HI-TEK do's and don'ts

[pastera]

I coat using three trays and a small desk fan* (cool and dry) with a 12 minute bake time.

When tray-1 comes out of the oven it goes on the fan to cool until cool to touch (1-2 minutes)
The cooled bullets are then coated and placed back on the fan for the remainder of the 12 minute cycle while tray-2 is preheating (try-3 baking)
When tray-3 is baked, tray-2 goes into the oven and tray-1 gets a preheat.

I usually coat all three trays to start and stack two on the fan with one preheating for 20 minutes to allow the oven to stabilize. This seems to work even on rainy days working in the garage with the overhead door open.


* Fan: https://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-HT-.../dp/B001R1RXUG

[Ausglock]

I coat using three trays and a small desk fan* (cool and dry) with a 12 minute bake time.

When tray-1 comes out of the oven it goes on the fan to cool until cool to touch (1-2 minutes)
The cooled bullets are then coated and placed back on the fan for the remainder of the 12 minute cycle while tray-2 is preheating (try-3 baking)
When tray-3 is baked, tray-2 goes into the oven and tray-1 gets a preheat.

I usually coat all three trays to start and stack two on the fan with one preheating for 20 minutes to allow the oven to stabilize. This seems to work even on rainy days working in the garage with the overhead door open.

Great methodology process. Uniform, repeatable and reliable.
Outstanding..

[ydocsaee421]

Hey all. I've searched and searched, and can't find a specific answer, so sorry if it's covered somewhere. I used High Performance Bullet Coating the other day in Red Copper, and it turned a dark green after the first bake. 2nd coat went a little better, but it was like splotchy red on green. What caused these to turn green on the first bake? I did 400°f for 10 minutes. Was it too hot, and overcooked them?? A couple in the mix turned out ok. What can I do differently to avoid the green?

Thanks!

[Ausglock]

Yep.. you have hot spots and cold spots in your oven.

Buy an IR thermometer gun and shoot your baking bullets.
Is you oven convection? It has to have a fan in the side or back wall.

[HI-TEK]

Hey all. I've searched and searched, and can't find a specific answer, so sorry if it's covered somewhere. I used High Performance Bullet Coating the other day in Red Copper, and it turned a dark green after the first bake. 2nd coat went a little better, but it was like splotchy red on green. What caused these to turn green on the first bake? I did 400°f for 10 minutes. Was it too hot, and overcooked them?? A couple in the mix turned out ok. What can I do differently to avoid the green?

Thanks!

Can you please take a picture of first coat,unbaked .
Same after second coat unbaked.

It may be also useful, to take pictures of first and second coat after baking
Please post all pictures.
This may help with identifying what may be happening.

[ydocsaee421]

Ok. I only have a pic of the finished product, but I'm unable to upload it. It gives an error message. I have tried like 10 different ways. I've ordered a convection oven, to replace the old one I was using. Once I receive it I'll start from the beginning and try again. Not sure why it's not letting me upload photos. After the first application but before baking, you couldn't see any color, just a shiny gloss. After baking, it was like a forest green... Anyways, hopefully the next batch will come out better. Sorry I can post pics.

[jsizemore]

My overcooked red copper looks brown

Did you air cool or water cool your cast bullets?

[RydForLyf]

Hey all. I've searched and searched, and can't find a specific answer, so sorry if it's covered somewhere. I used High Performance Bullet Coating the other day in Red Copper, and it turned a dark green after the first bake. 2nd coat went a little better, but it was like splotchy red on green. What caused these to turn green on the first bake? I did 400°f for 10 minutes. Was it too hot, and overcooked them?? A couple in the mix turned out ok. What can I do differently to avoid the green?

Thanks!

If you mean you set the oven to 400, I’m going to guess that the standard swings of 25 degrees or so cooked the bejesus out of them. You may want to do a small batch at 375 to see if the results are better. I’ve rigged the heating elements of my oven to run off of a PID controller for better temps. Your Overcooked bullets will shoot fine, but as you get more practice, you’ll start to get the hang of it and your results will get better.

[dikman]

I use a small non-convection oven and it works fine BUT I use a PID to control the temp and have learned not to put too many boolits on the tray (I only use one tray at a time). If I load the tray with too many I will get some colour variation. Accurate temp control is fairly critical to getting good results.

[HI-TEK]

Ok.

After the first application but before baking, you couldn't see any color, just a shiny gloss.
With coatings, once you mix it up with solvent, you need to mix it several times,... well before using, to ensure all is mixed in.
Before taking out some to coat, this diluted mixture must be well mixed and taking out some to coat , you must be quick, as materials separate quickly and settle so you wont get colours that are in products as they are now settled from solvent..
Your first coat not having any colour, is telling me that the "sediments" were not mixed in when you took some to coat

After baking, it was like a forest green...
My suggestion here is, that you well over baked the coating.
Anyways, hopefully the next batch will come out better. Sorry I can post pics.

I have made suggestions above that may provide some answers, based on what you advised.

[ydocsaee421]

I water quenched my cast bullets. I did round #2 with my new oven, and they did come out better.

[ydocsaee421]

I have made suggestions above that may provide some answers, based on what you advised.

Thanks for your help! I did do round 2 with my new oven, and they turned out better. No green, and some of the color I expected. They aren't as beautiful as the pic of them on the Hi- Perfomance website though. Even after 3 coats...

[HI-TEK]

Thanks for your help! I did do round 2 with my new oven, and they turned out better. No green, and some of the color I expected. They aren't as beautiful as the pic of them on the Hi- Perfomance website though. Even after 3 coats...

Thanks for update. As they say, practice makes perfect.
It would have been great to see pictures, because that would help with identifying what is going on.
Generally, if final coats are a bit rough looking, generally can be caused by shake coating much too long. The glass finish can be easily achieved by simply adding mixture, shake coat for 10-15 seconds, then dump onto drying mesh. Don't try to use too much of mixture to coat. This also adds to rough finishes. Only use just enough mixture to coat what you want, with little or no excess afterwards left in container.

[BPortelli]

I'm looking to try out the Hi-Tek coating for the first time, and I see that it was not recommend to spray? wondering if someone could provide what the reason behind this is please
Is it safety concerns making it airborne or due to it flashing too quickly on spray and creating coverage issues
was trying to search through the forum posts but wasn't able to find an exact reason unless i missed it.

[HI-TEK]

I'm looking to try out the Hi-Tek coating for the first time, and I see that it was not recommend to spray? wondering if someone could provide what the reason behind this is please
Is it safety concerns making it airborne or due to it flashing too quickly on spray and creating coverage issues
was trying to search through the forum posts but wasn't able to find an exact reason unless i missed it.

The coating advice, where it is clearly stated, that the coating (powder) is not to be applied by any spray method. It is not Powder Coat and wont work.

Solvent based systems are applied with tumble coating not sprayed onto projectiles, exactly as described in coating method.

I am curious, how you interpreted from reading the coating method, where it was stated, that coating product is not to be spray applied, to translate to solvent based spray application being referred to as not allowed?

The reason you have not found any information about spray application is, that the product is not spray applied in any form.

[Ausglock]

And if you tried to Spray the mixed coating, it would flash off and your coating layer would be too thick and flake off when baked.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it..

[BPortelli]

thanks guys
yes i understood that it should not be sprayed, was more i was wanting to know why!

as i did read the disclaimer off Hi-tek site:

IT SHOULD NOT BE ATOMIZED, SPRAYED ONTO, OR ATOMIZED ONTO YOUR BULLETS,
EITHER IN POWDER, OR IN A LIQUID FORM!

[HI-TEK]

thanks guys
yes i understood that it should not be sprayed, was more i was wanting to know why!

as i did read the disclaimer off Hi-tek site:

IT SHOULD NOT BE ATOMIZED, SPRAYED ONTO, OR ATOMIZED ONTO YOUR BULLETS,
EITHER IN POWDER, OR IN A LIQUID FORM!

You must have read details on US agents website.

Why it is stated that product should not be spray applied as is, or in liquid form, has a simple explanation, IT DOES NOT WORK.

[Ausglock]

Back to top for the interested...

[MaxJon]

It's got a bad reputation in my neighborhood.