Powder coat coming off when resizing.

[Advil]

Go 400-425 for 20 minutes. Don't skimp on the temp and curing time.

[gpidaho]

0811: I've been at this a while now and it is my opinion that clear powder coat works by far the best. It doesn't hurt to add a pinch of your favorite powder color so you can tell at a glance which have been coated. I bought a large amount of Cardinal powder and some Eastwood when I got started and it will most likely take a life time to use it all up. Just getting started I'd contact Smoke for his powder as I've never heard a complaint. Lots of different powders work fine and some are just ****. Think of all the other fine products Harbor Freight sells and you'll have your answer as to it's quality. Powder coating is tough as nails but it won't tolerate being scraped, make sure there is no sharp edge on any of your tooling. You'll get it, it's a great way to "lube" bullets. Gp

[stubshaft]

I haven't tried all of his colors but Carolina Blue seemed to work the best for me. That being said, they all gave 100% coverage and passed the hammer test. Tupperware and BB's get's it done!

[usmc0811]

0811: I've been at this a while now and it is my opinion that clear powder coat works by far the best. It doesn't hurt to add a pinch of your favorite powder color so you can tell at a glance which have been coated. I bought a large amount of Cardinal powder and some Eastwood when I got started and it will most likely take a life time to use it all up. Just getting started I'd contact Smoke for his powder as I've never heard a complaint. Lots of different powders work fine and some are just ****. Think of all the other fine products Harbor Freight sells and you'll have your answer as to it's quality. Powder coating is tough as nails but it won't tolerate being scraped, make sure there is no sharp edge on any of your tooling. You'll get it, it's a great way to "lube" bullets. Gp

Who is or what is this "smoke" powder I keep hearing about? I have been PC for a year or two off and on sometimes I think its great and is working fine, other times im like I quit im going back to LLA LOL. I would love to try this "smoke" and ditch the cheap harbor ****.

[Plate plinker]

Smoke is a PC vendor here. I think i would size some then coat them then maybe resize as a test. That would be a simple test that may answer some questions for you.

[usmc0811]

Smoke is a PC vendor here. I think i would size some then coat them then maybe resize as a test. That would be a simple test that may answer some questions for you.

Ok so to resize them first I would need to lube them so they go smoothly through the resizing die especially if they are way over sized like they seem to be, another problem in itself lol. Maybe ill try case lube to resize the first time then clean them off with some acetone before powder coating.

[BNE]

Sure looks like a die problem to me! Not a PC problem. You would probably NEVER see those problems with grease - but they show up with PC.

Exactly. I had this problem before. The fix was in how tight I was holding the mold handles. A loos grip produced larger bullets. A firm grip made smaller, but correct size bullets. They were more concentric and the coating problem disappeared.

BNE

[Bzcraig]

That kind of variation as the boolit drops from the mold needs to be addressed as mentioned.

Are you sizing before coating? I find it best to size, coat, size again. If you have a die problem I'd assume it would show up before coating as bad as those boolits look.

450 degrees is getting real close to hot enough to make your boolits possibly slump some. 400 is max.

[Eddie17]

Every color I’ve used from Smoke preforms great. Really liking the clear powder!

[Bama]

Does anyone else have this problem? I am trying to load up some of these 230 gr LRN .45ACP bullets that I have Powder coated using the red powder from harbar freight. When I go to resize them the coating comes off. Will I still be able to use them? The coating should not come off right? Did I not tumble long enough or cook long enough maybe it was to humid of a day when doing it and it effected the powder ????? Either way I already have a few hundred made up and need to figure out what to do with them now.

Several thing look like are going on. Looks like bullets that have one side of driving bands cleaned off are not centered when going through die or thr die needs polishing. I would polish, size before and again after pcing. You may be trying to reduce size too much in one operation.

[usmc0811]

Every color I’ve used from Smoke preforms great. Really liking the clear powder!

wow they look great! So the ones that look like plain lead actually have a clear coat on them??

[usmc0811]

Several thing look like are going on. Looks like bullets that have one side of driving bands cleaned off are not centered when going through die or thr die needs polishing. I would polish, size before and again after pcing. You may be trying to reduce size too much in one operation.

Ill admit that when I sized the bullets that some did go up crooked, I was under the assumption that they would be straightened out/centered when entering the die, man Im dumb!! Now they were not totally crooked just not perfectly straight, Ill keep an eye on this now and be more careful.

[usmc0811]

Exactly. I had this problem before. The fix was in how tight I was holding the mold handles. A loos grip produced larger bullets. A firm grip made smaller, but correct size bullets. They were more concentric and the coating problem disappeared.

BNE

Thanks Ill keep and eye on this. My hand does get tired after a little as Im using a 6 cavity mold and im weak lol.

[OS OK]

If your using a Lee 6 cavity, don't squeeze on the sprue cutting handle at all, don't even touch it...pressure on that third handle will pry the mould open a bit.

[usmc0811]

Just getting started I'd contact Smoke for his powder as I've never heard a complaint.

How do I contact "smoke"?

[Finster101]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...raying-bullets

[Grmps]

How do I contact "smoke"?

go to the link and check out the colors on the bollits in the first post then
PM Smoke4320 / click on Smoke4320 and PM him

don't forget to get a couple thousand BB's while your at it

[crackers]

I do 450 degrees for 20 minutes. I have no idea what the hardness is. I use wheel weights and water quench them right from mold and them again off of the tray after powder coating.

" and water quench them right from mold"
Surface contamination is the problem. Drop to a clean dry tray/pan and don't handle them unnecessarily.
You can water quench for hardening, if you like, with elevated oven temps for curing.

[usmc0811]

If your using a Lee 6 cavity, don't squeeze on the sprue cutting handle at all, don't even touch it...pressure on that third handle will pry the mould open a bit.

Yup learned that the hard way lol