Drying damp powder

[russellshaffer]

OK, this is an honest question. Obviously it is not a good idea to use heat other than sunshine. So, how about freeze drying?? I have noticed how ice cubes gradually dissapear in a frost free freezer and poorly sealed foods dessicate. I bet that powder, whether Black or substitute would dry out if left for a time in an unsealed container. Stir it daily and don't spill it.

 

[Stone]

Don't know anything about freeze drying. But I do know that silica beads are amazing Moisture Control items.

I know people, including myself, who have tens of thousands of dollars worth of cigars which are maintained at a set humidity for years and years.

Silica beads are also used to control the moisture content of the most precious works of art in the world.

0% RH silica beads would absorb all moisture in a methodical period of time.

Edited to add that 40% silica beads or Boveda packs should bring powder to a good ambient humidity.

 

[44Bro]

It's not that hazardous to use gentle indirect heat. Put the powder on a skillet anti-spatter screen and set it near a heater vent. The powder companies use a similar drying method.

 

[deerstalkert]

i dry my self made powder in a food dehydrator. always have and always will.



OH! THE HUMANITY!

 

[Stone]

i dry my self made powder in a food dehydrator. always have and always will.



OH! THE HUMANITY!

I don't know if it's appropriate to ask someone how they make their own powder, but I would like to know if it is a major process?

 

[russellshaffer]

i dry my self made powder in a food dehydrator. always have and always will.



OH! THE HUMANITY!

What works in Northern Idaho should work in Eastern Oregon. Cold and not much sun these days. But I already have a freezer.

 

[deerstalkert]

have never tried to freeze BP, but it seems to me the water would be trapped in frozen form still bound to the other ingredients. being in a frost free freezer though just might dehydrate it.
never know until its tried.
Heck, in KFalls you could spread it on something out side! bet the humidity right now is zip!

 

[russellshaffer]

Humidity was low but it warmed up and is raining.

 

[deerstalkert]

any ice on the lake? i never fished there but bet the possibilities are there.

 

[Brokennock]

Carefully disassemble a teabag, remove tea, replace with uncooked rice. Place powder in a container such as one of those screw top plastic food containers from Ziplock or Gladware, place rice bag in container, wait a few days.

You could potentially monitor how much moisture has been removed by weighing the powder on a powder scale (depending on the quantity we're talking about) before starting this process then again after a couple days. It should get lighter as it dries.

 

[William Lincoln]

Water sublimates in cold conditions. I just am careful with containers. I do not let
powder sit unopened for longer that I need. Damp or clumpy powder I always
pitched out. However, now with these shortages ,I would try to dry it out best I could,
using a cookie pan and sunshine or warm air flow.

 

[mmb617]

i dry my self made powder in a food dehydrator. always have and always will.

That's how I do it too. But I'm drying pucks. Haven't ever tried it with loose powder.

 

[J. Paul]

I don't know if it's appropriate to ask someone how they make their own powder, but I would like to know if it is a major process?

Not at all, but it has a learning curve.

 

[Bassdog1]

I got some free powder a couple of months ago and one can was clumpy and was damp. I took a large baking sheet and poured the powder on it, I then put screen on it. I have electric heat in my garage and turned it up and turned on a ceiling fan to circulate air. I stirred it and mashed the clumps up. I let it sit for three days and then put it an a sealed container. Have used it several times lately with no issues and it doesn't clump at all.

 

[deerstalkert]

if attempting to dry powder, do not dry it on paper or cloth. both can and will wick the kno3 out of the powder. coated paper plates are as close as i come. takes 5 of them to dry a pound with a thin layer on each.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I remember reading about some trappers whose powder got wet. They actually pissed on it to add back nitrate that had been lost, then dried it in a pan over a camp fire slowly stirring it with a long stick . My self I would simply pour it out onto a wide metal pan and put it in a warm dry area stirring it every so often.

 

[bore_butter]

over 40yrs ago i found that if you get any of that damp powder lit the rest will dry out instantly, burned all the hair off my arm.

 

[smoothshooter]

OK, this is an honest question. Obviously it is not a good idea to use heat other than sunshine. So, how about freeze drying?? I have noticed how ice cubes gradually dissapear in a frost free freezer and poorly sealed foods dessicate. I bet that powder, whether Black or substitute would dry out if left for a time in an unsealed container. Stir it daily and don't spill it.

Historically, drying damp or wet powder on spread out sheets of canvas or some other material in the sun. The Lewis and Clark expedition had to do this at least once. Was a pretty common practice.

 

[hinamanra]

I would think a hairdryer woud dry it out fairly quick.