He have all of his fingers? ...:mrgreen:
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He have all of his fingers? ...:mrgreen:
That would mean more or less "tar" once the moisture is removed, which by the way, leaves during "cooking" in the retort. What is left would be what "makes" the quality of the charcoal and hence the BP.
Hardwoods are prefered for firewood (Oak, Hickory, Beech, etc.), softer deciduous woods (Poplar, Sycamore, etc.) are favored for fire starting and early season warmth. Some species are in between- Apple, Maple, Ironwood, etc. Evergreens are avoided. (All depends on where you live.) Creosote build up in a chimney can be a problem. Could that component be a factor?
Just finished my 1st batch. followed the procedure as posted, except I added 3gr homemade "dextrin" I made from cornstarch. I was going to add 2gr, but the last gram slipped- oh well. Took about 45 min start to finish. Simple as falling off a log. I will report tomorrow as to whether it went POOF or not. If it goes POOF, I'll take some to the range. I can't wait to light the residue lined coffee filters! Shoot Straight, T-Bird
shot my powder yesterday, basically "pooted"the ball out of my T/C hawken 50 cal. When dry, my powder is very fluffy. I may have used a larger mesh strainer than atom, I can't tell. The addition of the cornstarch "dextrin" may have messed it up-I don't know. I think I will try to mush it up some to make it finer grained, and try again. I used Big Green Egg brand lump charcoal ground to baby powder like consistancy together with Rattlesnake brand sulfur (90%) and the dextrin with a mortar/ pestal. This I added to the hot kno3 solution. It precipitated when it cooled, looked just like the picture. The only thing I added different was the dextrin but I used the sulfur that was only 90% because it was all I could find here. T-Bird
I've had no problem with 90% sulfur. Your pharmacist might be able to get the 99% for you; it has several medicinal uses. What kind of KNO3 are you using? Stump remover is adequate, barely.
Stump remover-Green light brand. What do you think of the "dextrin". T-Bird
Here's how fluffy my powder is. A 45colt case of it weighs 18grains. A 45 colt case of ff weighs 40gr. T-Bird
I think I read and understood the dexetrin would slow the burn rate. I would not experiment with that untill I got a consistent burn. That IS fluffy, though. :smile: That wichita buggy whip link is fuill of good info! THANKS, Fly!
I was reading a couple of different articles the other day about making hominy and lye soap, and thought about this project. They showed various ways of producing the lye or lye solution required for processing corn or lard into hominy or soap.
Wood ash can be use to make a lye solution, which. I think, is basically Potasium Hydroxide, instead of Sodium Hydroxide. County Extension Agents will recommend that you put wood ash (only from certain types of wood- not the acidic kinds) on your garden to increase the K2O content, etc.
I haven't followed up much further than this yet in reference to past reading on BP processing in the old days, but it strikes me that this could be a very easy source for the KNO2. I know they rendered it from bat guano in caves, and maybe from a few other manure piles around the farm.
Which would make a better natural source, and would the wood ash produce the proper component for BP?
I've got some poplar trees to cut soon, and I am thinking of rendering the ash for making some hominy, a little soap, and BP if it will work for that. :smile:
T-Bird the info is right there to the link I posted.Buddy it is not hard at all.My powder kicks
Goex.I have been testing this stuff a long time.I have posted in the past on how I make mine.
But the link to Dannys site should tell you anything you need to know.You can send me a PM if you like & I will help you any way I can.
Fly
T-Bird,
I am sorry that your powder wasnt more energetic. I wasnt there when you made it so I really cant say what I think the reason is. I know there has been a lot of talk on this thread about charcoal, all I can say is that I make mine from willow, mine works great when made from willow. I havent tried any other woods because I really like how mine shoots. The sulfur that I get is PURE, I get it from scienceforyou.net (I also get my KNO3 there too) and have not tried any others types of sulfur. If I were to make a suggestion I would say that in order to repeat results in any experiment, stick to the reported experimental materials and methods exactly and then try adjusting components. I really wish you had different results, I sure enjoy shooting mine and think once some others here start making and shooting their own we will really be able to get some good recipes down. I still havent made mine with dextrin yet, next batch I will but I have to shoot up what I have now! Nice problem to have.
Lots of smoke...
Mike
Atom I hope you don't think I,m trying to Hi Jack your thread.The site I posted on the thread
has a place in making BP as you did also.It is up to anyone as to how they want to make it.
Both way's work if done right.
If there are some here that really want to make there own, it's there choice on how they get there.
I learned a long time ago working in research & develoment that many heads are better than
one.If you look at Dannys site the charcoal he test come from all over the world.He has spent
years putting his data together.
Fly
FLY, No problem. I am with you on the collaborative power of many experimenters. I just wish T- Bird had some mire success. Next batch I make I am going to try tweaking a little and in the future plan on trying the ball mill method based on what has been posted here. I think its a good thread and has generated a lot of good discussion as well as directed us to some other resources.
Mike
My first powder was kind off between a fizzle and a "poof" when I tried it when I thought it was dry. I waited another month with the powder sitting in a metal pie pan on top of a heating duct (getting *really* dry) and tried it again and it went "BANG!". Also, when really dry the powder was lighter in color than it had been the first time.
But there's still a problem if the density was that low; 17 grains to fill a .45 Colt cartridge is too light.
Atom I faliled more than once starting out.I wish he would have had success also.You hate
to see someone just give up.When I first started I had no one to ask.I just ran around the
net reading & doing.
I finally did pretty good & about that time I got into the fireworks deal.I met many of those folks that helped me alot.Muzzle loaders are still my first love, but I enjoy the fireworks
also.
Fly
Well hear is the deal with cap & ball revolvers.Goex & the rest of the powder
over the counter is pressed wet into pucks, then set out to dry.When dry it is ground
into grains & sifed threw screens for the different powders 4ffffg, 3fffg, & so on.
Thats why it is more dense.You can do the same with a hydralic jack for pressing.
Go to Dannys site for he exsplains that, it's called cornded powder.He also tell's
Atoms method, & mine.
For my cap & ball revolvers I do press mind.But for Muzzle loaders I just weigh
what I made against Goex & what ever volume mind comes out to be at the same weight I just use that volume.SIMPLE!
Fly
I'm dying to try this, just haven't got my act together enough (it's spring, you know- other things keep jumping ahead of it). Dang it, anyway! Too many irons in the fire. :sad:
Charley "You West Virginia Boy's are known for not getting in a hurry".
( Wink) Fly
I ain't giving up! I make my own bullets, I make my own breads, I even cut my own grass! Seriously, I know many times theye are small things that make a big difference with all kinds of recipes. I did try this powder the next day after I made it. I 'll wait a couple of weeks , let it dry, and try again.It seemed dry tho. I don't know why it was so light, I bet my screen was to large. If it doesn't work, i'll try it w/o the dextrin next. T-Bird
T-Bird it not the dextrin, beleave me on that one.I make my own dextrin & use it in some
of my own black powder.I would think it's your charcoal more than anything.Lump charcoal
is made from hard woods.Oak,Hickery ect, & not good at all for fast BB.
The only thing I use hard wood charcoal for is in stars I make for fireworks effects, because
it burns slow & makes golden sparks.
If you pm me I will gladly send you some siver maple charcoal to try.Black willow works great
also as do some others.Atom & I just want to get you on the right path to the fun of making
your own BP.
Fly
I saw on Danny's site Tree of Heaven listed and unfortunately I have some of this growing around the farm. It is an undesirable tree but it has pretty good numbers in his chart. Now I have a use for it other than supplying me with exercise to get rid of it. Not a lot of willow around here.
Bob
Boz I here alot of guys using that stuff.I don't know we even have it here in Okla.I'm always
looking for new woods & drive Danny crazy with what he thinks & so on.But don't even know
what that tree looks like.
Many of the guys in fireworks use white pine.Not yellow but white pine.Most lumber yards
have it.They rate it very high on the list for fast powder.But stay away from the yellow pine.
There again I use the yellow pine for spark effects, but not for fast powder.
Fly
Fly
how is poplar for charcoal? Kinda short on willow, but tulip poplar is plentyful on my property. T-Bird
White poplar shows to be very good.I don't know what tulip poplar is.T-Bird click on this
web site http://www.wichitabuggywhip.com/fire...ckpowder2.html
Fly
Trust me you don't want it, it is considered an invasive species here in KY. It grows very quickly and crowds out native trees and near as I can tell it is useless for anything except BP at this point. The problem that I see with it is when you skin the bark back it has a very obnoxious smell.
I picked up a couple bottles of Spectracide stump remover this morning at Walmart. Less than $5 a pound. The local butcher shop has KNO3 for meat curing at $5 for 4oz, that is more than I pay for Swiss.
Bob
Boz I just noticed your from central Kentucky.You guy's have a tree out there I would
love to have for make powder from.Paulowina trees maybe make the best charcoal for
fast powder there is.
I have a fireworks buddy that lives there & he sent me some.WOW that stuff will make
some of the hottest powder there is.Check that out also.
Fly
looks like spruce 2x4 studs are the way to go. cheap, easy. I have a contractor friend that can likely get me all those I can stand, cut ends. T-Bird
Fly, I did a search on that tree and it sounds pretty interesting, but can't say as I've ever seen one, or didn't know what it was if I did. Sounds like you just put them in the ground wait 20 minutes and come back and start harvesting your branches for charcoal. Kidding aside the one that they photographed grew from a couple inches the first of April to 18ft by the end of summer. Tree of heaven grows fast but not that fast.
Bob
T-bird I ask Danny if he has ever tested tulip poplar.He said he has not but said my other
buddy was sending him some.Another guy I know said he did & was some what disapointed.
But lets see what Danny comes up with.The spruce should be good but not as good as black willow, but good enough to suit you.About like Goex but some what dirty.I swab between shots anyways.
Fly
Sometimes, that means wez jus' thankin' 'till it smarts a might. :bigsmyl2:
That smell is why it is called "Tree of Heaven"- only there would it smell so sweet. :grin:
Don't know if it is an offical invasive species, but it takes up space like sumac does.
I think Tulip Poplar will be the same as other poplar species- not much physical differences, IMHO. Will wait to see the results, though.
Hmm. Just read the whole thing. Think I'll go down to the Rio Grande and cut some cottonwood. It is a poplar related to the willows.
:hijack:
I went to a woodland owners short course 2 years ago sponsored by the forestry dept and in this state it is considered invasive.
They cleared a power line right of way to my house in late 09 and there are 15ft trees of heaven where there were cedars and locust. Never had it on the farm before that, and it ain't easy or cheap to kill. It propagates from root runners and seeds. Garlon is about the only thing that kills it reliably and it is $300+ a pint IIRC.
But if it makes good BP I'm set for life!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bob
I ask Danny about cottonwood because I wanted to try it.He said it was pretty
good.He told me during the Civil war the south started using it instead of willow.
He gave me a website on the story.It seemed the south could not get enough
wiilow & thats why they used the cotton wood.
That powder plant was some where in Alabama.I will see if I can find that site.
It's a very long read, but I love reading about the civil war.So I guess cotton
wood must be pretty good if the south used it.
Fly
I haven't gone to the site listed yet, but has anyone tried kudzu?? That would be a good use for it if it works! Also sounds like the sweet gum might be a possiblity.
seems like you need a soft punky wood, willow and cottonwood share that property.
Balsa is a soft punky wood.
A punky wood has a styrofoam like texture when cut or hit. Like willow cottonwood and balsa.
poplar and.soft maple are also.
spruce has a little more backbone.