Dirty Bob
Member
Could you share some more info about your tumblaer mods? That sounds great!
I'd like you to elaborate on the process of modding the tumbler. Mine ain't burned up but it definitely could run better. I accidentally over loaded the heck out of it because I just dumped in lead balls without measuring or counting and it made it run like crap. Put on the replacement belt it came with as the old one had stretched then took the excess balls out and made sure the new set up doesn't exceed the weight limit. Would love to have it running a better motor to push more weight so I can make more at a timeI started out making powder as a way of insuring that I'd have it when all the supply shortages hit. A big bonus was that it's a lot cheaper to make it than to buy it, although the savings aspect can be a bit fuzzy when you get into it enough and spend a fair amount of money on equipment. Weather permitting I like to shoot my flintlocks 3-4 times a week so I go through a lot of powder. Even so it's going to take a long time to reach breakeven point on my investment, but I've got some real nice equipment.
The whole making powder project has now pretty much turned into a hobby of it's own. It's gone from being something I did to keep myself supplied to something I do because I enjoy the process and I keep finding ways to improve this or that. As one example, I had read that people were having problems with motor failures on the HF tumblers I use, so I wanted to see what I could do to remedy that. I modified the tumbler using a DC motor with speed control and better v-belt. There's a few other pieces I've tweaked to make them work better for the powder making, so it's expanded my enjoyment of the shooting hobby.
Could you share some more info about your tumblaer mods? That sounds great!
I'd like you to elaborate on the process of modding the tumbler. Mine ain't burned up but it definitely could run better. I accidentally over loaded the heck out of it because I just dumped in lead balls without measuring or counting and it made it run like crap. Put on the replacement belt it came with as the old one had stretched then took the excess balls out and made sure the new set up doesn't exceed the weight limit. Would love to have it running a better motor to push more weight so I can make more at a time
Bug OW. She's been in the game for years. Talented, smart and sassy when ... well when she decides ya need it.I am interested in making high grade BP. Are you aware of any single source for that kind of information?
Hey OW! Howdy from the past. By chance is your brother's experiment with mill powder via a windmill still relevant?I have found the longer green powder is tumbled the stronger it gets.
You only need that gear if you plan on pucking. You will also need for milling the stuff to the "f" you desire. I can give you the puck mold design I use.Question for the experts...
If I understand the process, I'm going to need a cylinder and a piston to compress the mixture.
I just happen to have a metal lathe (not by coincidence either) so... with a 20 ton press, what would the ideal inside cylinder diameter be? Or... what is the desired PSI and I'll figure it out.
Next question... Anyone who has prior experience with machine tools is aware that it's just as easy to make one "thing" as it is several. So... if I make more than one, is there anyone here who desperately needs a set?
No... I'm NOT selling them! It's a "pay it forward" kinda thing. I help you and you help out the next guy when you can.
Of course I wouldn't object to being reimbursed for shipping from Arizona at some point.
Brushippy is an excellent source. As a side note, he is well versed in the history of BP. Worth the time to chat him up.He has a website called gunslingersgulch.com. It's not a very busy site, but he and a few others are usually chatting in the mornings. I don't go there much anymore though. Brushy used to have an annual rendezvous (rondee) before covid. He's in SW Missouri, near where I grew up.
Oh no! You don't "still" believe sparks = heat? [boy-o-boy, am I gonna get it for that!] For those of you who are wondering, electrical sparks to NOT = heat. Bad grounds make it appear so.Everybody has their own level of risk tolerance. Quite frankly that goes far beyond mine for a variety of reasons. But then you would probably call me a nervous nelly since I tend to wear a ground strap when handling raw powder.
Oh no! You don't "still" believe sparks = heat? [boy-o-boy, am I gonna get it for that!] For those of you who are wondering, electrical sparks to NOT = heat. Bad grounds make it appear so.
Hey OW! Howdy from the past. By chance is your brother's experiment with mill powder via a windmill still relevant?
Concrete just gets harder and harder! Some famous guy said that about the female scull. Though that does not belong here! Hey OW! It's been a while. Hope your doing well and live is treating you great! I miss the banter. Glad to see you here!ok, one more time, you are working with a mixture that responds to energy. Electricity, even static electricity, is energy. Just one chemical bond is enough to start a chain reaction. But… I remember what Will Rogers said about men and electric fences and move on.
If you make good BP, most likely screening is all you need. Corning is ya just gotta get all ya can. I make 10K/batch cuz I shoot a lot of cannons. As to metal corning, ya ever notice that all those BP rifles had steel ram rods in steel barrels and well, I've never heard of anyone touching off a charge whilst loading.
See guys? Ya just gotta love this gal! She taught me .... um..... ahhh... well there were things! Pay attention, she knows what's she's talking about!The main office of corning is to incorporate the niter into the charcoal & sulfur. Remember that black powder is just a mechanical mixture and since the niter is heavier it can "sink" to the bottom of the container making the mixing a moot point. Also while corned powder doesn't make a lot of difference in revolvers, the slower burn rate of the grains tend to give higher velocity in a longer barrel. Long ago my uncle would press 75 caliber pucks with with a hole in the center for the double rifle he made with the insanely long barrel(s). As the pucks burned in the center the surface area of the burn increased adding to the pressure. That way instead of a high pressure curve at the start there was a relatively level pressure curve all through the bullet's journey through the barrel. However you need to keep in mind that the neighbors were amazed the old man managed to die of natural causes.