Coating rice hulls most efficiently?

[Ventsi]

 

I have changed my comp to include 1% CMC for all of my hulls since they become very hard and the comp will not chip off when compacting behind inserts.

 

 

 

Yarr, so you tried it too huh? I'm hooked onto CMC, I even bind my BP with it now 2% Dextrin and 1% CMC, hardest granulated BP ever!

All thanks to you

[dagabu]

Yarr, so you tried it too huh? I'm hooked onto CMC, I even bind my BP with it now 2% Dextrin and 1% CMC, hardest granulated BP ever!

All thanks to you

 

Did you run out yet? I have plenty more

[AdmiralDonSnider]

I LOVE the look of single pass coating of rice hulls. They are much darker, better coated and hold a crap load of comp. The downside is that the comp over whets and shrinks, cracks internally, powders off, isn't as durable and can lead to crushed grains which makes them less consistent.

 

This may not be a problem as we are just starting to build shells but after a while, we all want to have the perfect break, perfect stars... the perfect shell. That cannot be done by cutting any corners, a slow and determined method must be followed for that to happen.

 

 

 

I understand your concerns. I shall see how mine come out. Up to now inconsistent and crumbly grains were a result of underwetting rather than the opposite.

 

In fact the method I use now doesn´t coat them in a single pass, even if it´s true that most of the moisture is provided by the wet hulls.

 

As far as I understood you are growing your hulls like stars, using a mister solely?

 

Wouldn´t the overwet and shrinking comp theory also apply to hulls made by the toro method? This is how nearly all burst charges are made in the East.

 

 

This does not mean you are wrong, these are my experiences (...)

 

 

Not taking anything personal here, just interested in sharing and learning methods.

 

 

[Fly]

I'm sorry,But what is CMC?

[Ventsi]

Sodium CarboxyMethyl-Cellulose , its a binder, you can buy it online, pottery supply stores being a good choice. Its also used as a thickener in foods and other consumer products.

Edit: Its water activated by the way.

Edited July 17, 2010 by Ventsi

[Fly]

Dumb question but!What is the point of using coated rice hulls for break, to just using grain bp?

 

Fly

[Mumbles]

Probably the biggest advantage is that you save a lot of material. 100g of BP coated on rice hulls vs just granulated will occupy a lot more volume. If you can get the same break with less material, why not?

[dagabu]

Dumb question but!What is the point of using coated rice hulls for break, to just using grain bp?

 

Fly

 

IMHO, I can make coated rice hulls for a tiny fraction of the cost of 2FA and can dial it in to meet my specifications perfectly. I add 2% whistle fuel to the last coating on my hulls for breaking small shells and it has been working perfectly.

[Cookieman]

IMHO, I can make coated rice hulls for a tiny fraction of the cost of 2FA and can dial it in to meet my specifications perfectly. I add 2% whistle fuel to the last coating on my hulls for breaking small shells and it has been working perfectly.

 

 

Rocketman,

 

So I guess you don't use any booster on your small shells when putting them together? What ratio do you use for your hulls? 4:1 or 6:1

[dagabu]

Hmmmm, I use whatever break is best for the shell I am building. If it is a 5" cylinder, any booster will turn the shell into a salute.

 

My 3" timed reports use 1 gram of flash sprinkled over 20 grams of 2FA in a 3/4" cannule and I use pulverone or plain 4:1 rice hulls for fill. The flash is needed to boost the spread of the inserts but you don't want to blow them blind.

 

With 3" star shells or falling leaves, I use 2 grams of whistle mixed in with the rice hulls or the boost coated rice hulls, the effect is the same if fired right away but if I am traveling (having someone transporting them to PGI) I use the regular hulls since the loose whistle settles to the bottom of the shell and I get poor breaks.

 

In 2" & 3" ball shells I use boosted hulls with 1/2 teaspoon whistle. Almost all of my 2" & 3" ball shells are made poka style and not painstakingly arranged though I do make 3" ring and heart ball shells as well.

[Cookieman]

Hmmmm, I use whatever break is best for the shell I am building. If it is a 5" cylinder, any booster will turn the shell into a salute.

 

My 3" timed reports use 1 gram of flash sprinkled over 20 grams of 2FA in a 3/4" cannule and I use pulverone or plain 4:1 rice hulls for fill. The flash is needed to boost the spread of the inserts but you don't want to blow them blind.

 

With 3" star shells or falling leaves, I use 2 grams of whistle mixed in with the rice hulls or the boost coated rice hulls, the effect is the same if fired right away but if I am traveling (having someone transporting them to PGI) I use the regular hulls since the loose whistle settles to the bottom of the shell and I get poor breaks.

 

In 2" & 3" ball shells I use boosted hulls with 1/2 teaspoon whistle. Almost all of my 2" & 3" ball shells are made poka style and not painstakingly arranged though I do make 3" ring and heart ball shells as well.

 

Thanks rocketman, I will try your method on my hulls for my 2" and 3" ball shells. hopefully I can stop blowing my stars.

[DdDodd]

I would still consider myself a noob to this hobby, but my process is similar to a previous post. I use a 7:1 ratio of BP w/Dextrin to rice hulls. Haven’t tried soaking them like some suggest, but gonna try it to see what the difference would be. Anyway, I put my rice hulls into my star roller fully dry; let them spin as I intermittently spray water/alcohol on them until they start to clump and feel moist to the touch. Then I slowly add BP until I can see free flowing dust; spray some water/alc, repeat until all my BP is gone. Although I do get about 1/4 cup of BP that doesn't always seem to stick, so that is why I am going to trying soaking the hulls first, see if that allows all the comp to be picked up. But even with the slight waste, works great for me

 

 

[dagabu]

I soak my hulls in hot water for about a half hour and then drain them for about the same time, throw them into a 5 gallon bucket and add 1/6th of my BP, mix, repeat, until it is all gone. Ne need to add water, or spray, all the water you need is there on the hulls. It dried outside in four hours and goes WHOOSH! when lighting a little pile.

 

Easy Peasy!

 

-dag