Bobosan Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Lead media caused the grayish color. It shouldn't affect the BP other than the smoke will have trace amounts of airbourne lead. It's generally a good idea to avoid the smoke from any burning composition if possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AldoSPyro Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 So my bp/TT stars will be ok. But how do I clean my ball mill, it's full of kno3 dust caked to the walls? Is it safe to wash the mill drum with water, or will that effect later loads? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schroedinger Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 First get a wooden stick and pick out the big chunks (would be a shame to waste them, if you don't care about it then let em inside). Then get a bucket of water put the barrel inside. Next day nearly all kno3 should be dissolved, drain the water and give it a short wash to flhsh out all residues then let the drum dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AldoSPyro Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Thanks! What about the lead media, I assume it doesn't rust? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Lead does indeed "rust" but the layer is inconsequential to the chems being mixed or ground. It is also so thin that it does not allow underlying materials to corrode beneath it as steel 'rust' would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AldoSPyro Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 So i can wash lead media with water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrB Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Yes. Just dry it before using it with anything else. I tend to "clean" my media with kitty litter, need that ground up anyway, but thats not always an option.B! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Yes. Just dry it before using it with anything else. I tend to "clean" my media with kitty litter, need that ground up anyway, but thats not always an option.B! +1, don't wash if you dont have t. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercyfulfate Posted September 29, 2014 Share Posted September 29, 2014 (edited) I've found using 1/4 teaspoon of washing powder and half filling the mill drum with water then running for 1 or 2 hours does a great job of cleaning the drum and your media. Edited September 29, 2014 by mercyfulfate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blaster5337 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I was looking at a 15lb rock tumbler today "Thumbler's Model B Rock Tumbler" anyhow was curious about the octagon shape of it for our purposes of making BP. Can anyone comment to this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurritoBandito Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Blaster, the octagon shape functions similar to lift bars. The mill should be ran slightly slower than a round jar would be. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blaster5337 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Blaster, the octagon shape functions similar to lift bars. The mill should be ran slightly slower than a round jar would be. OK, so for the FNG's, i.e. me, how fast is that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted October 21, 2014 Author Share Posted October 21, 2014 I've often heard recommendations of around 40rpm for the octagon/hexagon jars. This is down from around 70ish for a similarly sized round jar. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainG Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Ok so if I buy the harbor freight 6# tumbler the best thing is to just run 1 canister correct? How many 50 cal balls shoul I order for that set up thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobosan Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 5lbs of .500 lead media balls is desired charge for one jar. Should be half full of media. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 It works out to around 200-250 .50 cal lead balls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainG Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Where would be a good place to get em I saw dags link to bps in another post but sold out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Where would be a good place to get em I saw dags link to bps in another post but sold out Caleb is the only one I know that is currently selling hardened lead balls Cap. https://squareup.com/market/WoodysCreations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebkessinger Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Yep, just made up the last of the lead I had on hand.... 18 hours sitting = 140 lb.s of nice hard balls. Whew.... re watching Justified! I have them on ebay also... I will find a faster way eventually, about tired of doing it already. I have made somewhere upwards of 800 lbs in the last month. yak!!!just printed a shipping label for some off ebay.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainG Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 (edited) Sorry but one more question before I order the lead from caleb. are those special ceramic ones comparable or how bout brass ones I know it said to cut your own out of brass rods but I see that being a pita without the proper saw. any links to something a little more environmentally friendly it looked like lead kinda leaks i assume the hardend ones are much better butif lead is what works the best then lead it is! Edited January 8, 2015 by captainG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
db5086 Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Capt. G, yes run only one drum. Also, go to tractor supply with the belt that came with your mill and replace it with an o-ring as close to the same size as possible. The belts that come with those mills have a very,very short life span. Trust me on this. The o-ring will last a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainG Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 (edited) Ok so I got my lead...thanks caleb!..milled my first bstch and itwas all caked to the bottom of the mill seems to burn pretty good but I have nothing to compare it to.noe I tried a second batch and it is clumped in balls a little bigger than the lead balls. Is this normal that needs to just be broke up or is it supposed to be all powder when you open it?edit opend 2nd batch all stuck to bottom but breaks up into fine powder?? Edited July 5, 2015 by captainG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 If the mill mpwder caked up it WAS damp. Charcoal will take up 20% of it's dry weight and pot nitrate will take up enough to block up if the surroundings are damp. Put the ingredients in a warm place for a few hours, then weigh out and mill. 1/ the mixture will be right because you didn't weigh water, 2/ it will mill properly to free flowing powder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainG Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 (edited) That's what I was afraid of ..high southern humidity I viewed another article where mumbles put it in the oven is that safe for the charcoal as well Is the powder I made ruined or can I maybe put some silca gel in it then re mill for a while Edited July 5, 2015 by captainG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ubehage Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 I've found using 1/4 teaspoon of washing powder and half filling the mill drum with water then running for 1 or 2 hours does a great job of cleaning the drum and your media.To me, that sounds like unnessesary waste of washing powder.Anyway, make sure to clean all of that out as well, and/or make sure there are no incompatibilities with the chemicals you're milling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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