35 replies to this topic

[parabolic]

I just wounder if I should follow the combine harvester's this summer when they start collecting the corn/wheat,
The combines de-hull as they collect, and I think the hull will be very much the same or as good as rice hull, Iam sure the combines just eject it out of the back behind the machine as it travels along.

I will make an effort this year to try this out.

Edited by parabolic, 14 April 2007 - 07:34 PM.

[sasman]

I got some Rice hulls from Skylighter .. They did not charge any extra for shipping...The rice hulls dont take up as much volume as skylighter says( 5 Gallons volume) its about 2.5 to 3 gallons 4 Lbs Rice Hulls ..

I bought 4 kg of Oat Husks to compare and the oat husks look pretty much the same i did a density check and the Oat husks are about 20% to 25% heavier..But it looks like they should be as good as rice hulls..
I will try them in some 4" shells and see how they compare..

[YT2095]

I grow my own Wheat and Barley on my allotment, Bread, Pasta and Beer use, the husks normally get lost in the wind, having said that, I did keep a bag full and use them for just this purpose, and they work great!

Rice was only used as that was the local produce in the countries that used this method at the time, Wheat works Perfectly well I can assure you
don`t bother with Barley husk, unless you want to cut the 3cm barbed section of each husk manually!

[Bonny]

I got some Rice hulls from Skylighter .. They did not charge any extra for shipping...The rice hulls dont take up as much volume as skylighter says( 5 Gallons volume) its about 2.5 to 3 gallons 4 Lbs Rice Hulls ..

I bought 4 kg of Oat Husks to compare and the oat husks look pretty much the same i did a density check and the Oat husks are about 20% to 25% heavier..But it looks like they should be as good as rice hulls..
I will try them in some 4" shells and see how they compare..

I have had good results using BP coated vermiculite...cheaply available at any gardening centre. Not sure on density, but it is very light.

[BrightStar]

I have just tested a new method of producing 'same day burst' for shell making in a hurry...

My favourite substrate for 4" and above shells is granulated corn cob, available cheaply in all good UK pet shops as 'desert substrate for reptiles'. It makes a low density, rock solid burst with good flame propagation but usually takes several days to dry.

As you buy it, the corn cob it's quite dense, about 550g per litre, about the same as meal dust from the mill. You'll want to coat it 3:1 with BP by mass.

Soak the corn cob in hot water for 30 minutes and you'll see it swell and double in volume. Drain it and dry in a low oven for 1 hour - it keeps its expanded volume when done. Throw this in to your star roller and add small increments of BP with 4% dextrin screened in, spraying with 20% IPA in water. In no time you'll have burst granules of 3-4mm diameter with very little wasted powder.

If placed in a warm drying cupboard the burst is quite usable within a day.

Edited by BrightStar, 16 April 2008 - 11:39 AM.

[paul]

As you buy it, the corn cob it's quite dense, about 550g per litre, about the same as meal dust from the mill. You'll want to coat it 3:1 with BP by mass.

Soak the corn cob in hot water for 30 minutes and you'll see it swell and double in volume. Drain it and dry in a low oven for 1 hour - it keeps its expanded volume when done. Throw this in to your star roller and add small increments of BP with 4% dextrin screened in, spraying with 25% IPA in water as a solvent. In no time you'll have BP granules of 3-4mm diameter with very little wasted powder.

If placed in a warm drying cupboard the burst is quite usuable within a day.

Always wondered about that! Thats one great idea! Great way to push the volume of corn cob!
Thanks for that tip!