another cooking question

[Lloyd Smale]

I bake in an electric range. I usually put the bullets on a tray stick them in the oven, turn it on and start the time when the oven reaches 400 degrees. Am I hurting anything but sticking them in a cold oven and allowing them to slowly heat up? Should I be preheating the oven before I stick the bullets in?

[jcren]

I use a NuWave oven. The type where the heat is in a hood that sits over the base. Set bullets on a flat surface, set the hood on and crank up the timer to 20 min. Cold from start every time with no problems.

[Reddirt62]

Always preheat...right or wrong...who knows.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[wizofwas]

I use a toaster oven and always preheat. I don't know if it makes a difference or not. I was just following Smokes directions.

[Walter Laich]

my first batch goes in a cold oven once it reaches 400° I cook for 10 minutes

next batch goes in the warm oven and again 400° and 10 minutes (less overall time to get to 400°)

no problems with this method

[EMR]

Accounts here say pre heat and start time when powder turns liquid.

But if they pass the smash test consistently, how much does it matter?

FWIW I preheat and start time when it’s liquid using a PID.

[popper]

I cook on a hot plate now, don't monitor the temp., start cold - no problems at all. Easy handling (rifle boolits) and I can see what is going on. It also takes longer to get to proper temp so the 'flow' temp' range is wider - better coverage.

[fredj338]

I am in the preheat group because it works fine.

[brassrat]

I just never touch the temp.on toaster oven Never had a problem just starting cold and set for 13 min or so to get 10 min at 400. I see people go longer, but this works and I usually let my foil/ silicone--less tray cool down, then knock them loose from the tray and repeat. bases are perfect.

[cwlongshot]

I tried both, cannot see difference, so now I don't....

CW

[farmerjim]

Preheat oven to 425. Using 400 deg tempilaq I have found that a full tray of boolits takes 6 min to get the outside of the boolits to 400. I then cook for an additional 10 min. 16 min overall. This works fine for me,I now load the tray into the convection oven and set the timer in my top pocket to 15 minutes and go about doing other things. It takes me one minute to get back to the oven with a fresh tray of boolits.

[Dragonheart]

From the conversations I have had with a Phd Polymer Physicist and PC technicians the answer is you are not causing any damage to the polymer process by starting with a cold oven. To get the proper cure you just need to start the timing once the substrate has reached the curing temperature usually 400 F degrees. Since I cook multiple trays at a time I almost always start with a cold oven. I have been doing it for so long I know how long my oven is going to take to come to 400 and I just add 10+ minutes to that. When the oven shuts off I usually make no effort to remove the bullets until the next day.

[Grmps]

If you check PC manufacturers instructions, they say to bake at (usually) 400° and start timing when the PC starts to flow. -- cold oven is not an issue. once the PC starts flowing, that heat must be maintained for a prescribed amount of time to achieve a proper cure. Different PC require diferent cure time.
I turn my oven (s) on when I start coating the boolits. I also cover the bottom of my ovens with a heat retaining material (I use ceramic BBQ briquettes, others use firebrick, pieces of steel or? This helps the oven recover/get back to temperature faster after the door has been opened and I believe it gives you more even heating) then I bake most PC for 10 minutes BUT I have some colors that require 15 and 20 minutes (chrome)

[Dvedw]

I start cold, dial at 425 and set the timer for 15 minutes. All my resulting boolits pass the smash test...

[Dragonheart]

The problem with starting the timing when the coating starts to flow is the coating will flow at 200 degrees then how long will it take for your particular oven to reach the usual temperature of 400? This is the reason the timing should begin when the substrate, meaning the object coated, reaches the desired temperature. For the polymer to properly cross link and reach maxium strength a proper cure, which is time & temperature, is necessary. Just because the polymer is smooth and shiney does not mean it is properly cured.