My homemade black powder

[Vettepilot]

Thanks, I remember seeing that and thought it was pretty innovative. That way you could still use the treadmill if you wanted to as well. I'm planning on cutting mine up so it takes up a lot less space, which is at a premium in the new shop. If anybody wants to get some ideas of what to do with these little powerhouse motors, the motorcycle engineer Tony Foale has some pretty good youtube vids on them and ways to modify them to do various jobs you might want to do.

Yeah, I really like my rig, and incidentally, I found it just like you mentioned; set out by the curb for trash pickup. If I happen to score another one, I'll probably make a conventional mill out of it for the same reason you said; space.

Vettepilot

[Vettepilot]

Accidental double post deleted.

[DoubleBuck]

mmb617;
That annealing machine is too cool!

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I ordered some willow charcoal off Ebay, have to trust that is what it is. Was very light in weight and pretty sooty/greasy. Have any of you heard of using aspen for charcoal? It is soft and fast growing and it is widespread in these parts. Just don't want to go through the trouble of making it if it will not be ideal.

[mmb617]

Look into robotics motors. They seem to use high torque/low speed motors a lot. Again, there's the question of continuous duty being ok or not. Most all motors of any reasonable power rated for continuous duty have built in fans, for one thing.

Robotics is the market served by the vendor I'm considering to source my motor. It's where I bought the motors for my annealing machine and they work great, although they only have to run 15 minutes or so at a time. Whether the motor I'm looking at for my tumbler project could handle the extended run time is unknown. I'm pretty sure it would be strong enough to turn the drum, but whether it could do that for 8 hours is a question. I'll see if I can contact the vendor for an answer.

mmb617;
That annealing machine is too cool!

Building that was a fun project and one of the reasons I'm considering this tumbler project. My tumblers are currently working and I'm satisfied with the powder I'm making. But this time of year I don't get out to the range nearly as much since I am not at all a fan of cold weather. So I get bored and look for interesting things to do.

I don't want to sacrifice one of my tumblers but I think I can try this without ruining the ability to put the tumbler back in it's original configuration if it doesn't work out.

[DoubleBuck]

Cosmic_Charlie;
I looked on a couple of sites that have made extensive charcoal tests, and they didn't have Aspen listed. But, Aspens are part of the Poplar family, and White Poplar made fast charcoal, for the tests they made, here: http://www.wichitabuggywhip.com/fire...oal_tests.html
I was surprised nobody (that I have read of) has tried Aspen. As light and fast burning as it is, and as little ash as it produces in burning, it would seem that it should make great charcoal, for our use. You might build a fire, and take a piece or two of the charcoal and test it for ash. If it is low ash content, give it a try. It would be interesting to see if it is good, or not. If you do try it, be sure and let us know how it tests for you. If you read over the link above, it lists about 80+ different woods which they have tested for burn rate, and lift (power). Bear in mind, they won't say much about cleanliness of burn, because they use powder for fireworks, and clean doesn't matter much.

[HamGunner]

Have any of you heard of using aspen for charcoal? It is soft and fast growing and it is widespread in these parts. Just don't want to go through the trouble of making it if it will not be ideal.

I would think that most any wood that is grown at the higher altitudes, grows fairly fast, and will burn well at those altitudes should make a fast burning charcoal. The ash content to be determined of course.

[HWooldridge]

I bought a single red cedar picket from one of the local box stores and it seemed to make good clean charcoal - but I haven't made any powder yet. Waiting for warmer weather.

[Vettepilot]

Red cedar works well, at least for me and I've read numerous good comments about it. Seems to me that I heard Aspen is good as well, but I can't swear to it.

I've got an annealer project started using the electrical induction method. One of these days I'll get back to it... I made my own power supply out of a microwave oven transformer I re-wound, combined with a bridge rectifier and capacitor, and I have the ZVS induction unit, cooling system parts, timers, relays, etc. Now to cobble it all together. Too many projects as always with me!

Vettepilot

[maillemaker]

One of the most nerve-wracking parts of making BP for me is pressing the pucks. I'm standing right next to a grenade shell full of black powder while I pump the jack.

I am considering replacing the manual 12 ton jack in my Harbor Freight press with a pneumatic jack. This would allow me to remotely operate the jack while pressing pucks.

My question is, how much pressure will the jack develop on air pressure alone? If you still have to "top it off" with hand cranking then it would defeat the purpose.

Anyone know?

[LAGS]

Hmmm,
If the powder is damp while pressing , I don't think it is ignitable.
Take a fresh pressed puck and break it into a few small pieces.
Then watch how long it takes to get it to burn , let alone Explode.

[DoubleBuck]

maillemaker;
My son has an air/hydraulic 20 ton jack, from HF, that he built a table press in his shop with. We rebuilt nearly the whole front end of his 2004 Dodge 1 ton 4WD pickup, two weeks ago, and used that press several times, in the process. We played with it at one point and it will bend a 1/2" plate 2" wide, with the press of a button, and do it right now. I'd say the air will max the jack out. If you put a gauge on it, you should be able to regulate your air, to just what you need to press pucks properly. Or very close, at least. I'm not pushing the 20 ton jack. That just happens to be the one he bought. Your 12 ton should do the job, with lots of power to spare.
I just asked my son and he said absolutely, the air will max out the jack. He said all the air mechanism does is replicate you stroking the handle.

[ChrisPer]

I did a poof test last night, on my new batch as dry meal. Now I need to go poof test the dampened meal too.

I dont know about your moisture content but my powder has 3-6% H2O while being pucked, and that is still ignitable. The airborne dust is the most ignitable part of meal powder, gets into worrying spaces eg vents of motors, but 3-6% well mixed will entirely suppress that dust.

[DoubleBuck]

Someone else a few pages back said damp pressed pucks were surprisingly volatile.

[Whiterabbit]

One of the most nerve-wracking parts of making BP for me is pressing the pucks. I'm standing right next to a grenade shell full of black powder while I pump the jack.

I am considering replacing the manual 12 ton jack in my Harbor Freight press with a pneumatic jack. This would allow me to remotely operate the jack while pressing pucks.

My question is, how much pressure will the jack develop on air pressure alone? If you still have to "top it off" with hand cranking then it would defeat the purpose.

Anyone know?

I don't BUT

I do have the HF H-press and I replaced the 20 ton jack with a 20 ton pneumatic jack. I put the handle right next to the press, but there's no reason I wouldn't be able to run an airhose and press from a safe distance.

I do NOT need to top off by hand.

[maillemaker]

My son has an air/hydraulic 20 ton jack, from HF, that he built a table press in his shop with. We rebuilt nearly the whole front end of his 2004 Dodge 1 ton 4WD pickup, two weeks ago, and used that press several times, in the process. We played with it at one point and it will bend a 1/2" plate 2" wide, with the press of a button, and do it right now. I'd say the air will max the jack out. If you put a gauge on it, you should be able to regulate your air, to just what you need to press pucks properly. Or very close, at least. I'm not pushing the 20 ton jack. That just happens to be the one he bought. Your 12 ton should do the job, with lots of power to spare.
I just asked my son and he said absolutely, the air will max out the jack. He said all the air mechanism does is replicate you stroking the handle.

Fantastic! Thanks, DoubleBuck! That is exactly my plan - my hope is that by controlling the PSI input I can consistently press the pucks. Should be able to set the PSI, align the ram, and press a button.

And better yet, I can remotely operate the press!

I dont know about your moisture content but my powder has 3-6% H2O while being pucked, and that is still ignitable. The airborne dust is the most ignitable part of meal powder, gets into worrying spaces eg vents of motors, but 3-6% well mixed will entirely suppress that dust.

I found both dried pucks and damp green meal to be surprisingly vigorous when they burn. I don't think I tried still-damp pucks.

I agree that when you get the meal damp it stops making dust, but the first few mixes with a spatula still produces dust. I do everything outdoors now.

[maillemaker]

I don't BUT

I do have the HF H-press and I replaced the 20 ton jack with a 20 ton pneumatic jack. I put the handle right next to the press, but there's no reason I wouldn't be able to run an airhose and press from a safe distance.

I do NOT need to top off by hand.

Great news, thanks!

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Cosmic_Charlie;
I looked on a couple of sites that have made extensive charcoal tests, and they didn't have Aspen listed. But, Aspens are part of the Poplar family, and White Poplar made fast charcoal, for the tests they made, here: http://www.wichitabuggywhip.com/fire...oal_tests.html
I was surprised nobody (that I have read of) has tried Aspen. As light and fast burning as it is, and as little ash as it produces in burning, it would seem that it should make great charcoal, for our use. You might build a fire, and take a piece or two of the charcoal and test it for ash. If it is low ash content, give it a try. It would be interesting to see if it is good, or not. If you do try it, be sure and let us know how it tests for you. If you read over the link above, it lists about 80+ different woods which they have tested for burn rate, and lift (power). Bear in mind, they won't say much about cleanliness of burn, because they use powder for fireworks, and clean doesn't matter much.

They log it for paper around these parts and it grows back thick. Long and straight with few side branches ( easy to peel). Whole big stands right by the road, 2-3" Thick.

[Vettepilot]

Pressing pucks doesn't bother me a bit. Busting them up is what makes me a bit nervous.

Vettepilot

[LAGS]

That I can agree with.
The dry pucks make some dust and pressure to break them up.