Ulrich Bretscher's Black Powder Page

[KABAR2]

Not sure if this has been posted before,

I came across this web site, with some interesting info on it,

History of black powder

it shows the blacksmithing of a gonne,

there is a very interesting "proving" mortar

and other items of interest.  hope this is enough description to meet forum rules.


http://www.musketeer.ch/blackpowder/bp_menu.html

[seacoastartillery]

    Thanks for finding this site, Allen.  I think retirement is agreeing with him.  I see he has added several new sections to this very informative site.  His concentration on the careful production of charcoal agrees with every other quality site I have looked at regarding this topic.  Properly made charcoal is the key element in the manufacture of BP.  Mike and I are looking forward to making our first batch just as soon as our willow forest is planted and first harvested in about two years.  We are accumulating the tools and other ingredients as they go on sale.  We are in no hurry at all.  Safety first, you know.

Thanks again,

T&M

[RocklockI]

Thanks Kabar thats an interesting site .

[carronader]

No jokes...No smirks...no haggis comments...be carefull gentlemen    I was one of the Safety Reps in this place in the Eighties...  Read the article - please .
http://www.threetowners.com/Ardeer%20Factory/1937verdict.htm

[carronader]

O but this was a commercial operation...IRRELEVANT     O but this was large machinery...IRRELEVANT     This was not an isolated incident    the old guys took great delight in scaring us younger ones with tales of the old days...   the greatest problem with BP is it's apparent ability to  ' go bang ' without any obvious reason.

[GGaskill]

The usual response is to keep the batches of home made powder small so even if they go off, the damage is limited.

[carronader]

All I know is ...in the manufacturing process , mixing...corning...whatever ,I remember these old guys spoke of...' still don't understand it '...wasn't possible...really safe worker...couldn't possibly have done that.  Handling BP is totally different from making it , I'll never forget those spooky empty buildings , with wooden roofs and Huge nets over them. Not the same as losing a couple of fingers or getting half your face burned off I know but this forum is as good at promoting safety as it is in promoting the  pure fun of things that go ' BOOM ' .  Doom and Gloom ?   nope !    Remember what your messin with ?  very much so .

[wolff]

The usual response is to keep the batches of home made powder small so even if they go off, the damage is limited.

  ......yep, and since we're talking "cannon grade" BP here, I think 10 pounds is a small batch.

Great post - Ulrich's page is terrific!

I read a recent post on the average price of buying BP (by mail order).  At around $10.00 a pound, one imagines the topic of safely making very good to excellent quality BP at home, using inexpensive methods, has been brought up before.  I don't believe I saw any links on it in a FAQ, though; maybe I missed it?

As an admitted, long-time (pyro (and member of the the Western Pyrotechnic Ass'n, http://www.westernpyro.org/), I thought I'd post this great link to a few pages, authored by safe and sane pyrotechnicians, who explored several different methods of making BP at home using very inexpensive tools and supplies.  They used commercial, and homemade charcoal -- and included a section on testing their batches showing the power/quality of commercial BP vs. homemade pine charcoal vs. commercial charcoal mixtures (surprise!  Homemade pine charcoal kicked butt!)  http://blog.skylighter.com/fireworks/2008/09/making-testing-high-powered-black-powder.html  They include one method (coating rice hulls) which is geared specific to making "lift charges" for fireworks shells - you can fast-forward thru that part...

regards,

wolff