simple Hi-Tek coating

[shanep]

shanep
They look much better and closer to correct colour.
Finish seems a little granular, that is normally caused by over shake coating for too long.
Once you add coating mixture, shake coat quickly and for just long enough to use up coating, (10-15 seconds).
If coating becomes tacky, it will start to start sticking and produces such finish.
During drying and baking, these type of surfaces will not flow out smooth.

The other way a rough finish may occur is the coated alloy was just not quite baked long enough.
When re-coating an under cured coating, the solvent starts to dissolve/strip off previously under cured coating, and this will form a rough finish.
If this all is finally baked the coating can produce such a granular finish.

Next step is simply to size one or two, this will take off surface lumps and should leave a glassy finish without the body of the coating being removed.

Do not be concerned if you over bake, and if colour changes. The coating has been baked for days at 200C, it turns out Black but coating performs well.

Thanks they were patchy, in going to cast some this week and give it another run. Im getting closer,

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[shanep]

that is much better shanep! the color is poping good.

Thank you for all your help

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[Petander]

something to consider is covering the elements with the crumb catcher that comes with the oven. that way, you're getting a radiant heat which is what is needed with hi tek. i've seen that the direct heat on the boolits can ''burn''' the color after less that the recommanded cooking time.

I have been using IR thermometers (yes plural) to measure actual boolits. When the oven thermometers (yes,plural) read 200C,the bullets actually hit 220C. That must be because of direct heat.

I'm on my third oven now,the same is still happening. So I have adjusted to 190C. The latest big household oven has strong fans and there really is a cyclone in there. Still the bullets get hotter than the oven.

[Ausglock]

My converted Wall oven is set at 200Deg C. The bullets (after 71/2 minutes) are 204 Deg C as shot by an IR Therm.
The oven has a heating element around the internal fan and the over head element working. 2 trays. one on the bottom shelf and another on the middle shelf. If I use the top shelf, I get darkened bullets.

[Petander]

If I use the top shelf, I get darkened bullets.

This makes sense and it's definitely worth trying a lower shelf. My slightly overbaked bullets are perfectly good,though. I messed up pretty good with underbaking when I started this (not doing the acetone test properly),now I rather overbake a little.

[HI-TEK]

I have been using IR thermometers (yes plural) to measure actual boolits. When the oven thermometers (yes,plural) read 200C,the bullets actually hit 220C. That must be because of direct heat.

I'm on my third oven now,the same is still happening. So I have adjusted to 190C. The latest big household oven has strong fans and there really is a cyclone in there. Still the bullets get hotter than the oven.

Petander,
If your bullets are coming out hotter that oven temperature it may be due to cycling effect of thermostats.
Some thermostats are able to cycle plus or minus 50C. They turn on 50 below set temperature and turn off 50 above set temperature. Essentially this is supposedly averaging at 200C.
If your thermostat is working OK, if the heating elements are not directly fanned to remove heat from them, than I suspect infra Red heat may be causing over heating of the metal.
It is not logical that oven air is at 200C but bullets are hotter.
If it is not the thermostat losing control, then it must be Infra Red energy causing over heating.

[rcslotcar]

Hi, I have a question. I have used HI TEC for 9mm,40 and 45acp with great results. I just starting casting 165 gr 7mm bullets with a gas check design. Can I,Should I use the gas check after coating the bullets or forget the gas check. Thanks!

[eljefeoz]

I coat 145 gr RCBS SIL and 160 gr SAECO for the 7x57. 2 coats of HITEK, check with actone rub and smash test , then seat GC and size.
HTH

[HI-TEK]

Hi, I have a question. I have used HI TEC for 9mm,40 and 45acp with great results. I just starting casting 165 gr 7mm bullets with a gas check design. Can I,Should I use the gas check after coating the bullets or forget the gas check. Thanks!

rcslotcar
That is a great question. There are many variables. First, what alloy are you using?
Second, what velocity are you expecting to achieve?
Gas checks are normally used to prevent Gas cutting of Lead especially with hot powders.
Coating before or after gas check will work.
Can you supply more details please.

[rcslotcar]

i'm using coww's with a very little tin added, brindle hardness around 19-20. Powder I've been using for Sierra 168gr bt hp is 68 gr of Hodgon 4831sc. This has been my max load from my Remington 700 which is very accurate. I was thinking to load down to about 60-63 gr for cast coated bullets maybe around 2500-2600fps. Again I haven't shot any cast 7mm yet, just trying to get knowledge before I put components together. I haven't shot "any" cast bullets thru my rifles (223-270-308-338win).

[Stephen Cohen]

Hi, I have a question. I have used HI TEC for 9mm,40 and 45acp with great results. I just starting casting 165 gr 7mm bullets with a gas check design. Can I,Should I use the gas check after coating the bullets or forget the gas check. Thanks!

I would try with and without gas checks just to see how each perform, There are a few variables as others have said but velocity nearly always plays a part. I use gas checks on all my rifle loads except for my 357 max Martini which will not shoot as well with checks and prefers plain base. I would check that the checks fit after coating and fit them after coating especially if you use Aluminium checks as the coating does not stick well them but sticks well to copper. Regards Stephen

[HI-TEK]

i'm using coww's with a very little tin, brindle hardness around 19-20. Powder I've been using for Sierra 168gr bt hp is 68 gr of Hodgen 4831sc. This has been my max load from my Remington 700 which is very accurate. I was thinking to load down to about 60-63 gr for cast coated bullets maybe around 2600fps. Again I haven't shot any cast 7mm yet, just trying to get knowledge before I put components together. I haven shot any cast bullets thru my rifles (223-270-308-338win).

rcslotcar
coww's can present problems. Hardness for the speeds you are shooting may be also a problem. I am not sure, but some already shot hard alloys but I think they may have been harder than yours. May be others can advise on these matters.

Also, some wheel weights have impurities, that can cause adhesion problems with coating.
I don't know if you have been following this thread long, but another guy has all sorts of coating problems using mystery alloys.
He solved coating problems by casting, then soaking casts in Hydrochloric acid/water mix, to remove reactive surface metals. The coating then bonds extremely well after washing with water and drying first.
It is not the coating that fails, it is the alloy that may fail if not correct things are done first. Keep in mind, the coatings are a way of separating bore and alloy.
Coating cannot fix engineering problems. It cannot be compared to Jacketed ammo requirements.

[rcslotcar]

I did read for several hours and remember the pictures. I have several 22 pound ingots of lyman #2 do you think this would work out better? Thanks guys for the replies. I also have tin to add if necessary.

[glockfan]

My converted Wall oven is set at 200Deg C. The bullets (after 71/2 minutes) are 204 Deg C as shot by an IR Therm.
The oven has a heating element around the internal fan and the over head element working. 2 trays. one on the bottom shelf and another on the middle shelf. If I use the top shelf, I get darkened bullets.

on this specific topic,i must add that i don't use the the oven top element.only the one on the bottom. yours being larger and of higher quality,having dual fans working is probably helping at not getting a direct heat on the boolits,even if the elements aren't covered . on my black'n 'decker , there's only one fan,and if i use the top element, i'm getting burnt color...now,i could cover the top element with some foil or else, but i can fit only one tray in anyways.....those little ovens......you can't really bake more than 16 to 20 pounds of boolits at once,because it would be overloaded .

[pkchwy]

Does anyone have Photos of how large Pullet company do there coating

[Spaceball]

This is the best video so far of a commercial company doing coating. So good trick and hints in the video.

[pkchwy]

This is the best video so far of a commercial company doing coating. So good trick and hints in the video.

thanks heaps

[Ausglock]

This is the best video so far of a commercial company doing coating. So good trick and hints in the video.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ..... Best??? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Yeah.... right....

[glockfan]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ..... Best??? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Yeah.... right....

trevor...these guys are cutting their own moulds.....seems likke they get a -+ 2 grains differential in their boolit production......the tall guy is the machinist, and he cuts the molds.....i heard about'em couple months ago. i even think about contacting them to see if i could get some of their magic molds. will see because you know what .....otherwise,their hi tek process is pretty much what we're all doin ,nothing special there.......but their moulds.....wheeew.they nailed this part of the whole process of boolit making.

[Ausglock]

The mold maker is Mike Sand. His old man is (was) Ballisti-cast.
Mike Was 1/2 of Hardline molds. I have a few of his molds and they are top notch.
Hardline fell apart due to internal friction between the partners (from what I gather)
The dude doing the coating is mixing the powder (and spilling more than he uses) and appears to use it to coat instantly after mixing the powder with the acetone. A huge NO NO!!!!!!!
The only thing I like in the video is his oven.