Powder Coating 101 - Electrostatic Method

[bangerjim]

Grainger, MCSDirect, ENCO, Rutland. Any of the tool mongers on the net.

Yes you definitely need a good capacity quality air desiccant drier, not just a filter.You do not have your location in your info (good idea to put it in there for help reasons) so I have idea how humid you are.

I use one even here in the desert. Air drops out water when you compress and expand it.

Moisture cares not if air is compressed with either a piston or a diaphragm compressor.

banger

[Electric88]

Sorry, I'll put my location in tomorrow when I'm on an actual computer. Im located in SE Michigan, so it gets pretty humid here. I was more or less curious about the dryer because of trying to decide what type of air compressor to buy. Looks like it doesn't really matter either way though.

[bangerjim]

I lived near Farmington and Novi for 11 years and know summers can be a bit humid. My work had a huge drier on a huge compressed air system. Gallons of water came out of it!

[Electric88]

Hmmm... well, from what I can find a dessicant drier will run minimum of $250 (assuming I am looking at the correct things). Perhaps I will begin with tumble coating while saving up for a good compressor with drier instead of trying to buy a cheap way in.

[RP]

Hmmm... well, from what I can find a dessicant drier will run minimum of $250 (assuming I am looking at the correct things). Perhaps I will begin with tumble coating while saving up for a good compressor with drier instead of trying to buy a cheap way in.

Look at Lowes for a pressure regulator with oil/water bowl still not cheap but do work ok. I mounted mine on the wall and run a air line to the regulator and then a line to my PC gun/ Paint gun the hose between the compressor and the regulator will let the air cool more and water go back to a liquid instead of a vapor. Bonus you have better control over air pressures and if you upgrade your compressor your still good. Btw on the harbor freight guns the little in line dryers will not hold a lot of air pressure and most regulators on cheaper compressors do not adjust well and fail fairly often.

[Electric88]

Look at Lowes for a pressure regulator with oil/water bowl still not cheap but do work ok. I mounted mine on the wall and run a air line to the regulator and then a line to my PC gun/ Paint gun the hose between the compressor and the regulator will let the air cool more and water go back to a liquid instead of a vapor. Bonus you have better control over air pressures and if you upgrade your compressor your still good. Btw on the harbor freight guns the little in line dryers will not hold a lot of air pressure and most regulators on cheaper compressors do not adjust well and fail fairly often.

Thanks!

[robertbank]

Just thought I would do a brief update on my results.

I made trays using 9MM cases riveted to metal sheets that fit in my oven. I line the sheets with aluminum foil by punching the foil over the riveted cases. I then load my bullets nose forst into the cases down to the base of the olgive. I do this for my 9MM, 38spl and 40 cal bullets. For my 45 caliber bullets I just place the bullets on nutted trays.

I have had very good success with this method. Much more so than the Hi Tek method which to date seems to work best with my 38spl/45acp bullets and not well for the 9MM/40cal. I think my problems with HI Tek lie with the WW alloy I use.

Because I shoot a lot of competitions I tend to be a high volume user of bullets and the powder coating method does work well. I am not sure the method will ever replace jacketed bullets nor do I think it works any better than lubed bullets but it does reduce to some extent the smoke that you get from using lubed bullets and than can be a bonus. I now have a lifetime supply of Hi Tek powder to play with and about 10 pounds of powder by the Pound and HF powder so I don't intend to stop using either method. Nor do I intend to stop using regular lube. The latter can be applied during our winter season, a bonus. Too, I just don't have the time to work with Hi-Tek or PC bullets in my rifle calibers.

Take Care

Bob
ps Just had my 71 birthday so the life time supply I have isn't as big as some might think.

[RP]

Robertbank someone was asking about the way you are PC your bullet I could not remember who but would be great if you post some pictures of your trays. I am sure there is more then one exploring this I for one are planning on making me some as you have.

[robertbank]

Robertbank someone was asking about the way you are PC your bullet I could not remember who but would be great if you post some pictures of your trays. I am sure there is more then one exploring this I for one are planning on making me some as you have.

I will take some pictures today and mount them up.

Take Care

Bob

[robertbank]

I cast and shoot a lot of handgun cartridges over the course of a year 10K - 15K. One issue I have in shooting IDPA was the smoke developed when shooting lubed cast bullets. I got interested in powder coating as an alternative to lubing. Once I was set up with the powder gun and made an adequate paint booth in my garage (large cardboard box and a piece of coreplast) and an oven I was off and running...sort of. Despite some excellent advice from a number of folks on our forum I just could not see to manage the nut covered pan method so I took up on someones ides and decided to use spent cases and PC with the bullets nose down in the case. For 9MM, 38spl, and TC 40 cal I went with 9MM cases. I drilled out the primer pockets to accommodate pop rivets, made a grid sheet out of 8.5x11 paper using 1" lines and taped the grid sheet on a tin sheet made to fit my oven. NOTE: I had a friend who is in the heating business make the sheets out of heating duct. He bent up the sides about 3/8th of an inch to add strength. You should see the edge in one of the following pictures. Once the grid was penciled onto the tin sheet I then just took a center punch and marked eash intersection on the grid. I then drilled holes in the sheet and riveted the 9MM cases into the sheets.

Here is a picture of the back of the sheet showing the rivet stubs.



Here is a picture of the cases ready to be filled with bullets.



Lastly a picture of a loaded tray.



And after a coating



One thing I did was I punched a piece of aluminum foil over the cases to protect the tray as you can see in the photos. I wanted to maintain a good connection between the cases and the tray.

The bullets are coated from the base of the bullet to the start of the olgive for the 9MM and 38 spl bullets. The 40 cal have powder on to the olgive. One possible advantage this method has is the method coats the bottom of the bullet and also eliminates the flash you can get at the base of the bullet when placing them on nuts.

I have not got around to PCing rifle bullets and likely won't. I don't shoot a lot of rifle and I have the set up for lubing and lubing works.

Now does powder coating produce more or less smoke than lubed bullets. Yes. Is it smoke free no. I don't think there is any accuracy gain at my level of shooting. Is there any gain to using regular lube.....well yes but frankly if I were to start over again knowing what I know now I really would not bother with PCing or the Hi-Tek.

Powder coating is different and the bullets certainly can be stored in bulk easier and since I have the set up now I will continue to use powder coating particularly for 9MM, 40cal and 44 mag. I have had zero luck using Hi-Tek in theses calibers - leading being the problem and likely due to my WW alloy. I will use HI-Tek in 38 spl. 45acp and 45Colt, all low pressure rounds where my Hi-Tek results have been very good. Powder coating just as well in these calibers too. It just is a case of having a lot of Hi-Tek powder to consume and I am to cheap to throw it out.

All that said I have in store enough bullets to last me all of this year from my coating last spring. I am going to continue to explore PCing and will try some rifle next summer. Heck it is fun, it is a hobby and has an extended learning curve which keeps the grey cells active.

PM or email me any questions you might have and I will be happy to answer them if I can. My observations regarding Powder Coating and the Hi-Tek priduct are mine and mine alone. If you don't agree ...that is ok, if your results are different and better... perfect.

Here are some pics of some of last spring's work ...



RCBS 38 spl round nose 158 gr bullets




Take Care

Bob

[RP]

Looks good Robert now if i can just remember to direct the next guy here when asked.

[robertbank]

Looks good Robert now if i can just remember to direct the next guy here when asked.

Would it be easier to paste the post into a new thread?

Bob

[robertbank]

What is the alloy? I load HiTek in 40 & 9, no problem - after I learned to do it right. So much easier and faster than PC.

I use WW alloy. I get no leading using low pressure rounds but lead horribly when using the 9MM sized .357. The weather will not permit me to do any Hi Tek until later this spring. I spent way more time than it is worth chasing HI Tek last spring. I may give it one more go this spring with the 9MM. If you can help post here I am all ears.

Changing alloys is not an option. If it won't work with WW alloy than it is not an option for me. HI Tek and PCing is no faster than lubing and Hi-Tek only marginally faster than PCing since PCing requires only one bake while Hi-Tek requires at least 2 and often three.

In my opinion if either Hi-Tek and PCing reduce smoke and result in no leading then both are a worthwhile substitute for lubing. If not then they are just a different way of getting to the same place only require more time to get there.

Take Care

Bob

[RP]

No Robert i leave it here there was a thread on trays but its buried in here somewhere and we have so many stickies now people rarely stop to read them.

[robertbank]

No Robert i leave it here there was a thread on trays but its buried in here somewhere and we have so many stickies now people rarely stop to read them.

Yes I recall the discussions we had back in the day.

Take Care

Bob

[TexasAggie06]

Latest batch, 9mm and .311 sized to .308, gas checked then powder coated.

[chrisstophere]

Latest batch, 9mm and .311 sized to .308, gas checked then powder coated.

You've got a nice looking pistol there. Your rounds aren't too bad either.

[R1valdez]

Latest batch, 9mm and .311 sized to .308, gas checked then powder coated.

Did you powder coat parts of the pistol too?

[TexasAggie06]

Yeah I did, got a little bored last week...

[TexasAggie06]

This should get me through February...