Found nitrocellulose ping pong balls

[solid_fuel]

Looking to get 5 or 6 nitrocellulose ping pong balls.

 

[Maxwelljets]

I was able to buy a 6 pack of nitrocellulose ping pong balls at Target, located in the same aisle as the red solo cups.

 

[solid_fuel]

was this recently? what is the brand?

 

[Maxwelljets]

It was within the past year or so. I don't remember exactly when or what brand. I threw away the cardboard box they were in long ago. I think the packaging was dark blue.

 

[solid_fuel]

ok thanks. I'll check it out

 

[heada]

Mohawk Finishing Classic Instrument Lacquer 1 Qt M610-1406 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PG9Z64V/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ab.MDbQYAHRJZ

 

[jsdemar]

For that price, you might as well buy a pound of Hodgdon H110 powder. It's the real thing. Just dissolve in acetone.

 

[shreadvector]

It was within the past year or so. I don't remember exactly when or what brand. I threw away the cardboard box they were in long ago. I think the packaging was dark blue.

https://www.target.com/p/franklin-sports-40mm-table-tennis-balls-12ct/-/A-52846381?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&CPNG=PLA_Sports+Shopping_Brand&adgroup=SC_Sports&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=9030970&ds_rl=1246978&ds_rl=1246978&ds_rl=1246978&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjYDJ0pGN5QIVhBx9Ch3I_g0pEAQYASABEgK6V_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.walmart.com/ip/BALLS-TT-WHITE-6CT-38MM/760579166

 

[Maxwelljets]

That looks like the right brand, except the one I bought was definitely only a 6 pack. Still, it's only 6 bucks.

 

[shreadvector]

That looks like the right brand, except the one I bought was definitely only a 6 pack. Still, it's only 6 bucks.

I added the 6 pack at Walmart.

They work great.

 

[jsdemar]

Review this thread:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/where-to-obtain-nc-lacquer.150933/#post-1837356

$29/lb of Hodgdon H110 is equivalent to $1000 of pingpong balls.
And it's a known better formulation.​

 

[Maxwelljets]

I actually switched from smokeless powder back to ping pong balls because the ones I made with smokeless seemed quite a bit more brittle. At least in my experience, the ping pong ball based pyrogens seemed quite a bit stronger, and on the occasions that they did break the pieces of pyrogen tended to stay attached to the initiator rather than falling off. I was using hodgdon titewad.

 

[jsdemar]

Hodgdon Titewad is not the same.

 

[Steve Shannon]

Or buy a quart of nitrocellulose lacquer already prepared for $19.

https://www.woodworkingshop.com/pro...MI2ebkgamN5QIVrR6tBh1bDw-IEAQYAyABEgKZRPD_BwE

 

[Titan II]

Or buy a quart of nitrocellulose lacquer already prepared for $19.

https://www.woodworkingshop.com/pro...MI2ebkgamN5QIVrR6tBh1bDw-IEAQYAyABEgKZRPD_BwE

See post #6....and without $7.99 shipping.

 

[Steve Shannon]

See post #6....and without $7.99 shipping.

Aaron beat me to the punch! Once Home Depot even had it.

 

[prfesser]

For those using ping-pong balls to make NC lacquer, be advised that most ping-pong balls are now made with some other plastic. Sometimes there's a switch in composition while retaining the same name/item number. As others have said, either buy a quart of NC lacquer or some actual NC smokeless powder, otherwise you cannot be certain of what you're buying.

There was a recent article in American Fireworks News on the subject. The author found that very few pingpong balls are NC, and that a brand that had been made with NC had changed to a different plastic, without changing the name or item number. One such batch could be NC, a second package could be ordinary plastic. You'll go broke saving money if you go the pingpong ball route...

 

[Titan II]

If you choose to go the Hodgdon H110 route, be aware that Winchester 296 is the exact same powder. It only differs in packaging (just in case your store has one and not the other).

 

[caveduck]

Celluloid ping pong balls are almost a thing of the past (I used to play a lot). European regulations and plummeting use of celluloid for anything except table tennis balls are the main reasons. International events switched to plastic balls in 2014-2015. Interesting article here: https://blog.tabletennis11.com/table-tennis-ball-evolution . I think they will no longer be available at all in a year or two. Easier and cheaper to just buy the lacquer ready made, or use the powder for not-quite-ready-made. I don't think instrument lacquer is going away anytime soon.