In the process

[10thumbs]

  As an update: It went well, and turned out a useable product. I don't think I milled long enough, so will probably remill it. I have been using an old brass tumbler and have it taken apart at present to put on a bigger motor. The little one that came on it worked, but only barely. I should be able to get a faster rpm which ought to shorten the milling time.
 Muzzle loader season comes in Saturday. Maybe I'll get something to eat out of all this. Beats vegetables!

[KDubs]

Ah good glad to hear all is well. Thanks for the update.
 Just felt the thread left us hanging in suspense.

 I'm guessing you've done this before .
 Any benefit to DIY or is it just for fun.
Kevin
 

[10thumbs]

 This was the first time using a ball mill. And according to professional fireworks makers, beginners don't mill long enough. And that's where I am at this point.  The advantage, besides the cost, is that you can use different kinds of wood for your charcoal. Willow has always been the standard because of its availability, but other kinds will outperform willow. Curtis & Harvey used to beat Goex, until their supplier for Alder charcoal went ka-put. Then they used willow, and from then on it fell behind Goex on performance. Dogwood is supposed to give a 15% gain in burn speed. What I've been using is Tree Of Heaven for charcoal. According to others with more experience, should give equal results with Goex. Others get good results with Catalpa, Sassafras, Soft Maple, or anything that burns up quickly without leaving too much ash. Even cornstalks is supposed to make fast powder. I tried corncobs once, and it was lousy, so I might have to try stalks. Royal Paulownia Is supposed to be tops. Cottonwood was used for artillery in the civil war because of the abundance, but in small arms is too crusty for very many shots. Next spring if my figs have died back, I'm gonna save the limbs. As to cost, even buying saltpeter at Lowes a pound at a time, only runs about $7 a lb. Buying in bulk cuts it down considerably more. Some say $2 is about what they've gotten in a lb. Most likely they go pick it up locally. 

[PetahW]

.

The only power tools I use are a saber saw to cut on the plug, and a variable hand drill to drill for the spout and any filler hole in the plug, and to shape the exterior of the plug.

I first determine the forward end of the horn's interior cavity with a piece of coathanger wire bent to the same arc as the horn body, mark the end where it emerges from the horn, then lay the wire along the outside of the horn & make a pencil mark there.

I cut the tip off squarely with a hacksaw, about 1/2"-3/4" ahead of the mark, finishing the raw cut with a file prior to drilling a 1/4" hole down the center from the tip into the powder cavity. .


Since I like the natural shape of the open end of the horn, I trace the outline of the open end on a piece of wood that's about 1/2" thick, then cut just inside the tracing with the saber saw to make a slightly oversize plug.

I work the plug into the horn end a little bit at a time, filing & scraping to reduce the plug diameter until the plug's about 3/8" deep into the horn, then epoxy it in place, sometimes followed by a few tiny wood pegs of brass tack shafts (filed/sanded flush)

I use a sanding disk in the drill to shape the plug exterior into either a slight dome or flat, finishing it off with files & hand sanding/finishing.

I then drill a hole on the plug to accept a filling stopper, if desired, and fashion a tip plug from the cut-off tip, a violin key of an antler tine (whatever).

I file a ring up front to tie a strap to or to accept a different strap connection, then make a staple for the front strap, and sometimes for the rear.

[KDubs]

wow 10thumbs, never imagined the complexity of making powder, i figured charcoal was charcoal,  just throw a log on the fire and wait.

PetahW  like your work, it gives me inspiration for sure.
 
kevin
 

[10thumbs]

  Got the new motor working and was much happier with the results after milling longer. With 75 grains, .50 cal, I'm getting performance on a par with commercial. No chrony, just going by the seat of my pants, but instead of fouling choking the nipple after two or three shots, it stays clear well past ten. Have another pile drying in the wife's convection oven today.
 Just one problem. I'm having to put it in jars since I threw away about 15 old cans a few years ago. (What was I thinking?)

[Winter Hawk]

In 9th grade a friend and I made black powder in the chem lab, but not enough to load into any kind of firearm!  It burned with a satisfying whoosh and we felt pretty proud of ourselves.  At least we didn't get thrown out of school for it, unlike what would happen today! 

Well, in the sake of full disclaimer, my parents were later asked to find another school for me before I was booted out, but that was because I didn't study and was a royal pain in the patooty at that point of my development! 

~Kees~

[shootrj2003]

I attempted it once I worked at a rubber factory where sulphur and carbon was very plentiful gave up on carbon black and used charcoal from a campfire and pharmacy saltpeter ,mixed together in a wood pestle and mortar,in small bits ,but despite the correct ingredients only succeeded in a slow uneven fizzle of a burn.I am sure after a few years of contemplation and study,like 10 thumbs,I decided it was a matter of more milling ,not ingredients,although if I had continued my efforts,I would have gotten to his level and found a need for higher quality ingredients- if I had also found the wiser course of WET milling before my dry milling process had enlightened me on ignition problems of dry ingredients!I was lucky ,and did not continue in my efforts.however ,time may come where it is necessary,I hope not.prefer to buy mine but cost rises.