Nitrocellulose lacquer; no more ping pong balls

[cpileri]

Dear Sirs,
I was trying to make some nitrocellulose lacquer (Colloidion, etc) to seal and waterproof some paper cartridges.
Ping pong balls used to be made of pure NC and dissolved in acetone made a nice cheap lacquer that burned away completely.
But i tried it with dollar store ping pomg balls and nothing dissolved. I guess they are now plastic.

I got a lacquer made with single based powder, but i am not trying to nitrATE (dont want the nitroglycerine) the paper, just lacquer it; so i would rather not use gunpowder.

What else is made of nitrocellulose? pure nitrocellulose preferred.

many thanks,
C-

 

[Oldnamvet]

You could just buy the lacquer already made up?
http://www.skylighter.com/mall/filt...ontent=1341093371&utm_campaign=Nitrocellulose

 

[cpileri]

saw that

i'm more interested in knowing of a cheap source for making future batches myself than paying for shipping and handling on a pre-made product.
Although it is an option.
thanks,
C-

 

[drsfmd]

There are antique automotive paints and guitar lacquers that are made of nitrocellulose.

Not sure of any DIY sources.

 

[Hellgate]

It sounds like you could just take some old smokeless powder and dilute it into acetone and make your own laquer.

 

[drsfmd]

It sounds like you could just take some old smokeless powder and dilute it into acetone and make your own laquer.

Then you are left with the pesky problem of dealing with the nitroglycerin byproduct you've created.

 

[TheRodDoc]

celluloid:

Some old billiard balls, brush handles, piano keys, combs, ink pen cases, movie film and etc.
The piano I use to play saloon music with has celluloid keys. I found that out one night when I dropped a cig ash on a key. It started burning with a vengeance. And very hard to put out. It is an old Howard brand player piano with the player unit removed.

 

[Jaymo]

If you use a single base smokeless powder, you don't have to deal with nitroglycerin.
Single base powders are nitrocellulose. Double base powders are nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin.
I don't remember which powders are single base and which are double base, anymore.

I wish I could find some really old celluloid film. IIRC, cellulose acetate replaced celluloid in film making around 1961.

Another great thing about the old celluloid film, is you could cut it into strips and/or flakes and use is as smokeless propellant.
I figure you'd need to start out really mild, and use a chronograph to determine the relative burn rate.

If you took your time, and had enough film for testing and reloading, you could determine which commercial powder is the closest to the film and build your loads around that data.
I'd probably avoid max loads and make my max loads in the middle of the road for whichever commercial powder burns most like the NC film.

I could swear I'd read that the Afghans loaded their rifle ammo with old X ray film that was cut into strips, when fighting the Soviets in the 1980s.

 

[25cschaefer]

Some guitar picks are still nitro and can run as cheap as $5 per 50.

 

[JB357MAG]

Maby this will work:

http://www.reranch.com/products.htm

Jimmy

 

[Busyhands94]

Ping pong balls are still nitrocellulose, I remember those from my younger days. We'd light them on fire and they'd burn really fast and without much ash or smoke. Funny how ping pong balls are made of the same stuff as shotgun powder! I wonder if you could load some shotgun shells with chopped up ping pong balls.

You bought dollar store ones, try the ones from the sporting goods store.

 

[cpileri]

Guitar picks, "high end" ping pong balls. Will try.
Thanks!
C-

 

[BRE346]

We made a quart of model airplane glue from acetone and the plastic center from a auto windshield. What you do when you're a kid and broke.
Sigh. That was along time ago.

 

[Hellgate]

I believe ping pong balls are CELLULOID, one of the first plastics made but highly flammable. They are fun to light. Maybe celluloid is nitrocellulose, I don't know.

 

[Busyhands94]

Hellgate, I think they might be. I really am curious about whether or not they can be made into smokeless powder.

 

[cpileri]

ya

celluloid is nitrocellulose and camphor, so it will work. the camphor plasticizes the nc.

 

[KABAR2]

Celluloid was what the early movie film was made of and was very flamable.....they changed the formula at some point to get away from the fire hazzard it is also why early movie film breaks down......