killforfood Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Where can a guy buy a small amount (about a pound) of fine graphite powder for a decent price? I needed some recently to make a sulfur chamber cast on an older BP rifle to verify the caliber. I resorted to adding crushed pencil leads to the sulfur for lube. It slid out of the chamber like butter. Sounds like a good idea to protect rocket tooling. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/killforfood/Rolling%20Block/REM1Argentino1879RollingBlock374.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 All the Fleet and Farm stores carry EZ-Slide, its about $6.00 a pound. http://www.farmandfleet.com/products/181021-graphite_powder_seed_flow_lubricant.html?source=googleps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killforfood Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 All the Fleet and Farm stores carry EZ-Slide, its about $6.00 a pound. http://www.farmandfl...source=googlepsYah I guess it's commonly used to lubricate seed drills. I checked with all of the big farm stores in the valley and none of them had graphite. We don't have Fleet and Farm stores out here so I guess that leaves mail order. Man it irks me to pay more for shipping than the cost of the item. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 You should ask for EZ-Slide by name, they supply most farm stores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azure Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 I've noticed that the stuff that comes in spray cans that you buy in shoe stores to protect leather, suede shoes, works very well to make all kinds of things "anti-stick".I'ts basically teflon (or a related fluoropolymer) in an apolar solvent . (smells like colemans or white spirit fuel) i don't know 100% about the safety of getting a fluoropolymer in close contact with compositions that have a high metal content. (teflon and metal can react very powerfull as a thermite)But there is very little teflon on a sprayed spindle so i'm thinking this shouldnt be a problem.,,,(right?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 Take a look at the label, I think its silicone in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest no6 Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 I have 100# of David Sleete's mix in my shop that I no longer use, it makes exceptional nozzles but it scratches my spindles due to the grog that Sleeter had posted in his mix. I like the rest of the mix but the grog just kills the metal. I use a spray silicone, Jig-A-Loo is the name, its available at Menards for $2.99 a can and it is on sale for $.99 a can with rebate. I press my rockets to 9000 PSI and I can twist them off the spindle by hand up to 3/4". Wax works fine to coat the spindle and if you rub a candle over the spindle, you will see how thin the film is and it causes no problems with ignition as far as I am concerned. Cool. I have wax and silicone spray. Will try both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killforfood Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 When bedding rifles, I use Johnson’s Paste Wax as a release agent on the metal action parts. Nothing sticks to that. Not even high grade epoxies. I don’t like the Teflon or Silicon sprays. They are mostly propellant and carrier solvent, very little actual lube. But hey, if you’ve already got it, give it a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azure Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Take a look at the label, I think its silicone in there. Tana Shoe Care Tana is Canada's leading shoe care brand. Tana's Boot and shoe care kit cleans, conditions, and protects. It Contains a fluoropolymer formula that dries quickly to protect napped leathers and makes them last longer. Creates an invisible shield to repel the elements and prevent dirt from setting for easier cleaning. Brush cleans and enhances the appearance of suede and nubuck. You can use this care kit on all leather, suede and sheepskin footwear sold in our store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest no6 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I rammed two rockets today. The first without waxing my spindle and the other with. Well the unwaxed motor was a bitch to remove. Duh. So I waxed the spindle for the second one and sure enough it came off easily. Haven't fired it yet so I'll have to get back to you on that. So for now, I'm a firm believer in waxing your spindle. Wax your spindles often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nater Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 This time I replaced my nozzle mix with straight Hawthorn clay and waxed the spindle before ramming. This motor twisted off without any issues. I attached a dummy header which weighs 14.5 grams. Now I just need to fly 'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightHawkInLight Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 How dare you waste perfectly good coffee. Will humanity stop at nothing to trample all that is sacred in this world in the name of science... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Nater, Most of the people I have spoken with about dummy headers use kitty litter and a small flash bag. The reason is twofold. First, the kitty litter comes down is tiny pieces and is natural. Second is that the shell and rocket (spent) come down like a missile if you dont break them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nater Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 How dare you waste perfectly good coffee. Will humanity stop at nothing to trample all that is sacred in this world in the name of science... It wasn't perfectly good coffee, it was decaf. Dagabu, you make a good point about lawn darts. I was trying to think of something non-explosive that comes close to replicating stars and burst. I'll break any others that I make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 It wasn't perfectly good coffee, it was decaf. LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toster Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 What do you guys think about slip plate it is a graphite type of spay. You could spray it on the former, and use for quite a few rockets. Just reapply when it starts sticking. You can get it from most farm stores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 I don't know of any graphite reactions with other chemicals so it should be worth a try IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest no6 Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I'm a little nervous about the silicon spray after reading the label. Will all the flammable bad stuff evaporate if left to dry? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Yes, the flammable solvents all evaporate within seconds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toster Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I have used Slip plate on a few other things, and It always leaves a nice even film of graphite. Think of using a spray paint but instead of color, it is black graphite. I will say it kind of bonds to some metals. I just don't know about Aluminum though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest no6 Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Yes, the flammable solvents all evaporate within seconds. Thanks Dag. I'll try it then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparks Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Aluminum base and spindle....hard wood (acacia) rammers that last forever and don't get stuck.....kitty litter...good hammer and a cup of coffee! Haven't had a stuck motor or failure yet. Think sometimes the homemade stuff works best.BP for fuel, 1/2 ID and 9/16 ID tubes.....the 9/16 x 3" body launches a full film canister. Great effect.....low noise for the neighbors. 9/16" with a second stage 1/2" inserted makes a great effect.Made one salute that rattled windows for blocks...all on the 3" tube.Great fun...low $$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest no6 Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 I love hearing from both ends of the spectrum. Alternatives and choices are a really cool aspect of this hobby. You can make a hummer from a section of 3/4" heavy wall tubing, or simply make your own tubing with masking tape rolled sticky side out on a dowel. Often times the cheaper solution is best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 You must be barely compacting your mix in such thin tubes. Your 1/32" walls are at least 4x thinner than any conventionally used tube, and even those bulge and split when being rammed or pressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest no6 Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Ah, I should clarify. We are rolling the masking tape sticky side out on a 1/4" aluminum dowel for about ten turns. Then roll masking tape sticky side in for ten turns. Pound the end plug using the grog mix. Then ram meal in increments. Then ram a grog plug. Turn a 1/8" drill bit at the proper angle into the tube, add tiny visco fuse and light. It's a PITA but they have worked every time with a very nice and loud high pitched hum. This is my friends concoction. I was very surprised this worked. But it exceeded my expectations in a big way. They're as good as a consumer ground spinner. The rammer is maybe 2" long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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