Tumble coat cooking setups

[Aimstraight]

I've been epoxy coating my pistol bullets for a while. But now, a new challenge. When I would do a coat of pistol bullets I dumped them out on a screen stretched over a cookie sheet. I tried that same thing with some 230gr .309 bullets for my 300blk they turned and fell all over and didn't get even coverage. I though if I used 1/4" hardware fabric it would stand up. They just slide around and fell through. What do you use and who has a good system for transferring from the bucket to the rack for good results?

[Bama]

I cure a lot of 308 bullets and had the same problem initially. I changed out the rack to a solid piece of aluminum and used oven liner on top of the plate. I have used the oven liner for several hundred cycles and it is as good as new. The trick is to place the bullets in the oven with the plate in place. The only possible shaking is when you close the door. I seldom have one to tip over and then it is my fat hands fault.

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The only drawback to this method is you can only use about half of your oven depth--you could probably get more in if the shelf was lowered, just haven't tried to date.

[bangerjim]

Just keep in mind when using a convection (fan) oven, you need air circulation all around the edges of the racks or the purpose of the fan is defeated. Airflow is critical to maintaining an over-all even temp front to back and side to side.

A totally wall to wall solid plate blocks that airflow.

Cutting notches in the sides and leaving just fingers to support the rack would give you some circulation and would tend to even out any temperature hot/cold spots that might be there.

Just an engineer's view of thermal dynamics and commercial heat treat ovens.

banger

[popper]

texas lic. plate They are flat and smaller than my oven, covered with NSAF on top of the normal grill rack. Just use the lower one so I can place more boolits on it.

[jmorris]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8tWaN5PrTY

[jcren]

I cure a lot of 308 bullets and had the same problem initially. I changed out the rack to a solid piece of aluminum and used oven liner on top of the plate. I have used the oven liner for several hundred cycles and it is as good as new. The trick is to place the bullets in the oven with the plate in place. The only possible shaking is when you close the door. I seldom have one to tip over and then it is my fat hands fault.

163130163129163131
The only drawback to this method is you can only use about half of your oven depth--you could probably get more in if the shelf was lowered, just haven't tried to date.
Is that fluid bad pc? Would like to learn more on that rig.

[bangerjim]

There are videos all over the net on making fishing lure coating jigs using PVC pipe, a fish aquarium air pump, and grocery sacks or other similar porus paper products for the lower membrane. You gotta get the powder to bubble and form a fluidized bed.

Do a search. Google is your leeeeeetle friend.

banger

[Walter Laich]

My oven is 8 x 10" inside. I use an 8 x 8" piece of solid aluminum plate. As my oven cost all of $20 all it does is heat. There is enough air movement inside to do a fine job of heating all evenly. My PID prob is centered over the rack and about an inch above.

I do one rack at a time; holds 100+ bullets so that's plenty for me

[Patricklaw]

I'm looking at Bama's post above in light of the fact that I am having issues with my so called "bow-rider" bullets, like the Lee 311-155's. The powder coat makes the noses too thick to chamber reliably.

That said, I have a bin of .223 bullets that I've been trying to find a better way to coat. I have some expanded metal trays/grate made from aluminum. (I think they are for cooking your veggies on the BBQ.) If I attache those to a flat base with screws and enough washers to raise the grate to the level above the pc dip, see Bama's bullets above, that should keep them stable. You'd still have to set them in one at a time.

[Don Fischer]

I've been epoxy coating my pistol bullets for a while. But now, a new challenge. When I would do a coat of pistol bullets I dumped them out on a screen stretched over a cookie sheet. I tried that same thing with some 230gr .309 bullets for my 300blk they turned and fell all over and didn't get even coverage. I though if I used 1/4" hardware fabric it would stand up. They just slide around and fell through. What do you use and who has a good system for transferring from the bucket to the rack for good results?

Probably be a good idea to know that .309 bullet's will not fall through .250 hardware cloth! I just recently made a small rack out of .5" hardware cloth to hold .309 bullet's up. I couldn't get them to stay standing when I tried to put them in the oven, thing's have changed. I did load it up with bullet's and carried them around the house a bit and they did not fall over. The hardware cloth I cut to a size a bit smaller than the hard wood board I use in it. Then with it flat, I bent each edge up one run of hole's. Turn it over on the board and they just stand there.

[Patricklaw]

Probably be a good idea to know that .309 bullet's will not fall through .250 hardware cloth! I just recently made a small rack out of .5" hardware cloth to hold .309 bullet's up. I couldn't get them to stay standing when I tried to put them in the oven, thing's have changed. I did load it up with bullet's and carried them around the house a bit and they did not fall over. The hardware cloth I cut to a size a bit smaller than the hard wood board I use in it. Then with it flat, I bent each edge up one run of hole's. Turn it over on the board and they just stand there.


Pictures?

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

Aimstraight,

ever look up at the lights in the big box stores? Some have the white plastic grillwork over them. I bought a sheet, and cut a piece to just fit inside my 11x13" oven tray. I set the grill on the tray, and stand a bullet on each, then gently ease the tray back in after carefully removing the grill. Even the NOE 311247gr stand up straight for me. Open the oven door and let the boolits cool. Set the grill back on and take the tray out. Pick them up one at a time, and stand them in the Dillon translucent ammo boxes. The grill is .580" ID, so I can even do my 550 Gibbs and 577 NE boolits.

[Bama]

I had the same problem with not being able to chamber the Lee 170,180, and 200 gr bullets unless they were seated too deep to be safe. I also had the problem of them falling over and leaving flat spots which is no good for long range accuracy. Two changes were made to the procedure that has made major improvements for me. I made an inline seater which insures the checks are FULLY seated square with the base. Seldom have bullets that tip over now. I also only apply PC to bottom section of bullets by heating a pan full of bullets with a heat gun and dipping each half way in a fluidized bed like the ones used for fishing jigs. Accuracy is not bad at 350yds.

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[kokomokid]

Bama; How hot do the bullets need to be for the powder to stick? How thick is the finished coat? Thanks in advance.

[popper]

bama - details on the in-line seater?

[Bama]

The temp for the powder paint to stick is a trial and error process but it is not very high. I use a stainless steel mixing bowl I picked up for $.99. A $9.00 heat gun from HF aimed into the bowl usually has them hot enough by a slow nine count. If they are on the colder side a quick swirl in the fluid bed put a coat with a surface similar to the shake and bake. If on the hot side a fast dip and the PC melts as it is pulled out. When cured a few will almost a small puddle at base but if a small amount of anhydrous lanolin is applied a Lee through sizer will remove the excess. Try it, I think you will be please with the accuracy--sure better than seating bullets so deep.

The inline seater is made from a 2" long piece of mild steel with a hole bored about.001" over bullet diameter through it axis. The hole diameter is increased to gas check diameter for just over the height of a gas check at one end. A nose punch is turned to bullet diameter and I used a center drill to open up the end. JB weld was put in and a waxed bullet was used to form the end of the nose punch. After curing, a check is placed in the end and set on a solid surface such as small anvil. Bullet is dropped from top side and the nose punch is given a light tap with small hammer. The formed nose punch prevents damage to bullet nose. I'm sure there are other ways to make them but this really works for me. It takes longer to describe it than to set a check.

[Handloader109]

The other thing to do is to spray the bullets. You get a much thinner coat that is even (or should be) Than any dipping or swirling could possibly do. I don't yet, but this is how the powder was meant to be applied and should give better results for coating. And if you are wanting to keep entirely off nose, build a jig holding bullets upside-down.

[Patricklaw]

Thanks for the details Bama. The seater sounds great but I lack the tools. I can build a fluidized bed with a little YouTube help. I may try just heating and dipping for this week.

The pic is my solution for keeping 223 bullets upright. 163600

[NavyVet1959]

I can build a fluidized bed with a little YouTube help. I may try just heating and dipping for this week.

I tried the fluidized bed once and I just didn't get the powder boiling like you were supposed to. I'm thinking that the aquarium air pump just wasn't putting out enough air. I ended up returning the air pump. I have a feeling that using my shop compressor instead might make for a pretty good mess. :)

[Patricklaw]

I tried the fluidized bed once and I just didn't get the powder boiling like you were supposed to. I'm thinking that the aquarium air pump just wasn't putting out enough air. I ended up returning the air pump. I have a feeling that using my shop compressor instead might make for a pretty good mess. :)

I was just looking at the regulator on my compressor and thinking there is a fine line between "works great" and "I have powder coat all over my garage". I'll start with just dipping the hot bullet into the bowl.

[NavyVet1959]

I was just looking at the regulator on my compressor and thinking there is a fine line between "works great" and "I have powder coat all over my garage". I'll start with just dipping the hot bullet into the bowl.

I suspect that it might be possible to set your shop compressor down to a really low PSI and then plumb it into larger diameter pipe going into the fluid bed, but with just a pin hole between air hose fitting and that larger diameter pipe. The penalty for guessing the wrong size on that pin hole would be powder all over your shop. :)

[Stilly]

I bet you could experiment with Corn Starch...

[NavyVet1959]

I bet you could experiment with Corn Starch...

I'm of Northern European / Irish descent, so I'm pale white enough already, but thanks for the idea. :)

[Patricklaw]

I bet you could experiment with Corn Starch...

I'm not sure corn starch would matter in the garage as I'd still have to clean them up. :bigsmyl2:

I guess if I blew it all over my face.....

The dipping idea really does make sense for my bow rider bullets.

[Don Fischer]

The other thing to do is to spray the bullets. You get a much thinner coat that is even (or should be) Than any dipping or swirling could possibly do. I don't yet, but this is how the powder was meant to be applied and should give better results for coating. And if you are wanting to keep entirely off nose, build a jig holding bullets upside-down.

That would be great! I have a bunch of hardware cloth around and no expanded metal.

[dryflash3]

Thanks for the details Bama. The seater sounds great but I lack the tools. I can build a fluidized bed with a little YouTube help. I may try just heating and dipping for this week.

The pic is my solution for keeping 223 bullets upright. 163600

That's a great idea, thanks.