Round Ball Tumbling With Graphite

[bpd303]

I'm still trying to figure out how the hell you get "lead dust??

Same here, I have boolits and round balls that I had cast 20 years ago and they have yet to get any dust or oxide form on them. I do have some minie balls that were in some stuff that came with the ACW items I bought and they did have oxide coatings.

 

[jtkerk]

I don't know for sure since they never wrote about it but my ancestors must have had a special box with some graphite in it to perfect their cast balls in the back of their wagon when they bounced their way over the Oregon trail in 1845. Otherwise, them Indians would have got 'em.

Yeah their balls in a wooden box tumbled the balls nice and round

 

[jtkerk]

Ok, if you haven’t left us yet, I do have a few questions for you, unless I have reached the level of the 3. I’ve been looking for something simple to coat roundballs with that will hold off oxidation. I’m currently looking at 45-45-10 and it shows some promise. From a single run of roundballs from a Lee mold I tumbled, one as cast, the other with a 45-45-10 coating, I found no measurable difference in accuracy out of a GM roundball twist barrel. ‘Blind’ test, as I had two groups of unlabeled balls preloaded in two separate loading blocks. Shot a round from one, then the other, at two separate targets, until all 10 shots were fired, and saw no real difference in group size. 5 and 5, repeated on another day for a total of 10 shots for each group.

Your tumbling with graphite caught my attention, primarily as a possible oxidation inhibitor, so I gave it a go. Basically a repeat of the above test, but substituting the graphite tumbled roundballs for the 45-45-10 ones. Exact same result over two range trips. No difference in accuracy. Would be interesting to hear about your test methodology. So now I am still curious, have you noticed any oxidation protection from the graphite?

And just for reference, this is the graphite I used.
View attachment 311545

Interesting statement. The high speed photography I have seen shows the patch staying with the ball until exiting the bore. Could you possibly site your source for the patch not staying with the ball for the whole length of barrel during firing? Below photograph from Larry Pletcher’s website showing patch and ball after exiting the bore.
View attachment 311546

You don’t need to coat the balls just keep in an air tote container they stay bright for a long time.

 

[jtkerk]

I always figured if my balls are oxidizing, I'm not shooting enough!

Amen to that!!

 

[#blackpowderbill]

Tumbling brass is about my least favorite thing to do. Tumbling RB in graphite. I got enough messes to clean up

 

[bpd303]

I’m not going to engage with you, you boastful and conceited old man. Move along, please.

I must say for someone who has been a member of this forum for only about 46 days, that is considered abusive behavior on most forms I belong to. Also you do not own a thread, you start it but the forum owns it and anyone can contribute to it.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Pro Liberace is just another newbie who doesn't know how to behave in polite society. He's easily offended and can only reply with name calling and threatening remarks, as in he threatened to leave the forum. Sort of like the folks who threaten to leave the country but never do. He wouldn't last 5 minutes in the groups I've hung around with most of my life. Unfortunately, the internet has made small men feel large and it's something the rest of us have to ignore.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Same here, I have boolits and round balls that I had cast 20 years ago and they have yet to get any dust or oxide form on them. I do have some minie balls that were in some stuff that came with the ACW items I bought and they did have oxide coatings.

I found out how you get lead dust. You buy some old reclaimed shot from a trap range that has been sitting around in coffee cans for a couple of decades. I had to flush it out with a garden hose for several minutes before it was all cleared up and then spread it out in the sun to dry. #7 1/2 and 8 shot are just small round balls so it does show the possibilities of how far oxidation can go.

 

[Pro Libertate]

Pro Liberace is just another newbie who doesn't know how to behave in polite society. He's easily offended and can only reply with name calling and threatening remarks, as in he threatened to leave the forum. Sort of like the folks who threaten to leave the country but never do. He wouldn't last 5 minutes in the groups I've hung around with most of my life. Unfortunately, the internet has made small men feel large and it's something the rest of us have to ignore.

That’s awful rich coming from you, you braggart. You’re a keyboard warrior who apparently has nothing better to do than incite others. It would seem you get some sort of satisfaction out of being a constant irritation.

Also you do not own a thread, you start it but the forum owns it and anyone can contribute to it.

Ha! Is that what you call harassing others? “Contributing”?

 

[The Crisco Kid]

He continues to prove our point. Time to hit the ignore button.

When you hit the ignore button it works better if you use the middle finger!

 

[bpd303]

 

[Pro Libertate]

Tumbling brass is about my least favorite thing to do. Tumbling RB in graphite. I got enough messes to clean up

I’m sorry, but I’ve got to ask… do you guys ever actually read any of the posts within a thread? I don’t know how many times I have to respond to this notion that graphite leaves a “mess”. Any lead particulates that accumulate from the tumbling of the balls bind to and amalgamate with the graphite and settle to the bottom of the container— the whole point of tumbling with graphite in the first place. It simply gets tossed in the trash. As I’ve already stated, one can immediately handle the balls without graphite residue coming off on their hands. This was addressed as early as my second/third post.

Of course, you’re all too busy perpetuating this lie that I believe graphite is a magical accurizing compound and patting each other on the back, so I’m done with explanations.

 

[Pro Libertate]

He continues to prove our point. Time to hit the ignore button.

When you hit the ignore button it works better if you use the middle finger!

For a 76-year-old man, you’re sure acting childish. Let it be remembered that you were the instigator here.

 

[old fat and good looking]

Is this a serious question? Apparently you’ve either never dry tumbled your round balls or it’s been so long you’ve forgotten the lead dust and particulates associated with it.

 

[45man]

Griping and name calling is bad as everyone has an opinion worth listening to. That said just spray balls with barricade Not messy when dry and they look like new forever, Never store in a cardboard box unless you like the white stuff.

 

[thixotropy]

For at least a decade, been tumbling with steel balls about 1/2 to 3/4 inch, about 20 per 100 cast round balls for at an hour or more, in what was a case vibrator I picked up at a yardsale for a buck (had a crack and no top). Does make a Hell of a racket. Pretty much eliminates any sprue evidence. As far as accuracy, last weekend finished 3rd out of 20 on a woods walk, so they work to some degree...never have used graphite, did read where a little cooking spray oil or some such worked well; never did that either-as someone mentioned I shoot them up too fast. I have noticed storing in a leather flask or bag is not healthy for them over a long haul.