BP making components from the BP making thread

[LynC2]

What are people using for a ball mill to combine the sulfur and charcoal with? Would a rubber drum rock tumbler work?

I'm using a Model B Thumbler to make mine. I was using hard lead balls, but recently made up some lead filled .308 cases with the ends peened over to try.

[mmb617]

I'm using the rubber drum rock tumblers from Harbor Freight with .45 caliber FMJ bullets as the media.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Do any of you have a download of Ulrich Bretcher's recipe paper you would be willing to share?

[SeaMonkey]

Cosmic_Charlie,

Do you want a printed hard copy or a pdf file?

When looking at Bretscher's Recipe Page with your browser you should be able to "print" a copy from your browser.

When you click "File" at the top left of your browser window you should have an option like "Print Preview."

When you click "Print Preview" you should have an option to "Save as PDF File."

Enter a title for the file and select a location to save it to and you'll have it quickly.

If not, I can send you a copy of the file. Or all of them if you'd like.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Thanks SM, I got out the laptop and then the page works properly. Ulrich's wet grind method looks like an easy way to dip your toe in homemade.

[jim 44-40]

I was looking for small quantity of stump remover, that is potassium nitrate.Well it ain't Stump Out from Home depot or Lowes.That stuff is like teats on a Boar hog. Useless.Now I ordered 100% commercial grade Sulfur.Where is best place to get potassium nitrate? Are you guys certain it is cheaper to make your own blackpowder

[Nobade]

Try Duda Diesel.

[libilaw]

I get it from dudadiesel.com, best price and grade.

[HamGunner]

I was looking for small quantity of stump remover, that is potassium nitrate.Well it ain't Stump Out from Home depot or Lowes.That stuff is like teats on a Boar hog. Useless.Now I ordered 100% commercial grade Sulfur.Where is best place to get potassium nitrate? Are you guys certain it is cheaper to make your own blackpowder

YES, it is very much cheaper to make your own as long as you get the ingredients from the correct distributors. I think I calculated my homemade once as being somewhere around $5-$6/LB. finished, not counting my cheap labor, but even after considering shipping and using the finely milled products. It's even cheaper for the prilled if one wants to grind/screen to a fine powder.

Those prices are likely still close to that price now.

For some Technical Grade (99.8%) prilled KN03 , I paid about $4.75/LB including shipping for 10 LBs.. They also sell Technical Grade (99.5%) Sulfur.
https://www.dudadiesel.com/search.ph...ium+nitrate%22

For some Technical Grade (99.4% - 99.7%) milled KN03 at about double the above price at $4/LB. plus shipping. They also sell it finely milled to air grade for a much higher price and they sell Sulfur as well.
https://www.fireworkscookbook.com/pr...itrate-milled/

[2TM101]

I'm using a Model B Thumbler to make mine. I was using hard lead balls, but recently made up some lead filled .308 cases with the ends peened over to try.

You can make very effective media basically for free. Pick up .45ACP cases from the range. Take that scrap lead that's contaminated with Zinc (or else actually IS Zinc), melt it in a trash cooking pot and fill about 20 of them to about 1/8" from the top. You can leave the tops open, the lead won't come out. You now have brass media.