How to Make Crystals Using Charcoal

Prepare your charcoal. On a hard surface that can be easily cleaned, break your charcoal into one inch pieces with a hammer. Place these pieces in a single layer along the bottom of a non-metal pan. A pie plate works well for this. Using a spray bottle, wet the pieces of charcoal with water until they are thoroughly soaked, but not lying in puddles of water.

Mix your chemicals. In a wide mouthed Mason jar mix six tablespoons of bluing, three tablespoons of ammonia and three tablespoons of non-iodized salt. Mix until all of the ingredients are thoroughly dissolved. Dampen the charcoal with the mixture, using all of it. After you have dampened the charcoal add a couple of teaspoons of water to the jar, swirl and pour to make use of the residue of chemicals left over.

Color the crystals. Use liquid food coloring to drop various colors over the briquettes. Whatever areas you don't douse in the food coloring will be white. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of salt and set aside for a couple of days.

Add the finishing touches. On the second day mix two tablespoons of bluing, two tablespoons of water and two tablespoons of ammonia thoroughly in a jar. Pour this mixture into the bottom of the pan or pie plate. You can now observe the interesting process of crystal development as you watch these unique and fragile crystals begin to form within just a couple of days. Depending on the climate in which you live the process might not be complete for up to two weeks, but you can expect desired results much sooner.