My homemade black powder

[1874Sharps]

I took out the 1859 Sharps yesterday with paper cartridges made from equal weights of homemade BP and Swiss 1 1/2 FG. The homemade BP shot at 980 fps and the Swiss BP shot at 1030 fps, or 50 fps faster. I figured the homemade stuff would be as energetic as Swiss, since that is what Musketeer reported on his website, but mine was not. It did not foul substantially more than the Swiss powder, though. Maybe the next and third batch will be even better as I gain experience.

[Fly]

Sharps thats not that much slower.You must remember Swiss powder is the fastest
that can be bought.The charcoal you use can make all the differance in the world.

I'm finding eastern cedar being the fastest so far, as to what I have tested.Plus the
only way to really tell is to average serveral shots, not just one.

No it sounds your powder is doing very well.
Fly

[Boz330]

I took out the 1859 Sharps yesterday with paper cartridges made from equal weights of homemade BP and Swiss 1 1/2 FG. The homemade BP shot at 980 fps and the Swiss BP shot at 1030 fps, or 50 fps faster. I figured the homemade stuff would be as energetic as Swiss, since that is what Musketeer reported on his website, but mine was not. It did not foul substantially more than the Swiss powder, though. Maybe the next and third batch will be even better as I gain experience.

I'm with Fly on this one. If you are getting close to Swiss with your homemade that is fantastic. Swiss is probably that much faster than any of the cheaper powders.
I got my sulfur in yesterday going for a ball mill this afternoon or tomorrow. I've got a bunch of 50 cal balls made for the mill. Found an old paint can for a retort, just need to decide on wood for the charcoal.
Fly, how much heartwood to sapwood are your raw sticks. I would think that the ratio could be a big variable in the charcoal? I have some Willow and Tree of Heaven on the farm and BTW know where to get some Palownia. Turns out there is a bunch near where I deer hunt just never knew what it was.

Bob

PS, This thread would be a good candidate for a Sticky, if a Mod is following it.

[Fly]

I knew you had some Palownia there some where.I wish I did.In fact I have a batch in
my ballmill right now.My buddy from Kentucky gave me last year & I have never tested it.

I don,t know what kind of ballmill your getting, but if it is a harbor freight fill it almost half
full of balls.I know that's alot but to mill it good that's what it will take.Then when you do load it leave about 1/4 or more of the the jar empty when ready to mill.

If you mill for six hours with that mill the mill powder will be like fine flour.That's what you want.Beleave me it makes a HUGE differance.

Fly, how much heartwood to sapwood are your raw sticks?Do worry to much about that.When
you turn it to coal it's all the same.Dry wood just takes a little longer to cook.Knock two 3/8
holes in the top of the lid & the steam will vent out.Keep it good & hot & i take a stick thats
on fire & check those vent hole evey now & then.

When those vent hole are catching fire from the flames of the stick your making coal.When
the vent whole gas quits burning it's done.Let it cool & make you some powder.

Boz keep us posted!
Fly

[Charlie Sometimes]

Same process as making char cloth.
My wood is really dry now.
I had some stuff I left the bark on and tried to peel it Saturday- very hard to remove bark now, but good whittling wood now.
You definitely want to remove any bark from it as soon as it is cut.

I couldn't start my batch- it hasn't quit raining enough to allow things to dry out so I can light the brush pile!
Maybe this weekend, who knows, but I am ready to get things cooking!

35 more days of this rainy weather, and it will break the old record.
I saw a fella with a big stick walking animals two-by-two up the holler this morning...................

[Boz330]

I knew you had some Palownia there some where.I wish I did.In fact I have a batch in
my ballmill right now.My buddy from Kentucky gave me last year & I have never tested it.

I don,t know what kind of ballmill your getting, but if it is a harbor freight fill it almost half
full of balls.I know that's alot but to mill it good that's what it will take.Then when you do load it leave about 1/4 or more of the the jar empty when ready to mill.

If you mill for six hours with that mill the mill powder will be like fine flour.That's what you want.Beleave me it makes a HUGE differance.

Fly, how much heartwood to sapwood are your raw sticks?Do worry to much about that.When
you turn it to coal it's all the same.Dry wood just takes a little longer to cook.Knock two 3/8
holes in the top of the lid & the steam will vent out.Keep it good & hot & i take a stick thats
on fire & check those vent hole evey now & then.

When those vent hole are catching fire from the flames of the stick your making coal.When
the vent whole gas quits burning it's done.Let it cool & make you some powder.

Boz keep us posted!
Fly

Fly,
A good friend has a couple wood lots and he said that he has Palownia in them,but doesn't want it there. The other stuff near my deer hunting place was planted back in the 80's and they were planing on selling it to Japan for chests or something. Apparently that was being pushed back then. By the time it was ready to sell the bottom fell out of the market so there is a big stand of them next to the road I drive in on. My friend that owned that farm (deer hunting place) told me about it back then but I didn't remember the name.
Thanks for the info, I am getting the Harbor Freight ball mill. We have a retail store in Louisville and it is reasonably convenient.

Bob

[Hanshi]

I would say you've really got the process down to an art/science. It is a tough learning curve for something so technical. You are to be congratulated for even attempting it much less realizing such success.

[Fly]

Thank's Hanshi that means alot.
Fly

[atom73]

I always use fresh green wood for making my charcoal. I think its interesting that Fly and I are getting similAR results using two different manufacturing processes. Also, I use mine in pressed 20gr pellets no loose powder.

[Boz330]

I would think that the solid pellets would act more like a solid fuel rocket, burning from the back to front going down the barrel. If you are getting similar results that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.
Out of curiosity have you ever just tried lighting one of the pellets to see what the burn rate would be compared to loose powder?

Bob

[Fly]

Atom that pellet idea sounds cool.Do you think a guy could just press a 60 gram puck
if thats what he shoots?, instead of using three 20 gram pucks.

I;m guessing you do the 20 gram pucks so you can very your charge up or down in the feild?

Fly

[atom73]

The pellets burn in a flash. I press them into a 45acp with the base cut off, then push them out to dry on parchment paper with a dowel. It makes right around 20 gr each and they drop in the barrel easy. Plus there is enough room around them for the fire to burn evenly in the chamber. Doesn't hurt to crush em with the rod either. I will post pics of the process next week, im outta town.

[Fly]

I would think that the solid pellets would act more like a solid fuel rocket, burning from the back to front going down the barrel. If you are getting similar results that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.
Out of curiosity have you ever just tried lighting one of the pellets to see what the burn rate would be compared to loose powder?

Bob

Boz no I think Atom is on to a great idea & hear is why.Me being a pyro fireworks
guy I make alot of rockets,black powder & other types.

We use to types of black powder rockets.Some with nozzles & some with out.
A nozzle bp rocket with a hot 75-15-10 mix will cato everytime "BLOW UP" & scare
the HE!! out of you.

To use BP in a nozzle rocket you have to cut back to about 60 to 65% kno3.
Now with a nozzle less bp rocket we just press it over the spindle with no
nozzle.

The bp it's self makes the nozzle & being it's not confinded it work's.
No I want to try atoms idea & run some chono test.I bet the speeds
are very close.

That would be a very neat idea to just drop those pellet down the muzzle
then messing with making up viles.
Fly

[Charlie Sometimes]

Well, I guess hell must have froze over.
Today was supposed to be the end of the world, ya know.

I finally got my apple wood charcoal made this evening!

Just got done burning the big brush pile I've had in the backyard since middle of last winter- burned real hot, and fairly fast, too.
Anyway, about half way through I tossed the gallon paint can full of apple wood on the coals that were beginning to form and that sucker started off-gassing almost immediately- had to use a long steel rod to punch a couple of more holes in the lid as it was whistling Dixie in the wrong key.

What started out as a full can packed fairly tight, smoked down to about 1/4 of the original volume, and is easily broken with finger pressure.
It looks like it will be a real fine charcoal and should grind up pretty good tomorrow.

I'm going to shovel up the wood ashes, and make some lye water with them.
Will either use that to make hominy or lye soap later on, but don't know which yet (been saving my bacon and sausage grease for use as flux, too).

[Boz330]

Well I got some Willow yesterday, not sure what kind it is. I got it in some wet areas next to the road. It might be Sand Bar Willow but couldn't tell from the bark since everything was pretty young and the bark was smooth. Leaves didn't match the description of Black Willow, but I'm going to try it anyway. I'm going to try and make the charcoal in my Brinkman smoker today. Don't have time right now to collect firewood and do it that way.

Bob

[Charlie Sometimes]

I put the charcoal in the ball mill today.
I'm using a small Thumbler's Tumblers, so I have to split the batch to get it all pulverized.
Put in 30 680 dia. RB and ran the first part for about 3 hours.
Man is that some fine flour now- looks more like soot!
Second batch is running now.

I will weigh what I have when it is done milling, but from the looks of things, it takes a lot of charcoal to make an actual pound of powder.

I've got a lot more respect for those old timers that made this stuff the hard way. Even more for you guys who have managed to get such good results with your endeavors!

[Longwood]

What west coast wood would you recommend?
Does the wood for the charcoal need to be green?

[atom73]

West coast soft wood could be cottonwood, I would stay away from pine cause of the pitch but maybe someone here will disagree. I use green wood cause that was recommended in a writeup I read. Make sure and strip the bark.

[Boz330]

I will weigh what I have when it is done milling, but from the looks of things, it takes a lot of charcoal to make an actual pound of powder.

I've got a lot more respect for those old timers that made this stuff the hard way. Even more for you guys who have managed to get such good results with your endeavors!

Ain't that the truth.

Bob

[zxcvbob]

What west coast wood would you recommend?
Does the wood for the charcoal need to be green?

Check your lumberyards for scraps of spruce, white pine, or white cedar, or redwood sapwood.

Has anyone tried bamboo charcoal?