powder storage

[Gearhead Jim]

My powder cans won't explode, but they would certainly burn up the part of the house they are stored in- my shop/reloading area, below the kitchen. Although I don't do welding or similar tasks, that shop still seems like a more likely place for a fire to start.

We have a large horizontal freezer in another part of the house, I'm thinking of storing the powder cans in there. That room is low fire risk, the freezer would probably protect the powder in anything except an extreme fire, and the lid would blow open if the powder did somehow ignite.

Is there any problem with the cold storage temperature, like condensation inside the cans? Or some other reason why this would be a bad idea?

 

[flutedchamber]

I built two boxes out of 3/4 plywood. Each is on wheels and is 34 inches square and 36 inches tall. There is one inside shelf located just higher than an 8 pound Hodgdon powder container.

The wood is glued and screwed together and the seams silicone sealed. The box is painted inside and out with an oil base paint to prevent moisture absorption. The lid has a stick on seal (used for window replacement) that seals the top on the box. Two cheap (read potmetal) window turn locks hold the top down. In the top is a one way vacuum port that I use after the box is sealed. I bring the box down to 5 inches of vacuum and release the window locks. The box is stored that way. Each box is designed to hold approximately 150 pounds of powder.

The vacuum seal lasts at least 6 months and often over one year without failure. My one box holds sealed powder bottles, mostly 8 pound jugs. The other box that is kept in the front for easy access houses opened powder containers.

For powder used on a frequent basis I have Tupperware rectangular containers (I think they are supposed to hold a whole loaf of sliced bread) that houses my one pound containers.