9 replies to this topic

[Mortartube]

Has anyone here tried using golden powder as a shell lift? Just thought I'd have a play whilst i try to get my ball mill working properly.

What weight do you use, the same as BP? For instance to lift a 3" shell.

For those who don't know basic golden powder is

60% Kno3

40% Ascorbic acid

[pyrotrev]

NO, but I seem to remember reading a post on rec.pyrotechnics that compared them in detail.

[Pretty green flames]

I wouldn't use it, it's hygroscopic as hell and i wouldn't want to risk a missfire because of it (unless you shoot the shells without storing them and you would have to dump the powder into the gun, something i'm not very fond off). Some fellow pyros have used it and report that you needed twice as much compared to BP if you wanted to get the shell to a decent height.

In my opinion it's not a very effective replacement for BP

[Mortartube]

I certainly wouldn't store it but it might be an interesting experiment. Thanks for the reply.

[Pretty green flames]

You should use the formula with the bicarb in it, prevents the formation of Nitric acid (105.7 g of potassium nitrate, 65.2 g of ascorbic acid, 3.7 g of potassium/sodium bicarbonate).

Be careful with it though, i've heard too many reports of accident with this stuff, during manufacturing mostly as people overheat it and it goes off. Face and hand protection are a must.

[Mortartube]

I did intend to use the bicar formula.

Thanks for the advice about the manufacture. It of course would be stupid to heat any combustible or explosive without such protection.

I have a little gas camping stove so may take it out to the middle of nowhere and make it.

[paul]

Note to self: Read the posts above you first...

@ Mortartube: I read bicarb and was thinking about YELLOW POWDER, which is quite an explosive formula.
Of course golden powder isn´t that explosive. You can get good instructions on making it
here: http://nakka-rocketr...mson_powder.pdf

Sorry about that.

Edited by paul, 01 August 2008 - 04:21 PM.

[Mortartube]

This is perhaps looking to be less of a good idea the more I hear about it. I am a coward that's why I still have all of my limbs.

I will have to ponder this further. I was thinking of using a frying pan as it is wide and open to aid evaporation and spread heat well.

[Pretty green flames]

I have made 20g once on a water bath in a glass beaker (borosilicate glass), this is probably the safest (relatively speaking ofcourse) way of making it, you basicly just need to disolve the chemicals in water then heat until it changes colour. When the reaction took place I placed it in the oven on 70*C to evaporate the remaining water. Making it on a gas stove wouldn't be very smart. Hot plate? Maybe. Hot water bath? Perfect, the temp doesn't go above 100*C and the heat is evenly distributed.

Direct fire is a no-no. Making a 10g batch, for experimental purposes and with all the precautions taken, shouldn't do any harm to you. Whatever you do, DON'T put your head anywhere near the beaker! This stuff has a nasty habbit of flaring up when your head is near it.

[GalFisk]

I've tried using it as lift, but had to use powder weighing half as much as the shell to gain acceptable height for 1" shells. It seems to be much less pressure sensitive than BP. The stuff becomes quite hygroscopic if oven dried, much less so if it's dried in a pot set in a boiling water bath and stirred frequently. Too much work to make in any case, imho.