10 Uses For Wood Ash

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11. Extract the potassium by percolating isopropanol through it and processing it as a homebrew propellant for bullets. Improvised Munitions Black Book vol I.

Interesting...

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It brought in over 10,000 people.

[Eldorado Profile]

11. Extract the potassium by percolating isopropanol through it and processing it as a homebrew propellant for bullets. Improvised Munitions Black Book vol I.

Bet it makes a hell of a pot of coffee..........


Whats the procedure entail.......??? Materials Etc?

[Cia212 Profile]

11. Extract the potassium by percolating isopropanol through it and processing it as a homebrew propellant for bullets. Improvised Munitions Black Book vol I.

Bet it makes a hell of a pot of coffee..........


Whats the procedure entail.......??? Materials Etc?

This procedure is slightly different than mine - instead of alcohol, they use boiled water for initial percolation.

NOT MY WORK - USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!!!

Potassium nitrate can be extracted from many natural sources and can be used to make nitric acid, black powder and many pyrotechnics. The yield ranges from .1 to 10% by weight, depending on the fertility of the soil.

Materials Sources
Nitrate bearing earth or other material, Soil containing old decayed about 3.5- gallons (13.5 liters) vegetable or animal matter Old cellars/farm floors, earth from old burial grounds, decayed stone or mortar building foundations.


Fine wood ashes, about .5 cup (1/8 liter) totally burned whitish wood ash powder, totally black paper.

Bucket, about 5 gallons (19l) in volume 2 pieces finely woven cloth, each slightly bigger than the bottom of the bucket

Shallow pan or dish, at least as large as the bottom of bucket

Shallow heat resistant container (ceramic,metal, etc.)

Water- 1.75 gallons (6.75 l)

Awl, knife, or screwdriver, or other holepunching tool.

Alcohol - 1 gallon (4 l) can be whiskey, rubbing, etc.

Heat source

Paper


Tape

Note: Only the ratios of the amounts of ingredients are important. Thus, for twice as much, double all quantities.

Procedure

1. Punch holes in bottom of bucket. Spread one piece of cloth over holes inside bucket.

2. Place wood ashes on cloth and spread to make a layer about the thickness of the cloth. Place second piece of cloth on top of ashes.

3. Place dirt (or ashes) in bucket.

4. Place bucket over shallow container. Bucket may be supported on sticks if necessary.

5. Boil water and pour it over earth in bucket a little at a time. Allow water to run through holes in bucket into shallow container.

Be sure water goes through all the earth. Allow drained liquid to cool and settle for 1 to 2 hours.

Note: Do not pour all the water at once, as this may cause stoppage.

6. Carefully drain off liquid into heat resistant container. Discard any sludge remaining in bottom of the shallow container.

7. Boil mixture over hot fire for at least 2 hours. Small grains of salt will begin to appear in the solution. Scoop these out as they form, using any type of improvised strainer (paper, etc)

8. When liquid has boilded down to approx. half its original volume, remove from fire and let sit. After half an hour, add an equal volume of alcohol. When mixture is poured through paper, small white crystals will collect on top of it.

9. To purify the potassium nitrate, re-dissolve the dry crystals in the smallest possible amount of boiled water. Remove any salt crystals that appear (step 7); pour through an improvised filter made of several pieces of paper and evaporate of gently heat the concentrated solution to dryness.

10. Spread crystals on flat surface and allow to dry. The crystals are now ready to use.