🐔 Mesh trays led me to change PC method

[Walter Laich]

For years I would shake with ASBB and pick them out one by one.

Finally gave the mesh trays a try and will not be going back to old method.

First, the coverage is equal to or better than the old way and at the end of the day that’s really what matters.

Quick recap of method (which you have probably read in this section before):
Using ASBB and a couple of teaspoons of powder swirl the really shake the bullets—30 sec does it for me if not less

Pour into colander with holes enlarged so ASBBs pass through. Most of the powder will also drop out.

Gently pour bullets on to mesh tray. Gently spread them with wooden stick. Mesh tray is over a plastic box to catch any extra powder that might be along for the ride.

Mesh trays are 8x8,” old metal trays were solid 8x8.” Picking them one by one would give me about 180 bullets. New method will hold 140 bullets—I can live with the smaller number.

With solid tray took 11 minutes to get to 400° F. mesh trays take 5 minutes (not solid a chunk of aluminum like the old trays) save 6 minutes here which is good.

Cook for 10 minutes at 400°

Take tray out and invert cookie sheet (88¢ at wally world) on top, flip both over and roll bullets back and forth to break apart any that might have stuck together.

Repeat

I like it!

[igolfat8]

What powder are you using? Can you post some close up pics of your Boolits? One coat or two?

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

I use RandyRats powders and Smokes zombie green (yellow green is what he calls it I think). One coat for me and they are ready to rock n roll. Saves SO much time. I don't even use BBs anymore.

[Walter Laich]

I use 2/3 Smoke's powder (Randyrats will also work here) and 1/3 from my jar of mixed 'stuff'--all the leftover powder that wasn't enough to coat with. Just dumped it in the jar and slowly using it up (I'm cheap)

One coat is plenty for me

pictures tomorrow as cat is ready for bed and 'The Princess' as my wife calls her must have folks in the bed before she settles in--otherwise she will sing the song of her people all night

[NyFirefighter357]

I made a rack to fit my oven from 1/4" hardware cloth. Did about 1,200 in an hr. I'd say about 250-300 at a time

[igolfat8]

This has probably been covered elsewhere but is anyone dumping boolits onto the silicone mats inside the mesh baskets? Would boolits be less likely to stick to the silicone mats than the mesh baskets? I've dumped onto mesh baskets and had some boolits sticking to the baskets and paint pulls off like is shown in NYF357's attached pics above.

[camp]

Where did you aquire the mesh tray from? Thx

[igolfat8]

Where did you aquire the mesh tray from? Thx

I purchased my 6" x 9" mesh drawer organizer pans from Bed Bath and Beyond. Two of them will fit side by side in my convection toaster oven.


https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/sto...ord=6+x+9+mesh

[KVO]

I might have to give this method a try! One of the most entertaining aspects of PC has been just how cheap it is to try new techniques.

[DerekP Houston]

I purchased my 6" x 9" mesh drawer organizer pans from Bed Bath and Beyond. Two of them will fit side by side in my convection toaster oven.


https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/sto...ord=6+x+9+mesh

That was going to be my question as well, thanks for the link.

[Walter Laich]

This has probably been covered elsewhere but is anyone dumping boolits onto the silicone mats inside the mesh baskets? Would boolits be less likely to stick to the silicone mats than the mesh baskets? I've dumped onto mesh baskets and had some boolits sticking to the baskets and paint pulls off like is shown in NYF357's attached pics above.

I would worry that the excess powder would harden on the mat and give you a flashing on the bullet.

It would be worth a try for someone to try, though

[Walter Laich]

Here is a shot of the finished bullets in one of my mesh trays

the color is 2/3 Smoke's arctic green and 1/3 of my mixed powder

https://www.flickr.com/photos/157294...in/dateposted/

click on pic to enlarge it

still have to be sized

[Tripplebeards]

I picked up the same type of mesh pan with a better lip in stock at Walmart for $4.99. I put mine on top of a cookie sheet that's coved with tin foil so I can reuse it. The bottoms stick to the mesh when I stand them up and leave some lines where they touch but I GC over the paint imperfections.



You can see all the different PC colors stuck to the mesh. It comes off and sticks to the boolits too. It normally will scrape off with my fingernail after my boolits cool.

[MyFlatline]

Here is a shot of the finished bullets in one of my mesh trays

the color is 2/3 Smoke's arctic green and 1/3 of my mixed powder

https://www.flickr.com/photos/157294...in/dateposted/

click on pic to enlarge it

still have to be sized

That looks like stucco lath

[Grmps]

The 6" x 9" mesh drawer organizer pans work fine without sticking, just make sure you shake off all the excess powder in the colander (this also helps keep the bollits from sticking together).
Mesh trays can be made out of hardware cloth from Lowes, HD, most hardware stores

[fredj338]

I purchased my 6" x 9" mesh drawer organizer pans from Bed Bath and Beyond. Two of them will fit side by side in my convection toaster oven.


https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/sto...ord=6+x+9+mesh

I have been using those since I started HT & now PC coating. Cheap & work great with very little adhesion when the PC hardens. Just smack em on the concrete & everything pops loose. Also makes for easy water quenching, just drop the whole thing into a bucket of ice water.

[Walter Laich]

That looks like stucco lath

here are a couple of shots of what the mesh looked like before it became a tray.
got it at wally world
https://www.flickr.com/photos/157294...in/dateposted/

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Wilton-Ba...Inch/134251036

[DerekP Houston]

here are a couple of shots of what the mesh looked like before it became a tray.
got it at wally world
https://www.flickr.com/photos/157294...in/dateposted/

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Wilton-Ba...Inch/134251036

hmmm must be sturdier than the ones I tried. That was my first idea was to repurpose some unused splatter screens (small mesh) and pizza trays. Worked fine for the first few batches then the holes got clogged with powder and everything stuck. I'm guessing that large mesh will work better in that regard. Thanks for sharing your technique.

[dverna]

Here is a shot of the finished bullets in one of my mesh trays

the color is 2/3 Smoke's arctic green and 1/3 of my mixed powder

https://www.flickr.com/photos/157294...in/dateposted/

click on pic to enlarge it

still have to be sized

They look good to me...but what do I know?

[Walter Laich]

hey, we're all in this together

I'm finding I do loose a bit of powder dust as I go from pouring contents of jar into colander and then colander bullets into the mesh tray.

Not enough to worry about but makes this an outdoor activity for sure.

finding out I run out of cast bullets way faster than when I picked them out one by one. This is a good thing as process has speeded up the coating/cooking part