Powder dispenser static
- Thread starter kgpcr
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AV8TOR
Member
I have tried many of the tricks like wiping with fabric softner wipes, washing with dish soap and the best thing I found was brushing the surfaces with powdered graphite and dumping out any excess leaving a fine coating on the surface. Works every time for me. I bought a 1 pound jar from McMaster Carr for the cost of two little tubes that you will find local and it's a much finer powder. Good luck.
tightgroup tiger
Member
Any new powder dispenser is a pain with static until they get a coating of graphic inside the measure. That just comes from using them.
I never clean mine, the blacker the better as far as I'm concerned. I have a major static problem in my loading room in the winter when the weather is cold and dry.
You want to see something really weird just fill your measure half full and wrap your middle finger and thumb around the base of your hopper and quickly run them to the top.
When I do that, some of the powder inside the measure jumps up about and inch or more.
It will get better but until it does I sprayed mine with Static Guard, Spray it over the top and let it drift down into the hopper. It's a really fine mist that comes out of it and it will do wonders for the consistency of the drops.
Your wife may have some, just don't let her catch you using hers. It's best to just go buy your own.
I never clean mine, the blacker the better as far as I'm concerned. I have a major static problem in my loading room in the winter when the weather is cold and dry.
You want to see something really weird just fill your measure half full and wrap your middle finger and thumb around the base of your hopper and quickly run them to the top.
When I do that, some of the powder inside the measure jumps up about and inch or more.
It will get better but until it does I sprayed mine with Static Guard, Spray it over the top and let it drift down into the hopper. It's a really fine mist that comes out of it and it will do wonders for the consistency of the drops.
Your wife may have some, just don't let her catch you using hers. It's best to just go buy your own.
RPegram
Member
For the most part, I found that wiping everything down with a used dryer sheet worked well. It did not work with the BE-86 I tried. That stuff stuck to everything including the brass. I dumped it all out, wiped everything with a cloth, nothing on it, put some CFE-Pistol in the hopper and everything went back to flowing smooth as silk. Some powders are just more sensitive to static than others.
stu1ritter
Member
Aside from the fact that it gets better as the measure hopper gets more coated, I ran a ground line from my press to house ground and that seemed to help also.
Stu
Stu
If it's really static electricity, the dryer sheet trick works. If you are using a high nitroglycerin content powder such as Bullseye, Power Pistol or Titegroup, the NG is eating into the hopper plastic. Be sure to empty the hopper after each reloading session (always a good idea even if you are walking away from the press for a couple of hours).
My LnL AP hopper is pretty dark after only 5 pounds of Bullseye a couple of years ago and Titegroup seems to be at least as aggressive. Not all hoppers are affected the same. My Lee measure doesn't seem to be affected but I've seen an RCBS hopper look like it was melted after leaving Titegroup in it overnight.
My LnL AP hopper is pretty dark after only 5 pounds of Bullseye a couple of years ago and Titegroup seems to be at least as aggressive. Not all hoppers are affected the same. My Lee measure doesn't seem to be affected but I've seen an RCBS hopper look like it was melted after leaving Titegroup in it overnight.
Terlingueno
Member
I used an antistatic brush, and it worked fine and it's very dry here in the desert. I keep the brush handy and swish out the powder pan on my scale when grains start to stick.
I have had Power Pistol in my Dillon hopper for over a year, just keep refilling it. Zero effect on the the hopper body.
I have had Power Pistol in my Dillon hopper for over a year, just keep refilling it. Zero effect on the the hopper body.
I do many of the fixes already mentioned.
To add, I usually store my powder measures with an anti-static dryer sheet in the hopper when the measure is not in use. I do not know if it has any real effect but it makes me feel good.
Lee Precision used to recommend running a pound of powder through a new powder measure before using. This was to get a coating of graphite started on the plastic. I'm not that patient and let the graphite build up as I use the measure.
My old Uniflow and Little Dandy measures have reservoirs that you can hardly see the powder level due to the build up of graphite. No static problems with them.
Yes, do not store powder in your powder measure. The chemicals in the powder will etch the plastic. This is not the same as the graphite coating.
To add, I usually store my powder measures with an anti-static dryer sheet in the hopper when the measure is not in use. I do not know if it has any real effect but it makes me feel good.
Lee Precision used to recommend running a pound of powder through a new powder measure before using. This was to get a coating of graphite started on the plastic. I'm not that patient and let the graphite build up as I use the measure.
My old Uniflow and Little Dandy measures have reservoirs that you can hardly see the powder level due to the build up of graphite. No static problems with them.
Yes, do not store powder in your powder measure. The chemicals in the powder will etch the plastic. This is not the same as the graphite coating.
Reloadron
Contributing Member
Exhale warm moist breath on the powder hopper a few times. That and the classic drier sheets routine.
Ron
Ron
mokin
Member
The static in my dispenser was pretty annoying until I ran several pound of powder through them. After years of use, it's barely an issue.
RainDodger
Member
I have two powder mills... an RCBS and a Redding. The RCBS has NO problems at all with static. The Redding is like a freakin' powder magnet. It's impossible to eliminate the static from that thing. I've tried it all, except washing it, which I'll try now. I've even stopped using the Redding in favor of the RCBS just because of the static. When I empty the Redding, I still have a solid coating of powder everywhere inside until I literally blow it out with compressed air. Dryer sheets do NOTHING. I sympathize with the OP. I'll try some of the solutions above also.
tightgroup tiger
Member
Static Guard does do miracles for powder dispensers. But it is only temporary and will last until your done but the next time you will have to give it another shot.
All it does it make it Hydroscopic so it picks up a little moisture. Not enough to make it rust. In the summer down in North Carolina it's humid enough that I only have to open the door of my garage and loading room for an hour and I have the most well behaved powder measure I could ask for.
In the winter I have to use the Static Guard. It is what it is I guess. I've breathed into mine already, and it does help, but I've not found anything that works better than Static Guard.
All it does it make it Hydroscopic so it picks up a little moisture. Not enough to make it rust. In the summer down in North Carolina it's humid enough that I only have to open the door of my garage and loading room for an hour and I have the most well behaved powder measure I could ask for.
In the winter I have to use the Static Guard. It is what it is I guess. I've breathed into mine already, and it does help, but I've not found anything that works better than Static Guard.
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