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Posted: 2/25/2024 7:27:58 PM EDT
I’ve decided to get back into casting and figured since I’m doing that, I may as well get with the 21st century and start powder coating.
I found a toaster oven at the local Goodwill for a whole 8 bucks and bought a pound of HF white powder and bought a new Lee Production Pot since my old one was effectively dead. Smelted a buncha alloy and casted a couple bullets today to try powder coating. Let’s just say it was less than successful. The bullet body coated well, but the base didn’t turn out well. First off, the HF powder sucks. Of course, I discover this after reading some different forums and my own results. Now my questions: How are y’all distributing the powder on the bullets? I put my test bullets in a plastic container and shook them around for a bit. How are you placing the bullets in the oven for even distribution (melting) of the powder? Last, good source for powder? One place I found is eastwood.com. |
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Posted: 2/25/2024 7:38:37 PM EDT
[#1]
The only HF powder I found usable was the red. I've been using Eastwood powder now. Check cast boolits web site for good info on powder coating. Cast Boolits site
I put about a handful of airsoft BBs in the powder. The get swirled around for about 45 seconds. It is the static that gets generated that gets the powder to stick. |
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IA, USA
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Posted: 2/25/2024 7:41:46 PM EDT
[#2]
Go over to cast boolits and look up Smoke to get your powder. He test every powder to make sure it works. As you found out, HF powder SUCKS.
I tumble the bullets in a plastic jar. I dump them into a stainless steel colander to shake out the excess powder. Then just dump them into a metal wire basket made as a drawer organizer. I don't stand them up or sort them out. I then bake them at 400* for 20 minutes AFTER the powder goes wet. Then I dump them into a bucket of water right out of the oven. Thats it. As easy as it gets. |
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IA, USA
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Posted: 2/25/2024 7:43:22 PM EDT
[#3]
And you do not need the plastic bb's. It only helped when using HF powder. Any other quality powder it is NOT needed.
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Posted: 2/25/2024 7:58:05 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Colt653]
[#4]
Originally Posted By FB41: I’ve decided to get back into casting and figured since I’m doing that, I may as well get with the 21st century and start powder coating. I found a toaster oven at the local Goodwill for a whole 8 bucks and bought a pound of HF white powder and bought a new Lee Production Pot since my old one was effectively dead. Smelted a buncha alloy and casted a couple bullets today to try powder coating. Let’s just say it was less than successful. The bullet body coated well, but the base didn’t turn out well. First off, the HF powder sucks. Of course, I discover this after reading some different forums and my own results. Now my questions: How are y’all distributing the powder on the bullets? I put my test bullets in a plastic container and shook them around for a bit. How are you placing the bullets in the oven for even distribution (melting) of the powder? Last, good source for powder? One place I found is eastwood.com. Eastwood is GREAT HF is junk, only red works shake n bake, but it's not as good. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RGRXP92/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1 I try to powder coat on cold dry days when static electricity comes easy. the best tupperwear for static has a triangle and #5 I simply pick them out of the tupperwear with nitrile gloves, place them on a silicone baking sheet that's on a metal baking plate before I discovered silicone sheets, parchent paper worked, but not as well. "Smoke4320 clear" ( https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?252509-VS-Hi-Quality-Powdercoating-Powder-For-sale ) before  after ( what looks like wood is silicone baking sheets )  eastwood gray 158gr LEE   |
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Posted: 2/25/2024 8:25:24 PM EDT
[#5]
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Posted: 2/25/2024 8:59:11 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By tommee-boy-72: Go over to cast boolits and look up Smoke to get your powder. He test every powder to make sure it works. As you found out, HF powder SUCKS. I tumble the bullets in a plastic jar. I dump them into a stainless steel colander to shake out the excess powder. Then just dump them into a metal wire basket made as a drawer organizer. I don't stand them up or sort them out. I then bake them at 400* for 20 minutes AFTER the powder goes wet. Then I dump them into a bucket of water right out of the oven. Thats it. As easy as it gets. How long does it take for the powder to "go wet"? This may sound dumb, but are you cooking in your kitchen oven or a toaster oven? |
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Posted: 2/25/2024 9:10:26 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FB41: This may sound dumb, but are you cooking in your kitchen oven or a toaster oven? cheap toaster oven, out in the garage. it has a plastic / chemical smell, I would not want that in 
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Posted: 2/25/2024 10:31:03 PM EDT
[Last Edit: FB41]
[#8]
Appreciate the pointers, y'all.
I gotta get a few more things- like airsoft beads- and try this again. I'm gonna try again with the HF paint while I wait to order some better stuff later (yes, I'm pigheaded  ).I'll update this after I try again. |
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Posted: 2/25/2024 10:59:32 PM EDT
[#9]
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?184-Coatings-and-Alternatives
Read the stickies in this forum to learn the process, I use the "shake and bake" method. Contact Smoke4320 for powder. He's old school, no website. Call him at 1-704-624-7320 He answers the phone and is very pleasant to speak to. |
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TN, USA
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Posted: 2/26/2024 9:34:27 AM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FB41: How long does it take for the powder to "go wet"? This may sound dumb, but are you cooking in your kitchen oven or a toaster oven? I do it in my barn. 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Sometimes it helps to warm the bare cast lead before the shake and bake. I use Eastwood aqua blue and it works well but found the copper didn't adhere. |
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Posted: 2/26/2024 10:52:45 AM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FB41: Appreciate the pointers, y'all. I gotta get a few more things- like airsoft beads- and try this again. I'm gonna try again with the HF paint while I wait to order some better stuff later (yes, I'm pigheaded ).I'll update this after I try again. don’t waste time with HF powder, unless it’s RED |
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USA
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Posted: 2/26/2024 11:46:21 AM EDT
[#12]
I feel like a fudd, I shoot cast and lubed!
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Posted: 2/26/2024 1:25:34 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SteelonSteel: I feel like a fudd, I shoot cast and lubed!  Teaser pic.  |
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Posted: 2/26/2024 1:55:36 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By dryflash3: Then never try powder coating, as you won't go back to the messy lube. https://i.imgur.com/YSlcrhCl.jpg Teaser pic. agree I sold my lube-a-matic after I discovered powder coating bullets |
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Posted: 3/5/2024 8:13:59 PM EDT
[#15]
Finally had a chance to contact Smoke4320 on castboolits and ordered some powder and ordered some black airsoft pellets off Amazon.
Got a few bullets casted to try it again when everything comes together. |
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Posted: 3/5/2024 8:15:16 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FB41: Finally had a chance to contact Smoke4320 on castboolits and ordered some powder and ordered some black airsoft pellets off Amazon. Got a few bullets casted to try it again when everything comes together. |
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Posted: 3/6/2024 3:18:48 PM EDT
[Last Edit: chase45]
[#17]
Snip
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LA, USA
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Posted: 3/9/2024 9:47:10 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Gatorshooter2]
[#18]
Eastwood ford blue is best for shake and bake I’ve found. The zombie green works well too. HF red will work but takes more effort. I’ve found the white cool whip bowls and the black airsoft bbs creates a good static charge and makes powder stick. Found that the type of plastic bowl you use does make a difference. The little symbol on the bottom tells you what kind of plastic it is. I just match the same as the cool whip bowl. Found one with a screw on lid…. After I dropped the cool whip bowl and having to clean up a mess…
I did use the black hf powder with acetone and it worked but messy and stinky. As others have said get some of the silicone pot holders that will hold your bullets off Amazon. This makes it easier I was using metal gutter screen material as trays and the teflon was a game changer. No stuck bullets. The Lee push through sizer are your friend. Way faster than lubrisizer. I coated all my cast just so much cleaner even my gas check loads. Fun stuff.. glad I read your thread. I may fire up the pot today .. haven’t done any casting in a long time. |
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PA, USA
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Posted: 3/9/2024 7:21:34 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SteelonSteel: I feel like a fudd, I shoot cast and lubed! And let the people say, AMEN! Powder coat certainly works and it has advantages, but it has disadvantages too. To my mind, increasing nose diameter is the biggest down side and avoiding requirements for gas checks in most cases is the big advantage. I looked into it and decided there was not enough up side to add the time, containers and racks to my existing process. |
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IA, USA
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Posted: 3/9/2024 8:39:18 PM EDT
[#20]
  Here are 2 groups from my 223 bolt action a couple days ago. 227-65gr mp mold sized 0.225" powder coated gator gas check. 100yds. 19gr RL10x and mixed brass with a FGMM SR. Savage Axis with a 26" Criterion SS 1-9 twist barrel. Did not have my chrono with me that day as it was windy and I did not want to chance it falling over. But in a shorter 22" barrel on this gun it was 2661fps with the same load. |
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Posted: 3/12/2024 7:09:07 PM EDT
[#21]
The powder arrived today and I tried it out. I casted a Lee R-E-A-L Minie ball and a .495 round ball for the test slugs.
Put the powder in a Glad disposable container (they have the "triangle 5"symbol), tossed in a handful of black airsoft BB's and shook'em well. Baked for 22 minutes (allowed a couple minutes for warm-up based on trial runs) and here's the results: After powder coating:  Attached FileSmash test on the round ball:  Attached Fileand the Minie ball:  Attached FileComments and critiques sought. Thanks for all the tips! |
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IA, USA
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Posted: 3/12/2024 8:24:51 PM EDT
[#22]
throw away the bb's. you dont need them
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Posted: 3/12/2024 8:35:51 PM EDT
[#23]
Looks good, as does the hammer test.
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Posted: 3/12/2024 10:26:58 PM EDT
[#24]
Nicely done  |
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Posted: 3/12/2024 10:50:55 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Gatorshooter2: Eastwood ford blue is best for shake and bake I’ve found. The zombie green works well too. HF red will work but takes more effort. I’ve found the white cool whip bowls and the black airsoft bbs creates a good static charge and makes powder stick. Found that the type of plastic bowl you use does make a difference. The little symbol on the bottom tells you what kind of plastic it is. I just match the same as the cool whip bowl. Found one with a screw on lid…. After I dropped the cool whip bowl and having to clean up a mess… I did use the black hf powder with acetone and it worked but messy and stinky. As others have said get some of the silicone pot holders that will hold your bullets off Amazon. This makes it easier I was using metal gutter screen material as trays and the teflon was a game changer. No stuck bullets. The Lee push through sizer are your friend. Way faster than lubrisizer. I coated all my cast just so much cleaner even my gas check loads. Fun stuff.. glad I read your thread. I may fire up the pot today .. haven’t done any casting in a long time. Just to clarify, do you mean silicone baking sheets? If you meant pot holder, I’m not picturing how you use it. Thanks! |
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Posted: 3/13/2024 6:58:46 AM EDT
[#26]
Looks like you are in business, OP.
I haven't done any casting in quite awhile. I'm getting set up to load a bunch of .357s so I'll be casting and PCing some 150 gr Lyman bullets soon. |
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LA, USA
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Posted: 3/13/2024 8:25:34 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Gatorshooter2]
[#27]
Found some pot holders that have a deeper hex pattern and I place my 30 cal bullets in the holes this keeps most of the bullets from falling over and sticking to each other. I gas check to get better accuracy for my 303 and m1 Garand loads. Pistol bullets just set them on and go. I saw this on cast boolits back when I started a few years back. Works better than my old homemade gutter screen trays that I used before.
If humidity is high, slightly warm up your bullets with heat gun or hair dryer before shake and bake. Key is just barely warm them. if the bullets are too hot the powder will clump on. Good luck. I usually water quench wheel weight bullets by dropping right from mold into 5 gal bucket of water. So I have to dry them before shake and bake. On a sunny dry day I just dump them on a towel on my sidewalk before I go on to set up the toaster oven by the time I get ready to shake and bake they are warm and dry. Hope this helps you. Fun hobby! |
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Posted: 3/18/2024 3:28:14 PM EDT
[#28]
I just take the PCed boolits out of the plastic tub and and gently pour them into the container below. Take tweezers and gently move them around so the are not touching and gently tap the mesh container so the PC isn't stuck to it. Then bake. Get a couple of pans and you can have a rotation of cooling pans while others are in the oven.
 Attached File |
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Posted: 3/20/2024 8:49:08 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By skink: I just take the PCed boolits out of the plastic tub and and gently pour them into the container below. Take tweezers and gently move them around so the are not touching and gently tap the mesh container so the PC isn't stuck to it. Then bake. Get a couple of pans and you can have a rotation of cooling pans while others are in the oven. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/139520/Screenshot_20240318-142331_png-3162875.JPG That's a neat idea, but the oven I bought would be a tight fit for one. I use a screen colander to pour the coated bullets in and then pick'em out. Seems to work OK. The tip about silicone baking sheets was the ticket for sure. |
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Posted: 3/21/2024 12:59:24 PM EDT
[#30]
I use non-stick aluminum foil crumpled up then spread back out to bake on, leaves few marks and doesn't stick. I will try the screen mesh basket next. Looks like it could be easier and also leave few marks.
I shake and bake using some random #5 type marked tubs and those plastic BBs. Next batch I will eliminate the BBs too. |
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Posted: 3/25/2024 8:14:48 PM EDT
[#31]
First 5 powder coated .45-70's, loaded after sizing to .458; the shiny spots are reflections from the flash.
Find out how they shoot this weekend maybe. Just my observation, but powder coating isn't that much more difficult than lubri-sizing and, honestly, about as messy, especially if you're like me (I eat BBQ and get sauce in my socks- and I rarely wear socks ). I think I'll keep at it.  Attached File) |
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Posted: 3/25/2024 10:31:25 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Procat]
[#32]
Have any of you tried the wet method of powder coating with acetone? Looks to be about the same effort a dry / shake and bake method. Wondering if it might work to salvage powders that don’t stick well with the dry method.
For those unfamiliar  Wet powder coating method for cast bullets |
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LA, USA
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Posted: 3/25/2024 10:51:00 PM EDT
[#33]
Yes and it stinks! Messy But works ok! Cast boolits forum got me started that way, quickly gravitated to shake and bake. Went to Eastwood powder and haven’t looked back. I hate sticky alox and wax lubes so was willing to try anything to get away from that mess. Acetone/powder was not getting away from sticky and messy! lol
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Posted: 3/26/2024 7:48:49 AM EDT
[#34]
I might try that with the white HF powder I bought.
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Posted: 3/26/2024 2:53:12 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FB41: I might try that with the white HF powder I bought.  When using HF powder, red is the only color that works. White, yellow, black take at least 3 coats. Red will cover in one coat like the 120 gr .356 bullets in the pic. |
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VA, USA
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Posted: 3/26/2024 8:30:17 PM EDT
[#36]
Humidity is a huge killer for successful one coat shake and bake coating. I have some mirror black from allpowderpaints, that usually coats in one shake and bake operation. I must have had a tiny bit of water left in the nose of the water dropped HPs I coated the other day, as one batch took 3 coats for good coverage (and I'm not a stickler for thick coating). I dumped the slightly clumpy powder and used fresh/dry powder and it went back to one coat.
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Posted: 3/26/2024 9:30:29 PM EDT
[Last Edit: FB41]
[#37]
Well, I tried the white HF powder, suing the acetone method.
I used a 2.2 cc Lee powder dipper to measure the powder and acetone in equal amounts. It mixed well in a sort of peanut butter consistency and coated the bullets more or less evenly. First bake showed they needed another run, so repeated the first steps and baked again for 25 minutes (testing has found this time to be the sweet spot for my oven). The pics after bake #2:  Attached FileThe bullets are kinda clumpy looking, but seem to be covered OK. They may smooth out after I size them. Smash test:  Attached FileCoating stayed intact, so I think it would survive a trip down the bore OK. My thoughts on this: 1: HF White basically still sucks for this use 2: I think with some more experimentation- which I may do- it could be made usable with acetone. 3: I wanna size the bullets and see how they look after that. 4: Wind blew in the garage and I managed to get some crud in the second coating and it affected the coverage. Next time, I'll clean the bench off better or close the damn door. |
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USA
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Posted: 3/26/2024 9:50:37 PM EDT
[#38]
I have used the WD40 method and that seems to work with almost any powder I have tried, cheap HF or expensive specialty..
Not my video:  Powder Coating: The WD40 Method (TIS263) |
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Posted: 3/27/2024 1:15:20 AM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FB41: Well, I tried the white HF powder, suing the acetone method. I used a 2.2 cc Lee powder dipper to measure the powder and acetone in equal amounts. It mixed well in a sort of peanut butter consistency and coated the bullets more or less evenly. First bake showed they needed another run, so repeated the first steps and baked again for 25 minutes (testing has found this time to be the sweet spot for my oven). The pics after bake #2: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/41734/1st_jpg-3170426.JPG The bullets are kinda clumpy looking, but seem to be covered OK. They may smooth out after I size them. Smash test: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/41734/20240326_210758_jpg-3170429.JPG Coating stayed intact, so I think it would survive a trip down the bore OK. My thoughts on this: 1: HF White basically still sucks for this use 2: I think with some more experimentation- which I may do- it could be made usable with acetone. 3: I wanna size the bullets and see how they look after that. 4: Wind blew in the garage and I managed to get some crud in the second coating and it affected the coverage. Next time, I'll clean the bench off better or close the damn door. |
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Posted: 3/27/2024 10:11:01 PM EDT
[Last Edit: FB41]
[#40]
Tried the white HF powder using the WD40 technique posted above.
I think I found a way to use it! First, I laid the bullets on a rag and sprayed WD40 over them, then rolled them in the rag. Placed them in a container, sprinkled the powder on and gently shook the container to distribute it. Baked for 25 minutes. The powder was a little thin, but I think it would have worked OK, but I went ahead and repeated the first steps for another coat. Here's the results:  Attached FileGot a dab of blue powder on 1 from the bench, but otherwise OK. I'm gonna use up that bottle and call it good. Nice to have options though. |
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Posted: 3/28/2024 12:43:57 AM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FB41: Tried the white HF powder using the WD40 technique posted above. I think I found a way to use it! First, I laid the bullets on a rag and sprayed WD40 over them, then rolled them in the rag. Placed them in a container, sprinkled the powder on and gently shook the container to distribute it. Baked for 25 minutes. The powder was a little thin, but I think it would have worked OK, but I went ahead and repeated the first steps for another coat. Here's the results: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/41734/20240327_214914_jpg-3171370.JPG Got a dab of blue powder on 1 from the bench, but otherwise OK. I'm gonna use up that bottle and call it good. Nice to have options though. |
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