Thanks much for your blog and update.
I am very pleased that you have sorted out things.
How are you now finding the coating procedures, and, since you had refined your process?
Please post your photos of products you make so we can all have a look.
Joe
I find doing the coating process is very easy now. A few things are very critical to good sucess. #1 is temperature control. Get a pid controller and convection oven. #2 is do not vary the amount of coating or catalyst. the acetone can be varied from 5 to about 7 parts. #3 is do the acetone wipe test on each coat. #4. Drying & cooking time will vary by the weight of the boolit, heavier takes longer.
I have found that the resistance type thermostats in the toaster & small convection ovens seem to work their best for a few loads of boolits, then either allows the temps to go too high or not high enough. I take a quick peek at the cooking boolits halfway thru the cycle and have learned to judge the proper conditions by the appearance of the coating. I still use the pid, etc. to be safe.
kweidner, I met with alot of resistance to boolits coated with HT at first, but small samples given out free usually change the shooters mind. Had one outspoken guy that did not understand the process so I sent him some samples, he is now a very happy user.
If coating large diameter boolits it is good to add some smaller diameter boolits as it will distribute the coating better. Learned this when coating some .475 diameter boolits. Best to seperate them before baking.
I started with the Red Copper and it is a very good coating, especially for magnum handgun and rifles. I then bought some gold and found that it covers the boolit in a more even coating of the color. Both cover the boolit in the base with no problem, just more even color with the gold. I have not tried the other colors.
So far my method of baking the heat treated linotype is the only way I have found to retain heat treat hardness. I place the coated boolits in a 375 degree oven and watch the temp gauge. At 375 degrees I cut the temp back to 350 degrees. When the temp is at 350 degrees I turn the oven off if less than 5 minutes remain the timer. When the timer goes off I remove the boolits, cool, wipe test, coat and repeat the baking. I use the Extreme 2 cat for this. I am able to keep the boolits at about 32 BHN this way. I am going to experiment further with water quenched boolits.
Water Quenching the boolits after baking does not seem to be very effective at adding hardness.
I am recovering well from my surgery and had the good news that the tumor was benign so I am a happy caster!
The Gold and the Green along with some Extreme II Catalyst arrived today from
Donnie at Bayou Bullets, Quick Service.
I have a busy weekend scheduled, so next week I'll start experimenting with this method.
The coating is easy. My oven dial is set to 400 degrees, but I have no idea what temp it really is. It just works.
I cook 9mm and 38/357 projectiles for 9 minutes and 15 seconds
40 cal and 45 projectiles get 10 minutes and 10 seconds.
I shake the tray of bullets at the halfway point while cooking.
I allow the oven 2 minutes of recovery time after removing a batch of bullets.
A very easy product to use, and no fiddling required for my load development. No leading, no flaking, etc.
As said above, you can eyeball the coating to tell how it's doing in the oven.
I use 5-1-10 for the 1st coat which goes on very thin. The bullets are a browned color after baking the 1st coat. I use 5-1-7 for the second coat so they look purty.
I just put coat one on about 3500 125 gr 9 mm bullets. I did 1/5/7 and used about 90 ml to coat all those bullets. They are getting an overnight drying, will bake em tomorrow. Might be a bit thin but I can add more.
I think the commercial caster here use 20mls per 1000 9mm bullets. So you are not far off the mark.
I loaded and fired 2 lots of the new drycoating system today.
1 tablespoon (10 gms) to 50mls of Acetone in the Gold and the DDR.
Coated fine wiped and smashed fine. Shot great, accurate and clean barrel.
There are 3 more Dry coats to mix and try.
A pearl Yellow, Red 254 (FER) and a red brown that give a nice bronzie brown as a liquid coating. I hope the dry cat stays the same colour as I like it.
There was a blue dry coat. But it didn't stay blue. I'm going to try mixing some of the blue with the gold to see if I can get a light green in the dry coat.
Hitek Joe said that he has sent test samples of his Dry coat, EZECOTE (call it what you will) to a select few in the US to try. I'd be interested to see how their testing compares to mine.
I really think the Dry coat process will be far easier for the home coater to use than the liquid coating. And cheaper to transport too.
Hooroo.
Regards, Trevor.
Australia
I use Donnie's coating, i find my problem is using to much coating.
Its takes so very little on the initial coat .
But just bought new convection oven to try and improve my production.
Donnie's service and help is second to none. Its rare to find some eager to help and answer Every email quickly.
Shane
Trev
I thought you were not suppose to let the "cat out of the bag"! Lol I received my samples last week and will be testing ASAP. I think this will be a game changer for sure! How was your visit with Hi-Tek last week?
It's deer season here in Missouri and I do have my priorities. So when I'm done trying to shoot Bambi this weekend, I will try to post some pics.
Here are some pics of the product to wet your whistle!
GUYS, DO NOT BOTHER HI-TEK ABOUT THIS PRODUCT PLEASE. IT IS STILL MONTHS BEFORE ITS READY HERE IN THE STATES. TO BE FAIR TO HI TEK, HE DOESNT NEED A MILLION EMAILS ASKING ABOUT IT.
Last edited by Gateway Bullets; 11-17-2013 at 02:04 PM.
Gatewaybullets.com
I want some dry coat!!
So the dry coat is a powder mixed with acetone and that's it? That is really cool. The 3 part liquid coating is very easy to use, so I would be interested in trying the dry coat when available. Heck I still haven't tried any of the extreme catalysts.
A dry powder mixed with acetone would be easier. The liquids are pretty easy to measure, that is for sure. Biggest advantage is no worry over settling of a powder like there is with color.
Gateway, please keep us in the loop on how it works.
Yes I will.... As soon as I get out of my tree stand! Lol
But it will be much easier to mix as the only thing needed is the acetone. Plus, supply will be easier to obtain due to classification if material. I will not have the 3-4 month wait time for shipping and hazmat charges!
Gatewaybullets.com
Reduced shipping charges for you can only benefit those of us who buy the stuff.
I like reduced charges. At this rate though I will be poor if I bought all the powder and primers needed to shoot the amount of bullets I can coat with the 3 part liquid mix.
You still need to buy that stuff? Heck, I have it on hand!
I have plenty on hand, but it's a whole bunch of bullets!! Just loaded up another 500 38 specials. 5.0 gr unique under a 358429.
I am now back to down to minute of jack rabbit face with my S&W model 28 at 25 yds. The gun is so much easier to clean now. I love this stuff.
23,000 is a bunch? Wuss
I have a feeling I will run out of coating long before I get that many loaded or shot. I can see where a guy could have 10,000 coated and sized sitting around.
What are you blokes paying for primers?
Small pistol here are about $55 per 1000
Large pistol are $65 per 1000
Hooroo.
Regards, Trevor.
Australia
Are you saying that I need to cast 61 pounds of 9mm? I already have 20 lbs of 9mm cast, lubed with speed green, and gas checked that I need to have the Mrs. shoot up before I can begin loading the 20 lbs of cast, coated, and sized 9mm bullets sitting in the ammo can. That is on top of the ammo can full of already loaded 9mm I keep on hand for when she and her girlfriends go shooting. A couple ladies, a couple Glock 17 pistols, and 9mm disappears fast!!
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 |