Re: bombs made in the kitchen

So did I.  But now that you mention it, this does sound like a method for
making BP.

As I sit here drinking my morning cup of coffee, I have to chuckle...  Can
one make an interesting rocket using nitrated coffee charcoal, sugar, and
cremora - all of which have been mentioned in this group?  Java Rocket?
Breakfast Bomb?

"Joe 123" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sounds like the cia methaod for making BP sorta.   I initially thought at
> first that the coffee grounds would simply be used in place of 80, 60, 20
> mesh charcoal for long lasting "sparks"..
>
>
> "Dave Williams" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> > "Piccolo Pete" wrote in message
> > > Do coffee grounds make nice sparks?
> >
> > I dug this out of my archives.  I did this a couple of years ago with
good
> > success.
> >
> > Making Nitrated coffee ground charcoal
> >
> >
> >
> >   Nitrated Coffee charcoal can be used in pyrotechnic compounds to give
> nice
> > vibrant orange sparks to fountains and rocket motors.  It is made from
> used
> > coffee grounds that have been impregnated with potassium nitrate.
> >
> >
> >
> > The basic ingredients are used coffee grounds and potassium nitrate
> (however
> > you will need additional supplies for making the charcoal)..  These
> > instructions are for making small amounts and I will detail how I made a
> 50
> > gram batch (amounts can be scaled for larger batches).  I have used the
> > charcoal in rocket motors to produce sparks and was quite impressed with
> the
> > results.
> >
> >
> >
> > Ingredients needed:
> >
> > *100 grams of used, dried coffee grounds (you choose which "grind" you
> > prefer.  fine grounds will yield fine charcoal, course grounds will
yield
> > course charcoal)
> >
> > * 10 grams potassium nitrate
> >
> > * 100 ML *HOT* water
> >
> > * 50 ML Alcohol (needs to be very cold.  Place in freezer 1 hour before
> > using)
> >
> > * Ice water
> >
> >
> >
> > Tools needed:
> >
> > * small sauce pan
> >
> > * old metal spoon
> >
> > * bowl large enough for sauce pan to fit into (for an ice bath)
> >
> > * plastic wrap
> >
> > * coffee filters (2)
> >
> > * paint can charcoal cooker or suitable substitute
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Step 1:
> >
> >
> >
> >   The first step is to turn the coffee grounds into charcoal.  Put the
> 100g
> > of grounds into the cooker and cook.  When the grounds are done cooking
> you
> > should have approx. 30g of coffee charcoal.  This will vary depending on
> the
> > water content of the grounds when you started.  The drier your grounds
> when
> > you start, the higher the yield of charcoal.
> >
> >    The charcoal will come out of the cooker looking like FFFg black
> powder.
> > Let the charcoal cool while you proceed with the next steps.
> >
> >
> >
> > Step 2:
> >
> >
> >
> >  Pepare your ice bath.   Put enough ice water into the bowl to form a
good
> > ice bath for your sauce pan.
> >
> >
> >
> > Step 3:
> >
> >
> >
> > Prepare your KNO3 solution.  In the small sauce pan dissolve the 10g of
> KNO3
> > in the 100ML of  hot water.  Place this solution on the stove and bring
to
> a
> > low boil, stirring constantly.  Gently add the 30g of charcoal from step
> 1.
> > This should form a sort of slurry.  Keep stirring constantly.  You now
> want
> > to slowly reduce the amount of water in slurry by gently heating.  Keep
> > stirring constantly and heating until most of the water is absorbed or
> > boiled off.  A small amount of water left in the slurry is fine.
> >
> >
> >
> > NOTE:
> >
> >    KNO3 goes into solution much better at a higher temp.  Because the
KNO3
> > is in solution, the charcoal absorbs the KNO3 as it absorbs the water.
As
> > you reduce the water the KNO3 is bound with the charcoal.   The trick is
> to
> > get the KNO3 to stay bound with the charcoal as the slurry cools.  This
is
> > accomplished with rapid cooling.  If you were to cool the mixture slowly
> the
> > KNO3 would have time to migrate out of the charcoal and it would
> crystalize
> > on the surface of the charcoal. Rapid cooling cause the KNO3 to
crystalize
> > inside the charcoal and it can be considered bound to the charcoal.
> >
> >
> >
> > Step 4:
> >
> >
> >
> >    Cool the slurry.  Rapid cooling of the slurry is important.  Remove
the
> > reduced slurry from the heat and immediately place the pan into the ice
> > bath.  immediately add the COLD alcohol an stir. (remember to use proper
> > ventilation).  keep stirring until the slurry is completely cooled.
> >
> >
> >
> > Step 5:
> >
> >
> >
> > Remove excess moisture.  Place the cooled slurry mix onto the coffee
> filters
> > and bring up the edges of the filter up to form a ball.  Squeeze the
ball
> > between your hands to squeeze excess moisture out.
> >
> >
> >
> > Step 6:
> >
> >
> >
> > Dry your charcoal.  Place your charcoal onto the plastic wrap and spead
in
> a
> > thin layer to allow the alcohol and water to evaporate out.  (I place
mine
> > on top of my dehumidifier).  The charcoal should dry within 24 hours or
> so.
> > This should yield about 50g of finished product.
> >
> >
> >
> > NOTES:
> >
> >
> >
> > When I dry my charcoal I usually get a small amount of KNO3 that appears
> on
> > the plastic wrap as the charcoal dries. This does not indicate a problem
> as
> > far as I can tell.  If there are crystals of KNO3 on *all* of the
charcoal
> I
> > would suspect that something did not go as planned.
> >
> >
> >
>
>