Bob Wright
Well-Known Member
A fresh dryer sheet rubbed in the powder tube will fix the kernels from sticking.
Static everywhere else is concerning....
Reloading safety reminder
- Thread starter Beluebow
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Static everywhere else is concerning....
This is why we always had a clip on static wire on our military fuel trucks. It was the first thing attached before refueling for exactly this reason. The hardest thing about it was getting people to use it
Decades ago, primers were made with mecuric fulminate, which is very easy to make. Very old primers may use this compound, as it was still in use well into the 20th century. Similar to silver fulminate, but more stable. To give you an idea how unstable the latter is, from Wikipedia:
Silver fulminate is a primary explosive, but has limited use as such due to its extreme sensitivity to impact, heat, pressure, and electricity. The compound becomes progressively sensitive as it is aggregated, even in small amounts; the touch of a falling feather, the impact of a single water droplet, or a small static discharge are all capable of explosively detonating an unconfined pile of silver fulminate no larger than a dime and no heavier than a few milligrams. Aggregating larger quantities is impossible, due to the compound's tendency to self-detonate under its own weight. Will detonate even under water! Ever watched someone play with "Pop-its"? Uses about 80 micrograms of silver fulminate. That's 80 millionths of a gram or 0.00123459 grains.
Mercury fulminate is known to weaken with time, by decomposing into its constituent elements. So leaking or "salting" shows on the box. However there's no safe way to determine which ones have weakened or strengthened in the box. Sort of a "Danger Will Robinson" scenario.
I agree.If something has never reacted badly before your own eyes it's hard to think it can.
My dad told of a whole fuel depot that burned down over static electricity on a base he was assigned to in Korea.Folks never used the ground clip.
Even with signs everywhere folks could not believe it could happen to them.
AndrewP
Member
Wow, thanks everybody for sharing. Good reminders!
Thanks for thatI found this article on Primers/Static Electricity
Static Electricity and the Reloader - Shooting Times
Static electricity in a reloading setting can be of concern. Here's how to deal with it.www.shootingtimes.com
I have pretty much the same setup as you have in the same state and have the same thing happen with my RCBS powder scale & dispenser unit. After I drained the powder out and into the bottle I'd put the green lid back on the chargemaster and use canned air to blow out the unit and then drain it into the bottle again.
After reading this thread I'm going to try the dryer sheet trick that's been mentioned
I'm looking at anti-static mats now.I know how to set up a ground but sometimes we have so many things on the reloading bench at the same time.
Mikecr
Well-Known Member
Totally possible that this event had nothing to do with static electricity.
It's possible (and likely) this RCBS priming system is safe the way it is.
10 pages of -we know nothing so far-
It's possible (and likely) this RCBS priming system is safe the way it is.
10 pages of -we know nothing so far-
We still have not heard many details about the original accident. This is a very frightening accident. I have reloaded for about 50 years and have never seen something like this.
I have used that type of RCBS priming tool. It does bounce back and forth. I usually use my left hand to damp the mechanism so it does not bang back and forth. I also was wondering about the damage to both hands. Since one hand would be on the handle and the other is not involved unless you do what I did and reach out to damp the swing of the arm.
I mostly use hand tools now but never thought the RCBS tool was more dangerous than others. Again it would be nice to hear more about the accident.
I would also ask Quarterman to tell us more about his fathers accident? To those that know, Is there enough energy in a single primer to remove three fingers? I am surprised by that. I am not questioning Quarterman. I guess I am just amazed at the energy in a single primer?
I was always taught that you should handle primers as little as possible. I saw a thread somewhere awhile back that seemed to say that is a myth? The no touch rule favors the use of primer tubes. I always thought a single load tool would be a pain in the ***. However if a single primer does have that much energy a tray or tube tube of 100 is pretty dangerous.
How do people clean their primer tubes?
I have used that type of RCBS priming tool. It does bounce back and forth. I usually use my left hand to damp the mechanism so it does not bang back and forth. I also was wondering about the damage to both hands. Since one hand would be on the handle and the other is not involved unless you do what I did and reach out to damp the swing of the arm.
I mostly use hand tools now but never thought the RCBS tool was more dangerous than others. Again it would be nice to hear more about the accident.
I would also ask Quarterman to tell us more about his fathers accident? To those that know, Is there enough energy in a single primer to remove three fingers? I am surprised by that. I am not questioning Quarterman. I guess I am just amazed at the energy in a single primer?
I was always taught that you should handle primers as little as possible. I saw a thread somewhere awhile back that seemed to say that is a myth? The no touch rule favors the use of primer tubes. I always thought a single load tool would be a pain in the ***. However if a single primer does have that much energy a tray or tube tube of 100 is pretty dangerous.
How do people clean their primer tubes?
I use the same tool for all my (considerable) rifle priming. I bought this years ago at the recommendation of the guy at a LGS who said he had never heard of an instance of trouble with it. I have loaded tens of thousands of large and small primers using this tool and still feel it is one of, if not THE safest priming tools there is...
I, like everyone else here, hope to hear the details of how such a thing could happen. I wish the poor fellow who was injured the very best, and a quick recovery.
I, like everyone else here, hope to hear the details of how such a thing could happen. I wish the poor fellow who was injured the very best, and a quick recovery.
Just a thought. I am covering my table with 11 gauge steel plating. The plate will be grounded, with everything bolted through the plate. Local steel fabricator will bend an 1 1/2" lip for the front. No sharp edges, not flammable, and ding resistant for butter fingers. Table will be 5' long and 2' deep. Anything sitting on the metal top is grounded.
Mikecr
Well-Known Member
That would look nice and provide a great ground for your static to discharge to..
So don't forget your anti-static wrist strap (connected to the table)
