Powder Coating 101 - Electrostatic Method

[KYShooter73]

I am looking at PC and hi-tek. What would be the advantage of PC over hi-tek?

With ES spray, you only need one coat and one bake vs two or three with hi-tek and other PC methods. Plus, they look better.

[dverna]

kryogen,

Hi-Tek has proven itself on millions of pistol bullets. It is easy to do and does not require standing the bullets up to coat or bake them. It is what I would use if starting out with coatings for pistol and low velocity rifle bullets.

PC seems to a better option for high velocities - but very few people have achieved good accuracy (under 2 moa) with PC'ed bullets at velocities of 2200 fps or greater.

I assume by your post count you are a new caster. Unless you do a lot of pistol shooting, and need high production rates, I think you will be better off with a luberizer. If you are not going to cast for rifles and want high production rates, Hi-Tek will be faster if you do it right. Look as posts by Ausglock, Gunoil.

I DO NOT use either method but have followed the threads and that is what I base my suggestions on. I have no horse in this race. In my particular case, I see little to no advantages with either system and use my current equipment. IMHO, PC'ing seems of most interest only because I want to drive cast rifle bullets at over 2500 fps and I suspect current Hi_Tek formulations cannot achieve that with accuracy. Hi-Tek has been used for a long time in Australia and none of the folks down there have reported rifle results of interest - so far.

Don Verna

[bangerjim]

I am looking at PC and hi-tek. What would be the advantage of PC over hi-tek?

Time......time.......and money!

As stated many times........one spray coat and one bake session......that's all!

Head's up................HF has their black, red, and white powders on sale for $3.99/#. I cleaned the shelves of my local store yesterday! Yellow does not cover lead anyway.

banger

[kryogen]

No hf in quebec, will have to check locally. Probably way higher prices.
Plus i would need the gun, and then the mess all over the garage with powder?

[bangerjim]

No hf in quebec, will have to check locally. Probably way higher prices.
Plus i would need the gun, and then the mess all over the garage with powder?

If you are operating the gun correctly, there is VERY little over spray or mess! That is the whole idea of electrostatic attraction. The powder goes where YOU want it and no where else.

These guys that make elaborate "powder recovery system" and spray booths are not operating the thing right.

After I spray 200 or so slugs, there is just a very light coat of powder on my WorkMate. I do it outside and there is no mess at all. All the powder is where it is supposed to be...........either on the slugs or the NS foil.

"it's all in how you hold your mouth!"

banger

[Maximumbob54]

OK, I'm breaking down and going to finally give the spray gun a try. I know to buy the HF kit but what cheap compressor would be best for just this. I don't need it for anything else so this would be it's soul use. Can I get away with the cheap $60 1/3 hp 3 gal pancake or do I need larger? I want to start out doing this right. Actually if anyone wants to be a real superstar and post up a harbor freight shopping list of what is needed I would greatly appreciate it and I bet others might as well.

[C. Latch]

3 gallons of air is doable but not optimal.

[Beagle333]

OK, I'm breaking down and going to finally give the spray gun a try.

C'mon in, Bob. The water's fine.

[Maximumbob54]

Yeah, those are the kinds of pics that have been killing me.

Is there an optimal size tank to run from? I didn't think I would need that much. I'm sure i will need more if i sucker into a larger oven to be able to coat more at a time but for now I'm still toastering along.

[Beagle333]

Well, this is my setup... it's way too much compressor, but I already had it.

[Maximumbob54]

So this one should be plenty good for this???

http://www.harborfreight.com/2-horse...sor-68740.html

[jcameron996]

So this one should be plenty good for this???

http://www.harborfreight.com/2-horse...sor-68740.html

I would think that would be plenty of compressor. I use the small compressor from harbor freight meant for air nailers and its smaller than that.

[C. Latch]

Latch - I think the 3 gal would work if you leave it running and use a low pressure reg. I use a 50 gal husky but the 2nd reg is either malfunctioning or a bleeder type reg. Bleeds the tank pressure down to wherever the reg is set.
Beagle - you have some of the most unusual mould I've ever seen, colors too.

I *think* my tank is 3 gallons. I'll check this afternoon and report back. I can coat 2/3 of a tray of bullets before the compressor kicks on and usually can finish the tray without getting so low on air that I have to wait for the compressor to run.

I live in a duplex apartment at the moment so I am hyper-conscious of my air compressor running; it's one of those little bitty ones and is as loud as can be.

[kryogen]

anyone knows there they would sell that in canada?

[Faret]

Latch - I think the 3 gal would work if you leave it running and use a low pressure reg. I use a 50 gal husky but the 2nd reg is either malfunctioning or a bleeder type reg. Bleeds the tank pressure down to wherever the reg is set.
Beagle - you have some of the most unusual mould I've ever seen, colors too.

Check and make sure that is is installed the right way. There should be arrows showing the flow path.

[freebullet]

You may be able to get away with an airbrush compressor (maybe cheaper hf sell them), with how little air pressure this is done at. You would need to find out how many cfm is required.

[bangerjim]

OK, I'm breaking down and going to finally give the spray gun a try. I know to buy the HF kit but what cheap compressor would be best for just this. I don't need it for anything else so this would be it's soul use. Can I get away with the cheap $60 1/3 hp 3 gal pancake or do I need larger? I want to start out doing this right. Actually if anyone wants to be a real superstar and post up a harbor freight shopping list of what is needed I would greatly appreciate it and I bet others might as well.

In my back shop I use a little cheepee 3gal pancake unit from HF. It cranks up to 120# and with the little HF regulator set at ~10#, it does just fine. Runs ever few minutes of spraying, but has more than enough "oomph" to get 'er done! I have it plumbed into a little shop air system so I can use air inside or out.

I have a dual lung C-H in my big shop with a 60 gal tank, 3 HP motor, and HUGE CFM capacity, but you do NOT need that to do this simple spary operation!

banger

[bangerjim]

You may be able to get away with an airbrush compressor (maybe cheaper hf sell them), with how little air pressure this is done at. You would need to find out how many cfm is required.

I have tried the HF and other VERY expensive air brush compressors and they do NOT have the pressure and more importantly the capacity to run the gun.

banger

[fcvan]

I have a Harbor Freight 2.5 hp 8 gallon compressor that is compressor that is 11 years old. Never loan your stuff to a buddy that doesn't drain the tank or the bottom with rust out. Anyway, I have the compressor set to 30 psi, and the gun regulator on the lowest setting. This is giving me optimal coating.

The leaking tank has just recently gotten to where the compressor doesn't shut off but will maintain 30 psi. Before my next coating/painting I will be disconnecting the bad tank and replacing with another tank.

I think I can actually get good coating with less than 30 psi using a line regulator and switching to some aquarium tubing as suggested in a previous post. I just need to get the reducer fitting as I have the tubing.

Home Depot periodically has a smaller 1 hp compressor with a 2 gallon tank that may be enough to get the job done. I've seen that unit on sale for $35 at times and even bought one for my brother. I will try his before I buy another one and if it works I may get one just to dedicate to PCd boolits. For now, having the compressor in the garage and spraying on the back porch is working fine.

In the new shop the wife built for me, I will be hard plumbing the lines and installing a 110 outlet close to the work. I spray and bake outdoors and use a Workmate as a portable work surface. I'm digging this whole powder coat thing and my weapons love black beauties!

[bangerjim]

I have a Harbor Freight 2.5 hp 8 gallon compressor that is compressor that is 11 years old. Never loan your stuff to a buddy that doesn't drain the tank or the bottom with rust out. Anyway, I have the compressor set to 30 psi, and the gun regulator on the lowest setting. This is giving me optimal coating.

The leaking tank has just recently gotten to where the compressor doesn't shut off but will maintain 30 psi. Before my next coating/painting I will be disconnecting the bad tank and replacing with another tank.

I think I can actually get good coating with less than 30 psi using a line regulator and switching to some aquarium tubing as suggested in a previous post. I just need to get the reducer fitting as I have the tubing.

Home Depot periodically has a smaller 1 hp compressor with a 2 gallon tank that may be enough to get the job done. I've seen that unit on sale for $35 at times and even bought one for my brother. I will try his before I buy another one and if it works I may get one just to dedicate to PCd boolits. For now, having the compressor in the garage and spraying on the back porch is working fine.

In the new shop the wife built for me, I will be hard plumbing the lines and installing a 110 outlet close to the work. I spray and bake outdoors and use a Workmate as a portable work surface. I'm digging this whole powder coat thing and my weapons love black beauties!

That aquarium line was my idea. I use it with great success by setting the little HF reg (located at the electronics box) at ~20#. That way I get sufficient flow at about 12# at the gun. (you know, line loss and all that scientific stuff!).

Have fun!

banger