simple Hi-Tek coating

[HI-TEK]

I know the instructions for the powder say you can add alcohol instead of acetone or MEK to slow evaporation, but what about mineral spirits? Is the powder soluble in mineral spirits or would that just make a mess? Even with alcohol added it still dries a little too fast for me. I would like to slow down the evaporation time just a bit more so I swirl longer and can get a more even first coat.

Elkins 45
Adding about 10% denatured alcohol to the Acetone should be adequate to slow down coating drying during shake coating.
MEK with about 10% denatured Alcohol would be much slower drying.
Alternatively, simply add a little more solvent only, and that will allow longer shake coat times and spread coating more.
(I hope you are not trying to do one thick coat as a first coat, as it will cause other problems)
First thin coat is generally not a great look normally. That is why a second coat is applied to cover imperfections and obtain a more even film..
Please don't use any hydrocarbon solvent as it wont work.
I have had reports of someone trying Iso-Propanol and reported that it worked. This solvent is much slower drying, and in theory is compatible with the coatings , but I have never tested it.

[HI-TEK]

Joe, I am working with Donnie on the isopropyl alcohol. We should be able to give a report in a couple of weeks. It indeed slows down the drying. I tried the 91%. The bullets passed the smash and swipe test. Donnie will be doing the range testing as soon as I get the ammo to him. This will be with the 223 remington which is a bugger bear to shoot cast in. We will let everybody what we find out.

Hello Slide,
Thanks for update.
I was not aware that you and Donnie were collaborating with tests, using Iso-Propanol as a solvent. It will be most interesting to find out if all is OK afterwards.
As I said, I have never tried it, and in theory, it should work. Most commercial casters wanted fast drying speeds, not slower.
Down side of faster drying Acetone and MEK is that solvent evaporation chills cast alloys up to 5C, and colder coated cast will attract and trap moisture. That is why great attention needs to be taken to ensure adequate drying to remove trapped moisture.

It would be interesting (if IPA works) just how much chilling is produced by IPA drying from coated projectiles.

[HI-TEK]

[QUOTE=slide;4823133]I sent you a pm but it was back in December I think. You gave me the go ahead but I don't remember if I advised you when Donnie and I joined forces. If I didn't I apologize. No need for any apology.

I was worried about using the 91% because it is 9% water. I saw no signs of trapped moisture.

Slide, I don't understand "using the 91% because it contains 9% Water".

Are you saying that the IPA you are using is 91% IPA and contains 9% Water?
Industrial IPA should be 99.9% pure or higher.
What is commercial price for Acetone versus IPA in the USA?
They are fairly similar priced here.

[Stephen Cohen]

Slide,I also will be interested in the results of that test, I gave away the thought of using Iso propanol because I understood it to contain water as well. Just when you think all tests have been carried out, along comes another I wonder what if test. Regards Stephen

[HI-TEK]

This is 91% isopropyl alcohol. You can buy it off the shelf in any drugstore. It is used for as first aid antiseptic. It was Christmas day,I was by myself,bored out of my mind and decided to coat some bullets. Found out I was out of MEK or acetone,or denatured alcohol. All I had was the 91% so I decide try it. It worked surprising well. The cost of this stuff is around $2.00 US per 32 ounces. The bullets passed the tests and since I couldn't shoot myself I contacted Donnie to see if he might know someone who would be interested in shooting the bullets and he volunteered.

Slide,
We have similar IPS skin disinfectant but is a very soft Gel in a dispenser.
I cant recall seeing any where IPA solvent/disinfectant being sold.
The 91% would be regarded here as dangerous goods, and retailers, unless they had flammable goods storage would not stock it.

Some years ago, there was an automotive fuel additive sold in car accessory outlets (no longer sold). They had 600ml bottles to add to a tankful of Petrol/gasoline for carburetted vehicles.
It was promoted as Octane booster. It certainly worked well, and I continue to use it. I get the IPA in 200 litre drums (44 gallon) It is about AUSD$2.50/litre.
IPA in fuel (carburetted cars) reduces the freezing effect in the Carbie and idling and acceleration is much smoother. Introduction of Oxygen from the IPA makes fuel burn hotter and more complete. For my two cents worth, I think it is better that Ethanol in Fuel.

[slide]

Isn't that something! Learn something everday. I will let you know what results we get before posting on the forum.

[slide]

Elkins45 I sent you a pm

[kevin c]

Ordered my TruBlu.

While I have a multimeter, it only has one input for a k probe. I might get a unit that lets me read more, then I can graph simultaneous heating of a plain boolit versus regular coating versus metallic ;^]

[dansedgli]

You can buy isopropyl alchohol from bunnings and jaycar. About $10 for 250ml. 99.8%.

I use it to make liquid chalk.

[HI-TEK]

You can buy isopropyl alchohol from bunnings and jaycar. About $10 for 250ml. 99.8%.

I use it to make liquid chalk.

WOW,
I have purchased Metho in Bunnings, but not seen IPA. That price is outrageous ($40.00/litre) considering price of commercial IPA being about $2.50/litre.. I have not been in a Jaycar store for 20 years or more.

[Stephen Cohen]

WOW,
I have purchased Metho in Bunnings, but not seen IPA. That price is outrageous ($40.00/litre) considering price of commercial IPA being about $2.50/litre.. I have not been in a Jaycar store for 20 years or more.

Looks like you could make a few bucks Joe, if you bottled it and sold it at $5.00 a 250ml bottle. Regards Stepehen

[HI-TEK]

Looks like you could make a few bucks Joe, if you bottled it and sold it at $5.00 a 250ml bottle. Regards Stephen

I would be happy if it can be sold for a couple of bucks more per litre plus packaging. The local DG freight cost would kill any interest.

[Ausglock]

I'll stay with Acetone.
It has proven to be reliable.

[Elkins45]

You can buy isopropyl alchohol from bunnings and jaycar. About $10 for 250ml. 99.8%.

I use it to make liquid chalk.

You could probably go to the liquor store and buy a bottle of grain alcohol cheaper than that!

[slide]

What proof is grain alcohol?

[Elkins45]

What proof is grain alcohol?

Because ethanol and water are mutually soluble (the proper term is miscible) the maximum purity you can get by ordinary distillation is 95% or 190 proof. I think the Everclear brand is 190 proof.

If you need to remove the last bit of water then you have to resort to methods like drying it with magnesium sulfate. You can buy 100% alcohol from chemical suppliers but as you illustrated it is much more expensive than the impure stuff.

[HI-TEK]

What proof is grain alcohol?

I think you would have some problems with grain alcohol, it can be about 40-50% alcohol, water, and who know what else they add as flavouring. I get the reference about price of IPA versus good Bourbon
$40 for 1 litre IPA is nearly same price as drinking stuff. At least IPA is 95% whilst drinking stuff is about 50%
I know, that Ethanol for use in Pharmaceuticals is denatured with IPA so no taxes apply and is not drinkable. (well, you can drink it but I don't think It will be much good for you).

[HI-TEK]

Because ethanol and water are mutually soluble (the proper term is miscible) the maximum purity you can get by ordinary distillation is 95% or 190 proof. I think the Everclear brand is 190 proof.

If you need to remove the last bit of water then you have to resort to methods like drying it with magnesium sulfate. You can buy 100% alcohol from chemical suppliers but as you illustrated it is much more expensive than the impure stuff.

Elkins45
I don't think I have seen a 190 proof stuff here. May be I was not looking enough.

Ethanol, that is used for addition to fuel, is dehydrated with molecular sieves. They remove/trap water molecules from the ethanol. Afterwards, the Molecular Sieves are dried to remove water then re-used to dry more alcohol.
Other method used, (much more expensive and requires distillation afterwards) is using Phosphorous oxide. This reacts and combines with Water, to form Phosphoric Acid. It totally dehydrates Ethanol.

[HI-TEK]

Because ethanol and water are mutually soluble (the proper term is miscible) the maximum purity you can get by ordinary distillation is 95% or 190 proof. I think the Everclear brand is 190 proof.

If you need to remove the last bit of water then you have to resort to methods like drying it with magnesium sulfate. You can buy 100% alcohol from chemical suppliers but as you illustrated it is much more expensive than the impure stuff.

Elkins45
I looked up a couple of Molecular sieve details
one is
https://www.molecularsievedesiccants...l-dehydration/
The other is
http://molecularsievedesiccant.com/

There is many instructions how to dry Ethanol with Molecular Sieves, and afterwards the dry Ethanol can be used as fuel additive.
The difficulty is, that the "system" must be sealed, as Ethanol does not like being dehydrated.
The 3A molecular Grade will absorb 19.5 lbs Water / 100 lbs of Molecular Resin.
The 3A is sold on Ebay in small packs but is expensive. You are better to buy it in commercial quantity, and once you have it, it can be recycled/re-used many times.

[Avenger442]

Some years ago, there was an automotive fuel additive sold in car accessory outlets (no longer sold). They had 600ml bottles to add to a tankful of Petrol/gasoline for carburetted vehicles.
It was promoted as Octane booster. It certainly worked well, and I continue to use it. I get the IPA in 200 litre drums (44 gallon) It is about AUSD$2.50/litre.
IPA in fuel (carburetted cars) reduces the freezing effect in the Carbie and idling and acceleration is much smoother. Introduction of Oxygen from the IPA makes fuel burn hotter and more complete. For my two cents worth, I think it is better that Ethanol in Fuel.

If you mix it straight with gasoline, or as some say petrol, you have to be careful with the ratio. We used to use it back in the 60s and 70s in our cars to boost power. If you get too much it will burn holes in parts when your car is not set up to use it I was told. We also used moth balls. According to some it would boost the power. The alcohol seemed to work. The few times I used mothballs I couldn't tell.

I understand adding alcohol to gas actually lowers your gas mileage a bit. Alcohol produces a quicker explosion and is not as good as gas, which has a more prolonged explosion, for your gas mileage. I suspect the people that sell it know this and it is one of the reasons they add it. Do I smell conspiracy?

Glad to see the blue working. All please post your results with wipe and smash test.