Powdercoating update.... now cheaper!!

[Beagle333]

It's just a toaster oven, 'costs about $60 at WalMart. I gutted the controls and wired the fan straight out, and routed the elements to my PID.

[skizzums]

i will be spending 7 or 8 hours in the field tomorrow, i will be doing extensive testing of pc vs plated vs alox vs jacketed on at least 5 firearms

i have a borrowed chrono for the day, spotting scopes, hd video and some nice cameras

i will try to be as scientific as possible, shooting 50 rounds of each type through each gun, recording velocities, showing leading/fouling of each type and cleaning between round changes

ill be testing groups on deveral different types of PC rounds vs the plated and jacketed, different types of crimps on the PC ones to see which is besy for PC

i will be shooting several 9mms, from 3 bbl all the way to carbines
will be shooting 357/38s in snubbies to 3 to 20 bbls

i will be shooting 300blk, unfortuneatly onl one length, but many different bullet types, from sub sonic jackets, to supers to hypers and then to PCs of similiar loads

any suggestions on my methods would be appreciated, if there is any tests you would like me to do with the PC vs plated, please let me know before 10am eastern, i will try to do some expansion tests with pcs as well

[Beagle333]

Dig up lots of bullets. Everybody loves seeing smashed up bullets!

[clinck]

The black BB's that you use to create the static for the powder coating to stick, are they metal or plastic?

[oldpapps]

They are 'Airsoft' plastic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airsoft_pellets
http://www.amazon.com/b?node=3395141

Many sellers of them.

I haven't seen all that much improvement when using them. Others do. I must be doing it wrong some how. I still get the coverage I want.

Enjoy,

OSOK

[Beagle333]

I'm having pretty good luck with these black ones. I think this is the most popular BB for tumbling, but I have seen others using every color and size you can think of, and some of those work great too. I'm not sure which is actually best.
Black .35g bbs.

[A pause for the COZ]

I have had good luck with the white BB's. Just coated 1000 9mm bullets this week.
I think the key is to get a good charge of static built up. I do that by swirling/ spinning the bullets, BB's and powder real fast. I can almost feel the static build up in the container.
I am not sure of the amount of time it takes. Its three times around my shop then its done. ( for some reason I have to walk while I spin.)

[zanthope]

So, thanks to ya'll I have yet another addiction. If I can cram the cats into the #5 container they'll be powder coated too.

Thanks for all the good info - it works.

A question ... one coat or two?

I've been applying two but I wonder if it's necessary. I've read posts from others who use three coats.

[Beagle333]

One coat is usually all it takes. If you need two, you should modify your process a little bit. You should be getting at least 95% coverage with one tumble.

[JD74]

Not the best weather for dry tumbling I'm sure.
72% humidity and raining 72 degrees outside in Houston Tx.
I have been using the epoxy paint coating for over a year now which works pretty good but requires 2 or more thin coats to get a good jacket.

One coat with YellowGreen powder from PBTP and 12 mins at 400 degrees in oven, just cut my coating time way down.

[Beagle333]

PBTP does make some good powder.
Nice looking bullets!

[straight-shooter]

Good looking bullets JD74! You guys in the south are lucky cause up here in Indiana were freezing our butts off so no powder coating till spring!

[MEATSAW]

Is there a particular type of powder that works best? I see on PBTPs website that they carry all sorts of different powders with different properties. What do you guys use? I see the you can also use the harbor freight powder.

I so want to give this a go!

[Wreck-n-Crew]

What do you guys use? I see the you can also use the harbor freight powder.

I so want to give this a go!

I used the tumble method after reading Beagles post and they come out great. Smashed one with the hammer too and it stuck. but the black (If I my recollection is correct) doesn't do well.

I used the bb.s in the plastic tub and took them out with disposable rubber gloves so the coat would stay on and spun any bullets between my fingers to rub the power to any bare spots.

Here's how they turned out >>>

[JD74]

From what I understand and what I learned from epoxy coating is the Gloss ones seem to work best.
Thiers a guy over in cast boolits forums that sells powders his tested for dry tumble coating at a good price. Just put in my first order with him today.

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

You guys in the south are lucky cause up here in Indiana were freezing our butts off so no powder coating till spring!

I would think the cold would dry out the air making for a better static charge for dry tumbling. Extra Jacket 3 pairs of socks and good gloves.

[bangerjim]

I started with and still use HF red a lot. And I LOVE HF matte black for my Ninja Black Bad Boys.....ESPC only.

HF yellow and white do not cover as well and you see dark Pb thru the pigments. Still covers with the PC base clear stuff in there though.

Smoke's powder is VERY nice. I use the blue.

I use the black airsoft BB's and coolwhip/Ziplok Screw lid containers for BBDT. In AZ the humidity is normally low and it works great. But I started with the HF ESPC gun and it works perfect in just about any weather. Just recently bought one of the $50 ESPC guns of Amazon and have been very impressed. Just grab it and start spraying. No hoses or compressors and bunches of wires.

BBDT or ESPC...............PC'ing is amazing! NO grease smoke, no leading, no sticky greasy rounds in the AZ summer heat. No loss of accuracy that I can detect. And it is FUN!!!!!!!!!!