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Thread: Any tricks for getting old PC too stick?

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Any tricks for getting old PC too stick?

    I bought a good 4 lbs of all different color PC a year ago and it seems to have lost its magic. I tried two different colors today and they were not going to stick to save its life. When I first bought it the stuff coated beautiful. I even have the ac on in the house today and the fan going. I did a couple of test boolits and it looks like they have the chicken pox. I would guess it's time for new powder and to toss the old? I even kept it double bagged like when I bought it last year.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tripplebeards View Post
    I bought a good 4 lbs of all different color PC a year ago and it seems to have lost its magic. I tried two different colors today and they were not going to stick to save its life. When I first bought it the stuff coated beautiful. I even have the ac on in the house today and the fan going. I did a couple of test boolits and it looks like they have the chicken pox. I would guess it's time for new powder and to toss the old? I even kept it double bagged like when I bought it last year.
    This is going to sound crazy but I have found it works well for me. I started using some "Ideal" yellow 77 water soluble wire pulling lube when neck sizing bore rider bullets. It washes off with a garden hose and I give it an added rinse in hot water before drying. It is messy to work with- kind of the consistency of pud-den. BUT even the older powder seems to really stick. It is actually a little tough to shake off excess. I have no idea why it should work but it works great for me. Hard to see how the goop could help establish a charge on the bullit. Might be worth a try.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    It sounds like it may have an exceptional amount of moisture in it. The a/c will not dry it out very fast tho. You could put it in the freezer, frost free of course, for a few days, uncovered when the boss is not looking, I’ve dried out old powder that way before. Or you could warm your boolits up some before trying to coat, just don’t get them to hot or coating gets too thick.

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    I get the sample packs from smoke and mix his powder half and half to use up old stuff. His powder works so well that even the stuff that has been in the tub for a year or more will work after just a bit of smoke's is mixed in.
    "In God we trust, in all others, check the manual!"

  5. #5
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    I have to deal with high humidity often.

    Try heating boolits to around 150 °F at the beginning of the PC session.

    I have never had any reluctance of the powder to stick to boolits after the boolits were heated just a bit.

  6. #6
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    maybe its the bullets and not the paint.
    try boiling the naked bullets in a pot with a little laundry detergent and citric acid/lemishine.
    in addition to getting them squeaky clean this will also surface etch them slightly.
    dry bullets, then try coating again.

  7. #7
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    I have the same problem. Hand tumble method with airsoft BB's worked great this past winter. I left everything in the container and now it doesnt stick in summer. Thinking too much humidity in the air. Very frustrating. Should I just throw out the paint, container and BB's and start over?

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    Encountered same problem with some of Smoke's powders that had been 'on the shelf' for a while. Called Smoke and he diagnosed the problem as moisture in the powder from storage in high humidity area. Also advised me not to store powder in the plastic bags it comes in. Powders are hygroscopic and, over time...ever 'double-bagged...will absorb moisture from atmosphere. I had some success drying contaminated powder in a food dehydrator for a couple days but, in the end, decided it was more hassle than the powder was worth and ordered fresh from Smoke. All powders are now stored in glass Mason Jars with rubber-ring seals.

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    For any long term storage of PC powders it needs to be AIR TIGHT containers
    [SIZE=4][B]Selling Hi Quality Powdercoating Powder

    I carry a Nuke50 because cleaning up the mess is Silly !!

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  10. #10
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    Using laquer thinner with old powder it works good, no static needed. Here is a thread from a local site which has some good info on this: https://www.tngunowners.com/forums/t...comment-985239
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  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master popper's Avatar
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    Yea, humidity dampens powder and makes it tough to get it to stick. Long time ago an OP used some craft glue then dry powder tumble. Wet tumble works with lacquer thinner but NOT acetone. Bama's trick with the wire puller lube (soap?) is neat but messy. Guess there is enough 'stuff' left that holds the dry powder until it cooks. IMHO heating the boolits drives the moisture off them.
    Whatever!

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    I bought a couple hundred of those silica gel desiccant packs from eBay. I put a few in my storage jars of powder. I don't know if it works or not. I started doing that when I noticed that in the Winter here in WI, the powder stored in the garage had chunks frozen together because of moisture. (PC works really good when it is -20 and you do it all outside.)

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Smoke4320 View Post
    For any long term storage of PC powders it needs to be AIR TIGHT containers
    THIS!!

    I would try to dryit out. Unsure HOW, but if you have a way to dry this out, I'll bet large it will work just fine again.

    I have some large cans I use when tumbling larger quantities of bullets. If the powder has been in there for over a month or so. I just toss it and start over because its soalked up moisture.

    ALL my powders are in triple zip lock bags, when used opened ONLY long enough to extract needed amount then all air pushed out of bag and bag sealed, stuck in second bag and repeated then in a HD third bag and back on shelf.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Omega View Post
    Using laquer thinner with old powder it works good, no static needed. Here is a thread from a local site which has some good info on this: https://www.tngunowners.com/forums/t...comment-985239
    Kind of off subject but can you tell more about the hazard of breathing the powder? I always thought it was pretty inert and never took any precautions with it.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Traffer View Post
    Kind of off subject but can you tell more about the hazard of breathing the powder? I always thought it was pretty inert and never took any precautions with it.
    While the powder isn't good for you, and basic precautions should be taken, I think it's the lacquer thinner fumes you need to guard against. Like any process just make sure it's in a well ventilated area.
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    Boolit Master gpidaho's Avatar
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    I'm still working with the same 7lbs. of Cardinal powder that I bought over three years ago (Yes, I bought plenty. LOL) If humidity is causing your problems I guess living in the very arid climate of SW Idaho has it's advantages for powder coat storage. Gp

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    Quote Originally Posted by popper View Post
    Yea, humidity dampens powder and makes it tough to get it to stick. Long time ago an OP used some craft glue then dry powder tumble. Wet tumble works with lacquer thinner but NOT acetone. Bama's trick with the wire puller lube (soap?) is neat but messy. Guess there is enough 'stuff' left that holds the dry powder until it cooks. IMHO heating the boolits drives the moisture off them.
    The craft glue is an interesting idea. Been thinking of using something like that...Something that would not interfere with the bond or the integrity of the PC. Thought of using some cheap school type spray contact glue but never tried anything ...yet.

  18. #18
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    Eastwood sells some plastic bottles with screw on lids that they say hold 2lbs. of powder. I got a couple coming in the mail for long term storage. I'm hoping with some desiccant packs the lids seal well enough to keep things dry

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    I would assume my powder will be dried if I leave in my house this winter and then I can seal it in containers?

    Or what about canning jars?

    How about sealing it vacuum storage bags?
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 07-31-2018 at 07:48 PM.

  20. #20
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    Canning jars with the rubber seals on the lids should be fine. I use plastic ammo boxes with the seals
    [SIZE=4][B]Selling Hi Quality Powdercoating Powder

    I carry a Nuke50 because cleaning up the mess is Silly !!

    http://www.bing.com/search?q=nuke50&...7ADE&FORM=QBLH

    I am not crazy my mom had me tested

    Theres a fine line between genius and crazy .. I'm that line
    and depending on the day I might just step over that line !!!

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