

                       Improvising Black Powder  
                           By: Mr. Byte-Zap  
  
                          The Police Station  
                             612-934-4880  
  
     Black powder can be prepared in a simple, safe manner.  It may be  
used as blasting or gun powder.  
  
Material required:  
-----------------  
potassium nitrate, granulated, 3 cups  
wood charcoal, powdered, 2 cups  
sulfur, powdered, 1/2 cup  
alcohol, 5 pints (whiskey, rubbing alcohol, etc.)  
Water, 3 cups  
heat source  
2 buckets -- each 2 gallon capacity, at least one of which is heat  
             resistant (metal, ceramic, etc.)  
Flat window screening, at least 1 ft. Square  
large wooden stick  
cloth, at least 2 ft. Square  
  
note: the above amounts will yield 2 pounds of black powder.  However,  
      only the ratios of the amounts of the ingredients are important.  
      Thus, for twice as much black powder, double all quantities  
      used.  
  
Procedure:  
---------  
1) place alcohol in one of the buckets
  
2) place potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur in the heat resistant  
   bucket.  Add 1 cup water and mix thoroughly with wooden stick until  
   all ingredients are dissolved.
  
3) Add remaining water (2 cups) to mixture.  Place bucket on heat  
   source and stir until small bubbles begin to form.  
Caution:  do not boil mixture.  Be sure all mixture stays wet.  If any  
          is dry, as on sides of pan, it may ignite.
  
4) Remove bucket from heat and pour mixture into alcohol while  
   stirring vigorously  
  
5) let alcohol stand about 5 minutes. Strain mixture through cloth to  
   obtain black powder.  Discard liquid. Wrap cloth around black  
   powder and squeeze to remove all excess liquid.  
  
6) Place screening over dry bucket. Place workable amount of damp  
   powder on screen and granulate by rubbing solid through screen  
note: if granulated particles appear to stick together and change  
      shape, recombine entire batch of powder and repeat steps 5 & 6.  
  
7) Spread granulated powder on flat dry surface so that layer about  
   1/2 inch is formed.  Allow to dry.  Use radiator , or direct  
   sunlight.  This should be dried as soon as possible, preferably in  
   one hour.  The longer the drying period, the less effective the  
   black powder.  
Caution: remove from heat as soon as granules are dry.  Black powder  
         is now ready for use.  
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