Ball Mills

A place where you can have some friendly discussion and leave some feedback about your experience!

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Pyro-Gear
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Ball Mills

Post by Pyro-Gear »

Just to let you know currently the waiting time for a ball mill is now 7 days this is due to a very high demand for the item, I hope to reduce the waiting time over the next 2 weeks, big thanks to you all for helping make this mill a success there are now 78 in use within the UK and Europe.
Regards PG
Nightsun
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by Nightsun »

Mine is 9 months old ( must be ) and continues to knock out BP on a regular basis. It is still the best for lift, especially if you are attached to your mortars. Great build Mia.
' I regard the earth as a courageous global experiment that failed ' QUENTIN CRISP
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Pyro-Gear
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by Pyro-Gear »

I just bought in 100 base plates, in for powder coating tomorrow hope to get them done in yellow this time, also future mills will sport the Pyro gear logo and come complete with media to save any problems using ceramic! Nightsun that mill was the prototype I must have put 100hrs on it glad to see it is still performing! If you ever get a rest from pyro send it back I will upgrade it for you for free by return post, don’t worry the new spec will turn 8kilos of lead and has a slightly higher rotation speed, thanks for the kind words regarding the mill.
dtg78
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by dtg78 »

I just ordered mine after months of crap from ebay, I hope it's worth the hype! My lift is always crap and I hope this mill changes all that. Here's hoping! Can't wait to try it out!
Niall
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by Niall »

No mill compares to this, you will not be disappointed. There are recipes and methods available for this mill in the chemistry section.

This will produce better than a commercial manufacturer. No question.

This is the bees knees!
All wretch and no vomit.......
davidg
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by davidg »

dtg78 wrote:I just ordered mine after months of crap from ebay, I hope it's worth the hype! My lift is always crap and I hope this mill changes all that. Here's hoping! Can't wait to try it out!
It is! The millwith the right media is bloody fantastic. My BP etc is reliable and repeatable using it.
dtg78
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by dtg78 »

How long do you mill for fast lift powder with the pyro-gear ball mill and lead media?
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Pyro-Gear
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by Pyro-Gear »

2-3hrs max
Niall
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by Niall »

1hour gives full results. But patience pays. I usually let it go for 4, after which you are wasting energy as there is little to be gained.
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richardh08
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by richardh08 »

I may have to order one, just to see what all the fuss is about :)
Christmas present to self?
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Niall
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by Niall »

Best Christmas present I ever received in summer!

My old mill would give me too much variation and thus unreliable. This will give you A1 rocket in 20 minutes start to finish. The only negative would be overrun on rocket fuel, for the smaller sizes at least.

Don't over mill rocket mixes!!!!!! You end up with military grade gunpowder, not joking. Just a bloody fact!
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Pyro-Gear
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by Pyro-Gear »

I had a hoofing monstrosity of a mill for years ¾ horse motor built like a brick shit house I hated it, I then started thinking! Oh yes I have overdone the rocket mix blink and you have CATO I remember thinking well you made a monster here buddy!
Nightsun
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by Nightsun »

Hi Mia, thanks for the kind reply. I would like to upgrade it, although I would love to get this to a great pyro with too much day work! How much is your new one with media? Kind regards.
' I regard the earth as a courageous global experiment that failed ' QUENTIN CRISP
Nightsun
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by Nightsun »

Hi Mia, send me one! E mail me with price and specs for BP 400g. Thanks.
' I regard the earth as a courageous global experiment that failed ' QUENTIN CRISP
Nightsun
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by Nightsun »

Just a question before I start spending money Mia, would my jar benefit from 20mm lead media? Just thinking, thanks.
' I regard the earth as a courageous global experiment that failed ' QUENTIN CRISP
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Pyro-Gear
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by Pyro-Gear »

You will get an improvement, 6 mills sold last night looks like the polished stone guys have latched on to it (eligibly) from the mail I got it will run rings around a beach tumbler but then we knew that!
paul5750
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by paul5750 »

and there was me going to buy a beech tumbler for 150 quid pfff

=)
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mrwolfisinnocent
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by mrwolfisinnocent »

a couple of (very noob) questions..

I have been making a few "sparkle" effects with my nephew, we ground the ingredients in an old blender (very old blender) and it was "ok" but a bit lethargic...

however, the idea's have now started to embellish.. (as they do), and I have found myself on here, looking at your ball mill (and other things)..

Can I ask, does the ball mill come with a "canister" (also any other accessories, like ball shot etc?).. and I assume, you should not mix contents, so would need a canister for each ingredient? (we were just using Sulphur, ammonium nitrate and (supermarket) charcoal in a mix found on YouTube)..

Secondly, I am also a stone polisher, and my ageing Beach tumbler is on its last legs (getting ridiculously hot).. its done me well over the last 8 years, and it was not new when I got it, but I am reading so much positives about yours, can I also use when not making BP for tumbling? or is it likely to be too fast/slow?

Oh, and while asking dumb questions, I need some slow hot burn fuse, (no idea what it would be called).. so please advise on the same if possible..

Many thanks for humouring an old but Pyro noob..

Mr Wolf (aka Mark)
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Pyro-Gear
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by Pyro-Gear »

Welcome to the forum Mark.

Shure the mill will except any 3 pound jar that was supplied with the beech so you can recycle your old jars, the mill is far more efficient than the beech in that it can turn over 8 kilos of lead no problem, the power consumption is very low no more than your TV set top box.

The mill is supplied with a jar but media is extra depending on what type you need, I figure it may be best if some other guys that own my mill should chip in I am not a sales man but words speak volumes regards Ken.

Ps the slow hot fuse how slow do you want it.
davidg
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by davidg »

Welcome Mark.
PG mill is excellent. I use a mixture of media with mine.
For BP production,antimony hardened lead and ceramic are great..
On this forum,there is a guide to using this mill(being lazy I can't just find it)
I have found that the media supplied by tinytimjukeboxes on eBay to be satisfactory.
Pm me if you have any questions about the mill use.
mrwolfisinnocent
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by mrwolfisinnocent »

Thank you Ken and Davig.

I have been reading up on the forum a lot, (and getting idea's).. thanks for the media tips David :-)

Still loads to learn, and I am pretty sure, in a couple of weeks, when payday comes around, I will be pming Ken for a mill and a starter media set..

Many thanks again, and tips are always welcomed.. :-)

Mark
sambo
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by sambo »

Ken,

I have been seriously close to putting in an order for one of your miles for sometime ! Can you PM a price ?

thanks buddy,

Sam
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Pyro-Gear
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by Pyro-Gear »

Sam I can PM you a price but to be honest I can’t move on the price listed in the shop, ok if the payment is made as a gift I can throw in some media for you, the problem is the gear motor I use was available in 2013 for £4 now it has become so popular the price has risen to £12 so things are getting rather tight.

I have only ever had one mill returned from Germany the owner claimed the motor was getting to hot to touch, I found no issues with the product I figure he was after an overhaul and he got that.

Max time on my bitch mill the one I use for charcoal is now hit the 300,700 hrs. not bad for the outlay, if you can show me any other over the counter mill that can haul over 8 kilos I would be interested to know, I have a very interesting mail from harbour freight over my mill that will crack you up.
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richardh08
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by richardh08 »

I can certainly vouch for the quality of Ken's mill. It replaced one I built myself; compared with that it's about a quarter the size and uses less than a tenth of the power. It will take a reasonably large load, but is also ideal for the smaller quantities that people in the UK generally work with. I generally use the hardened lead media that Ken can supply, either in his mill jars or in ones I made myself.

I can't beat him on how long my mill has been in operation but, not counting all the other materials I've milled, I've used it for all the charcoal tests I've done, and that alone accounts for over 300 hours.
Even when I'm wrong, I'm convincing.
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Boophoenix
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Re: Ball Mills

Post by Boophoenix »

I was very curious about Ken's mill design. I ordered one and he was kind enough to send it to the US. It's now my favorite mill unless I'm doing a large batch of something then it's just simpler to use the Modified Rebel 17. I like Ken's enough I loaned the Rebel 17 out back in June.

Sambo, you'll likely not regret the choice if you go ahead and Aquire one. If you do I'll take it off you hands as a secondary.
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