Ball milling aluminium

[MrWhitelai]

Shanghai White lai sale ball mill jaw crusher impact crusher sale@shwlm.com 

[opaldragonmb]

i was wondering if anyone could answer how long it will take for my aluminum powder to become fine enought grain to burn on its own im usind a united nucular ball mill?

[gswiaczny]

Is there any chance, that I can make a copper or bronze powder same way? Cut some pure copper/bronze into 2x2 mm pieces and mill it? I need it for jewerly making, so it need to be really fine. Best regards, Greg

[GunPhysics]

@gswiaczny no, you need a water cooled grinder. Check my video called "aluminium powder machine" just change the aluminium to bronze or copper. You should get coarse powder that can be then milled to a finer grade.

[gswiaczny]

@GunPhysics

Ok, thank you. I've already found e-store in my contry that sells 0,05mm copper powder so I think I don't need to use that grinder (by the way- very clever idea). Thank once again and best regards, Greg :)

[Munchificate]

@gswiaczny What do you do need copper and bronze powder for? In fact what are the uses for any type of metal powder? I am now interested to know after watching a few videos.

[gswiaczny]

@Munchificate

Hi,

Well aluminium powder is use for flash powder and some other pirotechnic uses. I need copper and bronze powder to make fine cast medieval jewelry :) This is main ingredient for making metal clay for jewelry making. Try to search for BronzeClay on YT.

Of course I can buy it but 1. I like to make things all by myself and 2. It's quite expensive here in my country.

Regards, Greg

[doublebubleguy12]

lol mine spins at 500 rpm and my aluminum was done in a day or 2 lol



[GunPhysics]

@doublebubleguy12 I have a new ball mill that runs 5000000 rpm and my aluminium was done in 2 seconds lol

[TheSolitaryTraveller]

how fine in terms of microns did you get this down to.

[GunPhysics]

@TheSolitaryTraveller 60-200 microns. its hard to estimate. This is equivelant to commercial "fine powder" I have example in video "flashpowder compositions"

[ThePizzahero1]

@GunPhysics

Hey! I like your concept! Will 8mm (5/16") Steel Balls work? Thank you!

[GunPhysics]

@ThePizzahero1 no you need 15mm or bigger.

[Scragos]

Great video man you really thought about that.

Could you please give a tutorial on how to make the ball mill, THANKS:)

[GunPhysics]

@Scragos Are serius that you need a tutorial for this? Just put bottle to a gear motor.

[Ubojica6661]

@GunPhysics Can you make powder fine enough to make a flash powder using this stuff?

[GunPhysics]

@Ubojica6661 yes.

[Ubojica6661]

@GunPhysics Srry, but one more question. I got 2 motors About 3-4.5v, can I use usb cable (to power it from computer, or mobile phone transformator (I think about 4.7v.

[GunPhysics]

@Ubojica6661 Well it depends on how much amperage your motors need. I would go on with the mobile phone transformer.

[Ubojica6661]

@GunPhysics Ok, ty! I already made the body of real ball mill. Now, I just have to connect the motor, and see how it works! I could make a video if it will go...

[GunPhysics]

@Ubojica6661 Thats great, looking forward to see the video.

[Scragos]

@GunPhysics Yeah, but where did you get the gear motor??

[trtoja]

@Scragos I recommend car windshield motor

[GunPhysics]

@Scragos bebek electronics.

[TNITRATO]

Great video. @SebastiaanLP670 , I dont know if glass will do (probably yeah, given an extended running time in ball mill), but I have heard of people casting lead media and using it with very interesting results.

[GunPhysics]

@TNITRATO lead media works perfectly if they are hardened with antimony. Tungsten balls would be the best.

[SebastiaanLP670]

@TNITRATO

Oke! thanks!

[SebastiaanLP670]

and I have another question, can I use also other metal shapes? (as grinding media)

[GunPhysics]

@SebastiaanLP670 Yes, nuts and bolts are good but solid objects are better. Try steel cylinders cut from solid round stock.

[SebastiaanLP670]

is it also possible to use balls of glass?

[GunPhysics]

@SebastiaanLP670 yes it is, but its not practical.

[cekpi7]

it run 24h or just 2-3 h in 1 day??

[GunPhysics]

@cekpi7 24h around the clock.

[cekpi7]

@GunPhysics so can you speed it?? inscreasing speed or the size of the ball?

[GunPhysics]

@cekpi7 Increasing the jar size would be the best way. Cement mixer sized ball mill could probably mill it in one day.

[Hobypyrocom]

great job man. 7 days ball milling that's really hard thing to do.

[chemistryguy100]

Hey, do you know how much, if at all, the aluminum powder is contaminated with either plastic or steel from the balls?

[GunPhysics]

@chemistryguy100 I don't know. It looks clean. I used this alu for flash powder so it doesn't matter because they both burn along with the aluminium.

[poppersdad741]

he posted this on my birthdayy how ironic

[K1w1scot]

Did you have to open it to re-oxygenate it every so often? If so, what sort of period? I've read that failure to do this can initiate a rapid flash-over oxidization if not done regularly. Your observations?

[GunPhysics]

@K1w1scot I opened the bottle every day for the video. The bottle is not air tight so i dont know. If you are worried about that, use kerosene or some other solvent that doesn't allow the aluminium to come conctact with oxygen.

[AgentofValor]

@K1w1scot Add charcoal to the mix its called german dark aluminum powder.

[Neodymio]

can u make thermite?

[chemistryguy100]

@Neodymio Yes, mix about 1:1 ratio, by volume, of aluminum and rust. Light it with magnesium ribbon or a sparkler.

[Intanius]

@Intanius

Use a question mark when you ask a question.

[Intanius]

@GunPhysics

Gould this be used to make ultra fine graphite for lubrication.

[GunPhysics]

@Intanius yes

[frasern2011]

That noise is hideous

[linutas]

niiice

[damianfors]

How many hours a day you left work?

[GunPhysics]

@damianfors The mill runs for 24 hours a day so its in total 168 hours.

[WhereIsNumNum]

add a little carbon to reduce oxidization and make dark aluminum powders.

[Uwemitherz]

i have a lot of 6mm stainless steel balls witch are quite havey. You think i cold use them??

[GunPhysics]

@Uwemitherz No, you need a lot bigger balls :D

[brush200400]

this looks awfully flaky for a lot of running time

[GunPhysics]

@brush200400 You are right, this is not the most effective ball mill. If you have larger drum diameter and more steel balls you can get the particles chop down a lot faster. This is a cheap and easy to make desing.

[scootkh]

How long did your bottle last?

[GunPhysics]

@scootkh I still have the same bottle. It doesn't wear down.

[leangle1988]

Dude, you wasted lots of electricity

[GunPhysics]

@leangle1988 No waste here, the excess went to heat my garage.

[leangle1988]

@GunPhysics I guess that thing uses around 200 watts/hour. 1 day-24 hour 1 week=168 hour 200x168=33.6 kilowatt so my estimate is u used up 16.8 kg of coal (if its from power plant)

[jwalker477]

@leangle1988 -2 incorrect units

[demoniack81]

@leangle1988

You got 2 incorrect units out of two possible (if you don't consider the time, but failing it would be quite hilarious), so excuse me if i don't take your estimation for sure.

That engine is way too small to use 200W continuosly without melting.

It's probably 100W or less.

Having it ran for 168h = 16.8kWh = 60.4 MJ, which equals around 7kg of coal assuming a plant efficiency of less than 50%.

Also, implying he's not using solar panels or whatever.

[jetsettrs]

This is the type of video that make You Tube great. When people actually use their brains and make something useful from other things that they already have. Great Idea, mine is now in the works.

[GunPhysics]

@jetsettrs Thank you, and good luck.

[marc1bb]

did u tried to use steel nuts to mill the aluminun? leave the balls for the finer milling. probably you would cut the time in half.

[GunPhysics]

@marc1bb No i didn't. I don't think that its going to work. What kind of ball mill do you have? Mine is very small in diameter so the balls wont drop from very high.

[rakia66]

Could you tell me where to get the balls? I've got everything but i can't buy these balls. Thanks for the answer.

[GunPhysics]

@rakia66 Ask from industrial shops that sell bearings, drive belts, nuts, bolts etc. They usually stock steel balls for the bearings.

[rakia66]

@GunPhysics

Thank you for your answer. I got them now, but the new problem is that my motor's a bit too fast :/ how to solve that? :D

[GunPhysics]

@rakia66 Decrease your jar diameter or make a pulley system that reduces the final rpm.

[pacteded]

Can this be used for flash powder? Thanks



[GunPhysics]

@pacteded Yes it can, but its very slow burning.

[2dienow]

@C0mm3n use it for thermite

[SiCivicJJ5595]

Nice

[C0mm3n]

USED FOR WHAT?

[N8THAN317]

awsome .. what sort of moter did u use??

[GunPhysics]

@N8THAN317 Moter?, mortar, mother, matter. What the hell is moter?

[GunPhysics]

@GunPhysics Oh now i get it, you mean MOTOR. The motor is cleary seen in the video. a gear motor of some sort.

[N8THAN317]

sorry i mean motor

[GunPhysics]

@N8THAN317 Oh now i get it, you mean MOTOR. The motor is cleary seen in the video. a gear motor of some sort.

[UTubeisSHIT523441]

I wonder what the results will be if you mill it for 2,3 weeks. Can you make something like german dark?

[GunPhysics]

@UTubeisSHIT523441 I don't think its going to work, at some point the particles just wont chop down anymore.

[UTubeisSHIT523441]

@GunPhysics thank you.

[ScizzayJ]

@UTubeisSHIT523441 by milling with a little charcoal you can create eckart, if you have a mill that has more harder sides such as metal or a thick rigid plastic you may be able to achieve the finer mesh with less oxidised aluminium

[futsalfred2]

Does the electricity cost a lot of money?

[GunPhysics]

@futsalfred2 no

[oFallenDemono]

@futsalfred2

What are you amish?

[TVRFan11]

What is the significance, or the point of this? Fireworks? Judging from the other comments at least.

[GunPhysics]

@TVRFan11 This was my personal test to see if aluminium foil can be ball milled to a fine powder. Aluminium powder is used in fireworks as fuel and spark effects.

[Gmc42082]

now Al foil will be on the ATF watch list! lol

[combomaster99]

How many steel balls did you put in it ?

[GunPhysics]

@combomaster99 I don't remember maybe 15.

[wilbeckj]

You should ball mill that aluminum for a month more, then mix it with a 4/7 ratio with kcI03 or potassium chlorate and very carefully mix that very well, then light it, and watch what happens

[GunPhysics]

@wilbeckj I'd get flashpowder. Already done that.

[farhan3d]

Very nice, clever design and good research.

[GunPhysics]

@farhan3d thanks :D

[RashiD1G]

day 4-5 Aluminium flake- the best for stars (silver wave and other with tail)

[Dercommandingofficer]

snort that shit

[Sb01343]

@MrKennybomb1

That will not be very safe because think of Flint, (which is magnesium and some other things) if you strike it with steel it make sparks so if I where you I would use lead balls.

[GunPhysics]

@MrKennybomb1 i used 15 mm steel bearings, pretty much the same stuff you ordered. They work just fine. Very little wear and very effective.

[UTubeisSHIT523441]

I was wondering about using some sort of circular grinding stone or other rough sources media. did anybody try that?

[Sb01343]

Try this....

Try blending it a little bit more by shaking the blender and this will get it much more finer and then when you start ball milling it will take a lot less time

[MrAirshot]

i get more dusty aluminium powder with 2 days

[GunPhysics]

@MrAirshot Good for you. Post a video of your setup so that we all can learn from you.

[sm3xything]

@GunPhysics lol xD im thinking hes lieing... anyways, ied be lazy, just but it online >.< though, why dont you sell this, online the power that is =P if its easy enuff, to make could make money form it

[GunPhysics]

@sm3xything i've been thinking that, i just the alu machine needs to be big and reliable, and that costs. There is no way you can ball mill enough powder for sale. It takes too much time.

[3981784]

@GunPhysics not to mention you would need decent supply of aluminum and ways to crus it (milling on will go so far)

[3981784]

@MrAirshot how? it takes me forever to get nice alu (well it used to i dont know about now, since i bettter understand milling now)

[MrAirshot]

@3981784

will not exactly 2 days .i milled it for 3 days then add small spoon of charcoal and milled it 11 days

very fine so i can light it with safety match and so fine if i touch it with my finger like i dip my finger into silver paint ,it stuck just with water i can remove it

[Raydoom1]

*****PLEASE PEOPLE Take great care when using aluimium powder ,i didnt ,thinking that its just a harmless metal, then i got realy itchy inflamed eyes and coughing up blood . turns out that fine metal powders (eg al powder ) float through the air and act like microscopic rasorblades that cut up your lungs and eyes.

[RashiD1G]

this is Al Flitter. GREAT for silver wave stars

[GunPhysics]

@9DragonMaster You are absolutely right. But some people like to do stuff from start to finish instead of just buying it, it's part of the fun.

[Desaster6]

Tip: Make it a bit finer with a Coffee mill or a Blender, and ya ball mill will mill a bit faster u can see ithe difference from day 1-4 and day 5-7. The last 3 Days gone VERY Fast finer

[coltermegasxlr]

What size bottle did you use? .5 or 1 liter.

[GunPhysics]

@coltermegasxlr 1.5 liter

[coltermegasxlr]

Is the finished product good for flash powder?

[GunPhysics]

@coltermegasxlr yes

[diztortionmatt69]

That's a lovely poo color you got there on day 7.

[GunPhysics]

@diztortionmatt69 Thanks for this very informational message. I have highest respects for you. I appriciate your professional view about this shit.

[diztortionmatt69]

@GunPhysics Thanks buddy, now imagine how much more you would appreciate it with a sense of humor!

P.S

poo poo poo toilet pooo bumm bumm pooo poo

[GunPhysics]

@diztortionmatt69 I thought it was funny, i guess i'm not good at writing jokes in youtube comments.

[futsalfred2]

@GunPhysics Haha, I thought it was funny

[9DragonMaster]

oh yea, change out your steel balls for lead weights. you can buy them at walmart fishing section. =D You can find them on old wheels too, they look like bananas, and work great. second thing is that your ballmill isnt 100% crushing on thin plastic like that, if your only milling aluminum, use a coffee can, i used a large grinding bit as the spinner. see my vids, maybe you will see it. Making a large pvc container is also a good idea, and is what i'll try. I went to used tire shop for lead

[pyr0ph1L]

Aluminium foil contains other things that just aluminium - one of them is some kind of protective layer (I saw it in a nurdrage episode, can't remember which one).

[9DragonMaster]

@pyr0ph1L you can use ethanol to remove it, saw that in a German kids vid =D

[pyr0ph1L]

@9DragonMaster Awesome! Didn't know that :)

[zach2408dk]

Thats the most sensible idea, just get 50lbs going without the balls.

[GunPhysics]

@zach2408dk And spin for eternity!

[GrumpySchobe]

thank you



[GrumpySchobe]

nice vid,but it looks like the aluminum in the beginning of the vid is just little crumpled up lumps of alu-foil, is this the case or is it actually like grainy aluminum?

[GunPhysics]

@GrumpySchobe yes, it is like crumpled up lumps of alu-foil.

[7d3adlys1ns]

I took my hard earned money to the local albertsons, bought a 5Gallon empty water jug, 10 rolls of aluminum foil, and went home. Shreded that foil, used some Steel balls from local Ace Hardware, and rolled it for a week at 64 RPM. I only use the thermite in packs of less than 4oz so its gonna last me a month or two, IF im feeling naughty. :3

[airs0ftMARIZON]

wow a great idea on how to make this very very wanted powder.

maybe you can make a tutorial on how to make a simplified ballmill

[GunPhysics]

@airs0ftMARIZON thanks. You dont need a tutorial, just buy a gear motor and put bottle in the other end.

[9DragonMaster]

@airs0ftMARIZON check out my vids for ball mill ideas!!! I have an extra treadmill, and i have a plasma cutter, i could chop it up and make a killer ballmill out of it. That ones belt broke, but i have another treadmilll i built a frame on it with some skateboard wheels and used closet door rollers to keep it in place. Cool thing about my treadballmill, is that im going to build two more frames on it. 1 more for aluminum ballmilling, and 1 for a 5 gallon bucket star roller. all on one thing

[pyrosimple]

Where did you get steel balls?

[GunPhysics]

@pyrosimple local industrial shop, ball bearings etc.

[megafeltch]

nice! does the aluminium oxidise alot when ball milling? cause i was thinking about doing this for an extra week to obtain ultra fine al for flash. thanks.

[megafeltch]

@megafeltch

and also how long did you ballmill each day?

thank you in advance

[GunPhysics]

@megafeltch I put the machine on at morning and check it in the next morning so that makes 24 h.

[GunPhysics]

@megafeltch I really dont know. Aluminium oxidizes only from the surface so i guess the finer the aluminium the more it oxydizes.

[mikelikefatcat]

6 days, really that takes so long

[RaketnaTehnika91]

if you burn it?

[GunPhysics]

@RaketnaTehnika91 it doesn't burn on its own. It needs somekind of oxydizer like potassium chlorate, potassium nitrate or potassium permanganate. I have one video where i burn aluminium powder with potassium chlorate (flashpowder) in a small cup. It doesn't explode instantly, so its not as fine as commercial powders.

[Thechessdragn]

Haha, the music is fine. Im on day two right now and it looks about the same as yours did at that point.

[GunPhysics]

@Thechessdragn Thanks. Be patient with the ball milling, it takes a lot of time.