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When I saw the title of this thread, I had to chuckle. Attached you can see my first attempt with HF Red, DT, no BBs. The coating seemed fairly good, then I baked in a brand new oven while at work. I got busy and didn't watch the progress. I thought that y'all might get a kick out of the results.
Attachment 220526
Thanks for the laugh.Quote:
Originally Posted by kickstand
Hey, why does that look familiar?
with all the comments of starting out with no thermometer, I am really surprised we don't see more pic's like that :cbpour:
The only time I have achieved good coverage with HF powder was if I sprayed it on, and I'm not patient enough to do two coats. I too have smokes powder and got way, WAY better results. Way easier. Soldier on, you will figure it out ... that's half the fun for me.
Hah! That looks like some new chocolate party treat. If it weren't for the four recognizable boolits . . .
I would try PVC pipe #5 tubs with lids that fit each end of the section of pipe and packing peanuts. Clean (alcohol works for me) bullets in the tubs on each end. Plug one side of pipe with the first, add a handful or two of packing peanuts to the pipe, then plug the other end with another tub of bullets. Roll and shake lightly for less than a minute. Dump heavily coated bullets on a screen and pick up with nitrile gloves or whatever you prefer and place on your preferred surface to cook for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
Yep, that's a HOT oven/too much time in it..Quote:
Originally Posted by kickstand
For ME--read too many - for Harbor Freight paints-Powder by the Pound, and Smokes=90-95% all good..Bill.
the black BB are made out of Polypropylene #5, use a tub made out of it also. I use mostly eastwood and PPG powder. some work great , some not so much. I also have a eastwood dual PC gun that works great. You to play with different ways and types of stuff to find what you like
Wolftracker,
So the packing peanuts are in the pipe between the two tubs. They just generate the static charge which gets transferred to the ends where the tubs are.
That is fascinating.
I went to Wally World finally and forked out $15 for a large tub of black Air Soft BBs. On my way to the check-out I picked up some disposable No. 5 Ziploc rounded-bottom tubs. Went home and dumped the powder and multi-color BBs in the tash and started over with black BBs. The boolits covered fairly well and quickly (the sun has been shining for over 24 hours), however not quite as nice as in some photos here. I'm not sure if this is because the boolits are on their second coating and the powder just doesn't stick to an already cured powder coat.
Out of the oven they are not really impressive or pretty but at least they could be described as red. They passed the smash-test with flying colors so-to-speak. They went through the sizing die with aplomb.
I will have to see if they perform better than the VHT epoxy paint.
I've been using the same pound of HF red that I started with probably 5 years ago. No my bullets don't look a new car but they shoot great. The BBs made a difference for me. I started with .2g white then found some .25g black. The .2g were doing ok the .25g are better.Quote:
Originally Posted by popper
If anyone is not getting satisfactory results with HF red and .25g black BBs you are doing something wrong.
Motor
Here’s another method that might work for you with the HF powder. I used this on my first attempt and they turned out pretty good. Nothing like Marek313’s or Motor’s but, definitely shootable.
Preheat boolits for 4min. at 120°F
Mix in container with powder
Bake at 400°F for 20 min.
Got this method from Elvis ammo on YouTube here’s the results
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...4ff9c0deb7.jpg
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Well since I have been using those silicone packets in my powder storage containers I haven't had a problem. But it might be coincidence. They are called Silica Gel Desiccant Bags or packets. I got mine on eBay from China for cheap money. I think you can get them at Walmart but far more expensive. It's very humid in Wisconsin so I put them in all forms of powder including gun powder. These are the type I got but they come in different sizes. I hope it's OK to post this link...it is to a search on eBay for these things:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...check&LH_BIN=1
https://i.imgur.com/KQ9Y2C3.jpgQuote:
Originally Posted by kickstand
HF red is junk compared to the good stuff. It's more temperamental, more sensitive to aging (and I've seen bottles of HF Red that were over a year old) and more sensitive to humidity. However, if you live in a dry climate, it is nearly foolproof. In marginally humid areas, your prep and tumbling techniques are more important and in outright humid areas, you will get marginal but adequate coverage unless you waste your time with multiple coats.
1 pound of HF red, or Smoke's powder or anyone else's powder will last for many thousands of bullets so long as you use it properly at about 1/2 teaspoon per hundred bullets. So cost shouldn't be a driving factor.
In the right conditions or with the right technique HF Red works perfectly adequately.
Here's some in a Styrofoam prescription box with white BB's
https://images3.imgbox.com/aa/80/syXhg3NK_o.jpg
Here's some in a 1 gallon ziplock bag with no BB's
https://images3.imgbox.com/70/63/k6ZbiOAJ_o.jpg
Either way gave me good coverage
https://images3.imgbox.com/2e/3e/dxDDVd5D_o.jpg
and very nice looking boolits
https://images3.imgbox.com/d7/ac/MuqJJG3z_o.jpg
Even with splotchy coverage doing this outdoors in sprinkling conditions, the polymer coverage is good enough to give 100% coverage after sizing.
https://images3.imgbox.com/5a/e4/Y9VEDesf_o.jpg
https://images3.imgbox.com/38/d6/hCHVV4fv_o.jpg
My first batches ever. Used HF red. Should have read the posts before tryinh it. I used a heaping tsp for about 60 bullets. The coating was a little heavy. Tried less the second batch and they came out nicely. I had a problem with sticking to the parchment paper. I will try the non stick foil or a different paper.Quote:
Run 'em through the sizer, they'll be fine.Quote:
Originally Posted by kickstand
Very nice. Good point about the polymer coverage. Often HF red will "look" spotty too but if look close it's only a lack of pigment not a lack of polymer. Hmm. I never thought of using a styrofoam container. May have to try that some day.Quote:
Originally Posted by rsrocket1
Motor
It's the type that comes with cold packs for injection prescriptions. If the powder doesn't have an affinity towards the lead, I don't think the container is going to make much difference. In marginal conditions, the harder I shake whether it's #5 tubs, ziplock bags, cardboard boxes lined with packing tape or plastic flower pots (I've tried them all), the act of the powder making and breaking contact with the lead is what causes the static electricity.Quote:
Originally Posted by Motor
I've been very successful this winter by putting my gallon Ziplock bags full of bullets, BB's and powder into a Harbor Freight 5# vibratory tumbler for 3 minutes. I tried up to 10 minutes with and without BB's and was discouraged with some of the outcomes. 10 minutes of just lead bullets and powder gave fantastic coverage, but the powder had turned dark which to me meant I just generated a bunch of lead dust with the bullets banging into each other. The bullets were baked but I got rid of the the bag and the remaining contents. With BB's, the bullets crash into each other less often and don't generate as much lead dust. So does limiting the vibe time.
i wouldn't know if black ASBB's work or not....i use a yellow electrostatic gun to spray mine with...works every time!
OK. This time a roundbottom ziplock tub with black ASBB, and a dry, sunny day. They took a coat nicely and came out a fairly even red from the oven.
So other than the baking step this appears to be about as easy as tumble lubing. OK you have to filter out the BBs and excess powder, then dump on a tray and put in the oven. Yep. If it consistently goes as well as my second powder-coat attempt I would say this is going to be the way to go.