Quote: Originally posted by Deathunter88 | Quote: Originally posted by RogueRose | I've read that there are a number of variables that play a role in good BP and particle size is one of these and grinding/milling when mixed is
another.
I have used charcoal dust that was put through a coffee filter (the super fine brass mesh that are re-useable). I also setup a canister filter to go
inline with a vacuum hose. The charcoal will be smashed/pounded in a covered container and the vacuum will pull air/dust from the top of the
container into the filter canister. This same thing could be done with a blender/food processer or coffee grinder with the vacuum sucking in the dust
when taking the lid off after grinding.
I would suspect the particle size of the charcoal is much smaller in the air-float and wonder how much difference there may be in quality of the BP
made with particles of this size.
As a note, all the ingredients of the BP can be made with air-float ingredients, it just takes much longer to collect everything with a home size
setup. |
Black powder has more to depend on what type of wood the charcoal has come from than how fine it is. You can use superfine charcoal powder from
briquets or activated carbon and your BP will still be bad. The best charcoal is still one made yourself from willow wood. (Not the trunk, rather
smaller branches not thicker than your wrist) |
I have heard that willow is recommended as well but I have to question this, especially in a chemistry forum, as once it has been turned to charcoal
and turned into a super-fine powder, how much difference can there be between most any charcoal source. In fact, just about any carbon source can be
used in BP (like turning sugar into carbon with sulfuric acid). Charcoal is used in BP as a source of carbon not "charcoal" there is nothing special
in charcoal other than it is an easily available and fairly pure form of carbon. IDK what is so special about willow wood except the fact that the
bark has a small amount of "asprin" in it, which wouldn't make a difference in the wood and the tiny milligrams per ounces of bark isn't the factor.
As far as the BP being "bad" without willow is laughable IMO unless you can prove that there is something intrinsic about willow that all other
charcoals don't have. I just read a number of pyro sites and they often use really soft wood like balsa, pine, grape vine and maple. The
carbonization process burns off any VOC's in the wood so the sap's in the pine shouldn't remain.
I'm still thinking that particle size has more to do than anything in BP composition. |