Black powder rocket wont lift off

[Pyrodude222]

I used sulfurless black powder with alcohol. Tube works fine. It lights but just burns on the ground and doesn't launch. Please help thx.

[VikingPyrotechnics]

The sulfur produced a lot of gas, which is important for rockets.

Why without sulfur?

[Pyrodude222]

The sulfur produced a lot of gas, which is important for rockets.

Why without sulfur?

Dont have any but I can buy some if that's the problem, is that what I should do or do you think thats not the problem.

[VikingPyrotechnics]

I do not know. I have never made rockets without sulfur.

Which type of rocket is it? end or core burner?

If core, with or without nozzle?

Edited May 11, 2013 by VikingPyrotechnics

[Pyrodude222]

I do not know. I have never made rockets without sulfur.

Which type of rocket is it? end or core burner?

If core, with or without nozzle?

End I believe. With nozzle.

[Pyrodude222]

I will prob buy sulfur to add to the black powder and if that doesn't work I will look more into it I need sulfur anyway. Thanks.

[Mumbles]

End burners require relatively fast BP. If it's just hand mixed, I doubt that it's strong enough. It would probably work for a core burner though. Fuel for end burners is typically ball milled.

[Pyrodude222]

Figured out the prob. I was making the rockets too big. I think the black powder was too fast for big rockets. I made a small one and it took right off. Thanks for help.

[Mumbles]

The rocket not taking off would say the exact opposite, that the BP was too slow.

[Pyrodude222]

The rocket not taking off would say the exact opposite, that the BP was too slow.

Oh oops Xp wrong way around. *The black powder was too slow for big rockets.

[BlastFromThePast]

Just for the record, it is possible to make sulfurless BP rockets. I only ever made them one size though, using 9/16" ID x 3" tubes from cannonfuse.com. I made them as nozzeless core burners. My spindle length was approximately 2 1/4" long and 3/16" dia. recess was about 1/8". The comp was 10parts KNO3 to 2.4parts C. Some CATOed and some flew. It was tricky, but I'm just trying to point out that it does work, just was less reliably. Try and get some sulfur. It'll make it way easier.

Blast

[Pyrodude222]

Just for the record, it is possible to make sulfurless BP rockets. I only ever made them one size though, using 9/16" ID x 3" tubes from cannonfuse.com. I made them as nozzeless core burners. My spindle length was approximately 2 1/4" long and 3/16" dia. recess was about 1/8". The comp was 10parts KNO3 to 2.4parts C. Some CATOed and some flew. It was tricky, but I'm just trying to point out that it does work, just was less reliably. Try and get some sulfur. It'll make it way easier.

Blast

K thanks

[nater]

I've never been able to get a sulfurless BP rocket to work on my tooling. I've seen them fly, and fly well, but using a very narrow spindle and a nozzle.

[Andrew206]

Ah, I made that mix a few years back as I didn't have access to sulfur.

I attempted to make a rocket with it; and also didn't achieve liftoff.

What's your nozzel made of?

 

Unfortunetly, the powder may not burn enough, or the nozzel may be too wide and the gas isn't focoused enough. That's a lot better than it being too small and blowing the nozzel or the rocket body.

[808goboom]

Sulfur is a key ingredient in bp and adds more power to the mix....without it, your bp will become weaker. I would suggest substituting sulfur with powdered sugar.however,the bp may not be the problem, it could also be the construction of your rocket.,,the nozzle should be strong and solid or else the bp would rip right through it and will cause your rocket not to launch.also, your bp should be packed real tight in the tube.rockets should be pressed in small increments and not all at once.in other words, don't put all your bp fuel in and then press it, you should put a small amount in first, compress it,and then put the same equal amount in and continue pressing, loading, so on. This will ensure a consistent burn through your rocket...weight is another factor, your rocket needs balance..do the finger test to see your rocket has proper balance...the rocket stick should be light, preferably balsa wood. Hope this helps

[Seymour]

I would suggest substituting sulfur with powdered sugar

 

Why?

 

I see people suggest swapping sulfur with sugar in a fairly regular basis. So far no one has convinced me it's worthwhile, and usually it seems they copied someone on youtube who did it or some reason like they both have names starting with S.

 

That said, in this instance sugar is known for a higher ISP than BP, but it's ideally suited to core burners or bates ect. Can you get as high a burn speed as BP? (or near).

 

 

Otherwise exactly, keep everything small increments and so, just like 808 is sayin

Edited July 9, 2013 by Seymour

[LTUPyro]

Swapping sulfur with sugar when using in rockets is okay, but it almost becomes more like KNSU propellant with charcoal for tail. But swapping sulfur with sugar for lifting shells is pretty bad idea, IMO sulfurless is better for that.

[RobertoDuran121]

Kind of off topic but would the lift from that rocket be able to lift a firecracker as a report?And btw im new and hopefully ill have my visco machine up and make rockets with that.

[patsroom]

If I am correct switching sugar for sulfer is not making sense. Sugar is like charcoal in that it is a fuel, not a catalyst. But if I am wrong please inform me. I know that for a stronger fuel on the 5 cent rocket fuel that red oxide works greats as a booster to sulfer in the mix.

[pyrojig]

Sulfur is available at most all garden stores and nursery's. It is sold under dusting sulfur for a natural insecticide. There are a few types , but for the purposes of bp I'd go with the dusting sulfur. Just dont use it for anything with chlorates etc. It has acids ( but will not effect bp in any way)

[LTUPyro]

Sulfur is

If I am correct switching sugar for sulfer is not making sense. Sugar is like charcoal in that it is a fuel, not a catalyst. But if I am wrong please inform me. I know that for a stronger fuel on the 5 cent rocket fuel that red oxide works greats as a booster to sulfer in the mix.

I don't think we can call sulfur as catalyst. It's more like secondary fuel (correct me if I'm wrong) wich produces a lot of gas and lowers ignition temperature.

[FlaMtnBkr]

You don't need to use expensive balsa wood for a stick. The stick is used to balance the rocket and adjust the center of gravity. The stick doesn't need to be light. It needs to be the correct weight to balance the motor and heading so it has a stable flight. If you use balsa you will just have to use a longer, heavier stick to balance it. With a heavy wood it just needs to be a little shorter.

 

As for the sulfur, it is cheap and makes BP work. It has been used for close to a 1000 years now. Just get some and you won't have to wonder if it is working correctly without it.