Hi-Tek and Temperature

[Valley-Shooter]

I'm going to try Hi-Tek Coatings this weekend for the first time. My shop is unheated. The temperature should be around 45 degrees Fahrenheit in the shop. My acetone will be near the same temperature. My bullets will be a lot warmer.
Will this temperature make any difference in the process?

[Nick Quick]

I did the same thing. But I use a heater/blower to dry up the bullets after tumble them in the solution before putting them into the oven. The rest doesn't matter.
Good luck

[Ausglock]

The bullets need to be warm to the touch before being put in the oven. use a fan/heater to warm the tray of bullets or place them on top of the oven while the oven is getting up to temperature. just like this..

[Papercidal]

The bullets need to be warm to the touch before being put in the oven. use a fan/heater to warm the tray of bullets or place them on top of the oven while the oven is getting up to temperature. just like this..

This is what I do and I have never had a batch fail wipe or smash test even when the garage is very cold. I just rotate the next batch to the top of the oven every time I put a load in by the time one load is done baking the next is very warm to the touch.
I recoat as soon as the bullets are cool enough to comfortably handle with bare hands (they dry very nicely when the bullets are at around 80f when you coat) in a cool shop this takes about the same time as the next batch takes to bake.

1) tray 1 atop oven oven preheating

2)tray 1 baking tray 2 atop oven

3) tray 2 baking tray 3 preheating tray 1 cooling

4) tray 3 baking tray 4 preheating tray 2 cooling tray 1 recoated and drying

5)repeat

Using this process I can apply 3 coats on about 1600-2000 9mm in about 2.5 hrs in a little countertop oven while doing something else at the same time( usually loading the last batch up or running the previous batch through the sizer)

[Ausglock]

This is what I do and I have never had a batch fail wipe or smash test even when the garage is very cold. I just rotate the next batch to the top of the oven every time I put a load in by the time one load is done baking the next is very warm to the touch.
I recoat as soon as the bullets are cool enough to comfortably handle with bare hands (they dry very nicely when the bullets are at around 80f when you coat) in a cool shop this takes about the same time as the next batch takes to bake.

1) tray 1 atop oven oven preheating

2)tray 1 baking tray 2 atop oven

3) tray 2 baking tray 3 preheating tray 1 cooling

4) tray 3 baking tray 4 preheating tray 2 cooling tray 1 recoated and drying

5)repeat

Using this process I can apply 3 coats on about 1600-2000 9mm in about 2.5 hrs in a little countertop oven while doing something else at the same time( usually loading the last batch up or running the previous batch through the sizer)

That is the process perfectly.
Production line coating...easy as..

[Valley-Shooter]

Thanks for everyone's input. I did some prewarming. Everything worked well. I managed to coat 4 pounds of 9mm and 2 1/2 pounds of 10mm. Both passed the 2 part testing.
Now it's time to load some cartridges.

[Ausglock]

good stuff.

[Shingle]

I gave up on that years ago just do it in the house hi-tek does not smell the whole place up and does not leave residue in the oven.

[blackriver]

Cold this time of year here also. I just use a cheap ceramic heater with a fan to warm bullets while they are drying on the wire mesh. Does not really add that much time to the process, these little heaters are very efficient.

[Conditor22]

Make sure your oven setting is getting the inside temp up to 400°. Set oven thermometer on the baking shelf and adjust oven until you reach 400°


I like to do 5 8-pound trays at a time.
coat#1 set it on the dry rack in front of a fan
coat#2 set it on the dry rack in front of a fan
coat#3 set it on the dry rack in front of a fan
coat#4 set it on the dry rack in front of a fan
coat#5 move #1 on top of the oven to pre-warm set #5 on the dry rack in front of a fan (MAKE SURE THE COATING IS 110% DRY BEFORE WARMING AND BAKING)

I bake #1 and #2 goes on the oven to warm
I bake #2 and #3 goes on the oven to warm, #1 goes on the drying rack in front of the fan
I bake #3 and #4 goes on the oven to warm #2 goes on the drying rack in front of the fan, #1 gets it's second coat and goes on the drying rack in front of the fan

You get the picture, I cycle through until done.

You'll be doing smaller batches, let the mixture sit for at least 30 min before coating
mix mixture immediately before measuring to coat (less than 1 mil per pound on the first coat, 1 mil per pound on the second coat)
don't swirl more than 20 seconds. if the sound starts changing you've gone to long. It's OK to dump them wet

single tray -- coat, dry completely, warm on the oven, bake 12 min, cool to the touch, do the second coat, dry completely, warm, bake.

It's not difficult, follow the instructions.