Moisture before ramming.

[Bourbon]

Questions for anyone who wants to touch on this.

 

I would like to try to add some moisture to my to BP before ramming. I've read in many areas that about 2% is about optimal for this. However, I would like to know if this will in turn affect my clay nozzle? I hear people having issues with just the moisture in the air affecting the nozzles when they go to shoot. Wouldn't the nozzles pick up moisture from the BP? Yet people seem to do this all the time.

 

Question 2: If I want to add a delay fuel, do I add the moisture to that too? Is there an efficient way of mixing more than one fuel?

 

Question 3: When done after adding moisture and ramming, is re-drying of left overs in order for proper storage?

 

Thanks people. I do appreciate.

[SKC]

I've not been here seriously for a long time. Thus is the delayed reply.

Ramming with moistened composition gives solid consolidation if arbour press is not intended to use.I'm not much informed about that "2%" but I spray water to BP to a certain wetness. The wetness is achieved if the BP clumps when gripped by hand but disintegrate with little pressure.

Moisture doesn't affect clay nozzle. At least never happened to me. Just dry it well under the Sun. For the delay part ram it more than the core you rammed. Or you may consider adding "2%" dextrine for a harder consolidation.

I didn't get the third part of your question, sorry.

[NeighborJ]

Don't look that deep into it for all 3 questions. 2% water will not swell a nozzle enough to cause problems unless your fuel is borderline too hot, if so then your problem is having fuel too hot.

#2 delay comps generally don't require the added moisture because it isn't that hard to keep a solid slug of delay comp from Catoing. I press them in dry without issue.

 

#3 after you press one motor and weigh it, you should have an idea of how much fuel is required to make the number of motors you plan to make. Only dampen a little more than you need and only keep a small ammount on your work surface at all times. Any remaining extra comp can be dumped back into your stored comp bin without concern of it's moisture content.

[justvisiting]

I use 2 1/2% water for 75-15-10 nozzleless and 3% for nozzled 60-30-10. I haven't had any nozzle issues. Sleeter suggests dropping a few shaving of wax onto the formed nozzle before ramming the first increment of damp propellant, to prevent migration of the moisture. I would think that the nozzle issue would have more likelihood of being a problem with end burners, since the hole is already so small.

I use the propellant for the delay generally, so it's damp too, in my case.

I've saved my damp propellant for a month in a sealed container, with no problems. Drying out leftovers all the way and re-moistening them later has worked fine for me also. There's a lot of latitude with BP rockets, luckily

[Bourbon]

I use 2 1/2% water for 75-15-10 nozzleless and 3% for nozzled 60-30-10. I haven't had any nozzle issues. Sleeter suggests dropping a few shaving of wax onto the formed nozzle before ramming the first increment of damp propellant, to prevent migration of the moisture. I would think that the nozzle issue would have more likelihood of being a problem with end burners, since the hole is already so small.

I use the propellant for the delay generally, so it's damp too, in my case.

I've saved my damp propellant for a month in a sealed container, with no problems. Drying out leftovers all the way and re-moistening them later has worked fine for me also. There's a lot of latitude with BP rockets, luckily

You actually helped me out with the reasoning behind all this a few months ago. I made this thread 5 months ago and it just got it's first reply yesterday lol. The reply's are very informative and will help the next on-looker. Thank you.