Spilled Powder

[Orange Dust]

Kinda off the subject but if you put two springs on the charge bar shuttle on a .410 9000G it will quit dribbling shot and really cut down on the stoppages.

 

[del2les]

I blow off small amounts with my air compressor hose with a fine needle attachment, and when I am finished loading, I vacuum the floor with a small shop-vac that has about 1/2 gallon of water in it. Never any issues - so far.

 

[Orange Dust]

I blow off small amounts with my air compressor hose with a fine needle attachment, and when I am finished loading, I vacuum the floor with a small shop-vac that has about 1/2 gallon of water in it. Never any issues - so far.

View attachment 357797

You just might be on to something. Especially if you had a hose with a static wire that grounded your tips to the machine full of water. HMMMM

 

[BHP9]

I vacuum all the time without issues, just make sure that you have a bag in the shop vac.

A friend blew his shop vac apart, no bag.

 

[cabelasken]

never use a vacuum. if you collect enough powder dust and it happens to accumulate near a hot spot in your vacuum, it could ignite and start the powder kernals. And the air velocity of the vacuum creates enough additional oxygen to make the mixture extremely hazardous.

 

[4SFED]

There are small vacuums powered by compressed air ... using a venturi. If you have an air compressor, this could be an option. A plus is that the compressed air will have a moisture content higher than the room air unless the compressor has a dryer.

Amazon product ASIN B002T15L16

 

[4SFED]

I tried to attach a link, but that didn't work, so here is a picture of an air-powered vacuum.

 

[azarcher10x]

Suck up a few live primers in a vacuum cleaner and see what happens. Sounds like an M80.

If you're sucking live primers up with a vacuum in today's world, you have way to many primers and it's time for an intervention! There's probably several of us on here would be happy to help you out with that! LOL

 

[cactus02]

There is a need. Dillon or somebody could make some money!!

Who would write liability insurance for it. Nobody.

 

[Hotrod617]

I use a hand held Dyson to pick up the little powder that's left after sweeping up. Empty the vac and done.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Use a P/W press for loading shot shell. They have drop tube to unload the powder and shot. My powder dumps are Lyman No 55's. I can detach them from the bench to pour out the powder back into the container. I have a Dillion 1050 press, that I have gotten several years ago for back up. In reading all this, and when I set up a new reloading place. I see things I am going to replace. All this have been brought fore, and I am paying attention to what's being said here.

 

[C-130 Dude]

While I commend you on keeping your equipment and gear clean and tidy around your work area, more of us should do that, I'm not sure a vacuum cleaner is a bad idea. Gunpowder is flammable yes, but under pressure it definitely is extremely dangerous! With the size of the suction tube or hose and it being dumped into a large space I wouldn't think it would not explode or burn, but don't take my word for it!!!!! I'm just speculating and trying to think this through. There are lots of folks on this board who are more experienced and smarter than I. Hopefully they'll chime in and educate us.

The problem is it gets caught in the vacume impeller as it gets sucked up. Any friction causes boom.... boom....

 

[C-130 Dude]

I vacuum spilled power around balance and press and also stuff on the floor which probably has an occasional live primers in it. No problems. Old powder (lots of orange smoke in container) gets sprinkled on the lawn. The white mat under the shell holders is a anti static mat that has a wire that goes to a ground. I think they were used for computers? I am particularly careful in the winter when humidity in the house is low.

Great anti-static practices. I learned this procedure in the AF ammo tech school.

 

[C-130 Dude]

I load a lot of both centerfire and shotshells on progressive loaders. Yesterday I was watching a Youtube video on changing a collet on a MEC 9000. Afterward another one came on. It supposedly explained how to clear a missed primer. The guy used a hand vac to suck the powder out of the machine. Excellent way to get killed. The only proper way I know of is to dig out with a paint brush, and blow the rest with canned air. If that doesn't get it, disassemble the machine. I've been doing that on MEC's and Dillions forever. Progressives are by nature dirty. They spill small amounts of everything and over time they do create hazards if both the machines and the area around them are not kept clean. My tools are canned air, paint brushes, and 409 cleaner. All this got me thinking. Am I too old school and missing out? I would pay good money for an explosion proof Vacuum. Does anyone know if such a thing exists? Have one? Who has a better way to deal with this problem than I do? This does create stoppages that are both time consuming and frustrating. I'm sure one of you guys have invented a safe way to deal with all this. You have sent way too many pictures of spotless reloading rooms.

There are a few vacumes out there that are rated as "explosion proof". But they are real $$$$$. As a foremost member has already found out.