Black Powder Problems

3rddegree · #1 (**permalink**) 09-22-2007, 02:03 AM

I just want to start off saying that i know black powder is slower and weaker than Flash Powder... but i cant get any aluminium powder in NZ... and it takes ages to make a small quantity of it...

anyway, I've got my Charcoal, KNO3 and Flowers of Sulphur and I've made a small batch of meal Black Powder (100g). One problem is that i dont have a ball mill so I'm using a pestle and mortar to grind everything up. Also we cant get any type of fuse in NZ and homemade ones dont like being in small places with limited oxygen...so trying to compress BP into a casing and having it ignite is difficult if not impossible at the moment. So basicly what I am asking, is how can I ignite my BP when its inside a casing?

PS: I may have the tools required to make an electrical ignitor...

Vallen · #2 (**permalink**) 09-22-2007, 03:23 AM

Blackmatch fuse.

3rddegree · #3 (**permalink**) 09-22-2007, 03:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vallen

Blackmatch fuse.

Can you use a binder other than dextrin? ....can make it though.. Is corn starch the same as corn flour?

TuRps_NZ · #4 (**permalink**) 09-22-2007, 04:12 AM

I also live in New Zealand, when it's Guy Fawkes time (not too far away) I just buy a few packs of those skinny 20 shots. I cut the side open and get all the stars and lifting powder out then take out the fuse, it's about 30cm long and is perfect for using. It will burn underwater 90% of the time but sometimes it can go out. When taking it out be sure not to make any folds or kinks in it as it can sometimes stop burning

3rddegree · #5 (**permalink**) 09-22-2007, 04:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TuRps_NZ

I also live in New Zealand, when it's Guy Fawkes time (not too far away) I just buy a few packs of those skinny 20 shots. I cut the side open and get all the stars and lifting powder out then take out the fuse, it's about 30cm long and is perfect for using. It will burn underwater 90% of the time but sometimes it can go out. When taking it out be sure not to make any folds or kinks in it as it can sometimes stop burning

yeah my friend does that and then uses all the flash powder and stars to make a bamboo bomb. prett cool.

EDIT: Also I have noticed my meal powder burns no where near as quick as the vids on youtube etc. Is this because they have corned their BP?

nzmilitia · #6 (**permalink**) 09-24-2007, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3rddegree

I just want to start off saying that i know black powder is slower and weaker than Flash Powder... but i cant get any aluminium powder in NZ... and it takes ages to make a small quantity of it...

anyway, I've got my Charcoal, KNO3 and Flowers of Sulphur and I've made a small batch of meal Black Powder (100g). One problem is that i dont have a ball mill so I'm using a pestle and mortar to grind everything up. Also we cant get any type of fuse in NZ and homemade ones dont like being in small places with limited oxygen...so trying to compress BP into a casing and having it ignite is difficult if not impossible at the moment. So basicly what I am asking, is how can I ignite my BP when its inside a casing?

PS: I may have the tools required to make an electrical ignitor...

hey im from New zealand also
all of the above things u mentioned can be got all year round
without any questions asked i will pm u some
names and numbers of centain stores
to get fuses elecrtric fuses al dust n all sorts of goodies
i have used these places for years and never had any probs

3rddegree · #7 (**permalink**) 09-25-2007, 12:27 AM

Cheers for all the help so far nzmilitia... also should I corn my black powder? Or should meal powder still be powerful enough?

3rddegree · #8 (**permalink**) 09-25-2007, 07:23 AM

also i tried making Blackmatch.... mine sucked ass :cry:

nzmilitia · #9 (**permalink**) 09-27-2007, 02:09 AM

sweet as its good to see more kiwis on here
when i make black powder i just grind up everything 1 by 1 then sift
them all then weigh out 75 grams kn03 or kcl03 to 15ggrams charcoal and 10 sulfur then mix all real good then wet with isopropyl alcohole just enough to
make all pastey (cause if you add to mutch all the kn03 dissolves and
then recrystalises when dried leaving you with big crystals that have to be
crushed again) dry all this then grind up and sift again then your ready

3rddegree · #10 (**permalink**) 09-27-2007, 03:18 AM

yeah I just ordered 5m of Fuse from Aerospace... will be getting it on Saturday

I will corn my BP too. I hear that you can use water instead of isopropyl alcohol... it just takes longer to dry?

3rddegree · #11 (**permalink**) 09-27-2007, 08:10 AM

Ok well ive corned my meal powder through some fine mesh and let it dry... got nice small fine granuals... I tested a small amount (really small) but it still burns too slow. Ive uploaded a vid to youtube of it so if you can...please watch it

Code:

http://www.youtube.com/v/d0n_2CjRAhQ

TuRps_NZ · #12 (**permalink**) 09-27-2007, 09:42 AM

How much did the fuse cost you per meter? As the site only says under $20.

3rddegree · #13 (**permalink**) 09-27-2007, 09:53 AM

its $5 for cannon fuse p/meter and $4.50 for Safety fuse which is thicker

jrly · #14 (**permalink**) 09-28-2007, 08:25 PM

Where can I get aluminum powder besides the Internet, I don't want to leave a trail. If I take a aluminum can and grind it on a grinder, then take the shavings and put them in a ball mill, or something like. Would that make fine aluminum powder?

3rddegree · #15 (**permalink**) 09-28-2007, 09:24 PM

apparently Aluminium foil in a ball mill works. Aluminium Powder is legal in the US anyway. Just buy the flake from Skylighter and mill it....

ATSACIN · #16 (**permalink**) 09-29-2007, 11:59 AM

I made some (I think) Flash powder with kn03 aluminum powder and sulfur (the quantitys are the same as BP by volume) and I get this, what can you all tell me about the quality? it burns as fast as BP, but I never made FP so what can you tell me from your experienced? Here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnxfbZfAebY . Thanks.

nzmilitia · #17 (**permalink**) 10-02-2007, 02:43 AM

is your kno3 from stump rotter or fertillizer?
cause if it is , it will be coated in shit u need to dissolve
it in water to make a saturated soultion , filter and place in fridge so crystals will grow over couple nights.
pour off water and dry crystals and try your bp again
and also use a set of scales to weigh it out makes big difference

3rddegree · #18 (**permalink**) 10-02-2007, 02:49 AM

me? my KNO3 is Stump Rot

nzmilitia · #19 (**permalink**) 10-02-2007, 03:03 AM

That b why it burning slow den

the stump rotter is coated in shit

3rddegree · #20 (**permalink**) 10-02-2007, 05:05 AM

Im going to go to Bunnings and buy some supplies to build a Ball Mill... also I can get KNO3 from Pacific Growers (i think) for like $3 per kg.... I think that stuff will be pretty pure

TuRps_NZ · #21 (**permalink**) 10-02-2007, 05:41 AM

If your buying KNO3 from there, buy it in bulk (25kg) as it works out cheaper. I'm also building a ball mill, I have the motor (out of and old washing machine) but I just need some vee belt pulleys and a suitable sized jar, then the frame is easy enough to do your self.

3rddegree · #22 (**permalink**) 10-02-2007, 05:53 AM

I am going to use an electric mixer (bonus is the speed control) and then attact a rubber wrapped rod as the roller... I most likely will use a PVC pipe container ( just a piece of downpipe with end caps

nzmilitia · #23 (**permalink**) 10-03-2007, 03:52 AM

Even theres needs to be re crystalised as its fert grade
and has calcium coating same as there Ammonium Nitrate

3rddegree · #24 (**permalink**) 10-03-2007, 04:11 AM

Went to Bunnings this morning... picked up a couple of pvc end caps, some glue and a masonry anchor bolt (2 foot long 5/16" diameter)... local woolies didnt have anymore cheap mixers

jrly · #25 (**permalink**) 10-07-2007, 08:39 PM

Does anyone know if aluminum foil is pure aluminum or if it is usually aluminum oxide? Cause my chem teacher said that some metals are really coated with the oxide form of metal. And I figured if I was going to use aluminum foil for something that would make a big difference.

Maestro · #26 (**permalink**) 10-07-2007, 09:43 PM

Aluminum is always oxidized on the outside layers, it's like copper in that it forms a protective layer over the rest of the Aluminum. If you intend to use if for thermite it's gonna be one helluva time getting it to a usable consistency for that. I heard you can get aluminum powder at hardware stores and fine arts shops, however. Since you live in the US it's not a problem to get 98% of the chemicals you need for dangerous explosives.
Try not to get yourself killed with this stuff, this is a good example of what it's capable of doing.

Jago · #27 (**permalink**) 10-08-2007, 07:00 AM

mm i thought this was a thread for black powder problems?

jrly · #28 (**permalink**) 10-22-2007, 02:25 AM

Does anyone know if this works for black powder, seems kinda stupid to me, but I'm not sure.

Quote:

Materials:
-3 Cups granulated potassium nitrate
-2 Cups powdered charcoal
-1/2 Cup sulfur
-3 Pints Rubbing Alcohol
-3 Cups Water
1. Place the alcohol in a 2 Gallon bucket
2. Place Potassium Nitrate, Charcoal, and Sulfur in a heat resistant 2
gallon bucket. Add 1 cup of water and mix very thoroughly until all
of the ingredients are dissolved.
3. Add two more cups of water then place the bucket over an open fire
and stir until you see small bubbles forming.
4. Remove the bucket from the fire and pour it's contents into the
alcohol bucket.
5. Let the mixture set for about 5 minutes. Strain the liquid through a
thick cloth, then squeeze in such a way that the powder left on it is
formed into a good sized clump.
6. Place some screening over a dry bucket, and rub the clump of powder
over it.
7. Pour the powder from the bucket over some sun-stricken cement to dry
Remove from sun as soon as dry.

Also does anyone have any brand names to get sulphur for, I haven't been able to find it in stores, only online.

Vallen · #29 (**permalink**) 10-22-2007, 03:37 AM

High yeld dusting sulfur in garding stores. Ask them about keeping away mites if you can't find it or say the name or the stuff and say a friend told you it was good. Of you just ask for sulfur they prob won't sell to you.

3rddegree · #30 (**permalink**) 10-26-2007, 11:14 PM

my homemade ball mill... been running for about an hour now... how long should I let it run for?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ypny6ZVzJnY