Primer Compound -- getting it to stick

[CyrusP]

 

[CyrusP]

I shortened the video to fit but it clearly sparked with 2 paper toy caps. It was quiet. Like others have noted, I’m guessing more than 2 paper caps are required to fire off a load of BP. I’ll try the actual compound soon and post the results with a load in the gun (not in our bedroom of course). . I will say I am encouraged that this will work for my Howdah and even my revolvers.

 

[eggwelder]

I have a #11 cap maker and priming compound on the way (no tracking info yet almost a week later. I am patient but excited) and this thread has me wondering if some kind of setup similar to how unmentionable primers are stored might help. Keep them more stable and not bouncing around as much.

Large rifle primer tray holes hold a Tap-o-cap #11. Leave two rows empty on each side when you carefully slide the cardboard back into place.

 

[CyrusP]

I’m trying this ASAP. Thanks!

 

[charlieboy]

I've used the acetone as directed with a full drop of Duco cement with excellent results

 

[johnetattoo]

Duco and acetone is the best. Rock solid and reliable caps. I've tried it all. Here's the video to how I do it and my acetone duco mixture if interested.

 

[tgfrench]

Use drink cans, hint i learned was to use a palm sander to clean the painted side and score the aluminum. The inside of the cans have a coat of plastic so be sure to use it as the outside. Personally I wet the powder with alcohol and press gift tissue paper in with a cut off 12 penny nail. The wetness from the alcohol and the nail makes a near perfect filler that dry solid and won't fall out.

 

[Nuthatch]

Duco and acetone is the best. Rock solid and reliable caps. I've tried it all. Here's the video to how I do it and my acetone duco mixture if interested.

Great instructional video. I'll have to pick up some Duco & try that out.

As far as the chems go, I believe the oxidizer is potassium chlorate or perchlorate. It's a different chem mix than what you mentioned. I'll omit the details per the forum rules. The mix you mentioned would be for black powder, which doesn't detonate with impact or friction as needed for a percussion cap.

The crushed glass is to generate friction on impact, like in a match stick. It's not that the dextrin doesn't work. It's that it isn't dextrin -- it is glass. You can sub in extra fine sand and get the same effect.

I've played around a little trying to make some small batches with my own chlorate mix. It goes "pop" on the anvil just fine. But it was unreliable as a cap. Likely, my chlorate isn't ground fine enough. But I'm too chicken to throw it in a mortar and start grinding away with something that unstable & possibly friction sensitive. At some point, I have to come to terms with how little I really know about any of this & back away.

 

[johnetattoo]

One off colored bag in my kit is definitely dextrin. Its sticky when wet and sweet ..The rest I had no clue.

 

[waksupi]

You can add a bit of gum Arabic, or corn starch to make it stick.

 

[waksupi]

Great instructional video. I'll have to pick up some Duco & try that out.

As far as the chems go, I believe the oxidizer is potassium chlorate or perchlorate. It's a different chem mix than what you mentioned. I'll omit the details per the forum rules. The mix you mentioned would be for black powder, which doesn't detonate with impact or friction as needed for a percussion cap.

The crushed glass is to generate friction on impact, like in a match stick. It's not that the dextrin doesn't work. It's that it isn't dextrin -- it is glass. You can sub in extra fine sand and get the same effect.

I've played around a little trying to make some small batches with my own chlorate mix. It goes "pop" on the anvil just fine. But it was unreliable as a cap. Likely, my chlorate isn't ground fine enough. But I'm too chicken to throw it in a mortar and start grinding away with something that unstable & possibly friction sensitive. At some point, I have to come to terms with how little I really know about any of this & back away.

I'd be chicken about grinding chlorate, too!

 

[n.h.schmidt]

The little bag of off white powder is not glass. It may be dextrin or as been said gelatine. Take the test. Mix some with water and set aside to dry. If it is glass ,it will still be glass. If Dextrin or gelatine, it will look like dried up elmers glue. The Duco cement and acetone works very well and nothing else need be done to bind the powders to the cup.

 

[johnetattoo]

The little bag of off white powder is not glass. It may be dextrin or as been said gelatine. Take the test. Mix some with water and set aside to dry. If it is glass ,it will still be glass. If Dextrin or gelatine, it will look like dried up elmers glue. The Duco cement and acetone works very well and nothing else need be done to bind the powders to the cup.

That's how I knew it was not glass myself....plus it looks nothing like glass It's definitely a substance meant to be the binder and looks exactly like dextrin. I would imagine the dextrin may actually work if water was used instead of acetone.....hmmmm.

 

[Nuthatch]

The little bag of off white powder is not glass. It may be dextrin or as been said gelatine. Take the test. Mix some with water and set aside to dry. If it is glass ,it will still be glass. If Dextrin or gelatine, it will look like dried up elmers glue. The Duco cement and acetone works very well and nothing else need be done to bind the powders to the cup.

I'll give it a try.

 

[n.h.schmidt]

I do most of my caps using water. Very safe that way. I always leave out the small off white bag of powder. One time I did use it in a wet mix and the prime was a total dud. Without the that powder the mix works great mixed wet. I have made dextrin and it always kills the prime mixed wet. No point in using it at all.

 

[Nuthatch]

The little bag of off white powder is not glass. It may be dextrin or as been said gelatine. Take the test. Mix some with water and set aside to dry. If it is glass ,it will still be glass. If Dextrin or gelatine, it will look like dried up elmers glue. The Duco cement and acetone works very well and nothing else need be done to bind the powders to the cup.

Tried it. You're right. Thanks for teaching me something new.