simple Hi-Tek coating

[wlkjr]

One thing that helps is a convection oven. It has a fan that circulates air inside the oven and helps with the curing. Some of the guys use a toaster oven and make it work just fine. You probably don't want to spend the money on a convection oven until you have gotten your program down pat. If you will pm me and give me your mailing address I will send you some of my bullets coated with the zombie green. Not saying mine are that great but it will give you something to compare to. Photos don't show the colors real good sometimes.

I bought a large B&D convection toaster oven at WM for $59 and it works great. The inside dimensions are 16''wX12"deep. I use the middle shelf and it comes with a slide in tray also that put in the bottom slot to act as a baffle. This seems to keep direct heat off the bottom of the bullets. I open the door about 3 times during the cycle and shake the wire tray that I made for about 3 seconds. This seems to keep them from sticking.
I did shoot about a hundred yesterday. I loaded 50 that I sized from .357, which was the final size after coating, down to .356. The other 50 were the .357 that I didn't resize. Both sizes shot about the same but the .356 ones seemed to be a tad better. I sprayed some Hornady One Shot that I use on my cases before loading and ran the remainder back through the sizer. They really went through much easier and the coating looked better.
I threw out the rest of the original mix and mixed another batch. Coated another batch this morning and it appears to be much lighter. I'm letting them sit as I have another small project going on. I did shake the powder really well before I dipped it out of the container, as I did the first time.
Thanks you guys for all the tips and advice.

[zomby woof]

Just like the liquid coating, The powder needs shaking/stirring before measuring the 20gms.

Tevor, this is the first time hearing this with the powder. Really? Stir the powder, does it settle?

[Ausglock]

Tevor, this is the first time hearing this with the powder. Really? Stir the powder, does it settle?

It can settle while in transit. I just take the lid off the jar and use a welding rod to stir around and mix it a bit.
or give the jar a quick shake... no big deal.

[johnc486]

Slide I haven't yet, was going to tomorrow but rain is in the forecast (I shoot on my range behind my house). I coated 148 gr LWCs and 158 gr LSWCs to be shot from my 686 & Mod 67, I'll be loading with Bullseye powder (LWC)and H110 for the LSWC, I'll post the results.

[Avenger442]

Joe
Will the 500 Plus keep the coating from binding on the second coat?

[HI-TEK]

Joe
Will the 500 Plus keep the coating from binding on the second coat?

Avenger,
Good question. I am not sure if you would get poorer adhesion or not.
I suppose, the only real way to find out is by doing a few.
Why would you have the 500 + on first coat? Generally the 500+ is used as Mold release.
The 500 + is a very slippery high temperature lube, but I have not had any one tell me that they have applied it to coated alloy.

[Avenger442]

I was having trouble sizing some bullets that were too large, the fault of the caster, and used some on my sizer. Some was on the bullets as they went through the sizer.

Yes I know there is a sizing lube.

Ausglock:
Have you coated bullets that might have a small amount to 500 Plus on them?

[HI-TEK]

[QUOTE=Avenger442;3612588]I was having trouble sizing some bullets that were too large, the fault of the caster, and used some on my sizer. Some was on the bullets as they went through the sizer.

Yes I know there is a sizing lube.

My guess is that a small amount transferred from sizing process should not cause you any grief.
500+ would be useful as sizing lube, as it can be used as a high load lube as well.
I am almost sure that Ausglock may have already experimented in this area, both with 500+ and with the 5000 sizing lube, as I recall him asking me similar questions.

Just had a call from Ausglock, he said that he found that coating stuck OK onto surfaces that had 500+ and 5000 sizing lubes on them.

[Gremlin460]

Just had a call from Ausglock, he said that he found that coating stuck OK onto surfaces that had 500+ and 5000 sizing lubes on them.

They have phones where Ausglock lives!!! Whoda thunk it!!!

[Ausglock]

They have phones where Ausglock lives!!! Whoda thunk it!!!

More than I can say for you, Grem
You are Brisvagas version of Secret Squirrel... No body can contact you..

[HI-TEK]

They have phones where Ausglock lives!!! Whoda thunk it!!!

The phones only work, when the squirrels in power producing cages are fed, and they have energy to generate power for the phones.

[Avenger442]

Joe Ausglock;
Your statements concerning the 500 plus not interfering with adherence of the coating have been confirmed. Cooked them, smashed them, no flaking.

We use soup cans and twine here in Alabama.

[HI-TEK]

Joe Ausglock;
Your statements concerning the 500 plus not interfering with adherence of the coating have been confirmed. Cooked them, smashed them, no flaking.

We use soup cans and twine here in Alabama.

Great news.
Glad we sent you the right way.
I bet they were very slippery with last coat.

Soup Cans and twine is great and reliable.
Updated version is cans, covered with Aluminium Foil as speaker and wire link.

[2alpha81]

I have had success coating with Hi-Tek since I started casting this past year. I didn't even try traditional lube sizing starting out. My current method with Hi-Tek is coat twice and then size. Works great, but the O.D. bearing surface looks shiny from the sizing die. Not a big deal, I just want them to look evenly coated.

So I dont have to read the entire 358 pages of this thread(which I have read most of).......

Do some of you coat once, size, and then apply a second or third coat?

I made about 500 this way last night and am considering changing my method. I haven't shot them yet, but before I do I wanted feedback from experience here...not trying to re-invent the wheel.

[wlkjr]

I just started casting and I also am using Hi-Tek only. I have only cast .380 and .45 so far. I used the Zombi Green for the .380 and did two different batches. One batch I sized after the third coat and applied a fourth. The other batch I sized after the fourth and final coat.
On the .45 I applied three coats of Candy Apple Red and got great coverage. I sized after the final coat and like you got a slick shiny finish on the bearing surface. That does not bother me since it is covered by the case when loaded. I do believe I could have gone with just two coats of the Candy Apple Red but it didn't take that much longer to do an extra coat.
On the Bayou bullets I have been using, there is no shiny surface so I assume they have another coat after sizing.

[Ausglock]

I have had success coating with Hi-Tek since I started casting this past year. I didn't even try traditional lube sizing starting out. My current method with Hi-Tek is coat twice and then size. Works great, but the O.D. bearing surface looks shiny from the sizing die. Not a big deal, I just want them to look evenly coated.

So I dont have to read the entire 358 pages of this thread(which I have read most of).......

Do some of you coat once, size, and then apply a second or third coat?

I made about 500 this way last night and am considering changing my method. I haven't shot them yet, but before I do I wanted feedback from experience here...not trying to re-invent the wheel.

That is how they are supposed to be.
Hard and shiny.
What is the problem???

[slide]

I coat twice and then size if necessary. If the coating is cured properly it should be shiny and slick before sizing. So slick that sometimes one will slip through your fingers. Any way you can post some photos? How much are you sizing?

[2alpha81]

There is no problem, they shoot fine. By shiny, I mean you can tell I sized them after I coated. Similar experience to what wlkjr mentioned above...I used to shoot Bayou and SNS cast coated bullets prior to casting my own. It looks like they put a coat on after they are sized so everything looks evenly coated.

Depending on the mold, I am sizing down between .002-.003. That doesn't take any coating off, just rubs it smooth and has a noticeable difference in texture from the nose radius.

I guess I'm just trying to make them look pretty like the SNS bullets I used to shoot

[Ausglock]

Pretty don't win matches.

[slide]

If they shoot fine and no coating is being scraped off during sizing I wouldn't worry about it.