Intheworks Posted June 13, 2012 Posted June 13, 2012 I have just recently started making my own BP with a small HF 3lb. tumbler. Am trying to do everything that I've read to make good powder. I have increased the diameter of the drive roller so that it spins approx.80-90RPM...which I understand is the optimal speed. Unfortunately,when the barrel is loaded, the RPM's slow down considerably to the upper 60 range. Good news is I have yet to break a belt and still on original. I am using 200 1/2 lead media and mill small batches of 129grams. To make a long story short...I made several batches using commercial airfloat with this setup. The powder burns but doesn't have much lifting power when I tried lifting a small dummy shell. I have since ordered Black Willow charcoal and made a new batch...wow...what a difference. I also found out by chance that when I tilted the tumbler so the weight of the barrel is leaning towards the free moving roller....the RPM's speed up considerably to near 80RPM and it seems to put much less strain on this small mill. I think this combination along with the willow and longer milling time has given me powder equivalent or better than commercial Goex. My question is: What if anything can I do with the weaker black powder I previously made? I have it granulated to 2f and 4f grades. Is it safe to pulverize it back into a powder or very small grains and maybe use it as a prime for stars? Can I use it for rocket fuel etc.? Do you think it might work and burn faster if coated on hulls as break charge? Any thoughts will be helpful for any use of this somewhat weaker powder. I am new to this and spent quite awhile finding the right recipe and milling times to perfect the powder....now I want to move to making some stars and hopefully get a few shells together for the 4th. Thanks again and love the forum....been lurking for awhile on and off.
Mumbles Posted June 13, 2012 Posted June 13, 2012 All the things you suggested sound like they'll work fine. It will work well as a prime if you put the granules back in the mill to break them back down. That is not unsafe. I'm not sure where you'd be sitting with rockets. It's probably too slow for something like nozzleless rockets and possibly end burners. It however may be too hot for core burners. If you don't have a lot of this, it may not necessarily be worth it to dial in a rocket fuel that works, just to use up your stock. The standard recommended core burner fuel is 60:30:10 KNO3:C:S. Perhaps try adding +10% charcoal to the mix and go from there? That will give you something hotter than the above formula, but most people tend to gravitate that way eventually. Another option would be to mill it back down, and use it where meal is called for in things like comets and fountains. If you're into canister shells, it could be used as the polverone filler.
nater Posted June 13, 2012 Posted June 13, 2012 I have a batch of weak BP that works just fine in gerbs mixed with 10% of whatever spark producing thing you want mixed in. I have also been using it as prime with acceptable results.
xBangergoosEx Posted June 13, 2012 Posted June 13, 2012 Even if it burns slower when unconfined, i have found that sometimes slow BP will work for lift in larger quantities.
Peret Posted June 13, 2012 Posted June 13, 2012 I used up my slower black powder in star formulas that start with "Meal powder" in the ingredients. You don't need hot powder in stars.
taiwanluthiers Posted June 18, 2012 Posted June 18, 2012 What if you used slower black powder for delays for spoulette? Be sure to test the burn rate first...
californiapyro Posted June 18, 2012 Posted June 18, 2012 meal powder plus 30% ti pressed on endburner tooling makes a fountain that is brighter than the sun! great height, too
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