petep
.30 Stingray
Central Alabama
Posts: 453
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Post by petep on May 27, 2016 13:24:05 GMT -5
I just finished my first powder coat session and have some problems.I have the cooking part OK but I am having trouble with the powder sticking to the bullets.I ran the un-sized bullets in my case tumbler for 45 minutes checking it at 15 minutes intervals and I just did not get a good ,even coat.I am using Harbor Freight Red.
What do I need to do to get the powder to stick to the bullets more evenly?Is there a better powder than the Harbor Freight stuff? And ,as the bullets are all over the place as to diameter how do I size them with my Lee bullet sizer,do I need to lube them at all to size them?
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Post by BigBore44 on May 27, 2016 18:45:17 GMT -5
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Post by fanofthefortyone on May 27, 2016 18:51:45 GMT -5
I just finished my first powder coat session and have some problems.I have the cooking part OK but I am having trouble with the powder sticking to the bullets.I ran the un-sized bullets in my case tumbler for 45 minutes checking it at 15 minutes intervals and I just did not get a good ,even coat.I am using Harbor Freight Red. What do I need to do to get the powder to stick to the bullets more evenly?Is there a better powder than the Harbor Freight stuff? And ,as the bullets are all over the place as to diameter how do I size them with my Lee bullet sizer,do I need to lube them at all to size them? Just to be sure, you are using a vibratory tumbler correct? Never used harbor freight powder and never had the powder I use not stick. Ronnie |
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Post by fanofthefortyone on May 27, 2016 18:56:09 GMT -5
Some of my last powder coating,   Ronnie |
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petep
.30 Stingray
Central Alabama
Posts: 453
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Post by petep on May 28, 2016 4:02:35 GMT -5
Thanks for the help guys! Yes ,I am using a vibratory tumbler and I will try one more time to see how things work out.
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wdr2
.30 Stingray
Posts: 147
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Post by wdr2 on May 28, 2016 7:43:07 GMT -5
I use Smoke's powder, contact him here: castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?252509-Hi-Quality-Powdercoating-Powder-For-saleHe has lots of colors. Lately I have been using 2/3 Silver and 1/3 Gloss Black for a nice grey. I vibrate the bullets for 15 min in a Berry's vibrator then bake for 10 min (I start the timer when the oven & bullet tray, actually a 13in pizza pan, is back up to 400F). I size with my Star - very fast of course. I am very pleased with the results I am getting. Bill Idaho |
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Post by contender on May 28, 2016 7:47:20 GMT -5
Another thought,,, humidity. Often humidity can affect how the powder sticks to bullets.
I also use Smoke's powder now,,, but I still have a bunch of HF powder,,, that I'm figuring out a way to use & not waste.
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petep
.30 Stingray
Central Alabama
Posts: 453
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Post by petep on May 28, 2016 8:02:36 GMT -5
Thank you for the help!I will try to find some Smokes Powder and see if that does better than the Harbor Freight.One thing about Alabama,you do not have to worry about humidity problems!!  |
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Post by hoover on May 28, 2016 8:42:38 GMT -5
How much powder did you put in your tumbler? A little goes a long way. Less is better. You can always add more if you need to. 2 teaspoons will coat 3-400 .38 sized bullets.
Shaking the loose powder off in a colander or wire basket will knock off the loose powder. They should be coated uniformly from the tumbler. Sounds like you used a bunch of powder. You need static electricity to make it stick.
Tank
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Post by BigBore44 on May 28, 2016 8:52:32 GMT -5
Petep
Walk us through your process from mold to powder coating.
Do you do it all the same day or?
If you don't do it thw same day as casting, how do you handle the new cast bullets?
How/Where do you store them?
I use the HF RED and find that warming the clean bullets helps A lot. It removes moisture/humidity and seems to help the pc to stick.
BigBore44
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petep
.30 Stingray
Central Alabama
Posts: 453
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Post by petep on May 28, 2016 9:15:20 GMT -5
I think Hoover hit the nail on the head,as they say.I have just begun this so I was using just a few bullets and entirely too much powder! I will try again next week and see what happens.
I do not cast but buy my bullets un-sized and unlubed,it is possible that the caster has left a little handling oil on the bullets so I will wash and dry the next batch.
Thanks much everybody for the gracious help.
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Post by fanofthefortyone on May 28, 2016 9:28:10 GMT -5
If you are buying them I'd soak them in acetone to make sure there was not any kind of oil on them.
Ronnie
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Post by BigBore44 on May 28, 2016 9:59:32 GMT -5
If you are buying them I'd soak them in acetone to make sure there was not any kind of oil on them. Ronnie Agreed... No telling what they may have on them, so you'll definitely want to give them a good bath like mentioned. Acetone or I've also used Brakekleen and I think I've used Alcohol. Just make sure it doesn't have any lubricant, aloe, or foofy crap in whatever you use! BigBore44 |
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