After mixing powdered Hi-Tek in acetone, how long is the solution useful? Assume a well sealed bottle and storage in cool to cold (winter) garage temps. I would assume several weeks?
After mixing powdered Hi-Tek in acetone, how long is the solution useful? Assume a well sealed bottle and storage in cool to cold (winter) garage temps. I would assume several weeks?
"There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something."
~Thorin Oakenshield
I used hi-tek for a long time. I think shelf life will vary depending on where you are and your climate. Several weeks anyway. If you don't coat a lot of bullets at one time you could cut it in half. 50 mils to 10 grams.
Boolits !!!!! Does that mean what I think it do? It do!
I mixed some this summer, when I first started using Hi-Tek, and I used it again a couple weeks ago. It settles out, so you just need to shake it to mix it back up. As long as your bottle is fairly well-sealed, so the acetone doesn't evaporate away, it should be fine. If you notice the level dropping, add some acetone.
I cut the recipe in half, because I'm not casting enough to use it all. At ~1ml/lb the standard recipe will do over 50 lbs of double-coated cast. I'm usually doing more like 20lbs at a time, which is still 2 uses from a single batch, with some left over.
I fumbled around a bit at first, trying to find the right kitchenware do do this, but I finally just went and bought a tie-dye kit from Walmart. I tossed everything but the squirt bottles. They're about 80ml bottles with a snap on cap that holds a good seal. I mix up a half batch with a few ml more acetone than the recipe calls for to thin it, put it in the bottle, and just put it on the shelf in the garage. In the months I've been using it, it doesn't seem to have a shelf life.
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I've kept it on my shelf for 2-3 months and it was fine. Ive also noticed that if acetone evaporates off, you can just refresh it with a splash of acetone. Works just fine for me.
I started a couple years ago with an empty 20oz coke bottle lol. Worked just fine until I could get around to buying a proper container.
When I was hi-teking I got bottles from Sally's beauty supply. They are made to hold chemicals and have a snap cap that seals good. I always put teflon tape around the threads on the lid.
Boolits !!!!! Does that mean what I think it do? It do!
Great! Thank you for the posts. I habe noticed mo appreciable drop in fluid level, so I'm going to give it a go.
"There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something."
~Thorin Oakenshield
I keep mine in the fridge since it settle and turn solid in my experience.
I've used 2 year old solution with no problems.
NRA Benefactor.
Since I was in there rearranging this evening, here's a pic of the bottles I use.
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If kept in the cool or fridge, it will last ages. Where i live, we never get real cool weather, i had some K15 that was a few months old, the polymer started to turn into a clump that would not dissolve in acetone. Joe said that is normal, and to try and only mix what you need or store what is unused in the fridge, not sure the wife would agree....
Be careful storing any thing with vapors in with food items, especially bread products. Bread will soak up anything that’s loose in the fridge.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
These are the bottles I use. The acetone doesn't leak out of those if the lid is tight.
NRA Benefactor.
I use dish soap bottles with a snap on lid and spout, these keep the mix good for 6 months or more.
I've been Hi Teking for a few years now. I keep my mixed bottles in room temp, it won't go "bad" in a year unless I let acetone evaporate. Some 2 year old forgotten ones went "lumpy" but they really were dry. And they will dissolve again if you have the time.
I've had mixed HiTek clump up on me. It takes many weeks, and seems worse if the bottles are exposed to sunlight or the weather is warmer (Northern California), but happened even with half strength solutions, tightly capped and stored in my cool basement. A bullet in the bottle helped break up the big clump, but left lots of small ones that didn't dissolve.
Now I mix smaller batches that are enough for all the coating planned, dump what's left and rinse the bottles with clean acetone.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |