Question for those of you that are using the lead filled copper or stainless. I'm using a tumbler similar to the HF dual tumbler I think it is a Lotome or something like that. Should I still fill it about half full with this media?
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Question for those of you that are using the lead filled copper or stainless. I'm using a tumbler similar to the HF dual tumbler I think it is a Lotome or something like that. Should I still fill it about half full with this media?
Fill with grinder media less the amount of powder you wish to grind. Exceeding the weight may have some effect on longevity of the ball mill.
Fly,
They sell millions of these grain mills in South America and they are used daily. They should be easy to clean with water or perhaps a hose.
I tabulated my costs the other day. Just under $4.40 a pound. That is supplied from hobbychemicalsupply.com, and represents the full cost of consumables, shipping, everything minus equipment.
At <$3, you guys got me beat, but I do not mind. Not if the powder is good, the supplier is easy to deal with, and the savings significant over retail or even powdervalley.
As for ball mill, I am puzzled at your guys experience. I tried hard cast 45 caliber 300 grain bullets, they did not work well. I tried 58 caliber roundballs home cast from hardball. They work very well. Roughly half full on a harbor freight dual drum can, and ZERO issues. I use them to this day. They quickly wore to a perfectly smooth round ball (no more sprue) and they are just workhorses now. I put between just under a quarter pound to just under a third of a pound of material in there (whether it is a raw pellet to grind to airfloat or whatever mixture), and it comes out perfectly soft springy air float every time. The only exception was home depot brand 10% clay based soil acidifier which clumped to the balls (but not the can) and I do not use that any more. The first C&F material rejection.
I would not use a grain mill for grinding the final mix.
I think Tex is saying, grind the charcoal & Kno-3 in the grain grinder separate from one another. Then ball mill.
Thats what I do. It saves a lot of time in ball milling. Only difference I use a cheap spice grinder. Brushhippie uses
the grain grinder. They both work.
Fly
Found this site and ordered 10# of KNO3 with free shipping, the powder is only $1 more than the granules and don't have to grind the powder.
http://www.seedranch.com/Potassium-N...-powder-10.htm
does anyone have pictures of the media using copper pipe & lead? Sometimes I tend to be a little bit unclear on the concept and before I try to change from lead milling balls I need a visual.Thanks.
Just cut 1/2 to 5/8 copper pipe into 1inch long. Fill with hot lead. When
cool, peen the ends real good so the lead is tight in the tubes & can't
come out.
Fly
Does fly still sell the pressing dies ?
So I made up a bunch last night. 3/4" sections filled with lead, enough to fill my tumbler canister 3/4 full. Making a jig to crimp the ends, hopefully get it done tonight after work. I am assuming that these are replacing the lead milling balls that I have been using for years? Still trying to figure out why every batch I mill up lately turns to a big ball. This didn't happen at all for three years, then all of a sudden, it happens every time. Must be the fact that we had rain this year (finally) but it is highly annoying.
Thanks for pm will get check going out next week question for ya what size do they make can you post pic of one with a puck ? Has anyone use Chinese willow it seems to work really fast
Here is a photo of my pucks out of Fly's press. That is a half sheet of paper towel they are laying on, to give you an idea of size.
Attachment 167227
They look nice looking forward in trying the puck method screening seems to work alright but after reading all the post about pucking it just one more peace of the puzzle for me to try how much powder did it take to make 4 pucks ?
The big ball you are getting in your ball mill is from a lot of humidity in the air. Just bust it up real good
& mill it a little longer. It happens a lot. Some of the fastest powder I have made has come from meal
powder that has done that?
Fly