Blaf

Springs will be attached sooner or later because each time I release the main valve the working plate should be pushed down hard and it's annoying job to do, believe me. As for the protective shield, yes, it should be mounted as well but still can't find suitable piece of plexi... Blaf

Pirate, yo're gonna be astonished by my machine. It's electrically powered so no human intervention is needed. Ehmmm, well, except I still have to controll powder flow and help it a bit. Just be patient as a few final refinements have to be done. Blaf

Hay Pirate! Regarding main piston - I found it at a small shop selling roller bearings, shafts, screws and similar mechanic harware. Salesman told me its made of Polivynil Ethilene and it comes in different diameters & lenghts and a few basic colours. I picked black one as it looks the most businesslike. Those white plastic tubes were made of epoxy rosin and it's tough like Hell but you could find suitable tubing where water drain pipes are sold or perhaps plastic gas pipelines. So they say, eventhough I couldn't find any of those anywhere. Hope you have better luck than humble me. Blaf

Hello there! What I use for moisting my meal is not Acetone/Water mix!!! It's Alcohol/Water mix in 50/50 ratio. I use what english speaking part of the World calls Rubbing Alcohol...and I suppose it's ethanol...of at least 95% purity. And it works! Blaf

This is something I made a few months ago and I presume you're all more or less familiar with its construction. It's simple hydraulic press (posted elsewhere on the Mighty Net) which uses two fixed plates (base and top) and one working plate, powered by 5 Ton car hydraulic jack. The jack itself stands on bottom plate just below working one. Fixed plates are fastened by means of four threaded rods, bolts and washers included of course, while working plate glides between them. I bought two10mm rods of 1m in lenght and cut them in half so that I got four pieces of 50cm each. These threaded rods are rough and working plate could not glide over them smoothly, so I slid 45cm long pieces of aluminium tubes of 10mm inner dia and 12mm outer dia over them. Working plate has holes of 13mm dia drilled in each corner so that it can freely glide up and down those aluminium sleeves. All of three plates are symetrically cut of iron plate 8mm thick, measuring L=16cm / W=13cm. Paint used is greenish-blue protective paint that you can see on heavy machinery...it should be tough and fireproof. That's in general. Why hydraulic press? The main reason is pressing BP cakes so that later they could be corned into particles of different size. And I might say, it works well for me. Do I hear something? I know, safety freaks would yell now – What happened to protective shield? Well, I have none yet. There should also be two or four coil springs forcing the working plate downwards but I just rushed to assemble it as soon as I could. Compliments are welcome... Blaf

You should check the Powder Die topic and see what my BP cakes look like coming out of my hydraulic press... Blaf

Read my previous posts on this subject, please. It reveals all... Blaf

I'd like to discuss the NC Lacquer application for a while. Why? Because sooner or later someone will make his own Fuse Making Machine and will be facing the same problem. As you'll surely discover, the fuse itself is not strong enough to withstand torsion or repeated bending...threads could get loose and powder trapped between them will fall off. So, NC Lacquer should be applied, if not for esthetic reasons then for physical property of the fuse. Next problem is quantity of lacquer to coat the fuse. If you just submerge it into NC solution and pull it out, chances are you'll end up with too much lacquer so fuse is stiff. Therefore, we should use some kind of simple die to wipe-off the excess of NC Lacquer. I made one of my own design which works perfectly. It's made of two large washers, 30mm outer dia with 10mm inner hole. These washers are positioned flat on each other, then three symetrically positioned 3mm holes drilled around their rims. Small 3mm screws are put through and fastened so that washers are almost one piece. But before setting one above another, a piece of round shaped rubber (piece of bicycle inner hose) is set between them. And now, we have two washers kissing each other with rubber membrane covering central 10mm hole. Membrane is drilled in the centre with suitable punch so that it hugs fuse but not too firmly. My NC lacquer applicator is of rather simple contruction, alu frame that holds three little brass pulleys and rubber Die. The fuse comes through coil-guide over first brass pulley, goes down to bottom pulley (this one is sumberged in NCL), comes up to third pulley and goes through rubber membrane described above. Also, there's adjustable fixture to mount it on a small coffee can containing NC lacquer...this one is bigger version used for display only. Got it? I haven't done any excessive experimenting yet, but the NC solution density could be playing certain role here. Namely, we need to soak only outer threads in NCL so that inner threads remain dry. Thickness of the NCL layer could be adjusted by widening the hole in rubber memberane. I've just made mine a bit wider as previous one was wipping off almost every bit of NC....this is not quite true but NC layer was too thin to prevent counterwinding. It's not that fuse wasn't usable, on the contary but I'm esthetic addict. I know, you probably ask yourself – yeah, he's talking about NC application before any MACHINE is made....but you're terribly wrong. I'll keep you on low heat for a while... Blaf

Have look at this... One of my friends has made a powder die that I required to make my BP cakes. This idea came from Mr. Dan Williams site but I have to admit in public right here that my friend blasphemously used a beer bottle of 0.33 L as a starting point which miraculously enough matched plastic piston I've had!!! OK then, the powder die is simple – there are two plastic sleeves (portions of plastic tubing) with longitudinal cuts. The basic idea is that smaller one fits inside larger one with cuts on oposite sides. There are two thick round plastic caps that snugly fit into smaller sleeve etc. See image... <a href=http://members.pyroforum.nl/Blaf/DieDis.JPG target=_blank><img src=http://members.pyroforum.nl/Blaf/DieDis.JPG width=360 border=0></a href> The whole setup works as follows: You take 50 grams of meal, wet it with 50/50 mixture of alcohol/water (legend has it – 2 grams of liquid approx), mix it well so it becomes just slightly crumbly. Set one of those two caps I mentioned before in the bottom of inner sleeve ad pour your meal onto it. Then put the second plastic cap on top and appropriately sized piston over it. Outer rim of the larger sleeve has to be reinforced somehow, and I do that with three large chromed hose clamps. Whole setup is then transfered onto working plate of my press, the handle on my jack is then pumped until piston reaches the top plate. Here things become tough. I pump the handle until my press "squeeks" (I know, there should be some measuring device...) and leave whole thing pressed for a minute or so. Mr. Dan Williams told me there's no need to keep it longer. Now, open release valve on the jack, die could be taken out and disassembled now and BP cake looking like hockey puck is removed. It is now nice black coloured, a bit heavy and should be left to dry for a few days. If you tap it with wooden stick it produces low "click" sound. When cake is completely dry the sound becomes of little higher pitch. Now see this one... <a href=http://members.pyroforum.nl/Blaf/DiePucks.JPG target=_blank><img src=http://members.pyroforum.nl/Blaf/DiePucks.JPG width=360 border=0></a href> Cake (those two harmlessly looking on the right) can be crushed now and sieved for desired particles. I use two main sieves for preliminary sieving (measures are in mm and mesh) 0,100mm-150 mesh and 0,080mm-180 mesh. What passes those two screens, later gets sifted through (do not laugh on this one...) a suitable piece of pantyhose stretched over wooden frame. The size should be around 0,030mm-400 mesh and what passes this is very fine granulated BP mixed with some powder. Any comments? Don' tell me it's off season... Blaf

Here it is The notorious MKIII rocket. Do you feel that unrestrained power waiting to be released? href> This should be launched very soon so be patient, please. Blaf

I know, my sticks were purchased in garden shop as well but I could find 45cm lenght only....maybe I should ask for longer ones next time, heh? Exhile, could you drop by KNO3+Sugar+Sulphur propellant topic and check the last Nitroglycerine question about it? Thanks! Blaf

I made so called MkIII. This one has grain 75mm in lenght, shallow core of 15mm in depth (4mm diameter) and 5,5mm nozzle hole. Remeber, the last one had 6mm hole and hadn't got sufficient thrust to carry any payload. This time I made a cardboard shell little larger than motor dia, glued on top with two dozens of Gold & Silver Rain stars mixed with granulated BP. Now, I'm looking for a suitable stabilizer stick as it requres at least 70cm of it... and a nice occasion to launch it, heh. Image follows soon... Blaf

Hello Nytro It will definitely not have the same deflagration rate...but I don't know theorietically why. Especially if you moist the mixture. I believe it has something to do with recrystalisation of the sugar or so...we should ask Exhile for advice on this matter. As for KNO3+sugar compared to KNO3+sugar+sulphur (KSS), I have to admit I never tried KNO3+sugar as is in rocket engine. But KSS works just fine, it's not so "wild" as BP propellant and has more or less steady burning rate under pressure. I was leaving ¾ core of the overall grain lenght and never had CATO...which means something itself. Blaf

And here is the latest launch report: You've all been waiting to hear another disastrous report, haven't you? Not this time. As I mentioned in my last post on this matter, the MarkII version of the same engine diameter was filled with BP at only half of its capacity. Additionally, nozzle hole was widened to 6mm dia. Remeber, the first one that gone BANG was 5mm only. Note this – grain wasn't drilled this time, just plainly rammed grain. A tiny stick of 60cm in lenght was fastened to the engine body and long piece of my domestic brewed fuse sticked through nozzle kissing the grain. No payload, no complications...I just wanted to see if this variation works at all. It was windy day, cloudy a bit and it just happened that I gave hand to my friend replacing his old boat-engine. We have done it in a snap and then I unfolded my poorly looking device to celebrate successfully done job. We couldn't find any fitting tube or at least bottle on his boat...frankly, we didn't look to hard. There were practically no people there as my friends boat floats at far corner of marina – a perfect spot to test fire it. And so, the stabilizer stick was put between two massive rocks, skewed a bit to seaside, the fuse lit and we retreated some 10 meters. Low pitched whooosh! was heard and it all rushed up at moderate speed...moderate in comparison to smaller BP rockets I made for New Year. This device burned rather long time (2-3 seconds) and reached at least 60 meters in height, thrusting modrately through entire flight. Ballistics wasn't perfect and it was spinning a bit all the way up and ended in the sea some 50 meters from us. So, it flew finally but I doubt it could take any payload up. Thrust should have been much stronger...therefore shallow grain hole should be made next time. How about this, ha? Blaf

Nice jar indeed. I like those orange end caps. Now, how much media can be stuffed inside and still efficiently grind your chems. I'm sure there should be someone making calculation taking into consideration volume of the jar, size of media and blah, blah, blah. I have a simple theory - you can fill your yar almost full but then, your media would not have sufficient space to bump and grind your stuff. Therefore, more than 2/3 of the overall jar volume should not be exceeded. At least I never did. Blaf

Hello kv! I found my Dextrine in Art shop...they charge little less than 10 Eu. for a kilogram. That's how I got mine. Never tried to bake my own so far. They say (they know everything) it could be made by baking corn starch, it should be spread in thin layer (say 1cm thick) on the bottom of your baking vessel while stove temp should be set between 200 and 250 C. From time to time, corn starch is to be mixed as to expose bottom layers to heat...when it becomes slightly brownish, the stuff is ready to use. I repeat gain - I haven't tried it myself yet and just read about it elsewhere. Which doesn't mean I won't do it sometimes... Blaf

There are few images of the work in progress. First one shows the main drive shaft and its upper detail - roller bearing and plastic pulley with rubber belt around it. See how I placed the bearing between two plastic sheets and surrounded it by four 3mm screws...strange fixture, isn't it? Too much bright light on this image, sorry... href> The second one is a view at general construction, main fixture, two side "legs" which will hold rotating plates etc...more is yet to come... href> Blaf

Finally, there is an image of two plastic jars I use. The smaller one is 75mm while larger one is of 110mm inner diameter. Smaller one is open so that you can see rubber O-ring taken out...when it is set in place (inner rim of the tube) and end cap pushed tightly, whole thing looks like one on the right. I mounted a handle made of brass electrode 5mm thick threaded on both sides, bent at right angle and fastened to end cap. This makes handling much easier...especially opening. Note small screw on both end caps - these are ones for safety freaks I mentioned before. The other useful purpose of those screws is when you're closing this type of air tight jars, you should practically deflate it to do it. href> Blaf

Maybe, but just maybe your device wasn't squeezed in the middle as tight as it should have been. Try to tight up the rope...I can see no other reasons unfortunately. The burn speed of your powder shouldn't make problems except increasing or decreasing the frequency of cracks. Sorry, that's the only diagnostics I could make from this far... Blaf

Nitro, that's the right stuff indeed! I regularily use a small sprinkler remained from nasal drops (you know, when you get a flu or something, your nose gets stuck and magic drops clear it so that you can breathe freely again...) as I never make large quantities of anything pyro. Well, it's OK for now but if I ever increase production, one of those large sprinklers will do for sure... Blaf

Do not argue about something so trivial guys. Wett your mixtures if you want but do not use excessive amounts of water as to prevent sticking to your media. Your meal should be just crumbly - that's the right consistency. I dry mill my meal, never sprinkle water over it and use only glass marbles as milling media. No sparks, no strong friction, moderate rotation speed and have no fear. As for pyrophoric properties of dust (I never experienced one so far!), there should be slight concern about it. To prevent rapid introduction to Oxigen (this is just if you are Safety Freak) you can always drill a small hole in your jar's end cap and tihgten a self-threading screw there. As your milling is over, leave the jar for a few minutes allowing dust to settle down and then unscrew it slowly to expose your meal to controlled flow of Oxigen and nothing bad should happen. Huh, too much talking here... Blaf

Hello guys! I see some activity here...and I'm more than glad. Sorry for not posting the ingredients of this ineteresting rocket propellant before. So here I am to correct it: KNO3 = 63 Sugar = 27 Sulphur = 10 All measures are of course by weight. This comp is posted elsewhere on Net (can't remember where), it's ball milled for an hour or so and stored in air tight container for future use. No sparks are being produced by this propellant and it's not too energetic...it leaves nice white trail in the sky, though. Blaf

Guys, the majority of work is done but the machine needs further adjustments. It looks pretty compact (which it really is) and it's easy to carry around. I turned it on just yesterday and wasn't quite happy with result. Namely, the threads coming out of it are rather loose because yarns need certain degree of tension as not to spin freely on their spindles. This should be solved somehow very soon. Other problem is powering the wheel onto which fuse comes wound at the end. It should spin very slowly and at constant speed so that fuse comes out of consistent diameter. These are few considerations I'm breaking my brains with lately. No images for now, written requests can be placed publicly here, though... Blaf p.s. The life of an amateur is miserable path full of obstacles.

Hello kv! As for me, I never wett my BP while milling...at least I never tried so far. But whichever way you do it, consider the fact that this simple comp is (beyond certain extent) shock sensitive and heavy, sharp blow could potentially set it off. That's why I almost gave up using steel balls, they just idle for now. You asked for marbles - well, I got mine in so called China Shop (seven-eleven kind of shop in USA) almost for nothing. Half of a kilogram for as little as 2 Euro. Mainly, they're of 15mm diameter and there were two dozens of larger ones of 25mm diameter. I use them for almost everything now except for charcoal milling... Blaf

Duvel, this link you posted is very interesting indeed. The man has done everything within his power to light BP with static charge, but nothing happened. And even more, he explains very logically that it's almost impossible in real world as Carbon has certain conductivity and therefore does not have suficient resistance to generate heat. Sounds good to me...which doesn't mean I'll use steel bearings in my BP milling...I'll keep using my marbles anyway. Blaf