How To Meal Gunpowder Brimstone And Charcoal

There have been many methods used to grind these ingredients to a

powder for fire-works, such as large mortars and pestles made of

ebony, and other hard woods; but none of these methods have proved so

effectual and speedy as the last invention, that of the mealing table.

This table is made of elm, with a rim round its edge four or five

inches high; and at the narrow end is a slider which runs in a groove

and forms part of the rim; so that when you have taken out of the

table as much powder as you conveniently can, with a copper shovel,

you may sweep all clean out at the slider. When you are going to meal

a quantity of powder, observe not to put too much on the table at

once; but when you have put in a good proportion, take a muller and

rub it therewith till all the grains are broken; sift it in a lawn

sieve, that has a receiver and top to it; and that which does not pass

through the sieve, return again to the table and grind it more, till

you have brought it all fine enough to go through the sieve. Brimstone

and charcoal are ground in the same manner as gunpowder, only the

muller must be made of ebony, for these ingredients being harder than

powder, would stick in the grain of the elm and be very difficult to

grind; and as the brimstone is apt to stick and clog to the table, it

would be best to keep one for that purpose only, by which means you

will always have your brimstone clean and well ground.