Ramming mixtures

When I have rammed fountains, I used a wood dowel for the rammer and just
pounded on it with a hammer. Problem Is if I hit too hard, most of my compo
wants to fly out of the tube. Is there some secret to ramming fountain comps
I need to know about, or is it simply a matter of using a tight fitting ram
in the tube?
If the latter is true. what sort of material can I use to ram larger tubes,
such as 1 5/8" to 2 1/2"? Would the addition of a small amount of dextrin
and alcohol work to make the comp more easily compacted, or would this
render the finished unit less effective due to the moisture?

thanks



















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