Moving, going to have to reload on carpet

[lpsharp88]

I'm moving again, and will have to reload in a carpeted room. Are there major issues with that? I read that vacuuming powder and live primers can be hazardous, so I have some solutions. One would be to put a mat or throw rug of some type down under the powder measure, or maybe even something like this. That way I can just take it outside and shake it out. Another is a powerless sweeper like this. That way I can safely clean up any messes I make. What about static electricity? I found a link that pretty much says that it won't ignite powder (per this test).

 

[Blue68f100]

Any thing you cover the carpet will help on clean up. Or, Just turn off the brush when picking up primers and you will be fine. If you know you dropped one just put a screen (panty hose) across the intake to trap it.. Static from carpet can be more of a problem with static at the powder dispenser. So keep some once used bounty sheets around.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I suggested this to a friend and it worked very well for him. Buy one if those heavy clear plastic static reducing mats used under computer chairs and desks. It will remove the static and allow you to use a broom to cleanup anything that falls instead of a vacuum.

 

[lpsharp88]

Thanks! Would that powerless sweeper be good to use in case I get some powder that misses the mat?

 

[drband]

I've seen this idea somewhere... probably on the reloading bench picture thread: install your press over a plastic lunchroom tray. It will contain any dropped primers or spilled powder.
Seems like a good idea for a carpeted room.

 

[rodregier]

I used clear carpet protector overlapped under the whole reloading bench and surround.


https://www.amazon.com/Mohawk-Home-Products-Multi-Grip-Protector/dp/B003TWGYYW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8

 

[jonb32248]

Hard to believe that you are dropping that much stuff on the floor. Maybe when you drop a primer, pick it up. Just the dad in me. Have fun.

 

[wst38tx]

Get a used bed sheet or buy a cheap one and cover the floor - used as a dedicated "rug" you can shake out outside afterwards. Also, cover your bench with terrycloth (old towels, etc.) for the same purpose. Gunpowder and primers will not bounce and scatter like with a hard surface. I have an old gym towel with a cut-out shape of my electronic powder scale that is part of my powder handling "kit". I do my loading in my home office/cave that is carpeted. I use half a sheet of 3/4 plywood for my "chair mat" instead of those cheap plastic (static making) chair mats from the office store. A rechargeable hand-held (Black & Decker, etc) dust vac is great for the R/L bench.

 

[Wis-Harpo]

I had 2 brain farts when reloading for my 20 gauge. I had not used my MEC 600 JR in about 20 years, but I am getting into shooting Sporting Clays. First I started pouring powder into the powder press's powder bottle without the MEC load bar installed. Powder all over the bench. Swept it up with a small brush and dust pan I have by my bench. Then when I was done reloading, I tipped the powder and shot bottles back to put the powder back into the original powder bottle. But I did not have the top plug in the shot bottle, and shot went everywhere. You don't know how much fun it is to pick up #8 shot off of the bench and floor. I am going to make a containment tray out of wood that is tall in the back and tapers to the front so it is not in the way when reloading. The front will either be hinged, or thin enough to fit into a slot on the sides of the tray so the front can be removed to clean out any future oops. Just saying.

 

[hdwhit]

lpshar88 wrote:
...reload in a carpeted room. Are there major issues with that?

As already mentioned, you will need to be aware of, and control for, static electricity.

As far as spilled powder and primers go, just get a shop vacuum and use it to clean up the area. Unlike conventional household vacuums, the shop vacuums do not pull the dirt and trash through the impeller. A shop vacuum uses an indirect vacuum to pull dirt and trash into a container which can then be emptied into the trash.

If you are concerned about vacuuming up a live primer that sets your local disposal service's truck on fire (a real concern in some jurisdictions - including the one I live in where the disposal company has sued homeowners it belives discarded flammable items in the trash rather thantaking them to the transfer station - then empty out the shop vac so that it is clean and empty before you vacuum around your bench. Thus anything you vacuum up will be from around the bench, and then sort through what you collect. Any live primers should be soaked in denatured alcohol for several days before being washed with water and then disposed of in the trash. The active ingredient in non-corrosive primers is almost always lead styphnate and it is highly soluble in denatured alcohol. If you have primers that were made overseas or domestically made "lead-free" primers, contact the manufacturer about disposal procedures.