My homemade black powder

[Fly]

I thought I posted a reply but maybe hit the wrong button.I hate computers.Anyway Black powder
takes over 600 degrees to light.But we all must be safe first.Move it in the shade just because I can't
answer that.

But a large ball mill is no more of a danger as a small one.Just makes a bigger boom .No just kidding,
I take this VERY serious, but it is HEAT & SPARKS that set it off.Do everything you can to keep those
two elements away & I see no problem.I have made BP for many years.

But anyone that doe's not feel safe, just don't mess with it.We shoot it every day, with out much worry.
Making it using every precaution, I feel is no differant then shooting it.Just my oppion!

Fly

[SchuetzenMiester]

Here is a link to the Mad Monk's (aka, Bill Knight) BP data. Too bad that is all that is left on the web from him that turned up in a Goggle search. http://www.laflinandrand.com/page3.htm

[Hotfxr]

I had a little graphic reminder to always be vigilant and never be complacent when it comes to safety when working with BP. Now I have worked around dangerous tools and jobs my entire life, not to mention flying aerobatics in a small tail dragger and skydiving, plus competitive and tactical shooting, so safety is always my first concern. My friends actually complain because I spend so much time making sure that everything is safe before we start whatever activity we are doing. All it takes is a moment with your eye off the ball for things to go wrong and this is my story. I had about 6oz's of screened BP drying in the sun this weekend. I dry it on a paper plate in the middle of a cleared graveled parking area at my house. There is nothing combustable in a 40 ft radius so I consider it safe. I had welded up a broken tool and took it outside to grind it down with a small angle grinder, completely forgetting about the BP that was drying outside. Well I guess it was dry enough. The plate was about 15 ft from where I was grinding. As I started, I suddenly remembered about the BP and as I looked at it, a stream of sparks passed close to it and I watched as one lone spark hit the pile and whoosh, a nice little mushroom cloud rose up. I thank the pyro-technic gods for this benign little reminder to never relax and ALWAYS pay attention around powder. I am embarrassed about this slip up, but I felt it was important to post a little reminder of how dangerous this hobby can be. I was lucky this time and I hope that there will never be a next time. Many thanks again to the members of this forum for the advice and help that you all so kindly give.

[Fly]

Man I hate to admitt this, for it would be fun to call you DUM A$$,!But I did close to the same.I had some in a open
container when I was welding.I kind of saw a flash & then a lot of smoke.Geeeezzzzzzzz!Not smart, but one thing about
BP.It only goes Boom when contained.

I'm not saying what we did was smart, it was dumb a$$.But I would have never amitted this but I had too with your post buddy.

Fly

[Freightman]

Our brain slip a gear every once in awhile!
Granddaughter was out in the shop so I set off some BP in a little pile for her, she is 22 so not a child. She had a blast she came in and ask her Nanny "do you know what goes on in the shop?" Nanny said I quite paying attention to Poppa a long time ago! so I know where I stand.

[Fly]

Guy's we make fun of this, but we know for sure, it is not smart.BP is as safe as you make it.Keep away from sparks & heat
& I think you will be fine.We all know safety first, PLEASE!

Fly

[Fredx10sen]

Doe's it burn fairly clean?I know one thing about mulberry, it's makes a great wood for smoking rib's & such.If you have not tryed cooking
with it, please do.
Fly

It seems to burn clean and yes I have used it for smoking some chicken. Mmmmm turned out great. I had thrown a bunch of the branches into the back of a small flatbed I don't use, to dry out. The mulberry was at least 1-1/2 years old and I didn't need to debark it. Used new paint cans as a retort with a small hole in the top. It spewed a lot of gas like a blow torch. Was very loud from 3 cans. Had the cans in a washtub burner that I also use as a BBQ some times. Anyway it has worked out very well and I am pleased with the results.

[Fly]

Thats great.I had a bunch of it back a few years ago & never thought to try it.But I did use the heck out
of it in my smoker.If I come up with some more I will try it.You do know silver maple makes a great charcoal
for BP also.

It burns about like black willow & pretty clean.Thanks for the info.
Fly

[Hotfxr]

Not one of my brightest moments to be sure. Well actually it was kind of bright, and hot, and smokey. And I must add this, it did not burn, it went poof! I may get the bonehead of the year award, but I will at least get it in the fastest burning powder category. I have the weight within 8% of Goex and the granules hold their size without reverting to powder. Needless to say, unless I am actually working with the BP, it is always stored in the old fireproof paint locker away from any chance of anything causing a repeat performance.

Man I hate to admitt this, for it would be fun to call you DUM A$$,!But I did close to the same.I had some in a open
container when I was welding.I kind of saw a flash & then a lot of smoke.Geeeezzzzzzzz!Not smart, but one thing about
BP.It only goes Boom when contained.

I'm not saying what we did was smart, it was dumb a$$.But I would have never amitted this but I had too with your post buddy.

Fly

[mold maker]

The HF 20 ton press is on a coupon sale now for $149.99. That's $100. off the usual $249.99. Price is good through 4/30/13.

[oldred]

The HF 20 ton press is on a coupon sale now for $149.99. That's $100. off the usual $249.99. Price is good through 4/30/13.

I have that press and have used it for going on 5 years now and I can state without reservation that it is an absolute steal! I max mine out regularly working on tractor parts so this thing is not just a shop ornament, it gets used and sometimes abused but it has never given me reason to complain. Nothing has bent and the jack does not leak, I don't know how they can sell this stuff so cheap.

[Eagle66]

As I was making up a batch the other day, a random thought popped up. With a pound of Spectracide stump remover, I get nearly a pound of black powder. Hmmm. After all that work, the end result is a pound of what would still be a pretty effective stump remover, but it would be a lot more exciting to watch. Or I could have some fun throwing lead downrange from my favorite smokepole.

Talk about your multitasking.

[Whizzer]

I hate to post to a thread I haven't read completely, especially an EPOCH tome like this sucker! I am currently at page 31. But I spoke to Boz330 on the phone today, and he assured me this information wasn't previously posted here.

I post to the APC forum to which I will refer, but I don't post often, since I feel I have so little to contribute of value. But after researching and making my own charcoal for my BP, I have set one of these retorts up.

Mine is a little different than the video in that the reducer is a 6 X 3 and so far, I've only drilled 1/4 inch holes for breathing in my gallon can. But this can just as easily be done with a FIVE gallon retort, which can make a LOT of charcoal, all of very consistent nature since it is all done in one batch. Excellent Charcoal seems to be a primary key to good BP.

Scroll down to the video on post 17 and you can watch it work. (I don't know if you have to be a member to see the video, but I don't believe so. I sure hope posting this is kosher to our forum here.)

http://www.amateurpyro.com/forums/to...al-from-cedar/

TLUD is short for Top Lit Up Draft and the web is replete with different versions, most of which are not intended for pyro charcoal.

You can affix a vertical strip of masking tape to the side of the can, and watch the discoloration progress downward through the charcoal as the cook progresses. Heat discolors light colored masking tape. Stopping a bit early preserves some of the volatiles and it takes a while to do a "shut down". Sitting the finished retort on a bed of sand will aid in closing off the oxygen. I am going to try a sheet of magnetic sheeting for vehicle magnets on the bottom next time, to seal the air off. It is pretty hot and may ruin the sheeting, but I'll report back if so. We occasionally use that material in our business and have some around all the time.

Stan.

<edit: I just finished the last few pages of this thread and Boz330 was right: no previous mention of TLUD retorts...in this thread at least.>

[Eagle66]

Well, I finished making my Tree of Heaven powder by Atom73's method. After it dried, I sifted it through a window screen, about 16 mesh and tested the coarse stuff. To test the speed, I built the tester on http://www.brianredmond.net/dwilliam.../bptester.html It burned at a rate of 0.92 meters/sec. I don't have any commercial powder to compare it to, so I don't know how good that is. Also, it seems to burn pretty clean, going by the residue in my tester. Again, I'll have to wait until I get some commercial stuff for a proper comparison. When I get some, I'll run a test of that & get back to you.

[Boz330]

I made some charcoal from tree of heaven but haven't had time to make any powder with it yet. I'd be interested in your ultimate results.

Bob

[Fly]

Now that seems like a lot of work, but is really cool.Why not just test it with a crono?

Fly

[Eagle66]

Now that seems like a lot of work, but is really cool.Why not just test it with a crono?

Fly

A Lot of work? Maybe, but my time clock's busted and I'm having fun. I can't figure out how you would test powder burn speed with a chrono. Sounds interesting.

[Boz330]

A Lot of work? Maybe, but my time clock's busted and I'm having fun. I can't figure out how you would test powder burn speed with a chrono. Sounds interesting.

If you are going to use your powder for fireworks the burn speed might be relevant. For shooting the chrono should give you the info for that pursuit. There are several ways to judge the powder potential beside burn speed, hang time from a mortar or a pendulum come to mind along with burn speed. But Chronographs are easily available and for shooting, IMHO, give you much more information in one package.

Bob

[Eagle66]

But Chronographs are easily available and for shooting, IMHO, give you much more information in one package.

Bob

Bob, I agree that chrono testing of powder loads is the best way to compare performance. I don't do fireworks (yet) but I wanted a simple way to get relative checks on various types of powder compositions. I'd love to use a chrono for testing in the real world of powder & lead, but two things hold me back: 1)The cost of a chrono. 2)Lack of a place to shoot BP. The indoor range I am a member of won't allow BP, and since the nearest outdoor range is a half an hour away and over a hundred bucks a year, (about $200 to start) that rules that out. So, any tests I do have to be simple, repeatable, and cheap.

On a related note, today I found a Black Willow tree by a creek a few miles from my house. When I got home, I found that somehow a couple of green branches and a few dead hanging branched ended up in the trunk of my car. I peeled, cut, and cooked the green branches into coal, and will ball mill it tomorrow and make a batch of powder. I would like to use the dead branches as well, but peeling them is a big PITA. I could cook them bark & all, and use it with the green stuff, but I'm worried about messing up the performance of the powder. Comments?

[Fly]

Be sure to debark them.No as I said I truly think that a neat device you made.But I have a $70 chrono
that I use.Most people think fast powder is more power.I have heard that's not always the case.

I'm indeed no exspert, so I can't comment for sure, just what one of my pyro friends told me.Some guy's
test with a home made mortar.I have done the same.I buried a pipe in the ground.Measured a given amount
of powder.

Then I shot base balls streight up & timed them from time of ignition to the time they hit the ground with
a stop watch.The higher they go up the longer the time is.

The army did something like this in the 1800,s but not with base balls (wink).

Fly