HF electrostatic gun system

[cheapshot]

First run yesterday. Need to figure out a system, but can't argue with the success.

[bangerjim]

I have 2 of them + the Craftsman-style self-contained gun. Both work very well and allow me to use any powder anywhere anytime with perfect coating results. When one dies I will probably buy a high-end professional Eastwood system.

Glad you moved to "the way powder was actually engineered to be applied".

banger

[popper]

Get a good dryer for the gun and add some (just twist couple strands of copper wire) to the 'probe'. Biggest problem is shading from the other bullets. Keep them spaced apart which limits the number you can do at a time. It will also tend to burp powder accumulated in the barrel.

[RP]

I have to say after seeing some of the guys post on shake and bake with good powders I dont think I buy a gun just saying

[Gtrubicon]

I am a shake and bake guy for pc on boolits, my son and I are wanting to make our own jig heads for bass fishing. Will the HF gun suffice to coat?

[BamaNapper]

I'm still S&B. If I cast up 2-3000 9mm, I really don't want to have to think about running 40 or 50 trays thru the oven. Someday I'll probably want to try the ES for the perfect rifle bullet that I'm convinced would be more accurate. I'm not concerned with pretty, just avoiding the mess of lube and minimizing the handling of lead.

[bangerjim]

You go it! Once the boolits are "sealed" in the PC shell, there is no exposure to lead like could happen with thin grease lubes. We potentially get enough exposure making the darned things, and should not have to worry when handling and loading them later on. :castmine:

S&B....ESPC.....your choice. I have done both. Both work. I just went with the ESPC guns to allow coating of other items rather than just boolits.

[brassrat]

You guys talked me into buying the HF kit and its still wrapped. I tried a return a couple yrs ago with no luck

[Conditor22]

IF yhou spray PC you'll be left with one uncoated surface.

[RustyReel]

I am a shake and bake guy for pc on boolits, my son and I are wanting to make our own jig heads for bass fishing. Will the HF gun suffice to coat?
I was using PC on homemade jigs long before the PC boolit thing started. Bought the powder from the tackle retailers in those little 1 oz containers (boy was that stupid!). Not sure how the commercial guys do it but I don't think the gun would work because you don't want to coat the hook barb. I use the heat and dip method, then cure as per boolits. Lots of videos on the net to help you out. I go fishing a lot and I can make a years supply using the heat and dip method in pretty short order.

[bangerjim]

IF yhou spray PC you'll be left with one uncoated surface.

The base does not matter. Do you worry about your grease lubed boolits with bare bottoms? The PC protection is needed on the sides of the boolit. Some people even spray their boolits with noses in old brass casings so the nose it not coated. No difference. I get perfect results with un-coated bases and have for many years now. If a cal needs and deserves it, I GC them, but PC is no replacement for metal GC's when needed by the high load.

[Dragonheart]

I am a shake and bake guy for pc on boolits, my son and I are wanting to make our own jig heads for bass fishing. Will the HF gun suffice to coat?

For jigs or other small items I would suggest building a PC fluid bed, rather than a gun or shake & bake.

268354268355

I built this one several years ago when my wife complained about our brass cabinet knobs needing continuous polishing; a coat of clear glass PC ended the problem.

Using a 2" pvc union, a couple short pieces of 2" pvc pipe and a pvc end cap. See photo #1. I drilled & tapped one piece of the pipe for a 1/4" valve & quick connect air fitting. The tapped fitting is inserted it into on end of the union, glue is not needed. I screwed the end cap to a small board for the base then inserted the valve end of the union into the cap. A piece of brown paper bag cut to size in a circle and laid on the union o-ring then screwed the union back together trapping and holding the paper baffle firm, see photo #2. Then a short piece of pipe inserted into the other end of the union to form the top. Start off with a taller piece of pipe to test for your needs. Put a small amount of powder to cover the paper and then add very low pressure air controlled with the valve into the chamber. The powder will then bubble and flow like a fluid.

Heat jigs or other? to 250+ degrees, hotter works better. Then dip the hot jig into the PC Fluid. It will coat and melt immediately. Hang to cool and then cure.

[Dragonheart]

IF yhou spray PC you'll be left with one uncoated surface.

The HF gun works, but the Eastwood Dual voltage gun works much better. My big complaint with the HF gun was the price of extra bottles. Eastwood bottles are cheap and even some salvage bottles will fit. With HF, the bottles that they sold holding their powder didn't even fit their gun!

But no matter what gun you use, if you air is not completely dry the powder will cake in the gun and deliver no powder and/or bursts of powder, not a smooth continuous flow. I altered my HF gun by adding extra copper wire at the tip, which definitely helped, but really dry air is the ultimate answer. These so called commercial water trap filters do a poor job. I would suggest making a desiccant filter instead, which works better than anything I tried other than a several hundred dollar filter. If anyone is interested I will show how I made mine; I know this won't interest bangerjim because his air is so dry my sinuses would crack.

[psychodad]

I altered my HF gun by adding extra copper wire at the tip, which definitely helped, but really dry air is the ultimate answer.

Curious how you modified the tip. Got any pics?

[HiVelocity]

Okay, I guess I'll upset a few of you all............sorry

I "Shake n' Bake" my powder coated bullets. I tried to use a PC gun, including HF, I got more powder on me than my projectiles.

I ended up throwing the gun away after friends laughed at me...........(Oh, yes, you would too ! ! ! Lol!)

Also, I enjoy 360 degree coverage on my projectiles. Mine come out awesome.

HV

[popper]

Just wind a couple turns of STRANDs of flexible copper wire around the stud and push ends toward the 'target'.
makes more 'points' for ES discharge. Don't get to close to 'target' or zap will occur and could burn out the electronics.
Tried the fluid bath but didn't preheat. Kinda worked but really slow for me. Tried electro application like wheel rims. Lead doesn't electroplate very well (they precoat with some chemical). Remember seeing a vid of some asian PC operation - big wood box, ESPC gun and excess went into the box - and gun supply was the box. PC dust everywhere and no mask (I recommend a paper mask).

[Dragonheart]

Just wind a couple turns of STRANDs of flexible copper wire around the stud and push ends toward the 'target'.
makes more 'points' for ES discharge. Don't get to close to 'target' or zap will occur and could burn out the electronics.
Tried the fluid bath but didn't preheat. Kinda worked but really slow for me. Tried electro application like wheel rims. Lead doesn't electroplate very well (they precoat with some chemical). Remember seeing a vid of some asian PC operation - big wood box, ESPC gun and excess went into the box - and gun supply was the box. PC dust everywhere and no mask (I recommend a paper mask).

The fluid bed only works because the object is heated it does not generate any electrical charge.

[Dragonheart]

Curious how you modified the tip. Got any pics?

I understand the new HF guns do not have the threaded rod, but my old gun did. I modified a mig welding tip and added copper wire. A plastic bottle that fit over the nozzle confined the powder flow and made it much easier to direct.

268380268381268382

[psychodad]

I understand the new HF guns do not have the threaded rod, but my old gun did. I modified a mig welding tip and added copper wire. A plastic bottle that fit over the nozzle confined the powder flow and made it much easier to direct.

Thanks for the pics. Gonna try that mod. Should help the spraying of other things too, besides just boolits.

[popper]

Actually I set up my HF gun to provide the charge. Kinda worked but a pita.

[Dragonheart]

Actually I set up my HF gun to provide the charge. Kinda worked but a pita.

I know the feeling; the reason when Eastwood put their Dual voltage gun on sale with $1 bottles I figured just the difference in price of the HF bottles, the Eastwood gun was just close to free.

[PNW_Steve]

I have gotten the impression that PC on the base of the bullet offers some protection from flame erosion that could affect accuracy.

Reading this thread I see a differing opinion. That the base of the bullet does not benefit significantly from PC.

I would like to try out the HF gun but have been reluctant because of the lack of base coverage.

What have you all observed coated base vs uncoated?

Thanks.

S.

[Conditor22]

**lubed boolits don't have any base coverage and they have been shot for many years**

my understanding is that gaschecks only need to go around the sides of the base to be affective in stopping blow-by but making cups is soooo much easier and the cups help flatten the base.

many jacketed bullets have exposed lead bases with the copper jacket around the side.

[Dragonheart]

I have gotten the impression that PC on the base of the bullet offers some protection from flame erosion that could affect accuracy.

Reading this thread I see a differing opinion. That the base of the bullet does not benefit significantly from PC.

I would like to try out the HF gun but have been reluctant because of the lack of base coverage.

What have you all observed coated base vs uncoated?

Thanks.

S.

Steve a properly coated and cured powder coat offers complete protection to the bullet for against gas cutting and blowby, just as it resists torque spinup.

If anyone doubts this statement, I would suggest you to contact Charlie Darnall of Freechex fame who undeniable made the best gas check making tools for many years, and more knowledgeable on the subject of gas checks than anyone I know of. Charlie will tell you PC replaces the need for a gas check. But what a gas check can do is provide a perfectly flat base on a gas shank to cover the imperfections of a cast bullet, assuming the check is perfectly made & installed.

I personally prefer handling, loading and shooting bullets with no exposed lead, but to each his own.