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Thread: questions on PC Boolits

  1. #1
    Boolit Master

    mtgrs737's Avatar
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    questions on PC Boolits

    Hi all, I am new to Powder Coating boolits. So far I have done about five batches in an old toaster oven and have found that on the last two batches I was melting a flat on some of the boolits. I think the thermostat in the oven may have gone out and it is running flat out. Anyway, I am thinking about an new oven and was wondering if anyone here uses a convection oven instead of just a standard toaster oven to bake boolits? The cost is a little more but if they work better then maybe that is what I need. I do plan on cutting a silicone matt to fit the baking tray to help insulate the boolits from the metal pan and help keep them form melting a flat on one side. I was using stick free foil but the new silicone matt should eliminate that need right? I am using Smokes high gloss black mirror powder applied by a vibratory tumbler and it seems to be doing a good job.

    Thanks in advance.

    mtgrs737
    Last edited by mtgrs737; 08-01-2018 at 03:42 PM. Reason: spelling
    Mtgrs737
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    Personality type: Compulsive/Excessive - I don't know what that means, all I know is, if I like something, I want a lot of it!

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  2. #2
    Boolit Master Wheelguns 1961's Avatar
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    I haven’t used a convection oven, but according to smoke, they are the bees knees.

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy
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    I use Convection Oven, Russel Hobbs Model RHTOV20 220 volt bought it from Briscoes and works great, I throw PID probe in on rack alongside bullets for even temperature control

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
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    Convection oven is one of best ways to go. I have used one for 3 years. I cut a thin sheet of aluminium and used oven liner over it. Nice and flat. I I cut al sheet about 1" shy in depth to help prevent blocking of air flow--that has not been an issue. I stand bullets up for curing. I have tried several other ovens but without the air flow it is harder to prevent melt down. It is a sickening sight to see several hundred long 30 cal or 6mm start to melt and slump over--heck of a mess. Has never happened with convection oven.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master

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    I use the cheap 20 dollar Walmart special with a cheap oven thermometer... Works like a champ. With dollar store baking paper. I tried to get more off of it because the box was damaged. When this requires more attention to detail than i am willing to give it or i can hold, then i will upgrade to a better oven. Probably to a cheaper convection oven. Or buy the wife a new one and steal hers.

    The parchment papers acts like a fail safe as well. If see it starting to burn the oven is too hot. At the Right temperature it just gets golden brown.
    "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."
    ~Theodore Roosevelt~

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    A good oven is a necessary if you want to get the best out of PC, I would not use anything other that a convection oven. Toaster ovens are not created equal; there are some that work fantastic and some are a total waste of money for PC, don't ask how I know this.

    For consistent PC performance you need an oven that will come to temperature and hold that temperature without wild variations. I have been using a Hamilton Beach Countertop Convection since 2012 and it has coated tens of thousands of bullets, I recommend it highly for PC. Since then I found a second oven (newer Model HB ) at Goodwill for $20 that looked like it had never been used. I wrap the top of wire racks with roof flashing creating a flat surface and lay down a silicon mat to cook the bullets on. One oven has 3 racks and the other 4 racks. Each rack will hold 3-4 hundred bullets, so I can cook a lot of bullets in a single cook.

    The thermostat on both my Hamilton Beach ovens is right on, but I would not trust any thermostat, because a thermostat will not tell you what the temperature is inside your oven. You need to check & monitor the temperature, so get a Taylor Glass Oven Guide Thermometer from Amazon about $12. From time to time you can find a vintage Taylor Glass Serviceman's thermometer on Ebay for about the same price. These are as accurate as you are going to find and can be set so you can read it through the glass door. Photo is my old oven ready to load and my covered wire racks & silicone mat.Attachment 224843Attachment 224844Attachment 224845
    Attachment 224842

  7. #7
    Boolit Man
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    Your thermostat is either way wrong or allowing way to large a temp swing.

    As stated, if you want the best results and you are going to do this a lot, your best bet is the cheapest oven with both a convection fan of any kind and a digital temp controller of any kind. You can be pretty sure it'll work that way. Our Black and Decker was about $99 new and it does 1000 bullets per bake no problem. I don't know if that model is made anymore but anything similar should be great.

  8. #8
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    Oster Extra Large Digital Countertop Convection Oven, Stainless Steel (TSSTTVDGXL-SHP) is great (about $89-$99.00 at wally world )
    digital controls .. make sure you turn the fan on.. Also Confirm the ACTUAL oven temp with another thermometer
    on my 350 on the readout degrees is an Actual 400 …
    Most all countertop ovens will be off on the indicated temps.. Some lower some higher
    [SIZE=4][B]Selling Hi Quality Powdercoating Powder

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  9. #9
    Boolit Mold
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    For the oven, I started with a left over one tray toaster oven from Sears it melted powder coat but it wasn't smooth. My wife tired of my grumbling and reading Smoke's tutorial I had printed out ordered me a fancy three tray convection unit from Hamilton Beach and WOW what a difference! I use Smoke's powder, Airsoft BB tumbling and stand each bullet up with tweezers on non-stick aluminum foil. I tried the bulk pile of bullets cooking method and found my OCD tendencies would not allow that to happen ever again. The convection oven is big and more expensive but I have been much happier with the coating and found many colors do not need the full 20 minute cook either with the convection on. I also recommend as others have posted get yourself a separate oven temp gauge to verify the seting of the oven, my little unit was 60 degrees colder than it should be and the new convection is almost dead on.

    I just realized my Convection oven looks exactly like Dragonheart's above and we just got ours a few months back.
    Last edited by allsy; 08-02-2018 at 03:32 PM.

  10. #10
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    if there is a Costco near you, they have a good price on an Oster convection oven <$50.

    The temperature setting on 99.9% of countertop ovens is off and the amount they are off changes depending on the temperature around it.

    Place 2 <$5 oven thermometers on the shelf and adjust the temperature setting until the thermometers read 400°. IF the 2 thermometers don't agree. borrow another on and find out which is correct.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master

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    Wow guys, a whole lot of good info here! Thanks so much each and everyone of you! I guess I will be investing in some more equipment for this process real soon.

    Thanks again!

    mtgrs737
    Mtgrs737
    Still Learning!

    NRA Life Member
    Life long OZ resident

    Personality type: Compulsive/Excessive - I don't know what that means, all I know is, if I like something, I want a lot of it!

    Pray to put "One nation, Under God" back in our country! We will never be a Great Nation without HIM!

    SOCIALISM is a PHILOSOPHY of FAILURE, the CREED of IGNORANCE and the GOSPEL of ENVY, It's inherent value is the EQUAL SHARING of MISERY. -Winston Churchill

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    I love my boolit oven.

    At one time I told my wife to keep an eye out for a good deal on a used toaster over.

    Real soon, she found one. Best $10 my wife ever spent.

    It was a fancy convection oven that ended up in a thrift shop with a bad digital controller.

    I bypassed the controller & set it up so that I could use my casting PID to control it. It now has one cord going directly to the heater element and a separate cord going to the fan.

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