Ball mill. ??

[RandyRay41]

I was reading the sticky post on how to make BP. It says I can purchase a "ball mill" at harbor freight. When I do a search at the harbor freight web page for a ball mill. Nothing comes up other than trailer balls etc.

Is there a technical name for a ball mill?

 

[thralldad]

Lots of folks use a rock tumbler with round balls in it.

 

[Frosty Dave]

I noticed a source mentioned in the black powder links for a ball mill by United Nuclear looks like the same machine Harbor Freight sells as a "rotary rock tumbler," the differences being HF comes with rock polishing grit and UN comes with lead balls and accessories apparently better suited for rocket science.

The UN unit is considerably more expensive than the HF, but imagine the looks on your friends' faces when they come to your house and see a machine that says UNITED NUCLEAR on the name plate.

Disclaimer: Outside of owning one of the HF rock polishers, I know nothing beyond my curiosity at reading this thread and wondering, "What the heck is a ball mill?"

 

[RandyRay41]

Disclaimer : I assume its illegal to produce BP. That being said I will stick to polishing rocks. .

 

[MErl]

In most places (in the states), perfectly legal. That might change once you have 50# sitting around but until then have fun.

Get the rock tumbler. Use lead or other non-sparking balls.

 

[whughett]

I was reading the sticky post on how to make BP. It says I can purchase a "ball mill" at harbor freight. When I do a search at the harbor freight web page for a ball mill. Nothing comes up other than trailer balls etc.

Is there a technical name for a ball mill?

Harbor Freight carries two models, a three pounder and a six pounder. I looked at them in the local store. They are like most things from Harbor Freight, cheaply made and sold cheaply. I can not attest to their reliability. The six pounder has two three pound cans.
Like you I want try making BP but I think I will spring for the Thumblers. If nothing else they, Thumblers, are great case cleaners with the the pin and water method.Cost twice as much but have been around for decades.

 

[Frosty Dave]

I can offer a little insight into the HF single drum tumbler. A major deficiency is the heavy O-ring drive belt. It's too tight and the load wears out the motor bearings, or at least it tries to until the belt breaks at the seam.

I replaced the O-ring with a looser VHS VCR belt and the tumbler has worked fine since then, ~2003, polishing rocks, glass, brass and deburring parts.

Polishing stones is much tougher duty than most gun jobs. The drum runs wet and may run for a month to progress through coarse, medium, fine and polish steps.

 

[cp11]

I bought a HF tumbler last year and it came with 5 extra belts. Do'nt run them too tight.

 

[Pulp]

Unless you're planning on going into commercial production of BP, then the HF should work OK. I don't know what brand mine is, but it has two drums. I don't put more than 4 ounces of BP ingredients in a drum, plus the lead balls. It only has to run for 6 or so hours to make a batch of BP. Like Frosty said, they run for weeks on end for rock polishing.

 

[Officers'Wife]

My uncle used a homemade "windmill" and PVC pipe with a square plug to mill charcoal. ( He would never manufacture BP )

Seriously, try the slurry method. That way all you need is a heavy duty kitchen blender. You need to stock up in isopropanol but it's a lot safer than ball milling and the quality is just as good.

 

[BullSlinger]

Others Knowledge

It has all been tried and lots of info and tips. It's a long thread but you will find it helpful.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?103852-My-homemade-black-powder

 

[RandyRay41]

Thanks for the thread Bullslinger on page 22 and still reading. Interesting stuff.

 

[BullSlinger]

You're Welcome

Yes it is a long thread but a lot of information. Good luck if you decide to make a project of it.

 

[tpelle]

When you buy the ball mill, make sure you get a LONG extension cord for it.

 

[303tom]

To make a Ball Mill all you need is.
1. A 5 gal. bucket
2. A Motor
3. Some rollers
4. Lumber
5. And pool balls

 

[whughett]

To make a Ball Mill all you need is.
1. A 5 gal. bucket
2. A Motor
3. Some rollers
4. Lumber
5. And pool balls

And u use that contraption for...............?????

 

[RandyRay41]

I would Assume to make large quantities of powder. To bad I'm not very mechanically inclined or I would produce lots of contraptions without having to purchase at store.

 

[303tom]

And u use that contraption for...............?????

Grinding !..................

 

[zxcvbob]

The harbor freight 6# rock tumbler is great for grinding powder or wet-tumbling brass -- except for the awful belts that break after an hour or two of use. I need to find an alternate source of good O-rings or sewing machine belts or something that fit it. The HF replacement belts are just as bad as the originals -- they sometimes even come pre-cracked. (and my tumbler did not come with any extra belts.)

 

[Officers'Wife]

To make a Ball Mill all you need is.
1. A 5 gal. bucket
2. A Motor
3. Some rollers
4. Lumber
5. And pool balls

Interesting.

I believe instead of the friction drive I would use a PVC threaded sewer cap on the back then match the square head to the motor shaft . This would give you a higher speed and you could handle higher weights of both material and medium that way. Including using your billiard balls for coarse then switching to 1'' diameter lead shot for fine powdering.

 

[whughett]

I seem to have read somewhere of a correlation between the diameter of the
the grinding media, billard balls, diameter of the grinding chamber, 5 gallon bucket, and the texture of the finial product. Had to to do with impact force and all that. Too much of one or the other and things just rolled around.

Not to mention sheer quantity.