Black powder is a mix of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal.Black powder can be made with three supplies.You mix them together and make an explosion of a meal.Store black powder away from heat and flame, and be extremely cautious when handling it.You can learn how to make gunpowder.
Step 1: You should get your hands on some saltpeter.
Saltpeter is the name of a nitrate.Saltpeter was made from bat guano or horse urine in the days when black powder was widely used.It's used as part of science projects and in certain recipes.You can find "stump remover" in garden stores.Saltpeter can be sold under this name.You can find it labeled as saltpeter, niter, or potassium nitrate.You can buy it online.You can easily have a bottle delivered to you if you do a search for saltpeter.It's time to get out of a cold pack.Cold packs can be bought for a few dollars to help with sore muscles and can also be used to make saltpeter.Make it with urine.Some black powder enthusiasts prefer to make their powder from scratch and this is the most difficult way to get saltpeter.One way to fill a drum is to attach a drain, valve, and filter at the bottom of the drum.Proceed to top it off with water.Dry it out on trays.
Step 2: Obtain some charcoal.
Standard charcoal can be used to cook with your grill, but you will need to grind it to a fine powder.To make your own charcoal, fill a metal drum with willow or another wood and place it in a bonfire with a loose lid on top.Open the drum and keep the bonfire piping hot for 3-6 hours.The charcoal from the charred wood is perfect for gunpowder.
Step 3: Get the sulfur.
You can find it in garden stores or online sources that sell garden supplies.There are beds in Texas, Louisiana, Italy, and other places where sulfur can be found.
Step 4: Prepare the ingredients by grinding them.
You can grind each ingredient into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle.The mortar and pestle need to be cleaned in between uses.If you want to make a lot of gunpowder, you can use a ball mill to grind the components.A ball mill is used to mix and grind powders.
Step 5: Take out the gunpowder components.
The ratio of ingredients is very important when making gunpowder.To calculate the percentage by weight, use a small scale.You need 74.8% saltpeter, 13.3% charcoal, and 11.9% sulfur.
Step 6: Put the ingredients together.
It's a good idea to moisten the powders before mixing.Place them all in the mortar and grind them together with the pestle for 10 minutes or more.If you're using a ball mill, add the saltpeter and mill the mixture for another 24 hours.Be careful around the black powder after it has been mixed.Don't light a flame or smoke near the powder, and keep it away from heat.
Step 7: Adding water might be a good idea.
Adding up to 8% of water can improve gunpowder's burning.Add water in small amounts until gunpowder is the texture of thick clay.When you're done, form it into a ball.If you mix gunpowder with water, you'll need to break it up into smaller pieces.Run the gunpowder ball through a sieve in the kitchen to break it into smaller pieces, then dry them out on a piece of paper.Again, be very careful around gunpowder.Caution should be exercised at every stage.
Step 8: Black powder can be safely stored.
Black powder can be placed in a special container.It's a good idea to store it in a fireproof box outside of your home.Black powder can be stored in a stable area where it won't come into contact with a flame or be exposed to high temperatures.You can purchase powder containers online.Black powder can be stored in empty paint cans.It is illegal to store explosives in a residence or dwelling in some areas.If you have doubts about the proper way to store gunpowder, you should contact your state field office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives or the equivalent authority in your country.