My ailanthus burn went optimally. BTW: the idea of the roofing nail was cool, except the whole thing got a bit energetic at one point and sent the nail sky high.
I recovered a 1-gallon bag full of charcoal sticks from the can. Thanks all for the help.
Now to my next step. Here's where I'm a bit foggy. I was thinking of using a ceramic coffee grinder to granulate the sticks. Fine or course grind? Exactly how fine does it need to be for combining with the other ingredients in the ball mill?
Next question, just a confirmation really. The ingredient ratio is by weight, not volume, Right?
Ball mill question: What size balls? I know that's a personal question. However, I have 50 , 54, 69, and 735 round ball molds.
What ratio would y'all suggest for a) a first timer using the ricing method b) the final product will be burned in a Brown Bess musket?