Richtee Posted July 26, 2023 Share Posted July 26, 2023 (edited) OK. Soooo.. I’m on a quest with BP. I was watching a video that really taught me nothing, but there was the mention of the sulfur being the binder. Under enough pressure it “plasticizes" Really? Just curious. On edit.. pressing a puck now with NO moisture at all. ‘Bout to bust it out. Hmmm Edited July 26, 2023 by Richtee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richtee Posted July 26, 2023 Author Share Posted July 26, 2023 Fail. Stuck so firm to my piston I had to chip it off. Hard as balls tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richtee Posted July 26, 2023 Author Share Posted July 26, 2023 No dry time. Fast too. 5 mins Out the press. dryBP.mp4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankRizzo Posted July 26, 2023 Share Posted July 26, 2023 We did a series of tests over on Passfire years ago that measured binding and reactivity with just ball-milled BP and no binder, but with adding various amounts of moisture. Adding between 2-3% of moisture was the sweet spot for granule hardness and density approaching commercial Goex (1.7g/cm). If I let my ball mill run for around 4hrs, I'll also often end up with a nicely consolidated chunk stuck to one end. I've simply granulated that before, and had good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richtee Posted July 26, 2023 Author Share Posted July 26, 2023 (edited) We did a series of tests over on Passfire years ago that measured binding and reactivity with just ball-milled BP and no binder, but with adding various amounts of moisture. Adding between 2-3% of moisture was the sweet spot for granule hardness and density approaching commercial Goex (1.7g/cm). If I let my ball mill run for around 4hrs, I'll also often end up with a nicely consolidated chunk stuck to one end. I've simply granulated that before, and had good luck.To quote Arte on “Laugh-in” Veeerry interestink!” I get that at the base of my jar too. I gotta beat it with a stick to empty. I could not get any data from that puck without using a Fourier Transform I figger, but the usual on the symmetrical pucks I get about 1.6 G/CM. I get 1.7 before they dry, tho Edited July 26, 2023 by Richtee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted July 27, 2023 Share Posted July 27, 2023 At Royal Gunpowder Mills, Waltham Abbey, ingredients were milled/incorporated, then placed between brass shim plates in stacks. The stack of shims and powder was then pressed. The shims could then be flexed to release the powder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkWhisperer Posted July 29, 2023 Share Posted July 29, 2023 I was watching a video that really taught me nothing, but there was the mention of the sulfur being the binder. Under enough pressure it “plasticizes" Really? Just curious.Sulfur is an odd ducky. Low melting point (240F/115C for our non-American colleagues) and if you melt it and dump it into cold water it turns into a rubber-like plastic amorphic substance. It's thought that sulfur can undergo plastic transformation to some extent during milling BP, for example, which allows it to flow better into/around charcoal pores and around KNO3 particles for increased chem incorporation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richtee Posted July 29, 2023 Author Share Posted July 29, 2023 Thanks Shark. Again... I’m pretty informal in chemistry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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