Question about powder not sticking

[gobbles23]

I have a HF ESPC gun and I've tried dry tumble method with and without air soft bbs. I never get a good coating on the bullets.

When I cast I water quench the bullets and then check each one to make sure they are keepers. Since I'm handling each bullet would it be beneficial to clean them with acetone prior to attempting to pc them? Just trying to make this process better

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[Smoke4320]

unless you have oily skin or sweeting from heat not really necessary ..
when casting after bullets have cooled I will pick up 15 to 20 5 and weigh them .. never have an issue with pc sticking
Dry tumble works but you have to shake HARD and use the correct container and correct powder

[Oily]

Ditto what Smoke said about tumbling. I had trouble first time tumbling and then remembered other coaters saying they kept breaking there lids on containers. Next time I held lid really tight and shook the **** out of them then up and down as if I was trying to break the lid. Perfectly coated boolits every time now even with Smokes traffic orange which gave me a little trouble when we actually had some humidity. Great powder Smoke!! That jet black covers great every time can't wait to try the clear!

[gobbles23]

I'll give it a try. Thanks for the info

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[Rapidrob]

The Black Air Soft BB's are the only ones I've seen that produce enough static to really allow the powder to stick well to the bullets.
The quality of the powder is also a factor.
Make sure you are not dissipating the static charge by grounding yourself. I stand on a rubber mat.

[gobbles23]

The Black Air Soft BB's are the only ones I've seen that produce enough static to really allow the powder to stick well to the bullets.
The quality of the powder is also a factor.
Make sure you are not dissipating the static charge by grounding yourself. I stand on a rubber mat.I'm using the black air soft bbs and I'm using smokes powder. When espc I was able to Gerry a nice heavy coat, but it was too thick. But if I don't go to thick I get bare spots on the side

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[NyFirefighter357]

I don't clean my bullets, I don't use BB's. I found it worked better to just tumble powder/bullets in my HF double tumbler w/rubber drums about the same amount of time they get baked. I have one batch baking while the next batch tumbles. https://i.imgur.com/zwR7kVl.jpg

[gregtu]

I don't clean my bullets, I don't use BB's. I found it worked better to just tumble powder/bullets in my HF double tumbler w/rubber drums about the same amount of time they get baked. I have one batch baking while the next batch tumbles.

Is this the tumbler you use: https://www.harborfreight.com/dual-drum-rotary-rock-tumbler-67632.html

[bangerjim]

We have found black BB’s work the best in a #5 coolwhip tub. SHAKE VERY HARD!!!!!!!

I have NEVER cleaned new cast boolits B4 BBDT or ESPC. A waste of time in my book.


It all is in your “shimmy shimmy coco-bop! Get that body moving! I get 97% success with BBDT and 100% with ESPC. Keep at it......you will get there.

[Grmps]

I believe the culprit is the water quenching. You are probably contaminating the bullets with something in the water.
Quenching does nothing for the hardness if you are going to powder coat (the bake cycle for powder coat is long enough to remove the hardening but not long enough to allow for new hardening.
Try casting onto a clean towel next time before you PC and see if you don't get better results.

[gobbles23]

I believe the culprit is the water quenching. You are probably contaminating the bullets with something in the water.
Quenching does nothing for the hardness if you are going to powder coat (the bake cycle for powder coat is long enough to remove the hardening but not long enough to allow for new hardening.
Try casting onto a clean towel next time before you PC and see if you don't get better results.I will try this next time

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[fredj338]

ITs the cheap HF powder. Get some from Smoke, it covers waaaay better shake & bake. I do nothing but take cast bullets, drop them into the ziplok #5 & shake for about 45sec. I don't clean, warm or anything special.

[Dragonheart]

I too suspect your water quench is contaminating the bullets. I quit the water quenching years ago as I saw no benefit and it just created more work, but when I did it I made sure my bucket was completely clean and never used for anything else. High humidity canceling out the static charge could also be a problem. I also do not recommend HF powder as it was a poor performer for me.

[Bama]

I have a HF ESPC gun and I've tried dry tumble method with and without air soft bbs. I never get a good coating on the bullets.

When I cast I water quench the bullets and then check each one to make sure they are keepers. Since I'm handling each bullet would it be beneficial to clean them with acetone prior to attempting to pc them? Just trying to make this process better

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If handling bullets it is best to wear Nitril gloves. My experience is that even the smallist amount of oils from hand will kill charge. Also I have tried washing with acetone, lacquer thinner, MEK and several other solvents. Most will remove lanonolin but seem also the ability to develope a charge (in shake and bake method)I tried leaving the lube on and after about 15 minutes did get it to stick somewhat, it cured OK and passed the smash test but looked like **** ( similar to HF yellow with single coat).

[popper]

Acetone adsorbs water so when it evaporates, leaves water behind. Tap water has a lot of 'stuff' in it too. I don't WD anymore. Handling doesn't seem to bother ESPC but I try not to handle them any more than needed for DT PC. Anything on you boolits eventually gets into the tumbling dish ppowder.

[Dragonheart]

Yellow powder coating is just like yellow paint it takes twice as many coats to cover.
Once the lead leaves the mold the more things it comes into contact with the more likely you will have coverage issues.