How Long to Bake

[GregLaROCHE]

I originally heard you needed to bake at 400*F for 45 min. That is what I have been doing. Starting with a cold oven and boolits. It’s been working well.

I have heard and seen videos of others doing it for a lot shorter time. Am I using a lot more electricity than I need to? Is pre heat that important? What do others think?

[Boolit_Head]

Depends on the cake recipe and when the toothpick comes out clean... Ahhh wait not baking a cake??

Depends on what coating you are using. With PC I am taking them out around 20 to 22 minutes. You can watch and see when they gloss over and smooth out a bit, a few minutes more for insurance and take em out.

[KenH]

If you're using powder coating for your bullets, it all depends on the manufacture of the powder says is needed to cure. The powder will gloss over pretty quick as it melts, but then needs a time to fully cure for max strength. Smoke's powder coat requires 20 minutes at 400⁰F to fully cure with a preheated oven. It takes about 5 minutes or so to for the powder to melt and gloss over, then the next 15 minutes is to fully cure the powder.

That is my understanding.

Ken H>

[Smoke4320]

Most MFG recommend 10-12 minutes MIN AT temp or as they say a preheated oven. People will add 5 minutes just to be sure is totally cured
I have many customers that will put a load in a cold oven and set it to 20 minutes .. That seems to work just as well

[Dragonheart]

I have used several types of polymer and several brands of powder from different manufactures since I first got into PC in 2012. In addition to talking with powder coating professionals and a PHD polymer physicist regarding the polymers and curing. Long story short is 400 degrees at 10 minutes for most powders. Chrome powder 450 degrees at 10 minutes. The timing starts when the substrate (what you are coating) has reached the temperature, not the oven temperature or when the coating starts to flow. Going a little longer on the time doesn't hurt so you assure a proper cure. Once the polymer has reached the proper cure adding more time doesn't make it any better. I personally put everything into a cold oven and set my timer or PID for 30 minutes and then unload the oven later or the next day, but I have monitored my ovens enough to know this meets the proper curing time.

[ThomR]

I do 20 minutes no matter what powder I'm using.

[fredj338]

In a preheated oven, I bake 14-15m, any powder, including smoke's. Longer only seems to burn the coating, changing the color. 45m is gonna soften your bullets too.

[jeepyj]

I'm at 21 minutes and my oven timer doesn't start until it reaches the preset temperature (395) I use ES gun and red powder from HF with outstanding luck.

[Tripplebeards]

I do 20 min with smokes powder. My conventional oven might not be as hot as others being I go 455 degrees for the smoothest finish. I tried it 5 degree increments starting at 400.

[Tripplebeards]

And if I'm using my toaster oven I run it at 400 and don't time until my powder is melted and shiny.

[bangerjim]

I bake (per all manufacturer’s directions of powders I have) for 10 min @400F. Preheated oven, naturally. That’s all that is needed....AFTER.....the powder turns shiny.

Where in the wide world of sports did you read 45 minutes??????????? I have never seen that rediculously long time. Some like longer than 10 min, but from my many MANY tests (and I have been doing this for a L_O_N_G time!), that is all that is needed for most powders. Try it next time.

But use the time that gives you the warm fuzzies.

Bangerjim

[Walter Laich]

I have a PID on mine and bake for 10 minutes once is reaches 207°C (PID is a cheap one and only came in °C)

all bullets work fine in my cowboy loads--rifle and revolver

[murf205]

I use Smokes powder and bring my oven up to temp them place the tumble coated boolits in for 20 min. I use a thermometer to get temp reading and air cool after baking. I shot some 270 gr 44 boolits today that were cast from a mixture of 16.5lbs pure lead, 1lb 12 oz linotype and 2.4 oz tin. Not a hard boolit by any stretch but I ran then through 2 different 44's with 18.5 grs of 2400 with NO leading at all. So..... I would have to say that 45 min is way too long to roast your boolits.

[zymguy]

45 min from a cold oven as the OP stated, could well be 20 mins at temp

[GregLaROCHE]

I don’t preheat because I load my boolits on the tray with the rack just halfway out. I had too many problems with boolits falling over when trying to insert the rack before.

Thanks for all the advice.

[GregLaROCHE]

I bake (per all manufacturer’s directions of powders I have) for 10 min @400F. Preheated oven, naturally. That’s all that is needed....AFTER.....the powder turns shiny.

Where in the wide world of sports did you read 45 minutes??????????? I have never seen that rediculously long time. Some like longer than 10 min, but from my many MANY tests (and I have been doing this for a L_O_N_G time!), that is all that is needed for most powders. Try it next time.

But use the time that gives you the warm fuzzies.

Bangerjim

Do you mean ten minutes from the time the powder begins to melt or total with a preheated oven?

[Grmps]

depends on the powder and the manufacturer, most call for 400° one manufacturer that I use frequently calls for 20 min after the PC starts flowing, others 15 min in a preheated oven. the smash test will answer your question for the powder you are using.

Read the manufacturers directions (if you have them)

[bangerjim]

Do you mean ten minutes from the time the powder begins to melt or total with a preheated oven?

1. Preheat oven to 400F (verified with a good oven thermometer!)

2. Put filled racks in oven

3. Do not start your 10 min timing period until ALL the powder on ALL the boolits in the oven has turned nice & shiny.

4. Bake for no more than 10 minutes. No more is needed.

5. Remove and air cool.

Good luck

bangerjim

[sureYnot]

depends on the powder and the manufacturer, most call for 400° one manufacturer that I use frequently calls for 20 min after the PC starts flowing, others 15 min in a preheated oven. the smash test will answer your question for the powder you are using.

+1. Experiment a little. What works in my oven, with my PC is not what's in the directions. Ovens are well known to be liars.

Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk

[murf205]

Amem to the lying ovens! Mine was 50 degrees off on the dial! That's why I use a Cooper thermometer. They are reasonably priced and eliminate the guessing. At the very least, if it doesn't turn out correctly, you know where you started from.