasting not lighting it on fire).

Most decent high school sprinters average about 22 ft per second and could easily outrun a line of black powder burning (6.43 ft per second).

[Texantothecore]

Btt for discussion

[AlaskanGuy]

Well sir, I am currently making a batch as we speak at our local high School... Using the wet method, its about as safe as it gets. We are using our BP for rocketry, and it is working great... Kids are diggin it, and we are having a blast... Opps... :groner:

If you would like me to send ya a video on making it wet, PM me... Making wet is way safer then using a ball mill, although not quite as fast a powder as using a ball mill, still makes very very good BP for muzzies, and other projects..... He he.... Like rockets, or splitting large diameter trees to make them a bit more manageable... It is a kick splitting huge trees rather them trying to saw all the way through a 5 ft round every time... You can actually split a 5ft log into 4 pieces with 4 8 inch plunge cuts.... And a good piece of homemade fuse... Dont wanna be standing next to it when it goes...lol

AG

[Texantothecore]

Well sir, I am currently making a batch as we speak at our local high School... Using the wet method, its about as safe as it gets. We are using our BP for rocketry, and it is working great... Kids are diggin it, and we are having a blast... Opps... :groner:

If you would like me to send ya a video on making it wet, PM me... Making wet is way safer then using a ball mill, although not quite as fast a powder as using a ball mill, still makes very very good BP for muzzies, and other projects..... He he.... Like rockets, or splitting large diameter trees to make them a bit more manageable... It is a kick splitting huge trees rather them trying to saw all the way through a 5 ft round every time... You can actually split a 5ft log into 4 pieces with 4 8 inch plunge cuts.... And a good piece of homemade fuse... Dont wanna be standing next to it when it goes...lol

AG

Please send me your video. It would be very helpful in teaching others to make it. I wish I had had you for chemistry as we just did boring stuff.

[mold maker]

You can get hurt baking cookies. Just pay close attention and use common sense. Your ancestors fed their families with home made and survived. Surely we've not dumbed down to the point, we arent able to match their technology.

[Texantothecore]

It is just common sense. 99% of the black powder shot has been homemade with few problems.