Do you do both tests on each coating for every batch?
What do you do with the wiped/smashed boolits? Back in the melting pot, or into the dross collection for recycling?
Thanks.
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When starting out, test everything. Take notes of everything. Once you are sure you have your process 100% down, then you can reduce your testing to only every other tray.
I now only test 2 bullets per 1000. I use the same coating and process.
However, when testing new coatings, I will test every tray.
The tested bullets get remelted.
TO USERS OR POTENTIAL USERS OF Hi-Tek Powdered or solvent versions.
Just want to advise, that I have had a few, that had tried to use solvents that were not pure Acetone or not pure MEK. (Industrial solvents)
Please do not use Nail polish type Acetone, (Nitro Thinner) or any other mixed solvent blends, unless you know actual composition of solvent mixture, and had pre-tested, to ensure it actually is suitable.
A lot of these solvent mixtures will not dry adequately or contain oily type additives, and at worst, will not be compatible with HI-TEK resin system.
I am aware that many had contacted me and had failure after failure.
Only after many frustrating attempts to try and help, it was learnt that solvent used was not satisfactory and was mainly the causes of failures, aside from rushing the drying process.
Acetone or MEK can be obtained from most hardware stores.
Alternatively, you can approach Fiberglass tank or pool makers, as they use such solvents in large volumes.
They may sell you some from their bulk drums.
Also, if you try and coat over waxed or other lubed cast projectiles, don't even start.
It simply wont work, and you will simply be wasting materials and time.
Coatings made from powdered version and solvent version will not stick to the alloys that have been previously lubed with such materials.
Coatings has to be made onto fresh cast alloys, without using of any release agents or lubes or waxes.
Hope this information helps.
Ensure you are using good quality acetone. The cheap stuff or nail polish remover will not work and you will get coating failure.
If you do not like it, do not use it. Simple.
Yep, use it or don't, I don't care but such negativity- why?
I don't view this coating as the end all be all but I do view it as having a place on my loading bench. It fills a niche for me, that is all I care.
Tes,
If you did not like the product, so be it, SO DON'T USE IT.
I object to you calling the products "Junk" and in a public disclosure.
It is requested, that you further refrain from such remarks and place a retraction of your malicious remarks without delay.
I do not think that any one would be interested in supplying you "Freebies", so you can then
knock & criticize the products they supply you.
Tes I found you post to be overtly confrontational and boarder line slanderous so had it actioned on.. Take your nastiness elsewhere.. and have a nice day..
I got a new oven. It is the same brand and size as my old oven.
I fire it up with the same temp setting on the dial and away I went. At the 5 minute mark the bullets were black!!!
Pulled them out and placed the probe for the digi thermometer in and bugger me. the dial said 200 Deg C. that actual temp was 260Deg C!!!!
So.. lesson learnt. Always check. never assume.
I started using the powder coating a couple weeks ago. It works great for me.
It took a little time to figure out how much solution and things.
I followed the directions. I added more mixed solution (suspension?) than it said but the bullets came out great.
Using an old convection toaster oven with no problems. I set the timer for 12 minutes after its preheated. Bullets look great so far.
I tried standing the bullets up on foil or parchment. My hands will not comply. I just dump em on parchment being careful NOT to let them roll on the paper because it removes the wet coating. Once dry I toss em in the oven. I can't tell they were not all in a neat little row like soldiers.
I am getting 1825 fps out of my 308 with Bayou 115 gr 30 cal bullet. 1 1/8" @ 50 and 3.5" @ 100 yards. This is what got me started. I have plenty of unsized unlubed lead bullets to work with.
Attachment 114225
Maybe I´m getting something wrong, but the current mixture is 1 part powder to 5 parts acetone, correct?
And this 1:5 is for both powders, the "metallic" (copper and so on) and the non-metallic, right?
no... it is 20gms of powder to 100Mls of acetone.
I use a wall oven ex-house. it had a Grill in it as well, a few weeks ago I tore the whole thing to pieces. Removed the grill element (don't make toast while coating) Then fitted the element in the bottom of the oven.
My clay pavers fit perfectly in between the "S"'s of the element (bonus me thinks).
Wired it to a PID and SSR... This oven now is brilliant for coating... 500% improvement in heat recovery times and never varies more than 2 degrees +/- of the target temp. pics available if required.
First post was for liquid coating.
I am still waiting on my class 6 FFL before I buy machines and open up shop.
I know US distributors for liquid coating are Bayou and Gateway, but who is distributing the powder? I think I want to try both to test out.
Please remember everyone,
There are TWO HI-TEK formula version out there presently.
1) The ORIGINAL "WET MIX" (mixing ratios were 5 COLOR, 1 CATALYST, and YOUR CHOICE,
OF ACETONE AMOUNTS FROM 5 TO 7 PARTS, that you added to the 5Color/1Cataylst Mix).
2) THE "NEW" DRY MIX H-TEK, which you MIX 20 GRAMS of POWDER (I use my digital powder scale)
to 100 ml of ACETONE, I mix in a small Coka-Cola plastic bottle.
THE DRY MIX is easier to mix up.
Thanks to HI TEK Joe, Ausglock, Love Life, I just LOVE this stuff and
my handguns no longer see WAXY or ALOX TYPE LUBES.
NOTE TO Self Coaters, GATEWAY BULLETS CURRENTLY HAS THE DRY POWDER IN STOCK,
and Soon BAYOU BULLETS will have too.
People wanting to try the HI-TEK coated projectiles without COATING THEMSELVES should
contact the following as they also sell the finished coated projectiles ready to load.
Gateway Bullets, Bayou Bullets, SNS Casting, BBI, Missouri Bullets, LNL Casting.
Also, please remember that with the "wet" method, the second catalyst utilizes one of 2 types, i.e., "
regular" OR "call it what yup may, I call it # 2 super catalyst". They are different ! The super does increase the hardness of the coating. lke it for .44 mag, .45LC (modern), all rifle.
I have read the metal colors need 2 coats, but the other colors need 3. What is the difference? Can you do a base coat in a metallic and then second coat in a 'flat' color?
Similarly has anyone tried doing 1 wet coat and 1 dry coat? I can't think of why you would, but that never stops members here from trying things "just cause"
2 coats of any of the coatings works fine.
Some do 3 coats for rifle bullets.
Just to clarify things, all the coatings can be used, mixed and interchanged and over coated.
Many mix their own mixtures, to get strange looking, distinctive or unique colours.
They all work. What you need to keep in mind is the liquids, require catalyst, and powdered systems are all in one.
If you wish, coat with one colour first, then coat with another colour second, and a different colour as third.
Alternatively, premix any colour/s together first, and coat with mixture.
As long as you are happy with what you make, it is all good.
Hope that this answers your questions.
BTT for the new coaters. :smile:
you are a good man, Beagle333 [smilie=s:[smilie=s:[smilie=s:
Somewhere in the original thread, there is a comment on using gasoline, followed by wiping and the acetone as a means of successfully removing all traces of Alox. Has anyone tried this? If so, to what success?
BushBro - just dump in cold water from the oven. Works fine. I just started playing with the gold 1035 powder (cooked at 400F). Passed wipe & smash test for 3 coats - failed during sizing. They were a little brownish/dark. Running another batch now, 380F. Like I do for pistol, dump boolits in jug, add a splash of acetone to get them wet & then add coating. If I can get it to work in the BO I'll try in the 308, full load.
edit: did 2 light coatings, 2 heavier coats gold 1035, good color with a few darker streaks. Only added bout a thous. to dia.
HiTek - can I coat first with liquid green then with the dry gold and expect good HV quality?
Edit: yup, gold scrapes off with fingernail. Passes smash & wipe. Dried about 8 hrs. after coating. Never had a problem with the green liquid.
Just shot my first Hi-Tek coated boolits today and all-in-all, consider it a significant success.
I'm not to swift with the metric system or mixing grams with litres with teaspoons with inches, yards and nautical miles. I prefer to keep it simple. So, I simply use a one-part of powder to six-parts of acetone and I make it up in extremely small batches--much how I do/did my 45/45/10 tumble lube.
I started with "freshly cast" boolits that had no lube and no prior sizing done to them. Rather than trying to soak boolits in gasoline or acetone or mineral spirits to clean the lube off, I simply re-melted them and then re-cast them.
Same as I do/did my tumble-lubing, I apply the coating in small batches, and using a small amount of coating. Swirl and (gently) tumble until I heard the audible change in sound the boolits make when coming in contact with each other, then dumped onto the wire-mesh tray I made.
Into the new toaster oven at 400F for 15 minutes for the first baking. Remove, let cool and repeat application process exactly the same two more times except only baking for 12 minutes. After third batch is baked, I dump them straight into a water bath, let cool, then go straight to the push-through sizer and run them through while they're still wet.
Spread 'em on a towel under the ceiling fan and let them dry.
I pushed some 158SWC in .357 Magnum today to an average of 1425fps with excellent accuracy and zero leading and no smoke. I fired some mouseload 105SWC in the .38 Special and again, no smoke and no leading. Accuracy was excellent. Coating was the Hi-Tek Black 1035, three light coats.
Next, I shot some 214SWC sized to .430 and loaded for 44 Special out of the Model 29. Again, superb accuracy, no smoke, no leading.
So far, so good. Now to the 200SWC in 45ACP. Can't tell if the fall-off in accuracy was my shooting or the boolits. Same Red Dot load that I can write my name with or drive nails with using that 200SWC boolit sized .452 and tumble-lubed in my 45/45/10. With the coated boolits, I had more flyers than I'm accustomed to--quite a bit more, actually. I may experiment with adjusting the load some, but not before I try them a couple more times.
All-in-all, this has actually exceeded my expectations. I'm happy. Real happy. Good stuff.
:coffee:
Good post JD. I'm still using powder coat but I have some Hi Tek to try. Hope mine turn out as good as yours. Pics would be nice..
I am getting ready to dive in and still have a few questions, besides one is liquid and one is dry, about the difference between the liquid and dry "supercoat".
1. Is one tougher or harder than the other?
2. Has anyone tested the effects on cast hollow point bullets, like delayed expansion or failure to expand compared to traditional lube?
3. Are they compatible with black powder or black powder substitutes like pyrodex or 777? I cant use sabots here in Colorado and really dislike the messy lube I have to use for my own cast muzzleloader boolits.
Thanks to all for the knowledge and insight you share here!
Landers
The "hardness" is the same for liquid and powder.
The coatings with the Gold elements (Texas Tea, Gold 1035, Red Copper) can be pushed faster.
Hollow points? I have not tried them.
Black powder? A few here in OZ have tried it, but seating the bullet (ball) seems to remove the coating from the fouling already in the barrel.
Trevor,
Thanks for the quick reply,
I just ordered one of each, red and brown copper, from Byron at Gateway Bullets, he was great to work with. I am currently on page 37 of the mega thread getting all the information I can before the lube arrives. I have a question that didn't occur to ask when ordering.
what is the "solid" in the copper coating, is it possible it will act as an abrasive at these temperatures and pressures in the barrel?
Thanks and have a great day,
Landers
The "Solids" in the coating is the metallic component that adds to the heat reflection properties of the coating. It is non abrasive. As the temp increases it reflects the heat from the alloy better.
So, no issue.
I just did my first test batch with the hi-tek gold. It was pretty straight forward, just not time efficient in the small toaster oven I had. Still, first results look great, passed the smash test & the 40s I sized look great. Now for the shooting! I'll be looking for a larger heat source. It would be great to be able to do 500 @ a time. Thanks, this thread was really helpful.
If you are playing with the HITEK Powder, remember, the catalyst is already in the powder.
you only need to add Acetone.
Ratio is:
20grams of powder to 100 Mls of acetone.
Shake very very well and leave to re-act for 1 hour.
shake again and then coat away.