ball mill grinding media:

[bryanb]

I was just wondering if anyone has tried homeade items for pulverizing
bulk chemicals in ball milling. Like below:

Fishing weights:
Marbles:
Ball Bearings:
Muzzle Loading Balls:
Nuts off of bolts:

I know that you must use non sparking for BP ball milling but I was
just wondering about for grinding raw chemicals such KNO3 and NaNO3
from their prills as sodium nitrate.

Thank you
Bryan B

[John]

Post by bryanb
I was just wondering if anyone has tried homeade items for pulverizing
I know that you must use non sparking for BP ball milling but I was
just wondering about for grinding raw chemicals such KNO3 and NaNO3
from their prills as sodium nitrate.
Thank you
Bryan B

Generally, you want milling media that is non-sparking, relatively dense
and approximately 1/6 the size of the milling jar. And as cheap as
possible.

I have found the least expensive, simplest solution is to purchase brass
rod from the scrap yard - when they have it - and cut it up into small
lengths. I haven't tried casting milling media myself but it seems like
more work than cutting up brass.

Fishing weights are no longer made of lead here in Canada - but lead
weights would work - but might be a bit expensive. If you have fishing
weights made of something other than lead, make sure it's non-sparking
if you want to use it for black powder.

Marbles are a bad idea because they chip and you would have bits of
glass in your composition.

Ball bearings are good and are suited for black powder too if they are
made of non-sparking material. Stainless steel is generally
non-sparking but depends on the alloy. They can be expensive unless you
find a good source.

Muzzle loading balls are great because they're lead, contain antimony to
make them harder and are available in small sizes suited to small
milling jars. They are somewhat expensive in the quantities you need
but they last for a long time.

Nuts work but are generally expensive in the quantity that you need. I
looked into buy brass nuts and was quite expensive.

[bryanb]

I hear you on that I know of a metal supplier in my area, Now all I
need is a chop saw. I can see how that would be cheep and fast. I'll
just buy a smaller jar for the BP processes and use the 5 lbs of
ceramic media in that jar for BP only. But for crushing chemicals ill
use the big jar with the Steel/ Brass Chunks. They reccomend that you
use 25 pounds of media in it filling half of the jar. THATS A LOT OF
MONEY!

I have a really large mill I finally broke down and got it not
realizing how freakin expensive it is to put ceramic media in it. I
seriously have respect for the guy who sold it to me but I just cant
afford to put an arm and a leg in media in it. I got one of them 35
pound jobs from hobby fireworks with the 2.75 gallon Jar.

I give the guy high ratings he ships fast and is very trustworthy. I
look forward to buying his star roller in the near future.

Bryan B

[l***@yahoo.com]

Do an archive search on this site for more detailed info.
Ceramic media will not mill as fast as hard lead & often sparks.
Pottery supply houses often have used ceramic media at discount $, BUT
you do not know what used media has milled & how that will react with
your dreams. I mill pottery glaze & bought 50 lbs. of ceramic media
for roughly $35.
You may want to consider making two smaller mill jars. A jar roughly
the same dimensions as a large peanut butter jar weighs 14.75 lbs +
composition. I have a 6" X 24" jar that was filled once ... then I
tried to lift it ... I have never charged this jar.
Hard lead from wheel weights can be had for free. Using a Lyman bullet
mold ladle, single candle stick holders ($1.50 Goodwill), heavy lidded
pot ($8.00 Goodwill), toilet bowl seal for bees wax flux ($1.29). With
an old Colman stove, three candle stick holders, I can mold roughly 6
- 3/4" X 1" balls per minute.
Molding lead media is not very difficult IF YOU KNOW HOW & ARE SAFE.
Some folk prefer to have several jars & media dedicated per each group
of compositions to avoid contamination & washing jars & media ...
comet mix, BP can share a jar.
Some folk prefer to mill components then blend, keeping jar & media
'pure', then weigh each component after milling.
Never mill without knowing what chemicals react with sulfur. Never
mill with out knowing what compositions are too sensitive ...
Cheap mill practice keeps the Doctor's kids in college.

[Lloyd E. Sponenburgh]

Post by bryanb
I was just wondering if anyone has tried homeade items for pulverizing

My very first ball mill - such as it was - used a few pounds of stainless
steel nuts and bolts for the medium charge.

Ball bearings are very good for milling. Muzzle loading balls are, also.
Fishing weights work (egg weights are about the best). Marbles work. Some
people (scaring me as they do it) use glass marbles to mill black powder.

LLoyd

[bryanb]

Thanks a lot. I know I dont want to blow up my mill either I have a
stack of money in this thing. That is why im asking You all what to
put in there. Matt gave me the numbers what it would cost to fill this
thing with ceramic and I about died. Well thanks again for the good
advice guys.

-I'm going to the machine shop for stainless chunks for the material
crushing and for BP comp's im just going to run ceramic only. Matt
seems to reccomend that for the Ball Mill.

Thanks
Bryan B.

[LadyKate]

Matt from HobbyFireworks must have changed his mind. He was
specifically against using ceramic media for BP when I heard him talk
about his stuff at PGI.

Ceramic media is good for single chemicals, though. Lostyank said that
it was slower than hard lead but others say it is up to twice as fast.
It probably depends on what you are milling. In any case, it is nice
and clean compared to lead.

Post by bryanb
Thanks a lot. I know I dont want to blow up my mill either I have a
stack of money in this thing. That is why im asking You all what to
put in there. Matt gave me the numbers what it would cost to fill this
thing with ceramic and I about died. Well thanks again for the good
advice guys.
-I'm going to the machine shop for stainless chunks for the material
crushing and for BP comp's im just going to run ceramic only. Matt
seems to reccomend that for the Ball Mill.
Thanks
Bryan B.

[malford]

Just wondering, couldnt you use hardened shot that is used to reload
shotgun shells. 25 pounds the last time i bought was about 15 bucks. it
was hardened with antimony "i dont know how much" and just seems a whole lot
easier than rounding up a bunch of wheel weights and melting and then
casting. Just buy a bag of shot and make some media. just asking.....

Post by LadyKate
Matt from HobbyFireworks must have changed his mind. He was
specifically against using ceramic media for BP when I heard him talk
about his stuff at PGI.
Ceramic media is good for single chemicals, though. Lostyank said that
it was slower than hard lead but others say it is up to twice as fast.
It probably depends on what you are milling. In any case, it is nice
and clean compared to lead.

Post by bryanb
Thanks a lot. I know I dont want to blow up my mill either I have a
stack of money in this thing. That is why im asking You all what to
put in there. Matt gave me the numbers what it would cost to fill this
thing with ceramic and I about died. Well thanks again for the good
advice guys.
-I'm going to the machine shop for stainless chunks for the material
crushing and for BP comp's im just going to run ceramic only. Matt
seems to reccomend that for the Ball Mill.
Thanks
Bryan B.

[j***@mac.com]

Just a note: Toilet seals aren't beeswax anymore, haven't been for
awhile. I found this out when researching bullet lube recipes...
Also, muzzleloading ball generally are soft lead, not an alloy.
Buckshot and birdshot are hard leads. I'm casting my media tomorrow
from 20 lbs of #7 shot I never use and a box of .320 buckshot used in
my BP .31 revolver.
Crayons work well for fluxing, but you can find beeswax too. I bought
about 30 lbs of beeswax locally for $20.
I wonder how copper jacketed bullets would work for milling?

[b***@gmail.com]

Post by j***@mac.com
Just a note: Toilet seals aren't beeswax anymore, haven't been for
awhile. I found this out when researching bullet lube recipes...
Also, muzzleloading ball generally are soft lead, not an alloy.
Buckshot and birdshot are hard leads. I'm casting my media tomorrow
from 20 lbs of #7 shot I never use and a box of .320 buckshot used in
my BP .31 revolver.
Crayons work well for fluxing, but you can find beeswax too. I bought
about 30 lbs of beeswax locally for $20.
I wonder how copper jacketed bullets would work for milling?

I have also wondered about jacketed bullets, specifically a .45 cal 220gr FMJ used for .45ACP.

However, I also know that they are a chunk of lead with a cupro-nickel cover over it.

If the jacket material is actually non-sparking, it has a downside of being lead that is plated... I suspect that brass balls, or especially bronze balls would last a LOT longer for the extra cost.

Bullets for .45ACP loading are currently running about 27 cents each locally, while brass balls online are just shy of $1.00 each, delivered, depending on how many you buy.

I'm shopping and considering right now, leaning towards the extra money for brass that will still be brass in two years, and not a chunk of lead with traces of brass still clinging to it in places.

I have some pure linotype, and molds for .54 Cal bullets, but I can't get away from the thought that lead balls wear down, and that missing lead has got to be winding up in the powder.

I have enough problems keeping the lead poisoning at bay from inhaling fumes while casting, or not washing my hands well enough after handling lead.

I don't need to have to wonder if I'm going to be lead-poisoned with the smoke from every shot of my homemade powder.

[Richard J Kinch]

Post by malford
25 pounds the last time i bought was about 15 bucks.

Note that the market price of lead has rocketed up to near 80 cents/lb
lately.

Loading Image...

Time to clear any cheap old stock off the shelves of those sporting goods
retailers.

[Lloyd E. Sponenburgh]

Post by LadyKate
Matt from HobbyFireworks must have changed his mind. He was
specifically against using ceramic media for BP when I heard him talk
about his stuff at PGI.
Ceramic media is good for single chemicals, though. Lostyank said that
it was slower than hard lead but others say it is up to twice as fast.
It probably depends on what you are milling. In any case, it is nice
and clean compared to lead.

The particular advantages to ceramic media are: Easy to clean,
finer-grinding than soft metals, and non-contaminating.
Note that "finer grinding" doesn't mean faster. It's just that the hard
surfaces don't deform, so the contact points are smaller.

LLoyd

[vert_sk8er]

Post by Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

Post by bryanb
I was just wondering if anyone has tried homeade items for pulverizing

My very first ball mill - such as it was - used a few pounds of stainless
steel nuts and bolts for the medium charge.
Ball bearings are very good for milling. Muzzle loading balls are, also.
Fishing weights work (egg weights are about the best). Marbles work. Some
people (scaring me as they do it) use glass marbles to mill black powder.
LLoyd

whats scary about using glass marbles? just curious...

my grining media for BP are lead balls made from a homemade cast that
I machined. and my metal grinding media is just made from a 1/4" steel
rod cut into 14" lengths. it work ok.

[Lloyd E. Sponenburgh]

Post by vert_sk8er
whats scary about using glass marbles? just curious...

They chip, leaving glass particles in the powder, and there are
(unsubstantiated) reports of piezo-electric sparking capabilities. I know
from experience that glass will spark when fractured from an effect I cannot
name, but it has to do with stresses involved when crystals or supercooled
fluids are broken suddenly.

LLoyd

[j***@mac.com]

I believe that it's piezo luminescence. 2 pieces of quartz hit
together will spark and glow internally. I'm sure since glass is made
from quartz, then it has the same properties to some degree. I
wouldn't mill with glass. Does anyone use coins as media?

[Kelly]

Post by j***@mac.com
Does anyone use coins as media?

<Sheepishly raising hand> Yeah, I do. I was trying to get started 'on
the cheap'. I already had some KNO3 (stump remover), wettable sulfur
(use it as an anti-fungal on fruit trees/etc.) and hardwood charcoal
(for cooking), and a rarely-used Lortone rock polisher. I saw the tip
from Skylighter on using coins for media, and so a handful of change
later I had my first batch of BP. I works well enough - I mill 100g
at a time for 24hrs, and the BP is great - good enough for lift,
rockets, triangle salutes, etc.

Kelly

[Lloyd E. Sponenburgh]

Post by j***@mac.com
I believe that it's piezo luminescence. 2 pieces of quartz hit
together will spark and glow internally. I'm sure since glass is made
from quartz, then it has the same properties to some degree. I
wouldn't mill with glass. Does anyone use coins as media?

Most glass is not made from quartz. "Fused quartz" is used for
high-temperature, high-pressure bulbs like HPMV point-source lamps.

LLoyd

[j***@mac.com]

I think old marbles were real agate, which is recrystalized quartz
( as in Geodes . At the least I'd avoid those.
Isn't glass still made from sand? I know sand only decscribes a
particle size, but most sand is primarily SiO2 ( Quartz, but not
necessarily crytalized ) . Anyway, way off topic now. I don't know
much about glass production anyway...

[b***@gmail.com]

Dear Manager,

we are leading manufacturer of grinding media balls in China,which are widely exported to more than 10 countries and areas in high quality and competitive prices.We want to find one partner in Congo to sell our grinding media balls,if you are interested in please inform us ***@gmail.com


Chen Hui

Shandong Huamin Steel Ball Joint-stock Co.,LTD

Yangjun Village,Guanzhuang Town,Zhangqiu City,Shandong,China
24 Hours' service Mobile no::[phone]
Tel:[phone]
Fax:[phone]
Email:***@gmail.com
MSN:***@hotmail.com
Skype:banyechan
http://cn.linkedin.com/in/grindingmedia

在 2007年2月1日星期四UTC+8下午12时51分16秒，bryanb写道：

Post by bryanb
I was just wondering if anyone has tried homeade items for pulverizing
I know that you must use non sparking for BP ball milling but I was
just wondering about for grinding raw chemicals such KNO3 and NaNO3
from their prills as sodium nitrate.
Thank you
Bryan B

[b***@gmail.com]

Dear Manager,

we are leading manufacturer of grinding media balls in China,which are widely exported to more than 10 countries and areas in high quality and competitive prices.We want to find one partner in Congo to sell our grinding media balls,if you are interested in please inform us ***@gmail.com


Chen Hui

Shandong Huamin Steel Ball Joint-stock Co.,LTD

Yangjun Village,Guanzhuang Town,Zhangqiu City,Shandong,China
24 Hours' service Mobile no::[phone]
Tel:[phone]
Fax:[phone]
Email:***@gmail.com
MSN:***@hotmail.com
Skype:banyechan
http://cn.linkedin.com/in/grindingmedia

在 2007年2月1日星期四UTC+8下午12时51分16秒，bryanb写道：

Post by bryanb
I was just wondering if anyone has tried homeade items for pulverizing
I know that you must use non sparking for BP ball milling but I was
just wondering about for grinding raw chemicals such KNO3 and NaNO3
from their prills as sodium nitrate.
Thank you
Bryan B

[9***@qq.com]

On Thursday, February 1, 2007 12:51:16 PM UTC+8, bryanb wrote:

Do you mean this product?http://www.vipeakballmill.com/ball.asp

[9***@qq.com]

On Thursday, February 1, 2007 12:51:16 PM UTC+8, bryanb wrote:

Do you mean this product?http://www.vipeakballmill.com/ball.asp

[s***@gmail.com]

Post by bryanb
I was just wondering if anyone has tried homeade items for pulverizing
I know that you must use non sparking for BP ball milling but I was
just wondering about for grinding raw chemicals such KNO3 and NaNO3
from their prills as sodium nitrate.
Thank you
Bryan B

http://unitednuclear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=25_35&products_id=1201

[j***@gmail.com]

I use ball bearings they work great depending on what size you’re using use half-inch and three-quarter Inch. But even bigger sizes will work. I don’t use them to grand BP though. Our use them for my charcoal and or my oxidizers.

[PC]

Post by j***@gmail.com
I use ball bearings they work great depending on what size you’re using use half-inch and three-quarter Inch. But even bigger sizes will work. I don’t use them to grand BP though. Our use them for my charcoal and or my oxidizers.

Anybody have any thoughts on the idea below (from Skylighter Newsletter)

Here's a tip for all those pyro types that mill their own black powder. Much has been discussed about using a non-sparking media, and whether or not ceramic balls will cause an explosion, possible health problems from lead media, etc.

I've been using good ole U.S. of A currency discs for that purpose for the last five years with nary a problem. The nickel and quarter denominations work very well. They don't spark; They are about impossible to wear out, and they're cheap. I use 12 quarters and 20 nickels to mill 100 grams of lift in about 3 hours. The coins cascade in landslide fashion down the inside the tumbler and provide a shearing/rolling action to the mix.

I mill the charcoal and potassium nitrate for 2 hours and add the sulfur for the last hour. After pressing, corning, and screening, my lift BP is as good as any commercial product I've tried