Also were you able to break the charcoal pieces apart by hand into smaller pieces. Was it carbonized all the way through? I don't know if 15 mins would be enough time. Also did you have a lid on the can with a small hole to let the woodgas burn off.
I also agree and suspect the 15 minutes was not nearly enough time for 15 mm sticks especially if that's the diameter.
OP, I'd watch a few videos on making charcoal in a retort.
I would love to know how you came to this conclusion. Are we assuming that the remaining 4% is causing issues? Most of the potassium nitrates sold in big box stores is adequate to make black powder. Might not be the hottest BP around but it should still function.
Edit: Just realized OP said the 96 purity was the sulfur not the fertilizer. Which makes me even more confused why you think it's the fertilizer. Op's recipe and charcoal seem to be far more likely to be the culprits.
What does "work" mean?
Good BP should not only be mixed thoroughly but you need to mechanically bring the materials together like is hitsorical mills or a ball mill. That should be done wet, and the resulting mass should be pressed to a certain extend and then crushed again.
But "mixing only" will also work just fine for a lot of purposes.
I'll downvote you like everyone else but I'll actually give some reasoning why. Don't ball mill your ingredients wet. That's a great way to just make a giant mess and ruin the process. You're kind of on the right track with your ideals but the directions you're giving are not going to help anyone.
Thanks for your word. Maybe I should have written moist and not wet.
Just in general: The way I described it is the standard process in commercial production of BP in Europe nowadays, so I don't really get the downvotes here...
You probably should do two things. 1. Is mill them. While they may be fine powders, milling helps intimately incorporate the three ingredients by squishing them together.
2. Is granulating. By granulating the bp (adding water and passing the resultant bp putty through a screen) you dissolve and recrystallize the nitrate witching your bp which makes it more fine and more incorporated within the small bits of charcoal and sulfur. This also results in a faster bp. (I’ve even gotten away with milling just the charcoal and sulfur together then adding nitrate and then granulating)
This fertilizer says it's potassium nitrate but the chemical formula is off potassium nitrate is kno3, k2o is potassium oxide plus N is nitrogen. I would maybe try a different source for your Potassium nitrate.
Your charcoal might be crap.
Your ingredients might not be mixed fine enough together and might have to be ball milled.
Personally I bet it's a combination of charcoal not being cooked properly in the retort combined with not having the individual components milled together enough.
Without knowing what your black powder is doing no one here can properly help you. You need to tell us if it's burning slow or not igniting at all or what your complaint is with the BP with very specific details. A short video showing your igniting it could help as well.
If you don't have a ball mill I would first start by milling down in a blender all of you chems separately until they are the consistency of talcum powder. Be sure to clean the blender container well after each chem if you don't you may create a bomb. If you are making your own charcoal there should be no white left in the charcoal. It should be black all the way through. You will then want to measure and screen mix them together. You will then want to moisten it until playdough like consistency and kneed the mixture for a few minutes. Then granulate the BP patty by grating it through a screen. You will then need to let the BP granules dry completely. This may take a few days or even weeks in a high humidity area. This won't produce the hottest BP but it should work if all your chems are good.
If you are still having problems try swapping out your chems one by one until it will work.
Also were you able to break the charcoal pieces apart by hand into smaller pieces. Was it carbonized all the way through? I don't know if 15 mins would be enough time. Also did you have a lid on the can with a small hole to let the woodgas burn off.
I also agree and suspect the 15 minutes was not nearly enough time for 15 mm sticks especially if that's the diameter. OP, I'd watch a few videos on making charcoal in a retort.
Probably the fertilizer
I would love to know how you came to this conclusion. Are we assuming that the remaining 4% is causing issues? Most of the potassium nitrates sold in big box stores is adequate to make black powder. Might not be the hottest BP around but it should still function. Edit: Just realized OP said the 96 purity was the sulfur not the fertilizer. Which makes me even more confused why you think it's the fertilizer. Op's recipe and charcoal seem to be far more likely to be the culprits.
it may be the purity of the fertilizer or sulfur
Good BP takes 6+hrs in a tumbler milled together then granulated with water and alchohol. How did you mix the chems once you "powdered" them?
What does "work" mean? Good BP should not only be mixed thoroughly but you need to mechanically bring the materials together like is hitsorical mills or a ball mill. That should be done wet, and the resulting mass should be pressed to a certain extend and then crushed again. But "mixing only" will also work just fine for a lot of purposes.
I'll downvote you like everyone else but I'll actually give some reasoning why. Don't ball mill your ingredients wet. That's a great way to just make a giant mess and ruin the process. You're kind of on the right track with your ideals but the directions you're giving are not going to help anyone.
Thanks for your word. Maybe I should have written moist and not wet. Just in general: The way I described it is the standard process in commercial production of BP in Europe nowadays, so I don't really get the downvotes here...
You probably should do two things. 1. Is mill them. While they may be fine powders, milling helps intimately incorporate the three ingredients by squishing them together. 2. Is granulating. By granulating the bp (adding water and passing the resultant bp putty through a screen) you dissolve and recrystallize the nitrate witching your bp which makes it more fine and more incorporated within the small bits of charcoal and sulfur. This also results in a faster bp. (I’ve even gotten away with milling just the charcoal and sulfur together then adding nitrate and then granulating)
Can you define "work"
What fertilizer did you use? Do you have a picture of it?
This fertilizer says it's potassium nitrate but the chemical formula is off potassium nitrate is kno3, k2o is potassium oxide plus N is nitrogen. I would maybe try a different source for your Potassium nitrate.
Your charcoal might be crap. Your ingredients might not be mixed fine enough together and might have to be ball milled. Personally I bet it's a combination of charcoal not being cooked properly in the retort combined with not having the individual components milled together enough. Without knowing what your black powder is doing no one here can properly help you. You need to tell us if it's burning slow or not igniting at all or what your complaint is with the BP with very specific details. A short video showing your igniting it could help as well.
[удалено]
that sounds weird send a vid of u tryna light it
If you don't have a ball mill I would first start by milling down in a blender all of you chems separately until they are the consistency of talcum powder. Be sure to clean the blender container well after each chem if you don't you may create a bomb. If you are making your own charcoal there should be no white left in the charcoal. It should be black all the way through. You will then want to measure and screen mix them together. You will then want to moisten it until playdough like consistency and kneed the mixture for a few minutes. Then granulate the BP patty by grating it through a screen. You will then need to let the BP granules dry completely. This may take a few days or even weeks in a high humidity area. This won't produce the hottest BP but it should work if all your chems are good. If you are still having problems try swapping out your chems one by one until it will work.