Interesting Findings With PC

[Taterhead]

It seems that PC can get "tired" after it has been in the swirling vessel for a while. Typically a little fresh PC is added to the vessel, but after a while (perhaps 1k or so bullets), something goes awry with the PC. I think what's happening is that some elements are more attracted to the bullet via static than others. Perhaps leaving "dregs" in the mix. The dregs accumulate and change the mix, perhaps. I don't know.

This bullet was swirled in a bowl that had been used for probably more than 1k bullets, fresh PC was added as needed. Snapware container and black BBs. Note that it is well covered, but very thin. The thicker "normal" pigment is dispersed. It is so thin that my fingernail can scratch it even though it passes the smash test. The areas with normal thickness and pigment are tough like usual for PC.



So that PC and BBs got dumped. The fresh batch of PC and back to normal.

Both examples are a mix of Smoke's Yellow-Green with a little Signal Blue and Jet Black.

After seeing this a few times, it's clear that at some point "mixing the new gas with the old gas" makes for less desirable results.

[TjB101]

Every once in a while I dump what’s in the the mixing bowl and start fresh again. Could be humidity or sometimes mediocre powder … not sure.

[popper]

Probably plastic from the BBs and lead dust. Noticed the BBs get smaller over use. Humidity too.

[Taterhead]

Interesting thought about the BBs. I'll observe. Certainly that could be a source if contamination. PC is relatively inexpensive, so rotating dumping sooner is the plan going forward.

[rsrocket1]

The best practice is to use as little powder as possible. You’d be amazed at how little fresh powder coats so many boolits. Try it. The worst that could happen is your boolits aren’t fully coated and there’s no loose powder at the bottom of the container. You can easily fix that by putting in a little more and shake again.

Old powder tends to separate the polymer from the pigment. You still get 100% coverage, they just look ugly. No one cares at 1100 fps what your boolit looks like.

[cwlongshot]

The best practice is to use as little powder as possible. You’d be amazed at how little fresh powder coats so many boolits. Try it. The worst that could happen is your boolits aren’t fully coated and there’s no loose powder at the bottom of the container. You can easily fix that by putting in a little more and shake again.

Old powder tends to separate the polymer from the pigment. You still get 100% coverage, they just look ugly. No one cares at 1100 fps what your boolit looks like.

^^^THIS^^^

The powder is stored in factory packaging.

ONLY use whats needed to coat bullets being coated.

IF YOU use too much and are "cheap" know your trading quality of your product everytime you "reuse" powder.

POWDER IS A CONSUMABLE, Use as little as needed and toss out realinder or dont be choosy about the coatings your getting.


CW

[Smoke4320]

looks like you are getting moisture in the powder IE the container is NOT air tight

[mvozz]

I have started coating in smaller containers (Noosa Yogurt) because they are lighter to handle and I don't need much powder in them. Each batch gets a small spoonful that is added to the small amount that is left over after the batch. I have to do several small batches to fill the pan for the oven but the trade off is well worth it and I don't waste any powder and as a bonus I have a container for each color. This change to small containers made my PCing way easier, less messy and a whole bunch lighter!

[BK7saum]

I PC in a heavy rectangular #5 container with 4 snaps on the lid and an oring seal. i bought about 8 of them at walmart to shake and bake with. i only use enough powder to coat a batch of bullets or two. Too much and i have to shake/tap each bullet to get rid of excess. When there is too little I just need to add a little more. I have never had to throw out any powder left in the container and we have high humidity here.

[Rapier]

If you go find a large mouth container with a screw on lid that has an air tight seal, you may get a better outcome. I tried everything to get better results, finally figured it was humidity and the clip on lids.

[Doubles Shooter]

I keep my powder in the double zip locks that Smoke sent it in. I coat in the containers he suggests. They are my year round storage containers. I just keep adding fresh powder as needed. So far, no problems.

[Petander]

I warm my bullets and the container sits on top of them on top of the oven. Like half an hour.

My containers most probably are not air tight , summer is humid anyway -warming up seems to work for me.

[Taterhead]

Yeah, my containers are about as airtight as you can expect. Either twist on or snap tight. We have miniscule humidity here in the high desert environment of the Boise Idaho. I have found the issue in the OP to be a repeatable pattern.

[BK7saum]

After rereading the OP, I realize i am powder coating differently than the OP and others. I cannot coat more than 100 to 150 bullets before needing to add more powder to the tub. Usually i need to add a little powder with each 60-70 bullet batch.

If the OP has enough powder in the tub to coat 1000 or more bullets, he is adding 10-15 times as much powder to his tub for his initial shake. I wholeheartedly believe that the pigment and polymer have different ES properties and the pigment is staying longer as the polymer is used up.

I think those of us that do not see this are using much less powder at a time. I literally have so little powder sometimes that there is no loose powder in the bowl. It is mostly on the bullets with some on the BBs. At that point I have to add just a little to finish the shake.

Per my method, the OP is starting out with way too much powder in the bowl. But to each their own. I have never seen pigment clumps and i think that is due to using "just enough" powder to finish one shake of 60-100 bullets at a time.

[cwlongshot]

After rereading the OP, I realize i am powder coating differently than the OP and others. I cannot coat more than 100 to 150 bullets before needing to add more powder to the tub. Usually i need to add a little powder with each 60-70 bullet batch.

If the OP has enough powder in the tub to coat 1000 or more bullets, he is adding 10-15 times as much powder to his tub for his initial shake. I wholeheartedly believe that the pigment and polymer have different ES properties and the pigment is staying longer as the polymer is used up.

I think those of us that do not see this are using much less powder at a time. I literally have so little powder sometimes that there is no loose powder in the bowl. It is mostly on the bullets with some on the BBs. At that point I have to add just a little to finish the shake.

Per my method, the OP is starting out with way too much powder in the bowl. But to each their own. I have never seen pigment clumps and i think that is due to using "just enough" powder to finish one shake of 60-100 bullets at a time.

I agree and largely I am/do same as you have explained. Largely have zero issues powder coating.

CW

[DHDeal]

As some have already mentioned, I keep containers with specific colors (heavy Rubbermaid containers) and usually keep very little extra powder in that container. This isn't done because I'm worried about moisture or wearing powder/BB's out, it's just what I do. Never had a problem and I get good full coverage everytime.

[cwlongshot]

My entire process can be seen on my utube videos. Link in post above.

CW

[Taterhead]

After rereading the OP, I realize i am powder coating differently than the OP and others. I cannot coat more than 100 to 150 bullets before needing to add more powder to the tub. Usually i need to add a little powder with each 60-70 bullet batch.

If the OP has enough powder in the tub to coat 1000 or more bullets, he is adding 10-15 times as much powder to his tub for his initial shake. I wholeheartedly believe that the pigment and polymer have different ES properties and the pigment is staying longer as the polymer is used up.

I think those of us that do not see this are using much less powder at a time. I literally have so little powder sometimes that there is no loose powder in the bowl. It is mostly on the bullets with some on the BBs. At that point I have to add just a little to finish the shake.

Per my method, the OP is starting out with way too much powder in the bowl. But to each their own. I have never seen pigment clumps and i think that is due to using "just enough" powder to finish one shake of 60-100 bullets at a time.

I probably didn't explain thoroughly, but I don't add enough powder to do 1000. My method is like yours. I add barely enough as needed and add more as needed. It seems as though some dregs accumulate that eventually degrade the contents of the mixing container. Even after "topping off" the results are as in the first pic. This is after quite a few bullets are coated. If I dump it all, clean the bowl and start fresh, all is good.

[GregLaROCHE]

I throw away a lot of powder because I am paranoid of my powder soaking up humidity. I am working in a higher than normal humidity environment.

[blackthorn]

Have you loaded ans shot the less-than-optimum coated bullets? If so was there any indication the sub-optimal coating had any ill effect?