I'm about to say some very, very Bad Words (tm)

[Bill of Rights]

@#$%$%^&*^&*@#$%@#$%$%%^*&*(&*(%#^$%#$@!!!!

Feel free to insert whatever expletives you feel appropriate after reading this. Some of you will laugh. Some of those laughs will be with a small headshake, because I know some of you out there have been where I am right now.

OK, so here's the deal: I just got a LnL case feeder a couple of days ago. This is my first time on my press in a very, very long time, and in the meantime, I also got a bullet feeder die, and decided to mark up a nice measure for my primer tube to tell me when it's getting low. Long and short of it, lots of new stuff going on. Well, kind of. Case feeder is kicking cases out onto the floor. I know about the foil or tape trick to fix that, just haven't done it yet. Bullet feeder die is being problematic and not actually seating the bullets in the cases. I can't find the directions for it right now, but I know that's a simple matter of lowering the die a bit in the bushing. Primer level marker is working fine.

So what's the problem? I decided that since I was filling cases but not seating bullets, I'd just take off everything but the primer station and just prime some cases. So I go to grab the powder measure and twist-lift it out... Oh, it twist-lifted out all right... at least the plastic part did. Fortunately, it wasn't completely full, but now I have flakes of Titegroup powder all the #*** over my press, the desk it's mounted to, the stool I was sitting on, and the carpeted floor.

Normally, if I had a powdery mess on my carpet, I'd just grab the vacuum. If it was a tile floor, I'd get a wet paper towel and pick up the mess that way.

This, however, is on carpet, among other things, and I'm a bit leery of using an electrical machine with the possibility of sparks in its works to vacuum up a flammable substance and possibly not get it all in the dirt cup to be disposed of.

So those of you with the little headshake and ironic laughs, those who've done this, too, any suggestions how to clean up the gunpowder off my floor without creating a fiery torch of a vacuum cleaner? PMs are welcome, if you don't want to admit to all of INGO that you did it, too, and yes, I will keep confidential who responded, if you wish.

Oh, and just for good measure... #$^%^%&&*&%^$%@#$%#%^&%^&*&*(&%^$#^%@%$%^$%^&!!!!!

Blessings,
Bill

 

[jglevyjr]

I have a Black & Decker Dustbuster that I often use to clean small amounts of powder that end up in primer trays (single stage) or on shell plate area (Dillon 550b) with no problem. I always clean out the vac after use. But my press is in my garage over a cement floor, so I can just drop the Dustbuster if the thing erupts and grab the fire extinguisher. I've never had a large powder spill so don't have any idea how a had vac would feel about sucking up a large amount of powder. Do you have a carpet guy friend that might pull the carpet, shake it out, and re-lay it?

 

[halfmileharry]

Wet the floor down and use a shop vac on it. I won't make fun of you or even tell on you. I'm sure as heck not going to tell on me.

 

[Mgderf]

Wet-vac with a T-shirt.
Wrap shirt around nozzle and turn on wet-vac.
Let the suction pull a bit of the shirt inside the hose to create a bag.
Suck away pulling the powder into the shirt-sack.
Place nozzle above trash can and turn wet-vac off, dropping powder into trash can.

Problem solved.

 

[SwingW/theWing]

Are you sure you didn't say at least one bad word? This is what makes me want to turn away from reloading. The moments when nothing seems to go right. Stuff like this happen often or is it typically smooth sailing once you get everything setup?

 

[Mgderf]

Are you sure you didn't say at least one bad word? This is what makes me want to turn away from reloading. The moments when nothing seems to go right. Stuff like this happen often or is it typically smooth sailing once you get everything setup?

I had a bit of a learning curve while setting up my equipment.
Being my first time doing any reloading, and doing it all on my own save advice asked and answered here, I was at a loss on more than one occasion.
That said, I could not be happier that I finally began the process.
Yes, there will be trials and errors. You WILL make mistakes.
The trick is to minimize them and their affects.

 

[Ash]

BoR's story certainly ups mine.

I did say one, small bad word this past Saturday. As I was packing up after reloading some 44 mag. ammo, I spilled a few grains of H110 on the front LH side of my bench. Sometimes the powder trickler is stubborn to completely empty.

BoR's story is better, and much more colorful.
Best of luck/safe in your cleanup.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Without reading the post, I'm going to assume you didn't get an INGO lower.

 

[17 squirrel]

Wet-vac with a T-shirt.
Wrap shirt around nozzle and turn on wet-vac.
Let the suction pull a bit of the shirt inside the hose to create a bag.
Suck away pulling the powder into the shirt-sack.
Place nozzle above trash can and turn wet-vac off, dropping powder into trash can.

Problem solved.

That would work..

Everyone know the local gun show dealer that sells used and new reloading equipment along with reloaded ammo and once fired brass, he's a tall thin man with a black and silver beard and hair.. Last year or so he was selling ALOT of components that were black and sooty.
He had a Dillon 1050 primer explosion while loading one afternoon, not a huge ordeal to happen. Well he had very poor housekeeping in his loading room.
He's a lucky man alright. In his loading room he had a pallet of powder and untold cases of primers everywhere.
The exploding primer ignited powder in the press and around it instantly and then the powder measure exploded.. The bench and floor around him flashed into flames. He was burned around the face and hands, but luckily he had enough fire extinguishers to get the fire out.. He and I have discussed the fire more than once..
He is a lucky man...
Keep your housekeeping up to snuff... If there's nothing to burn, it can't burn.

 

[chezuki]

Without reading the post, I'm going to assume you didn't get an INGO lower.

Wait... There are INGO lowers?!?!???

 

[Bill of Rights]

Wet the floor down and use a shop vac on it. I won't make fun of you or even tell on you. I'm sure as heck not going to tell on me.

Wet-vac with a T-shirt.
Wrap shirt around nozzle and turn on wet-vac.
Let the suction pull a bit of the shirt inside the hose to create a bag.
Suck away pulling the powder into the shirt-sack.
Place nozzle above trash can and turn wet-vac off, dropping powder into trash can.

Problem solved.

Genius. Max reps for both of you. Thank you!

Without reading the post, I'm going to assume you didn't get an INGO lower.

OK, that? That's funny! Thanks, I needed the laugh!

Are you sure you didn't say at least one bad word? This is what makes me want to turn away from reloading. The moments when nothing seems to go right. Stuff like this happen often or is it typically smooth sailing once you get everything setup?

At least? When the blue clears out of the air around here, I'll answer you. (One of the only places I don't cuss is on the open boards on INGO.)

Once things are set correctly, yes, it's generally very smooth. You still have to be careful and watch every cartridge, but you can expect most of the time for things to go properly.

...Keep your housekeeping up to snuff... If there's nothing to burn, it can't burn.

Great advice. There is actually quite a lot in my reloading room that can burn. I am meticulous, however, when it comes to powder and (after a buddy almost lost an eye at his shotgun press) primers. I am careful to clean my press and all those little nooks and crannies, and if I spill any powder, I get a wet paper towel to pick it up. That method, in this case, was not workable, partly due to the amount of powder and partly due to the fact that it was on carpet. Could it still go? Of course it could, but I'm confident enough of my methods without being overconfident. Thanks for posting!

Blessings,
Bill