Black Match with Suphurless Powder

[Dvorhagen]

So, I've been experimenting with making black match, and have finally, finally (finally) been able to make a beautiful, consistently burning length of fuse which will even burn through a choke (I think my mistake was making the hole in the container holding the slurry too small -- it was scraping off way too much mixture). I used a 9:1 BP/red gum mix, wet with 70% isopropyl.

 

However, in the course of my experimentation I have been filling my neighborhood with clouds of sulphurous gunpowder smoke. As I stood outside, looking for open windows and wondering how long it was before someone called the fire department (or the cops), I started thinking about alternatives to standard BP for this application.

 

Since black match doesn't need to generate a lot of gas or force, could a sulphur-free alternative be used, maybe with a little Al added to increase the sensitivity? I plan to try a mix with a 2:1 KNO3 to C ratio. What are your thoughts?

[brimstoned]

This is just a thought (that I will probably try this afternoon) : what about whistle mix in a NCL slurry?

Now where did I put that ball of cotton twine...

[Dvorhagen]

Seems like that would be some pretty damn energetic fuse..

[brimstoned]

We'll see in about an hour...

[dan999ification]

there is some qm that uses a whistle type comp with al and charcoal, flies around when you light some ( grey match ) and it also pops the pipe like no other qm ive seen. Leaving nothing behind.

Be careful it is obviously more sensitive using whistle and sliding it into a pipe would give me the heeby jeebies.

 

Dan.

[brimstoned]

Energetic Indeed!

What little slurry was left got poured onto a nylon board

and made into small cut stars...bright orange and take off like little missles.

Could work as an interesting header in small rockets?

 

Edited October 6, 2012 by brimstoned

[Dvorhagen]

Very cool! Also, I think you freaked out your dog....

[brimstoned]

That dog can't get enough fireworks, she chases bottle rockets or snaps at them if they don't take off in a timely manner.

[dynomike1]

I used 777 for to reasons I already had it and it dissolves easier than 1 fg. Seems to work pretty good but i think i will make my hole a touch bigger. I cant seem to get it to work in masking tape though.

[Algenco]

there is some qm that uses a whistle type comp with al and charcoal, flies around when you light some ( grey match ) and it also pops the pipe like no other qm ive seen. Leaving nothing behind.

Be careful it is obviously more sensitive using whistle and sliding it into a pipe would give me the heeby jeebies.

 

Dan.

 

Dan,

 

I have some like that, the first time I used it as a leader I thought it was the lift going off !

[dan999ification]

yup good stuff al, very loud and makes great cross match stiffer than bm.

 

Dan.

[Swede]

The sulfur definitely adds to the smell, but obviously a sulfurless mix is still going to smoke like crazy, since the smoke comes from the other BP components,

 

I like the idea of smokeless match using BP alternates, though, cool idea.

[Dvorhagen]

It's really the stink I wanted to get rid of - smoke's inevitable. Just tested it -- the sulphurless powder worked perfectly, no aluminum needed. 2:1 KNO3 to C, then 9:1 BP to red gum, wet with alcohol, and applied to a twisted cotton string. It burned perfectly uniformly and, best of all, smelled like a campfire. I would post a video, but I can't figure out how...

[brimstoned]

Congratulations, Dvor!

If you click on "more reply options" on the bottom right of

your reply window, you will find an option to upload files. Once

uploaded, attach.

[Dvorhagen]

Thanks, Brimstoned! Anyway, not sure how useful this is to most people but here's proof that you can make good black match without suphur..

[athlon]

How did you apply it to the string? Looked like it burned very consistent!

[bob]

How did you apply it to the string? Looked like it burned very consistent!

I would think that he is using the normal methed ie adding alcohol to make it a slurry (he said he used alcohol) and then soak the string in it and pull it through a small hole so it gets a even coat

hope this clears things up

bob

[Frikarium]

try this:

 

make Black powder for Blackmatch ( i like the 60-30 Kno3-C )

add a bit of dextrin or another binder, finally add water (prefer distilled,DO NOT USE ALCOHOL) to make a slurry (not need to use all the powder at once)

put the slurry in something to cook, and heat it NEAR the boilling point of water, since i live at the coast, so the water boils at 212 f, i heat it to 180

drop a few cotton strings and Stir for 5 minutes each, then take the rope and pass it through a small hole and let it dry, now you have a black powder core cotton string (not already finisehd)

 

now make this comp:

 

5 potassium nitrate

2 sulfur

2 FAST mealpowder (you cant use sulfurless)

ball mill it for 1 hour

add a binder and water(or alcohol)

 

put the new slurry into your regular blackmatch device and do the tipical process with the new slurry and the blackpowder cored coton string

then let it dry and you will have an awesome fuse that has very little smoke and has a VERY, VERY Bright Burning

NOT INTENDED FOR QUICKMATCH

 

btw sorry 4 my english

[chemtech89]

It's really the stink I wanted to get rid of - smoke's inevitable. Just tested it -- the sulphurless powder worked perfectly, no aluminum needed. 2:1 KNO3 to C, then 9:1 BP to red gum, wet with alcohol, and applied to a twisted cotton string. It burned perfectly uniformly and, best of all, smelled like a campfire. I would post a video, but I can't figure out how...

 

did you ball mill the material or just run it through a 80 or 100 mesh screen a couple of time?

[chemtech89]

also why isopropyl as opposed to denatured? i was under the impression you want to use denatured with red gum.

[Dvorhagen]

Athlon: Thanks! Yeah, standard method. I just spiraled the string into the slurry, submerged it completely, let it soak for 5 minutes, then drew it out through a hole with a diameter a couple millimeters greater than the string.

 

Chemtech89: I screened together the components for the meal powder 5 times, then hand-ground it for about 30 minutes, then I screened the BP and red gum together and hand-ground the final mixture a little more. I used isopropyl because that's all I had at hand. You're supposed to use denatured ethanol for red gum because it's usually a higher concentration than over the counter rubbing alcohol (which is 30% water), and lacks adjuncts such as color and fragrance. In this case, I don't think the water mattered much. The alcohol makes for a good, fast-drying slurry, and red gum seems to work better than dextrin (at least for me). I feel like it affords the dried slurry a little more flexibility..(remember that if you are using dextrin as the binder, you're going to want to use water instead of alcohol).

 

Also, I just realized that I mistyped sulphur as "suphur" at least twice in this thread.

[Dvorhagen]

Frikarium: I'll try that one - I've heard conflicting things about pre-soaking your string in KNO3 (or black powder, in this case), but it seems like a good idea to me. It would keep the core burning steadily even if the coating failed briefly..

[Mumbles]

If you're going to use Isopropyl alcohol to activate RG or other things, I'd suggest trying to find at least 91%. They sell 99% in some places, though I've never found it to be necessary. I also don't do much alcohol binding, so take the advice as you will. I've heard for some phenolic resins and other synthetic binders, 99% is really required as even the 9% water tends to play havoc.

 

Each person will have their own methods for making blackmatch. Making good stuff is not difficult by any means, but I think people like to over complicate it sometimes. The following thread has a nice progression someone went through toward the goal of top quality blackmatch, as well as some hints and tricks thrown it.

 

http://www.amateurpyro.com/forums/topic/7665-learning-to-make-blackmatch-the-right-way/

[Dvorhagen]

Heh - that was actually the thread that convinced me to try making black match again!