Creating a charge (PC'ing cast blts)?

[Lokichoki]

My HF red powder coating powder will not stick to my pistol rounds using the dry vibratory method, I heard I need to add bb's bont can't get any and need to get these cast tonight, can I substitute the bb's for anything else, I was thinking styrofoam balls maybe there always statically charged, thoughts?

 

[armoredman]

Removed, sorry to bother.

 

[Lokichoki]

I will try that next time I am currently trying it in a tumbler and a ziplock, I will eventually get a hf pc gun and just do alot at a time but can't right now

 

[LiveLife]

+1 to armoredman's post.

The color of plastic airsoft BBs makes a difference with black being the preferred color. When blarby and I ventured into powder coating using Harbor Freight red for his cast bullets, we referenced heavily on Castboolits forum's experience and used Coolwhip tub (or other plastic container) to coat lead bullets.

As armoredman posted, another variable is relative humidity to affect static electricity. If you are in higher humidity environment, try rubbing the plastic container on carpet like blarby to increase static electricity to improve powder coating of bullets - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-for-powdercoating.753510/page-3#post-9503527

Here's another suggestion of shaking your plastic container HARD instead of gentle swirl for better coverage of powder coating - http://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...786696a36352&p=2764099&viewfull=1#post2764099

"OK.......this changes everything......AGAIN!

1. only the black airsoft work the best. The colors are different hardnesses/plastics/weights. I have all colors/weights and tried them all.

2. You HAVE to use the lid or the little buggers fly all over the place.

3. You no longer lightly swirl.......you swirl like crazy for ~30 seconds. And then you SHAKE up and down REAL hard, like shaking a salad dressing bottle, for another ~30 seconds. Hold onto the lid or it will pop off and you will have a real mess!

After trying several styles of bb's, I ended up with 255gn 45 slugs coated with HF red that looked like I had sprayed them with my ESPC gun!!!!!!! Almost a 99% coverage.....nice even coat.

The black plastic bb's change/lessen the impacts and improve the static charge somehow and allow a perfect coating."

 

[armoredman]

Removed, sorry.

 

[Lokichoki]

Haha armoredman that's how you jump into a conversation well done sir. Bds once again for stepping up with your time to help I will try this soon, I have fired and (somewhat) recorded what happened in comparison to my last data on this forum, I am about to write it now and show off my new stock that if you read my ranch experiences you will definitely understand why. Thanks again and look forward to hearing your input again

 

[armoredman]

Actually I was the first one who answered you, IIRC. Tell you what, I'll just erase it, sorry to bother you.

 

[Lokichoki]

I missed your reply armored man I check on these messages through the email and miss replies often this way so please don't be offended if it was missed I am grateful to everyone who takes the time to write

 

[mdi]

Use a cool whip tub. It's the "proper" plastic and seems to work better. I started with this and it worked OK. You mentioned "dry vibratory" method, does that mean you tried coating in a wobbler/vibrating tumbler? I've used a rotary but never a vibrator tumbler. For just about anything dealing with PC/Coating bullets look here; http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?184-Coatings-and-Alternatives

 

[Lokichoki]

Yes I used a vibratory tumbler and placed a Tupperware in there that was taped up to keep my tumbler clean unfortunately I only had harbor freights white PC and heard that it doesn't stick well in comparison to there red

 

[LiveLife]

As many have experienced and posted, Harbor Freight red is the undisputed champion for powder coating bullets for most even coverage. Different color powder coating has varying formulation and will not provide as good of coverage as red - https://www.harborfreight.com/16-oz-powder-coat-paint-red-93309.html

If you don't like color red, other brand powder coating (like Dupont) will provide comparable coverage in other colors as HF red but will cost more - http://www2.dupont.com/Directories/.../Paint_Coatings_Finishes/Powder_Coatings.html

 

[Lokichoki]

That seems to be the case, I plan on going at some point and getting that and a spray gun to duracoat the Ranch so I don't have to keep removing rust every day

 

[LiveLife]

If you are using the gun, color selection is less of an issue for even coverage.

Using HF red for better coverage was for Coolwhip container and plastic airsoft BB powder coating method of coating lead bullets.

 

[rsrocket1]

HF Red is the best of the Harbor Freight powders and even at that, the best (red) is hit or miss. I've had good luck with HF red, but after a few years, the powder starts losing its "stick". Yes it takes a few years to go through a pound of powder coat even when shooting > 10,000 rounds a year.

Climate makes a very big difference in the success of Airsoft BB Dry Tumbling (ASBBDT) but a PC static gun is less affected by humidity. Most of the time here in dry central CA, I can get beautiful coverage just by dumping 1-200 bullets in a 1 gallon ziplock bag, 1/2 teaspoon of HF red and massaging the bullets without any violent shaking.




On humid days like in the winter after a rain, the coverage can be uneven but pushing them through a sizer spreads the coating over the driving band and that's all that matters.



Several folks on Castboolits resell various versions of powder coat at about $10/pound. The reviews are excellent and virtually no one complains about these powders. You could probably find out where they get the powders, but at $10 for several years supply is probably not worth the effort to bypass their efforts. I still have over half a pound of my second # of HF Red plus I got 3 pounds of surplus purple Sinclair Paint powder from a local Powder coat shop for free so I'm set for a long time. The pigment coverage is not great but the polymer coats 100% and the performance is perfect so I'm satisfied.

 

[LiveLife]

purple Sinclair Paint powder ... The pigment coverage is not great but the polymer coats 100% and the performance is perfect so I'm satisfied.

Looking good!