Posted by: Agent_Smith on October 28, 2003 at 03:33:15

In my experience with saltpeter (Potasium Nitrate), I don't feel that the risks involved in handleing and processing it are unreasonable, or extreme. It is an oxidizer so it will cause materials to burn more rapidly, (therefore, it's use in Blackpowder). there are some safety precautions which need to be observed. -Avoid unnecessisary heat, sparks, and flame. -If you need to heat or melt it do this in an open container(a closed or nearly closed container may explode), in a well ventelated area (outdoors away from buildings and flamible materials). Keep your hands and face away from it as much as possible, consider wearing leather gloves and goggles. the saltpeter and sugar mixture can burst into flames when heated. (just ask the chinees alchemists who discovered the stuff). If it does catch fire have a preplaned "escape" system you can expect potentialy large flames and lots of smoke, have a way for you to get away and posibly a place to sefely deposite the mixture until it burns out and cools(maby a metal bucket or barel partialy filled with sand). Personaly I am not real comfortable with heating the stuff and I am wondering whether anyone has tried grinding the sugar and saltpeter finely and mixing the powdered versons together, or disolving them both in water to make a thick syrup and allowing it to dry out and solidify. I have made what I call "fuse paper" by disolving saltpeter into watter and soaking paper towls in it, after they dry they are slightly stiff and burn like fuses. I plan to try it again but also adding sugar to the solution. I believe you can also do this to braided cotton string to make a more normal looking fuse. does anyone have any ideas about this? Have fun expirimenting but BE SAFE about it. If anyone finds any errors please post a correction.

Follow Ups: Post a Followup Show your name as: DefaultRealnameBothNickname E-Mail address (eg: joeschmoe@aol.com): Show your e-mail address? DefaultYesNo Your Password: Don't have a password? CLICK HERE - Forgot your password? CLICK HERE Subject: Subject:Message: : In my experience with saltpeter (Potasium Nitrate), I don't feel that the risks involved in handleing and processing it are unreasonable, or extreme. It is an oxidizer so it will cause materials to burn more rapidly, (therefore, it's use in Blackpowder). there are some safety precautions which need to be observed. : -Avoid unnecessisary heat, sparks, and flame. : -If you need to heat or melt it do this in an open container(a closed or nearly closed container may explode), in a well ventelated area (outdoors away from buildings and flamible materials). Keep your hands and face away from it as much as possible, consider wearing leather gloves and goggles. the saltpeter and sugar mixture can burst into flames when heated. (just ask the chinees alchemists who discovered the stuff). If it does catch fire have a preplaned "escape" system you can expect potentialy large flames and lots of smoke, have a way for you to get away and posibly a place to sefely deposite the mixture until it burns out and cools(maby a metal bucket or barel partialy filled with sand). : Personaly I am not real comfortable with heating the stuff and I am wondering whether anyone has tried grinding the sugar and saltpeter finely and mixing the powdered versons together, or disolving them both in water to make a thick syrup and allowing it to dry out and solidify. : : I have made what I call "fuse paper" by disolving saltpeter into watter and soaking paper towls in it, after they dry they are slightly stiff and burn like fuses. I plan to try it again but also adding sugar to the solution. I believe you can also do this to braided cotton string to make a more normal looking fuse. does anyone have any ideas about this? : Have fun expirimenting but BE SAFE about it. : If anyone finds any errors please post a correction. [ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ WARPIG Tech Talk - Miscellaneous ]