simple Hi-Tek coating

[Ausglock]

If you are thinking of using the stuff from supercheap Autos, Forget it.
Failure for stick. It must contain an oil or something.
I tried it early on.
I now only use Diggers Acetone from Bunnings.

[dikman]

Glad I asked, looks like Acetone it is.

[Shotgundrums]

No lacquer thinner! I've tried lacquer thinner long ago. It's not the best; doesn't work 100%. The coating appearance looks like what MEK does. Go with MEK if you want color purity.

[dikman]

I actually don't like the idea of using MEK. I read about it a long time ago with regard to modelling glues (and fibreglass) and if you get even a drop in your eyes then that's it, bye bye eye! I'll stick to the acetone, I reckon.

[HI-TEK]

I actually don't like the idea of using MEK. I read about it a long time ago with regard to modelling glues (and fibreglass) and if you get even a drop in your eyes then that's it, bye bye eye! I'll stick to the acetone, I reckon.

Both Acetone and MEK are not designed for eye contact.
Neither will be eye friendly.
Eye and personal protection against splashing solvent on yourself should be worn.
With modelling glue, it is mainly the fact that it can bond eyes shut ,is main problem, as well as MEK improving bond ability of glue to eye and being a strong degreaser.

MEK is main solvent in PVC pipe glue, and PVC Pipe primer.
This would have similar nasty properties with eyes. Yet, thousands of gallons are used every where.

[dikman]

MEK is main solvent in PVC pipe glue, and PVC Pipe primer.

True, however due to the high viscosity of that stuff there's little chance of it accidentally splashing into the eyes, unlike straight MEK. And yes, doubtless acetone would also not be good if it got in the eye, but I think I'll stick with acetone (a personal thing).

[Dusty1234]

What is everyone using for an oven? Currently I am using a cheap black and decker convection oven. My issue is I can only cook 4 lbs at a time and I am wanting to speed up my production. I cast and coat in my shed so that limits my power source to a counter top unit. End state I'd like to cook 2 4lbs batches at a time. Any suggestions would be helpful.

V/R
Dusty

[R1valdez]

Hi guys. This is my first time with this hi tek coating. My question is can I use a heat gun to help with drying after coating? I'm using powder version with 1 part powder to 6 part acetone. Thanks

[Ausglock]

Hi guys. This is my first time with this hi tek coating. My question is can I use a heat gun to help with drying after coating? I'm using powder version with 1 part powder to 6 part acetone. Thanks

Use a hair dryer. A heat gun may concentrate too much heat in one location.

[220]

Got around to a bit more load testing yesterday with HT and a few rifles.
TYB has a 375H&H we have been trying to find a all round cast hunting load for. Have been working with a NOE 378-275-FN-GC design cast from 2-2-96 as a HP and coated with HT Bronze.
Finally got to where we want to be yesterday 1800fps produced 1.5moa accuracy at both 50 and 100y, and at 1850fps just over moa for the group at 50 and just under for the group at 100y.
Pulled out my 1895 45/70 and nearly cried when a look down the barrel showed surface rust for about 6" in front of the chamber, well cleaned and oiled when I last used it 4 months ago so don't know what has happened.
**** happens I guess and not much I can do after the fact, so gave it a good scrub and shot a few NOE 460-405-RF from the same 2-2-96 alloy cast as a HP and HT Bronze coated.
Looks like I haven't damaged it to much the loads tested with the first powder at 50y produced
1200fps 0.82"
1256fps 0.48"
1311fps 1.19"
1339fps 0.57"

Next powder yielded
1404fps 1.13"
1471fps 0.97"
1546fps 0.40"

[HI-TEK]

"well cleaned and oiled when I last used it 4 months ago so don't know what has happened."

The possible problem is with the oil you used.
It may not have had corrosion inhibitor in oil.
The fact that you cleaned and oiled does not necessarily add a protective layer on the clean metal, and, depending on the oil used, may also promote rusting as a result.
You probably need a spray on RP lube made by CRC. That has corrosion inhibitors.
Another is the Marine grade spray lube, (also CRC), which has excellent anti corrosion additives as it protects metals from salt water.

[R1valdez]

Passed the wipe test and that is the smash test. Is that good to go? No flaking came off by the way.

[HI-TEK]

Passed the wipe test and that is the smash test. Is that good to go? No flaking came off by the way.

What a great job.
They look perfect.
Now to load and shoot them.

[Ausglock]

Looks fine. What is the Rifle bullet??

[R1valdez]

It's the lee 30cal 155gr. I use it for my Blackout.

[Balta]

Passed the wipe test and that is the smash test. Is that good to go? No flaking came off by the way.

What is the pistol bullet?

[R1valdez]

It's off a hardline 9mm mold.

[Rich22]

A Quick question since I have scanned the last 50 or so pages but have yet to find a real concensus. Amount of coating per lb of bullets. Currently for 9mm I am doing 3 coats. First coat 1ml/Lb second and third coats 1.25 ml/lb. This is 5-1-7 ratio. I am using the original black liquid (yes I have a ton of old school stuff left). Sounding about correct or way off? About to get a new oven in the next couple days and really ramp up production, streamline my process and revamp my times/temps/coating amounts.


Also, for failure reasons. Does not pass wipe test- likely requires longer/hotter? Passes wipe, fails smash- likely too hot/ too long? I am asking this since the reason for my new oven is a drastically overheated, and some reason a failure in the oven thermometer, which I have replaced. It was far too hot and they passed the wipe test and failed the smash.

[dikman]

Another step closer - I finally got an oven! I was chasing a couple of convection ovens on Gumtree (local ebay), but the sellers gave mobile phone numbers and every time I rang they went to a recording!! A pet hate of mine, btw, so I figured that they obviously don't want to sell their stuff.

I went to the local Cash Converters (pawn-type shop) and they had two there. I beat them down on the bigger one and was pretty happy with that. It's not a convection oven as I wanted something that was very basic as I intend to use a PID with it. The PID will allow it to keep a constant temp, with minimal variation, but to do that will have to cycle the whole oven off and on. I tried it with a short button sensor first, but that was slow to respond to temperature changes, so I tried a spare long immersion-type probe from my melting pots (you can see it sticking through the back, between where the top and bottom shelves will sit). That worked well and once set it reached 200C and stayed +/- 2C.

Now I just have to make up a second rack as it only came with one.

[PAT303]

Rich,I've been coating my boolits 2kg at a time with 4ml of coating per coat,I dry them in the sun for an hour or so,it's 35-37 degree's Celsius here,heat the oven to 200C,stick them in for 12 minutes and let cool.If you over cook them or cook at high temps they will fail,I tried hotter temps around 350C when heat treating and had nothing but failure,they HT to 16Bhn when water dropped from 200C straight from the oven when cast from WW,pure lead and range scrap mixed three ways. Pat