I just now finished powder coating about 100 .357 boolits in a cheap Wal Mart toaster oven. I tested it with an oven thermometer and found I had to turn the onboard thermostat down to about 320 degrees to get 400 degrees F. I bought a couple pounds of powder and some static pellets from Smoke. Today I used John Deere Green. I got some 1/4" hardware cloth to make up a tray for the oven. It was a good choice because the pellets fall through the 1/4" mesh. Then I can re-use them. I let the oven heat for five minutes and put in the tray of powdered boolits. Smoke says cook at 400 deg for 20 minutes. Because I wasn't sure if the oven was up to temp. I went 25 minutes, then just turned it off so the boolits can cook a little longer while it cools. They're cooling right now. A couple observations:
1. The boolits look wet as they bake. I assume that's when they are changing from powder to coating. When they cool I will try the hammer test to see if the stuff adhered properly. That's when youtake a boolit or two that has been powder coated, put it on something hard like the anvil of a vise, and smash it with a hammer. If the coating comes off it wasn't a good job.
2. These are plain base 158 grain bullets from a lee mould. Cast in wheel weights they come out at 160 grains. If these do well I may mix in a little pure lead. I'm casting for a .357 magnum rifle.
How'd I do boys?