My homemade black powder

[almar]

ChrisPer: Yep, sounds about right...the propane system I was running before was very difficult to control and I was watching it like a hawk too. The temperature variation is a problem too, if it comes only from one direction the charcoal near there will overcook. Which is why the temperature in the kiln I use comes from all around. In the kiln there is a gallon can and centered in that can that's where I have the small paint can that contains the charcoal.

I raise the inner cylinder (small can) off the bottom with a folded shelf made of sturdy screen. This way the hot air circulates all around the inner cylinder evenly. Another important factor is thermocouple placement, if the thermocouple is in the center of the inner cylinder, the heat will rise above the target temperature on the outer edges before it rises to target in the center. However, if you place the thermocouple on the side, near the metal of the inner can and inside the inner can, you will regulate the temperature as it enters. With time, the temperature will even out and cook everything at the same temperature. Hope this helps.

[almar]

Vette, its funny you mention that, the last batch I milled clumped towards the opening so that led me to believe that my mill was not leveled but it had not sunk in until you wrote that. It makes so much sense, if you take powder with different sized grains and stir in it a container, the big grains will rise to the top and the small stay on the bottom. The ""big grains" in the mill is the media and they just pound the fine powder into a clump when they are on top of it and not mixed with it. Big one. Thanks.

[DoubleBuck]

ChrisPer;
What a cool rifle! It's even more cool, that you can make your powder and primers for it. I bet that is a blast to shoot. No pun intended.

[ChrisPer]

Indeed DoubleBuck!! Its a while since I did the work shooting and loading it, and your question got me keen to put the hours in again.
I am making powder because I was indignant that we could not buy it; but I would like to put the effort into becoming a better shot, and making exotic things like wheellocks!

[ogre]

Was looking about grading and screens and etc., when I came on this page. It's a convenient link and some useful information for our craft.

http://embscomputerart.com/black-powder-sizes/

I suppose that it has some useful information. I nearly stopped reading it when the writer declared, in the first paragraph no less, that the letter 'G' stood for "granules." If the writer doesn't even know that the 'G' stands for "glazed" it makes me suspect the rest of the info.

Also the writer reproduced a chart which gives, "The actual size of the granules in commercial powder." It may be true for some brands of powder but certainly not for Swiss powder which granule size is determined in millimeters. Converting the millimeters to inches reveals the differences in granule size from that posted chart.

[Vettepilot]

Vette, its funny you mention that, the last batch I milled clumped towards the opening so that led me to believe that my mill was not leveled but it had not sunk in until you wrote that. It makes so much sense, if you take powder with different sized grains and stir in it a container, the big grains will rise to the top and the small stay on the bottom. The ""big grains" in the mill is the media and they just pound the fine powder into a clump when they are on top of it and not mixed with it. Big one. Thanks.

Well, when I thought of it and proved it true, I thought I better post it to maybe help someone out. It's not entirely intuitive, and someone struggling with clumping might not necessarily think of it.

You would think that media crashing around in there would hit everywhere eventually in a few rotations, and prevent clumping if your product is dry, but that's not necessarily true. If the whole works are not level, the media will stay tumbled towards one end, causing heavily clumped product on the other end.

Edit: And I didn't think of it immediately either. First I wasted 8 hours drying my powder, then milled again, got clumping again, got mad, then finally thought of the problem and tested it. Then I milled the batch another 12 hours to be sure it got done properly. That was a fair amount of time and frustration I wanted to save someone else!!

Vettepilot

[Vettepilot]

Drying is usually not a problem here in Satan's home, but because of my recent "clumping" experience, I threw together a drying rig I really like. An idea I've had for a while...

It's a couple of infrared heat lamp bulbs, and little computer fans. Now that I know it works after having tried it, I'll put it all together in a box. Could be another PID controlled affair.

One more tip. I make dessicant packs out of coffee filter baggies I tape together, and fill them with rice and bentonite clay. (Cheap kitty litter.) Work great!

Vettepilot

[DoubleBuck]

Drying is usually not a problem here in Satan's home, but because of my recent "clumping" experience, I threw together a drying rig I really like. An idea I've had for a while...

It's a couple of infrared heat lamp bulbs, and little computer fans. Now that I know it works after having tried it, I'll put it all together in a box. Could be another PID controlled affair.

One more tip. I make dessicant packs out of coffee filter baggies I tape together, and fill them with rice and bentonite clay. (Cheap kitty litter.) Work great!

Vettepilot

VP;
That's a great idea! I use something similar, which is Calcium Chloride prills. It is ice melt chemical for sidewalks and what is used in Tractor tires, for antifreeze fluid. I keep a couple of containers full in my gun safe and put some in a old sock, etc., in my ammo cans. It attracts moisture really good. I like the coffee filter idea.
I sent you a PM. Get ready to ship your pants.

[mmb617]

Monday I went to the range with my first batch of home made black powder. It sure was exciting on the first shot when I pulled the trigger and got a boom. I fired 20 shots all together and they all went off like they should. I started out using my powder for the main charge and commercial 4f in the pan but later switched to my powder in the pan also and it lit off every time.

Things went so well on Monday that I went back yesterday planning on some chrono work. Unfortunately it was real windy so I was having to time my shots for when the wind died down or else my sunshade would blow up and expose the photocells. It was early in the day and the sun was at a low angle so I was using my scrim cloth hanging over the side to shade the eyes. I only got three shots till a big gust blew the whole chrono and tripod over and I gave up. Those three shots were a little slower than what I had recorded earlier with commercial powder but not that much. This was very encouraging. I did stay and fire a dozen more shots without the chrono and they were firing just like they should.

I was having a lot of trouble with the flow of the powder but I think I have that corrected. I think the problem was that I had too many fines mixed in as I wasn't shaking my screen stack long enough or aggressively enough. I screened some more powder today making sure I shook all the fines out and then tested it by loading up my powder flask. Now I've got good flow so tomorrow will be another range day to check everything out.

I have more invested in equipment for startup than I had anticipated but isn't that how any new project goes?

I'm making my own charcoal, milling, pressing, grinding and screening the powder and having a blast doing it. So much so that I just got everything I need to cast my own round balls as well. I'm tired of being at the mercy of supply chains.

It's funny how almost the same thing happened a couple years ago when I started reloading ammo for my modern guns. Once I got started I enjoyed it so much I want nuts and loaded about 10k rounds of 9mm, .45acp and .223 right before the great ammo shortage hit. The shortage never affected me a bit as I still have thousands of rounds and supplies to make a lot more. I want to get to that situation with the muzzleloaders as well.

[SeaMonkey]

Mmb617,

That is the kind of report that we absolutely LOVE to read!

Proof positive of how easy it is to do it all and how satisfying it is to make something with your own hands which performs as well as, if not better, than that which is commercially available.

A resurgence of the Old American Spirit where when we couldn't buy it we made it.

I get a feeling that many more gunners who are on the fence will be following your example!

[ChrisPer]

mmb617, well done!
I crushed and ground my charcoal batch last night until it all sieved through the 60 mesh. One chunk was still woody enough to choke the blade mill. Also the charcoal sticks had a strong brown silk sheen as I opened the pot and pulled out more sticks. That means its not as overcooked as I feared!

You need to be careful with those calcium chloride dessicants, because they dont stop. In the bottom of the gun-safe unattended, over a few weeks they can overflow the container with salty soup, and REALLY harm everything.

[Vettepilot]

Great news mmb617! Congrats!!

Hey all, this link will make ya a believer in getting your ball mill speed dialed in. Very interesting! Be sure to watch the video.

https://www.911metallurgist.com/blog...critical-speed

I'm loving the infinite rpm adjustability of my "Tread mill/ball mill", especially since I have several mill jars in varying diameters!!

Vettepilot

[DoubleBuck]

Chrisper;
10-4 on the Calcium Chloride attracting water. I dump mine regularly and refill them. They have not ever ran over, but they collect an amazing amount of water. And my rifles seem to be doing really good in there.

[DoubleBuck]

MMB617;
Congratulations on the great report! No doubt that all of it can be addicting, for sure. Keep us updated on the progress! It looks like you are definitely on your way!!!

[almar]

I recently wondered if there was a way to test if the powder is properly milled before stopping the milling process. This was due to the “pearls” or specs of potassium left after testing the burn on some of my batches. I accidentally came upon the answer yesterday in the Waltham abbey book on page 83.

This ties into mitigating the clumping problems you can have in your mill and like Vettepilot proved, the importance of keeping your mill jar leveled. I noticed these specs before in some batches of the milled powder and not in others. Moisture levels will affect this so it should be tested dry not dampened. Sure beats pressing, grinding and screening for nothing. It’s a handy little Quality control check I will add to my process going forward.

[Vettepilot]

I recently wondered if there was a way to test if the powder is properly milled before stopping the milling process. This was due to the “pearls” or specs of potassium left after testing the burn on some of my batches. I accidentally came upon the answer yesterday in the Waltham abbey book on page 83.

This ties into mitigating the clumping problems you can have in your mill and like Vettepilot proved, the importance of keeping your mill jar leveled. I noticed these specs before in some batches of the milled powder and not in others. Moisture levels will affect this so it should be tested dry not dampened. Sure beats pressing, grinding and screening for nothing. It’s a handy little Quality control check I will add to my process going forward.

Hmmm...

"....injured by damp..."
"This arises from a partial solution of the saltpeter haven taken place, causing a consequent disturbance of incorporation."

A quote from your quote of Waltham Abbey, where they speak of powder that has been "injured by damp". They insinuate that powder that has been damp has been ruined, basically.

Two concerns with this. One, we dampen our powder to granulate; when prepared that way. Are we damaging it?

Two, in the book "Never for the want of powder", it mentioned that the Rebel powder works often received damaged (damp) powder to re-process.

???

Now, if a powder got truly soaked, I might understand this, as the KNO3 could dissolve and leach, or be "washed" out. But that's not what they are saying. They are saying; "injured by damp", and "flash very badly, no matter how carefully it's incorporation may have been performed."

Lastly, I like their term "puff off". That's what I was trying to describe that I look for when I do sample burn tests. ;~)

Comments regarding damaged or "injured" powder, resulting from having been damp?

Vettepilot

[arch408]

Don’t knock it guys! If we ever come to a time when we can’t buy powder any more, you might want to be able manufacture your own black powder

[Vettepilot]

Man! I wish I lived in the country, as I did for much of my life. It would be so great to just walk outside and pop off some shots for testing, like I used to do!

Anyway, I'm preparing various powders to go out somewhere and chrono test when I can...

Vettepilot

[almar]

I could never ever live in a city again. I would rather live in a cave than a city or even burbs. I understand that sometimes you have no choice but personally i just could not. If you would pay me millions i still would refuse and i mean it.

[Vettepilot]

To Arch408, and, as regards the Goex plant shutting down. I have a worry about that. It seems like everyone here is very conscientious and careful. I don't recall of a single accident throughout this huge thread. At least none reported that I know about.

Now if powder keeps getting harder and harder to find/buy, many more people are going to start trying making homemade powder. When every "Tom, Dick, & Harry" is doing it, there's that much more chance for accidents.

And god forbid!! The government considers it a big part of it's "charter" to "protect us from ourselves". When accidents start happening, the government WILL get involved, and it won't be pretty!! And it will all be done in the name of "Safety", and "Stopping Terrorists" to make it nice and palatable.

I would suggest it wise to not convince your neighbor to join our activities. Indeed, don't even tell him what you're doing!

Vettepilot