PVC may be better than #5 or #2 plastics for PCing

Although #5 type plastic containers are said to work best, I have read where #2 will work for PC tumbling. Wanting to be able to tumble larger batches, I got my hands on a large (1+ gallon) jug that body building bulk-up powders come in that are #2 plastic. But I just couldn't get the static cling needed even after many minutes on my drum tumbler.

For some unknown reason I had never considered using/trying one of my 8" PVC pipe drums similar to what I use for wet pin brass cleaning. When I made up my wet pin drums I made one without any vanes inside it for possible dry media tumbling. In short I had mostly never used it. Well the other day I tried it for PC tumbling and it worked WAY MORE BETTER than I ever expected. I successfully PC'd two batches of 300 each 9mm boolits. I did need to use air-soft BBs just to keep the boolits from banging into each other too much. Days later the static cling remains and is still holding powder against the inside of the PVC drum.

Just offering up another option for shake and bake PCing of larger batches.

Attached are picks of my wet pin tumbler from more than a few years ago.

PVC is one of those materials that generates lots of static electricity. It would work excellently for powder coating using the shake-n-bake method. The reason that #5 recycled plastic containers are recommended over PVC containers is because the recycled containers cost a lot less.

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Originally Posted by oley55

Although #5 type plastic containers are said to work best, I have read where #2 will work for PC tumbling. Wanting to be able to tumble larger batches, I got my hands on a large (1+ gallon) jug that body building bulk-up powders come in that are #2 plastic. But I just couldn't get the static cling needed even after many minutes on my drum tumbler.

For some unknown reason I had never considered using/trying one of my 8" PVC pipe drums similar to what I use for wet pin brass cleaning. When I made up my wet pin drums I made one without any vanes inside it for possible dry media tumbling. In short I had mostly never used it. Well the other day I tried it for PC tumbling and it worked WAY MORE BETTER than I ever expected. I successfully PC'd two batches of 300 each 9mm boolits. I did need to use air-soft BBs just to keep the boolits from banging into each other too much. Days later the static cling remains and is still holding powder against the inside of the PVC drum.

Just offering up another option for shake and bake PCing of larger batches.

Attached are picks of my wet pin tumbler from more than a few years ago.

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You may want to see if you can rig up a bracket that you can clip a couple of pieces of wool to and let them drag on the outside of the tube.

Not maybe. It is!!


PVC is the 3rd highest source that gains a negative electric charge, after Teflon and Silicon (not Silicone although it's made from Silicon) respectively.

Polypropylene (PP5) and Polyethylene (PE2 & PE4) are 4th and 5th, respectively.

I use 3" PVC cut to 6" lengths with PVC end caps for PC'ing.

I shake for a minute or 2, then sit the PVC on a Harbor Freight rock tumbler (rollers not vibration), and let it roll around for 5 - 10 minutes.


00 buck and DGS slugs

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Did you try tumbling without the air soft BB's? I don't use air soft BB's in my vibratory case cleaner. No problem with coverage after 5 minutes.

Part of my shake routine is to vigorously slide the container with boolits, powder and air soft BBs around on the carpet. This summer when it was humid outside coverage wasn't very good. Someone on here said to slide the container around pon the carpet for more static and it worked. The humidity today is 41% but I don't have any boolits to PC right now. I will when Accurate Molds get my new one made for my 309 JDJ.

I also use carpet in my process, 1st I heat the bullets in the oven, then put them in the container and swirl them on the carpet for a few minutes. It really seems to help my coverage with PC.

Hmm.... If your powder coating container comes open and spills powder onto the carpet your wife is going to Keeeel you. It might be safer for your health if you use a door mat or a carpet sample or something. Just saying.

Maybe one of the wife's wool sweaters instead?

Absolutely! Trouble is making containers.

I struggled to decide whether I would up my casting game to include lubeszieing or PCing. Now that I have read this witch doctor voodoo stuff I see I have made the right choice

I use a Franklin Armory vibratory tumbler to apply my PC powder. It works great and can take as little as 10 minutes, however I usually let it run for 20 minutes minimum. The down side is that it is noisy. Clean up is easy with window cleaner and a paper towel.

I gotta tell`ya guys, 45 seconds doing La Cucaracha
with standard #5 food containers and I'm done.
:drinks:

I agree. If I was processing a bunch of bullets for my pistols I'd use a tumbler. But, it dings up my rifle bullets too much. When I did it I lost a bit of accuracy. Not much, but enough to notice. If you are hunting or plinking it wouldn't make any difference in the result.

I am only doing a few hundred for the rifle in a day. 30-50 at a time in a container with BB's. Rotate by hand for a minute or two and put the bullets on the pan. My oven works well with about 80 bullets at a time, stood on end in a grid. 4 or 5 bake cycles.

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Originally Posted by mehavey

I gotta tell`ya guys, 45 seconds doing La Cucaracha
with standard #5 food containers and I'm done.
:drinks:

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That's what I was thinking - 5 minutes tumbling? 10 minutes? After that much time I might forget I'd put them on the tumbler and see them next day :)

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Originally Posted by mtgrs737

I use a Franklin Armory vibratory tumbler to apply my PC powder. It works great and can take as little as 10 minutes, however I usually let it run for 20 minutes minimum. The down side is that it is noisy. Clean up is easy with window cleaner and a paper towel.

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Take a look at your powder after you finish tumbling and compare it to some fresh powder. If it is darker, you now have powderized lead in your powder. That is no problem on your bullets because the coating will melt, mix the powderized lead and bind it. However, the remaining powder will be hazardous to your lungs, hands and anything else it can spread to. I tried this once with a 5 minute vibratory tumble and the red HF powder came out noticeably darker than the fresh powder. The coverage was great but I didn't do this again.

I think the powder is worse for your health than the lead.

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Originally Posted by mehavey

I gotta tell`ya guys, 45 seconds doing La Cucaracha
with standard #5 food containers and I'm done.
:drinks:

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I do 3.5-4 lbs in the tumbler at one time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mehavey

I gotta tell`ya guys, 45 seconds doing La Cucaracha
with standard #5 food containers and I'm done.
:drinks:

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It also helps if you put a sombrero on the floor and dance around it while singing La Cucaracha.
Good exercise too.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mehavey

I gotta tell`ya guys, 45 seconds doing La Cucaracha
with standard #5 food containers and I'm done.
:drinks:

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What he said