Definition of Blackpowder
Black Powder :
Black powder are chunks
of a dark gray to black powder. The size of the chunks is
measured in "F"s. The finest powder is something around
FFFFFg, the large lumps are called Whaling or Cannon Powder.
In black powder the potassium nitrate
(saltpetre) is recrystalisated around the sulphur and charcoal
molecules. This is done by dampen the meal powder. Doing so will
solve some potassium nitrate. During drying the KNO3 will
recrystalisate. This improves the burning speed.
You can make black powder by pressing meal
powder in a hydraulic press to a density of 1.7g/cm3.
After doing this you will have a hard
"cake" of black powder. Now you must only break it into
smaller pieces and sieve it with a set of mesh sieves.
Look at the list below to see what grain
size is compareable to what mesh size.
Here is a comparison of powder grade/mesh
size/mm/micron size in chart form :
| Powder Grade | Mesh Size | Size in mm | Micron Size |
| Whaling | 4 mesh | 4.760mm | 4760 microns |
| Lifesaving | 6 mesh | 3.200mm | 3200 microns |
| Cannon | 6 mesh | 3.200mm | 3200 microns |
| Saluting | 10 mesh | 2.000mm | 2000 microns |
| Fg | 12 mesh | 1.600mm | 1600 microns |
| FFg | 16 mesh | 1.200mm | 1200 microns |
| FFFg | 20 mesh | 0.711mm | 711 microns |
| FFFFg | 40 mesh | 0.420mm | 420 microns |
| FFFFFg | 75 mesh | 0.196mm | 196 microns |
| Sporting Powder | Firework Powder | Size Range | Microns |
| --- | Extra Fine Meal | < 0.10 mm | < 100 microns |
| FFFFFg | Fine Meal | < 0.15mm | < 150 microns |
| FFFFg | FFFFFFFa | 0.15 - 0.42mm | 150-420 microns |
| --- | Meal D | < 0.42mm | < 420 microns |
| FFFg | FFFFFa | 0.29 - 0.84mm | 290-840 microns |
| FFg | --- | 0.59 - 1.19mm | 590-1190 microns |
| --- | FFFFa | 0.84 - 1.68mm | 840-1680 microns |
| Fg | --- | 1.19 - 1.68mm | 1190-1680 microns |
| Cannon | FFa | 1.68 - 4.76mm | 1680-4760 microns |
| --- | Fa | 4.00 - 8.00mm | 4000-8000 microns |
Green Powder/Mix :
A "Greenpowder" or "Green
Mix" is a simple mixture of 75% KNO3, 15% Charcoal, 10%
sulphur.
They are mixed together by hand or by
sieving. Care should be taken that all ingredients are powdered
(that can be done with mortar and pestle). A simple way to make
green powder is to put all the chemicals into some sort of
airtight container (a DRY! plastic Coke bottle works well) and
keep shaking it for at least 5 minutes. Now you should have a
grayish powder, that's green powder.
Compared to black powder it is pretty lame.
Even when confirmed it won't explode, but burn fairly fast with a
nice flame and leave much residue. It can be used as a weak
rocket engine propellant. For nothing really good at all.
Meal Powder :
Meal powder is green powder that is
mixed very intimately. This mixing can NOT be accomplished
without proper tools. Meal powder is the dust form of black
powder. It is the name for the finest black powder, far below
FFFFFg grade. It's not (like black powder) pressed to a density
of 1.7g/cm3, but a rather loose powder. The difference between
green powder and meal powder ist the homogenity of the mix.
A good way to make meal powder is to put
the dry chemicals in a good ball mill for at least 3 hours.