Tried Tumble PC for the first time

[Boolit_Head]

Without much success I must say. long story short, I've been a hard core lubrisizer user for a long time. Working on a comped 9mm though with a optic and need to reduce the smoke and stuff blown out of the comp. I picked up some of the HF red powder a oven and some red airsoft bb's this weekend to try to PC some 40 bullets. Tried the clearish red airsoft bb's from Wally World because the black ones were 3 times the cost. This was tumbled and baked twice. 20 minutes at ~420. I got very little coverage and some uneven buildup. Since I set it on some non stick aluminum foil the bases came out pretty uneven with some flashing. The picture makes them look more evenly covered than they are actually. seems I could not get that powder to stick very good before they went in the oven. These were freshly cast day before yesterday so I don't expect them to have any contaminants. Would I get better results tumbling wet maybe?

[jcren]

I wouldn't try wet tumbling. The transparent bb's do not work as well ad the solid colors, and are you swirling then shaking up and down firmly? Check out the Brotherhood of the Colored bullet group for step by step instructions and troubleshooting.

[Boolit_Head]

No matter how I swirled or shook it did not seem to matter. Even tried to put the container in the tumbler to vibrate them. They only seemed to stratify with the powder and bullets on bottom and the BB's on top. Hmm black BB's were about 15 bucks, these red were near the same weight and only 5 bucks. I wonder what makes the difference.

[Boolit_Head]

I wonder if there is a way to add a charge to the container when shaking? Hmmm.... got to think on that for a bit.

[rsrocket1]

The charge buildup comes from the mechanical action of the powder making and breaking contact with the lead. The lead also picks up some charge when it makes and breaks contact with the walls of the container. That's why violent shaking can sometimes help make the difference. Humidity makes a big difference. Out here in hod dry central CA, the dewpoint is typically 55 degrees and ASBBDT is very easy with HF red. Out in the midwest where the dewpoint has been in the 70's, it would be really tough to get good coverage. Smoke's powder might be a good option to try.

Here's a pic of HF red vs some Sherman Williams surplus stuff I picked up for $2/pound. Both have 100% coverage but the pigment of the SW purple does not spread as evenly as the HF red. No matter, the polymer still covers 100%. This was with white Crossman BB's although I've even tried just bullets and powder in a 1 gallon Ziplock bag and just massaged them and the coverage was just as good when I did this in the summer. In the wet winter and spring, the coverage can be hit and miss.

[Boolit_Head]

Gulf coast here where it is hot and humid. Might be part of the problem. What is Smoke's powder?

[Case Stuffer]

What is Smoke's powder?

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...raying-bullets

note he even has a list of ones which work best with the shake and bake method and ones which only work well with the ES spray guns.

There are many of us very pleased with his powders and service.

[Dragonheart]

First, I would get the Black BB's. The quality of the powder and type of powder makes a difference. I use Prismatic Solid Color Powders available by the pound online (Bubba Blue color works well). Make sure you bullets are oil free. I also live on the Gulf Coast and humidity makes a big difference. Letting your components stabilize in the air conditioning will help. Heating the bullets to 200 degrees, but no more, as higher heat will cause the powder to melt. You need a good thermometer for this. To start use a Coolwhip container and do the swirl and shake.

[bangerjim]

No matter how I swirled or shook it did not seem to matter. Even tried to put the container in the tumbler to vibrate them. They only seemed to stratify with the powder and bullets on bottom and the BB's on top. Hmm black BB's were about 15 bucks, these red were near the same weight and only 5 bucks. I wonder what makes the difference.

Cheeeep is not always better! Spend the money......eliminate one of the MANY BBDT variables.....get better coats. I have a lot of AS guns and a ton of AS BB's in all colors and weights. I have found thru MUCH experimentation (using either a coolwhip tub or ZipLok screw-on containers) I get darned near perfect coats with BLACK BB's. YES......there is definitely a difference in the plastics used in the different color and weights of the BB's. Stock with what most have found is the best. BLACK.

From what I have found, a vibrator only causes the powder to get darker because lead wears off and darkens the coat. It only takes about 30-40 seconds of swirl and the about 20 seconds of REAL HARD up and down shaking to get excellent coverage. (your humidity can cause poor coats) Why waste time with vibrator?

banger

[bangerjim]

I wonder if there is a way to add a charge to the container when shaking? Hmmm.... got to think on that for a bit.

You want the charge on the lead, not the container! There have been many unsuccessful attempts by a lot of people to do all kinds of voodoo dances on this subject.

There is a significant difference between the triboelectric potentials of lead and #5 plastic and that seems to be the key. And your humidity can/will degrade BBDT. That is why I use both BBDT and ESPC. Some days when or DP is high here in the desert (a dry day for most of you!!!!!) I simply get out one of my ESPC guns and coat perfectly.

banger

[Boolit_Head]

Had to look that one up.

The triboelectric effect (also known as triboelectric charging) is a type of contact electrification in which certain materials become electrically charged after they come into frictive contact with a different material. Rubbing glass with fur, or a comb through the hair, can build up triboelectricity.

Hmmm... fur lined pouch to tumble bullets in?

[jcren]

Laugh if you like, but I tried rubbing the container on different static causing materials while swirling, including a beaver pelt! Never saw any indication of it helping. Smokes powders make a huge difference and he also sells small quantities of black bb's to try. I would start with high gloss black because it seems to work he best in humid conditions here in south central Oklahoma.

[Boolit_Head]

I already PM'd him for some blue and some bb's. Would the gloss back be that much better?

[jcren]

I have his light blue and it works fine, wet black is my go to and what I shoot the most myself. It covers well, the pigment is well dispersed in the resin and it has the least friction going through a lee push through sizer. That is a personal preference, just what I have observed.

[jcren]

This one is smokes gloss black, tumbled in gladware with white bb's (almost as good as black) sized from .456 to .452 loaded over 7 grains of hs-6, fired straight down into 5 gallons of water and dug up 16" beneath the bucket in clay soil.

[Walter Laich]

I'd run those bullets in post #1 through a sizer and shoot them. Even if you don't see color you will have coverage.
.
My biggest problem these wonderfully warm days in Texas is casting--the PC is a breeze not that we are getting any

[KSUJedi]

Best lesson I learned from using Harbor freight powder with non-black BBs in a cool whip container is to use Smokes powder in a screw top zip lock container with black BBs! Seriously the cheap "I'll just dabble to try this whole thing out" can really almost kill your interest in the process, but just a slightly greater investment (although still pretty cheap in the grand scheme of things) with the right supplies really let's this method shine.

Oh, ya, and parchment paper for baking on, skip the "non stick foil"

[cowpuncher]

I already PM'd him for some blue and some bb's. Would the gloss back be that much better?

His gloss black, carolina blue, and traffic purple all three flow and coat beautifully for me with just one coat using airsoft bb's in a ziplock container. I've tried about 10-12 powders now and those three are the real standouts for me. Smoke's powders are well worth the money, and he shipped mine out pretty quick too.

[Mytmousemalibu]

I agree on the coverage, even where it looks bare, its not really bare. I Tumble PC and had the HF red come out just fine, passes the smash test just fine too. That said, looking to trying Smoke's stuff soon.

My trick, pour boolits on a cookie sheet and hit them with a heat gun for a few min, and I literally mean a few min, they will be too hot to touch, lead is a great thermal conductor! This is twofold, one it cooks of any imperceptible surface moisture which is there and with them warm, not hot, tumble them, the warmth really helps them coat well and pretty even. I don't use any BB's at all, jut boolits, powder and a square screw lid jug that I roll around to agitate & coat just as a tumbler does. About as stupid simple as it gets.

[fredj338]

In kommifornia, near the coast. I just started playing with PC & HF red. I use the cheap asbb, green ones, a screw lid, ziplock pastic container. I get really good coverage shaking for about a minute. They get put into a wire mesh drawer organizer & baked at 400 for 13-14m. They stick a little to the wire mesh but pop right off. No flash or excessive handling needed.