New Guy ...

[rmichael63]

New to the forum, looking forward to trying Powder Coating for the first time ...

[Targa]

Welcome to the addiction.

[slim1836]

Welcome to the site and good luck with powder coating. There is a learning curve so don't give up. Might let us know where you reside in case there is someone close to you that may be able to help.

First tip is to stay away for Harbor Freights powders. theirs is less than desirable.

Second tip is to read as much before buying anything, then if you have questions, ask. Lots of info on this site and from the membership.


Slim

[Hickok]

You came to the right place to get the best information, help and knowledge of boolit casting.

Hello and glad to have you!

[Doubles Shooter]

Welcome. You are about to enter a rabbit hole you might never leave. However, you won't want to because it's too much fun.

[GARD72977]

Welcome. I will be the first to offer advice. Start with Eastwood Henry Blue (Ford Blue) buy a convection toaster oven. You will be well on your way.

[rmichael63]

Thanks guys ... I am on information overload ... someone from a different firearm forum suggested this forum, he wasn't wrong ... lots of good reading thus far ... I've read Harbor Freight powder is mediocre at best.

[BNE]

Welcome to the addiction.

Powder coating is a great way to get started. the "Shake and Bake" with airsoft bbs is so simple and it just works. Get some good powder. See Smokes powders on this sight. I have had good performance from all of his.

Again, welcome, use the search function every time you get stumped. Chances are someone else has had and fixed the same problem you run into.

BNE

[Rcmaveric]

Awe great... more lead competitor. Lol I kid, welcome bro. Pretty soon we will get you well educated, broke, and in trouble with significant other.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[rmichael63]

LOL ... I'm always in trouble with the warden ...

[brass410]

Gotcha!! I mean welcome aboard, great bunch around here, lots of help and info.

[FredBuddy]

I'm about 40 miles south of you and would
be happy show you my process. It is basically
the same as what the majority here do.

Let me know if you are interested.

[buckwheatpaul]

You are among friends who will help you with your problems; encourage you; and help you spend your$!!!!! You will not find a better bunch of men and women with the same objectives you have!

[Walter Laich]

I was PC in 40º weather Sunday, Shake and Bake, and they came out great

so it's not hard to get quality coverings.

[Bazoo]

Howdy and welcome.

[rmichael63]

what city?

[plainsman456]

I started last year and had only 1 bad batch.

Found out that copper gas checks act like a heat sink and had to change up the process some.

I have a Star as well as a RCBS lam2 and after cleaning the lube out of the dies it goes without issue.

I like the way the firearms look after shooting powdercoated.

[fcvan]

I started ESPC with a HF gun and HF flat black. Good coverage, even thickness. I also bought one of the Sears type blow dryer guns, good stuff. I started buying my powder from Prismatic Powder in White City, OR, about 110 miles from where I was in Nor Cal. I went to their showroom once, they had samples baked on aluminum strips of each of their 6500 colors. They also had custom car rims, cerrocoated firearms, and pictures of some of their commercial work. Think big military vehicles and CAT D9 equipment.

Then, I started ASBBPC. I bought a multi pack of Gladware sandwich size #5 containers and a couple K of ASBBs. Some powders work very well, some were blotchy, like a copper coating. They came out like copper cammo with clear, semi clear and copper. They shot fine. I tinkered with mixing powders to get an FMJ look, those are the only I still ESPC. Everything else is ASBBPCd in solid colors. I tried various shades of black, looking for something close to the HF flat black. No dice, they all came out looking dripping wet, even a black satin that was glossy, they all shot great.

I took to measuring the amount of powder I put in each tub based on boolit count v. surface area. Trial and error, but I could control thickness. I shake for 30 seconds and dump on a baking sheet. I move the tray from side to side which separated the ASBBs from the boolits, which then get transferred to the baking tray with hemostats. The residual static from the shake, combined with the rolling on the tray, evens the amount of powder on each boolit nicely. I used a piece of plastic light difuser panel for flourescent lighting, trimmed to fit the tray. The grid squares are 1/2" x 1/2" squares, the grid is removed carefully once the baking tray is on the oven rack.

Baking tray has either NS AL foil or parchment paper. For GC style boolits, (.223 and .309) I made trays where I can coat the boolit and not the check shank, those trays hold the boolits upright during bake cycle. I stopped using the GC .223 mold in favor of the NOE 225.62 RN which is plain based without lube grooves, designed just for PC. I fan-fold the parchment paper to keep the boolits from touching and do not have thin spots on the PC. I also do the same for the Lee 309-230 5R for sub 300 BO loads.

I have located but not purchased a silicone ice cube tray with 1/2" grid squares. That should do nicely for standing up boolits that like to topple. As far as preheating, I started by (duh) following the directions. I checked the temp of the oven with an oven thermometer. I placed a load of boolits in the oven noting that 385 on my knob was actually 400 degrees. I also noted the powder became glossy/liquefied and up to temp in 5 minutes. Now I just put them in the oven and set a timer for 15 minutes, giving me a 10 minute bake after temp is up. The thermometer was $5.95 at Wally World, and given to a buddy once I was done with it.

I haven't cast a boolit, baked a boolit, cranked a shell, in 5 years. I did however cast and load more boolits than I should report publicly. I also have a stockpile of cast/coated/baked and mostly sized for when I feel like breaking into my stash of powder and primers. I only have 2 coffee cans of cases that need processing having been fired in the last 5 years. I also have 10 pounds of the Lyman 225-415 boolits PCd and waiting for gas checks, and 20 pounds of NOE 225-62 RN needing sizing. I still have a stash of lubed boolits, some with plain based gas checks boxed up since I started powder coating everything. I make my own gas checks from AL. flashing, mostly for .309 boolits. Those little 22 checks are as much a pain to make as they are to seat. I am thinking of getting an NOE 309-150 3R plain based just to see if they shoot as good as the GC model.

My .223/5.56 plain based are zinging at 2250 FPS from the Mini 14 and AR 15, 2450 from a 24" HBAR single shot with a 1 - 12" twist rate. I am pretty sure my 308 WIN will do well at 1 - 10" twist rifles at 2250 FPS. I can push them harder, I don't think I need to, they hit soda cans off-hand at 100 yards, or 'minute of soda can' which is my accuracy standard. Cast boolits don't need speed to mushroom as they do well with 50/50 COWW/pure lead boolits.

PC is for me, it wasn't hard to tinker with to get good results. My boolits don't get touched until they are baked, I use metal tools and wear gloves when casting and coating. I size when they are cool enough to handle, next go around I will water drop right out of the baking oven. Good luck, have fun . . . and shoot tin cans, they are a menace to society.

[Garyshome]

Welcome! PC'ing, it's a wonderful thing [tales a long time to pc 20,000 boolits though]

[Midohhntr]

I'm just starting as well, PC anyway. Been casting bullets since the 70's.
FredBuddy, where abouts are you?