[BProckets]

[Terry McCreary]

Hi Bill:

"Too big" a batch is very situation-dependent, but the precipitation method 
as described by Peregrin starts with a 500 g batch.  Beyond that... well, I 
don't know if I'd go beyond that for a first batch or two or three or ten...

Milling BP is a different matter, and I haven't milled enough to be an 
authority.  You may want to check with your local pyro group as they 
probably have more expertise than I do.  Or maybe someone else wants to 
speak up....?

Best -- terry


At 09:45 AM 9/22/2004 -0700, you wrote:
>Thanks Terry.
>  When you say "not too big" for a batch , could you bemore specific?
>I have not recieved my toolingyet and am concidering buying 1lbs tooling 
>and 4 lbs tooling.
>I decided on those sizes for 2 reasons. 1 i alreadt have 4 lbs 
>whistle/strobe tooling and 2 i thought 1 lbs rockets would be an 
>economical way to experiment.
>
>That being said how much BP would i need to make say 20 1lbs rockets as 
>opposed to 20 4lbs rockets?
>
>Sorry if these are noob questions but lets face it...im a noob. :-) I have 
>been reading all pyro related material i could get my hands on . I also 
>have been in a local pyro group for going on 2 years now. What can i say 
>im slow and methodical. Ive been just aquiring things as i could.
>
>Aside from a growing library of books i also have a hiquality ball mill, a 
>good set of scales, the afore mentioned tooling when it gets here and a 
>presure to force gauge.
>Ill have ahydrolic press in a few weeks as well.
>
>as for chemicels i only have say 10 lbs sulfer flower and 10 lbs kno2.  I 
>have not decided yet if i want to attempt to make my own charcole or buy 
>some...leaning tward buying it untill i have my procedure down..its 1 less 
>variable.
>
>Terry McCreary <terry.mccreary at murraystate.edu> wrote:
>At 07:48 AM 9/22/2004 -0700, you wrote:
> >i currently have "Black powder Manufacture Methods and Techniques" by Ian
> >Von Maltitz as well as Tom Perigrins book "Introductory Practical
> >Pyrotechnics" wich has a prety good section on makeing BP.
> >
> >Untill i have at least tried the methods in these books I think ill hold
> >off on more how to books on BP. Unless of course the general concensis is
> >that these books are not something a beginner should be useing. I have
> >been told by several pyros that these are indeed reputable books.
> >
> >Please advise on youre opinion.
> >Thanks in advance, Bill .
>
>Hi Bill:
>
>You can never be too thin, too rich, or have an amateur's library that is
>too large...
>
>I have Peregrin's book and recommend it highly. One caveat to his
>techniques for BP: a stai! nless steel or pyrex (kimax) vessel is strongly
>recommended. Some coffee carafes are NOT pyrex and can fracture. Even
>pyrex can break if the vessel has a layer of solids at the bottom, and is
>heated too quickly (personal experience). Do not try to make too much at
>one time.
>
>BP without dextrin incorporated will crush easily...but it also 'dusts'
>easily. With dextrin, it's harder to crush but doesn't produce as much
>dust when ramming dry (which is how many pyros make BP motors).
>
>I have not read von Maltitz' book but it has been strongly recommended by
>some folks on other pyrotechnics groups.
>
>Best regards -- terry
>
>Dr. Terry McCreary
>Department of Chemistry
>Murray State University
>Murray, KY 42071
>270.762.6499
>
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