Making Black Powder- What kind of charcoal?

BlackPowderBen · July 22, 2015, 07:36 PM

Hi all,
I was going to make black powder for my black powder guns with black willow charcoal because it burns fast, but it is unavailable online right now. Is there another kind of charcoal that will work for making black powder?

Thanks, BlackPowderBen

Hawg · July 22, 2015, 08:09 PM

http://www.skylighter.com/mall/chemicals.asp You want the airfloat.

noelf2 · July 23, 2015, 08:39 AM

If you're going through the trouble of making your own black powder, why not make your own charcoal too? It's super simple. I've made black powder with 2x4 pine studs, and it's pretty good. Sooty, but good.

maillemaker · July 23, 2015, 09:44 AM

From what I've read, softer woods are preferable to hard woods. Poplar might be a good choice.

Nodak1858 · July 23, 2015, 09:52 AM

I've made some before, I used balsa wood. I haven't tried it in a rifle, I have I small pocket cannon I use it in. But it seems to work well, pretty potent stuff, more so than Pyrodex

BlackPowderBen · July 23, 2015, 01:14 PM

Noelf2:
2x4! Wow! can you explain how you did it?
Thanks, BlackPowderBen

maillemaker · July 23, 2015, 09:12 PM

There are many videos on YouTube and instructions elsewhere.

Basically you make a retort. You can use a 1 gallon paint can from Home Depot or wherever.

Cut your wood into sticks, fill can with sticks, seal lid on. Punch a 1/4" hole in the top. Cook the can over or in a fire. When the smoke coming out of the hole no longer supports burns (supports a flame), it's done. They say it takes 1-2 hours.

I am going to try this soon.

But you can also buy the ingredients from Skylighter and it works out to about $7 a pound to make powder vs the $26+ it is costing me to buy it now.

Steve

noelf2 · July 24, 2015, 08:01 AM

Ben ~ I make the charcoal ^^^ that way. However, I haven't used a paint can. Chopped up the chunks of 2x4 scrap and put it in an old Top tobacco can. Punched a couple nail holes in the lid. Every time I have enough limbs, branches and twigs to burn in the fire pit, I fill the can with wood chunks (black willow last few times) and toss it on some coals in the fire pit. When the smoke stops blowing out of the holes on the lid, the charcoal is done. Can take from 20 to 45 minutes in my experience depending on whether the wood is a bit wet, green, etc... Then I crunch the charcoal chunks as much as possible. After that, I use an electric coffee grinder to get it to a manageable powder.

BlackPowderBen · July 26, 2015, 07:20 AM

do you use a ball mill to mix all ingredients (Sulfur, Charcoal, Saltpeter) together?

noelf2 · July 26, 2015, 09:38 AM

Yes. Harbor Freight double can (6lb) ball mill and hard lead .60 cal balls. I sped up the mill to 90 rpm. I think it was 30 to start with, which is too slow for a good mill with the media I'm using. I mix all powders together and mill it for about 6 hours. I just followed what others were doing. Plenty of youtube videos on the subject. I just milled about a pound of sulfurless powder (4 parts kno3 and 1 part charcoal, by weight). Hoping it will be good shotgun powder. If you ever do this, make sure you run a long extension cord to your mill, and it's a good idea to have the mill over a hill or surrounded by sand bags. Not likely to blow, but if it does, you don't want shrapnel. Plug in and unplug the electric before you approach your mill. Follow safety precautions or you can get bad surprises.

bedbugbilly · July 28, 2015, 12:44 PM

Ben - go over to the castboolit site and do a search on it. There are some over there that make their own and a number of threads on it. The last I made was for chemistry class in high school almost 50 years ago - now I'd probably be locked up as a "tourist" for doing that for a chemistry project! I know I've read on some of the posts over there that willow is preferred by many.

Freightman · August 10, 2015, 12:22 PM

Go to http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...e-black-powder read the whole thing (long) I found willow is cleaner but pine , cottonwood, popular ect. will work but dirty. Have fun

July 22, 2015, 07:36 PM	#1
BlackPowderBen Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2015 Posts: 380	Making Black Powder- What kind of charcoal? Hi all, I was going to make black powder for my black powder guns with black willow charcoal because it burns fast, but it is unavailable online right now. Is there another kind of charcoal that will work for making black powder? Thanks, BlackPowderBen

July 23, 2015, 08:39 AM	#3
noelf2 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Stuart, VA Posts: 2,473	If you're going through the trouble of making your own black powder, why not make your own charcoal too? It's super simple. I've made black powder with 2x4 pine studs, and it's pretty good. Sooty, but good. __________________ Liberty and freedom often offends those who understand neither.

July 23, 2015, 09:52 AM	#5
Nodak1858 Senior Member Join Date: September 7, 2009 Location: N. Dakota Posts: 435	I've made some before, I used balsa wood. I haven't tried it in a rifle, I have I small pocket cannon I use it in. But it seems to work well, pretty potent stuff, more so than Pyrodex __________________ We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.

July 24, 2015, 08:01 AM	#8
noelf2 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Stuart, VA Posts: 2,473	Ben ~ I make the charcoal ^^^ that way. However, I haven't used a paint can. Chopped up the chunks of 2x4 scrap and put it in an old Top tobacco can. Punched a couple nail holes in the lid. Every time I have enough limbs, branches and twigs to burn in the fire pit, I fill the can with wood chunks (black willow last few times) and toss it on some coals in the fire pit. When the smoke stops blowing out of the holes on the lid, the charcoal is done. Can take from 20 to 45 minutes in my experience depending on whether the wood is a bit wet, green, etc... Then I crunch the charcoal chunks as much as possible. After that, I use an electric coffee grinder to get it to a manageable powder. __________________ Liberty and freedom often offends those who understand neither.

July 26, 2015, 09:38 AM	#10
noelf2 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Stuart, VA Posts: 2,473	Yes. Harbor Freight double can (6lb) ball mill and hard lead .60 cal balls. I sped up the mill to 90 rpm. I think it was 30 to start with, which is too slow for a good mill with the media I'm using. I mix all powders together and mill it for about 6 hours. I just followed what others were doing. Plenty of youtube videos on the subject. I just milled about a pound of sulfurless powder (4 parts kno3 and 1 part charcoal, by weight). Hoping it will be good shotgun powder. If you ever do this, make sure you run a long extension cord to your mill, and it's a good idea to have the mill over a hill or surrounded by sand bags. Not likely to blow, but if it does, you don't want shrapnel. Plug in and unplug the electric before you approach your mill. Follow safety precautions or you can get bad surprises. __________________ Liberty and freedom often offends those who understand neither.

July 22, 2015, 08:09 PM	#2
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,189	http://www.skylighter.com/mall/chemicals.asp You want the airfloat.

July 23, 2015, 09:44 AM	#4
maillemaker Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2010 Posts: 1,635	From what I've read, softer woods are preferable to hard woods. Poplar might be a good choice.

July 23, 2015, 01:14 PM	#6
BlackPowderBen Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2015 Posts: 380	Noelf2: 2x4! Wow! can you explain how you did it? Thanks, BlackPowderBen

July 23, 2015, 09:12 PM	#7
maillemaker Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2010 Posts: 1,635	There are many videos on YouTube and instructions elsewhere. Basically you make a retort. You can use a 1 gallon paint can from Home Depot or wherever. Cut your wood into sticks, fill can with sticks, seal lid on. Punch a 1/4" hole in the top. Cook the can over or in a fire. When the smoke coming out of the hole no longer supports burns (supports a flame), it's done. They say it takes 1-2 hours. I am going to try this soon. But you can also buy the ingredients from Skylighter and it works out to about $7 a pound to make powder vs the $26+ it is costing me to buy it now. Steve

July 26, 2015, 07:20 AM	#9
BlackPowderBen Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2015 Posts: 380	do you use a ball mill to mix all ingredients (Sulfur, Charcoal, Saltpeter) together?

July 28, 2015, 12:44 PM	#11
bedbugbilly Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2009 Posts: 3,287	Ben - go over to the castboolit site and do a search on it. There are some over there that make their own and a number of threads on it. The last I made was for chemistry class in high school almost 50 years ago - now I'd probably be locked up as a "tourist" for doing that for a chemistry project! I know I've read on some of the posts over there that willow is preferred by many. __________________ If a pair of '51 Navies were good enough for Billy Hickok, then a single Navy on my right hip is good enough for me . . . besides . . . I'm probably only half as good as he was anyways. Hiram's Rangers Badge #63

August 10, 2015, 12:22 PM	#12
Freightman Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2002 Location: NW Texas Posts: 168	Go to http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...e-black-powder read the whole thing (long) I found willow is cleaner but pine , cottonwood, popular ect. will work but dirty. Have fun __________________ Freightman