Indoor baking of powder coating??

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  • Last Post 26 January 2023
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2frogs posted this 09 January 2023

East wood powder coating?? Is it safe to bake my bullets indoors? I've tried to contact Eastwood but got no where. Only thru e mail. I didn't see where it was toxic, except for breaty the powder it's self. It's just to cold and windy. Thanks...

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Glaciers posted this 10 January 2023

Well I start out believing the fumes from Powder Coating are harmful. No idea if that’s right, but I have a room for loading and casting, and being in Alaska doing any casting or baking needs a controlled environment. I have my lead pots and my PC baking oven on the same bench underneath two 30” range hoods that both have exhaust fans and lights. With both fans on high I can flux and all smoke is pulled out of the room. So I feel confident that any fumes from PC is removed from the room.

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res45 posted this 12 January 2023

According to my reading of the hazards of powder coat.

1. Unlike other solvent-based paint, powder coating doesn't generate harmful fumes or pollutants. It also has less waste in the overall process, including lower finishing line emissions and less product waste.

2. The health hazards of using commonly available coating powders arise from: direct skin contact with the powders. breathing in powders in the air, causing skin and lung irritation.

3. Each mfg. of powder coat will give a specific time and temperature for proper curing of the powder coat.  Eastwood for example state to bake for 20 Min. at 400 degrees after flow out i.e. when the powder glosses over, which in my experience take about 5 min. so my total baking time is 25 min. once I put the coated bullets in my preheated oven. 

4. Never use an oven that was used to powder coat to cook food in afterward, the powder does out gas and leaves some residue inside the oven  although you many not see it at first it does build up over time.

'Artisan' in Lead, Brass & Powder.

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hporter posted this 11 January 2023

I like John's setup with two fans above his bench.

We have a repurposed building materials place near the house.  I might have to go and find a cheap oven hood to put above my bench now.

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SkinnerD posted this 11 January 2023

Ditto. Planning the fitout of my new casting bench. Which is separate to my reloading room. Was planning on installing a used Range Hood. Two seems a better idea and well executed.

John - New Zealand

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max503 posted this 16 January 2023

I walk away from the oven while the boolits are cooking.  

Our senior center gave away free air purifiers.  Its basically a fan that has a filter on the inlet.  I set it on the table right next to where I'm shaking and standing the boolits.  I'm more concerned with breathing the dust.  That air purifier should suck up most of the airborne particles.

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Spindrift posted this 10 January 2023

I can't really give you the answer, wether the fumes from baking PC are unhealthy, or not. But I work on the assumption, they're probably not good for me.

I bake my bullets in a small oven dedicated to such non-food applications. I bake the bullets in my basement, and just stay away for the duration of the baking. Good enough? No idea, really.

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Buttersdad posted this 11 January 2023

I use the PC that is offered by "Smoke" on castboolits and have always baked it indoors. I checked and everything I find simply says it is non- toxic.

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Spindrift posted this 11 January 2023

2frogs: I would not cut down on the baking time. The bullets might come out, looking fine. But you might get nasty fouling, and a degrading reaction with double-base powders. Better to bake a little longer than the stated minimum time, to make sure the cure is absolutely finished. You can't bake to long.

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2frogs posted this 10 January 2023

Well. I baked a few today with a fan in the window. I couldn't smell anything. So I think it's safe to do unless you are baking several dozen. Then you might get some odor. I also cut the time to 15 minutes. Seems to work for me. At least I ain't freezing..

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Boschloper posted this 11 January 2023

I bake mine in the garage, door open in the summer and closed it the winter. I get a little odor (like hot plastic) but I never feel lightheaded. It has never bothered the Herself and she has a very sensitive nose. 

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2frogs posted this 16 January 2023

Well. I baked some indoors today with a small fan in the window. No one noticed any order what so ever. So I guess it's ok. Makes it easier for me. No more frozen fingers. Just wanted to let you know...

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2frogs posted this 26 January 2023

Backed more today with no noticeable odor. So it seems to be ok doing it like that with a fan in the window.. Eastwood paint..

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