Went to a shoot the other day,and the old smooth bores lock time was real slow. Tried one of the other shooters priming powder and it went right off. Dumped my priming powder and got some more from the can (goex) same thing slow lock time. Opened a new can fast lock time. Any way you can dry Black Powder? I'm thinking put it in an old miltary cartrage container with a open container of desiccant and use a heat lamp raise the temp to about 80 deg. and let the desiccant absorbe the moisture. Now I have shot Black Powder for a lot of year and never had this happen before. How the powder absorbed the moisture I don't know. I have changed nothing in the way I store my powder.
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Damp Powder?
- Thread starter No Powder
- Start date
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In the Lewis and Clark journals there is a mention of this, seems when their powder got wet one time, they spread it out on the ground in the sun to dry it. They did mention the entire party almost went under when one of the Frenchies was walking around on top the powder smoking a pipe.
They did not mention how they kept it out of the dirt.
I would find a dry place out of the wind away from any chance of sparks or heat and just let the air dry it. I would not risk using an incandescent heat lamp.
They did not mention how they kept it out of the dirt.
I would find a dry place out of the wind away from any chance of sparks or heat and just let the air dry it. I would not risk using an incandescent heat lamp.
Chuck Deaton
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Heat is always the first thought in removing moisture, before you do anything consider freeze drying. I never tried to dry powder but I have dried wet papers, after a several floods. The approach is to put the paper in a deep freeze or a meat locker. Once to dry a wet library we rented a reefer. Generally the moisture came out of the paper and created frost on the inside of the freezer.
I would think that just putting the damp powder into a container open to the air and setting it in a deep freeze for a month would do it.
I would think that just putting the damp powder into a container open to the air and setting it in a deep freeze for a month would do it.
With as cold and low humidity you have there in Iowa, you should be able to put it out in a cold shed in a mason jar and let it freeze dry. After you freeze dry it you might consider shooting it with a little shot of ether before sealing it up. The ether will help keep the moisture out in the future and also give you fantastic ignition times after it absorbs into the powder. I used to do this back in the late seventies when I made my own powder. Take care, Rick.
When we used to get our powder damp from especially wet reenactment events, I used to just spread it thinly out on our coffe table over large sheets of printing paper. (This was the same type paper we used top roll our cartridges) It seemed to dry out just fine. Of course if your house was humid I dont know that this would be effective.
Brad
Brad
Ye might send it out har to Arizonie so's Ah can dry it in the summer sun.
Course Ah may hav ta test it from time to time ta see how the dryin's doin, so's Ah don't garentee how much wil be left when it's dry enough ta send back to ye.
Course Ah may hav ta test it from time to time ta see how the dryin's doin, so's Ah don't garentee how much wil be left when it's dry enough ta send back to ye.
I would like to add how NOT to dry powder (this is for HUMOR only, do not do this)...
Place a goodly amount of black powder in the cloths dryer and tumble on high heat for 90 minutes, or 1 minute, which ever comes first... (added bonus, the lint trap can sift out the pan powder from the main charge)
Using the ironing board and iron... (It's not like the Mrs. is using it for your shirts.)
Drying it out on the waffle iron, plus it gives the next batch of waffles a higher boost in potassium...
Wrap the 1 pound can of powder with heat tape for pipes and plug it in, for faster drying, re-wire the heat tape to accept the 220V dryer plug...
Fill the muffin pans with the wet powder and bake in a moderatly hot oven, this is good because you can put Fg in one hole, FFg in another, and so on...
Again, do not try this, I just thought that we could use a good laugh...
***DING***
Got to go, the pizza pan powder is done...
Place a goodly amount of black powder in the cloths dryer and tumble on high heat for 90 minutes, or 1 minute, which ever comes first... (added bonus, the lint trap can sift out the pan powder from the main charge)
Using the ironing board and iron... (It's not like the Mrs. is using it for your shirts.)
Drying it out on the waffle iron, plus it gives the next batch of waffles a higher boost in potassium...
Wrap the 1 pound can of powder with heat tape for pipes and plug it in, for faster drying, re-wire the heat tape to accept the 220V dryer plug...
Fill the muffin pans with the wet powder and bake in a moderatly hot oven, this is good because you can put Fg in one hole, FFg in another, and so on...
Again, do not try this, I just thought that we could use a good laugh...
***DING***
Got to go, the pizza pan powder is done...
Thanks for the help the powder is sitting in the garage on paper towels for the next couple days. The temp is supposed to be in the single digits for the next couple days. I would not of thought of dry freezing it to dry it. Will try the ether thing also.
A special thanks to Musketman, as Red Green says "anyone can do something stupid the real talent is thinking it up"
For Sale all used 1. Cloths Dryer 1. waffle iron 1. iron 1. heat tape and 1. muffin pan. All can be seen on the space station web page or was that the Mars rover page? ::
Thanks again No Powder
A special thanks to Musketman, as Red Green says "anyone can do something stupid the real talent is thinking it up"
For Sale all used 1. Cloths Dryer 1. waffle iron 1. iron 1. heat tape and 1. muffin pan. All can be seen on the space station web page or was that the Mars rover page? ::
Thanks again No Powder
