I have Ballisti Cast Mark X - with 2 mold position
Want to add another 2 position, but unfortunally mark X has phased out and nvballistics no longer making parts for the Mark X :-(
Maybe someone has unnecessary carrier arm or full mold position for Ballisti Cast Mark X ?
Attachment 202145
Crazy that they don't make parts for some equipment they until recently sold! Anyone that has ever used machinery of some kind knows thay something will break after some time, and then you need parts!
I have had nothing but trouble with my Mark-X! After 6 months my temp controller broke. I ordered another one at ebay and the pot worked for about 3 months before the SSR relay broke. After another year both the outside heating elements (on the underside of the pot) burned out. I ordered an outside version of the heating element and stuck it directly into the lead and thought nothing could go wrong..... and what do you know.... after about 4 cycles of the pot my shop went black. After some head scratching and hash words... it came to my attention that the wires attached to the element had burnt off and the insulators on the element ends and wires had actually caught fire before the breaker in my shop cut the power. Of course the glass breaker in the control box was just fine. Bought new cables and cable shoes and managed to re-wire the elements, and still nothing.... Total blackout when adding power. Since I'm no electrician I sent about 30 mails to NVM to help me solve the problem and seach for the faulty part with my multimeter. The tech guy ment it could be the SSR relay again and after some weeks a new one arrived from ebay only to discover that... Wel... That was not it! I ordered yet another temp controller and then the machine worked again! I'm not sure for how long to be honest! In between all this the thermocouple also went dead.
I've learned two things from my experience with this machine 1. Never buy a machine that hasn't been around for a while, so it's a welk tested verson, that you are sure that's working fine. 2. You have to be able to get spare parts for your machine and help from the guys that produced the machine, to troubleshoot and help you fix your machine when it brakes. In this matter the guys at NVM has been very helpful and patient and has helped me a lot. They have answered over 70 mails from me trying to fix my machine.
I'm sorry about this beeing off topic to what the OP asked but I had to share my story. Hope it's ok.
Sent fra min SM-G930F via Tapatalk
Might have to take that one to a machine shop and have duplicated .. All machined of course
hunter74, you use it at 230V 1 phase ?
and do you have one SSR relay ? 25amper or 40 amper ?
In my opinion, this machine "electrically" is designed very reliably. All wires are stronger than needed.
I am do not worry about SSR relay, thermocouple becouse they are relative cheap and easy to replace in machine.
Heating element - that is worst, especially when pot is full of lead, replace it could be difficult, but still possible
Also it's easy to buy electric parts in market, from other supplier.
But i am afraid about mechanic parts of machine. I don't understood why - machine isn't very old, and nobody care about replacing parts :-(
I check some machine shops near me, but that parts has square hole , that must be done very accurate.Quote:
Originally Posted by Smoke4320
This is possible, but little difficult, so i think factory should be better.
Attachment 202190
Donpablos, I have standard european 230v two phase in my shop. 40 A SSR. I have no experience with electrical work, but in my opinion the wiring looks unprofessional. When you have extensive use of cable shoes and vires attached to each other with 4 cable shoes it does not look good but I may be wrong. I've seen pics inside the new speed caster and it looks much better.
My guess is that they have done a lot of needed updates to their new machine.
I can't see why a machine shop with proper equipment couldn't make a carrier arm for you. The cost is another matter. It may cost a bit....
I'm glad I have a 30 years old Magma Bullet Master that's always working (nock on wood). If I'm in need of casting aquipment I'm taking my business to Magma, that's for sure!
Sent fra min SM-G930F via Tapatalk
I always thought the MArk X was a 4 mold position machine. I didn't know it was offered in two mold. I have the previous model the Mark IV which has two mold positions. I had problems with the control shutting down and worked with Mike from Ballisti-cast about the problem. My PID lasted about 4 days and started acting up. I diagnosed the problem as heat build up inside the control box. They sent me another PID controller and I modified my machine with an additional power supply to run a 12 volt fan to cool the control box and a LED light of my own manufacture.Quote:
Originally Posted by donpablos
I solved the problem and my machine has run free of trouble since then. In my humble opinion the Ballisti-cast Mark IV is a great machine. I had at one time talked to Mike about machining mine for two additional mold stations but it required machining the square main shaft to obtain the correct clearance since only two sides were originally machined on the main shaft assembly. I ended leaving mine the way it was and it runs great.
If you have a mill it would be possible to re-design the mold holder assembly and do away with the square hole but you would have to re-design about everything to make it work. My suggestion is leave it the way it was designed. It isn't broke is it?
Yes, there are version with 2 mold positions
As i check and talk with guys from nvballistics - only important difference is 2 additional mold positions.
In my machine, square main shaft has already threaded holes - prepared to mounting additional mold positions ( carrier arm )
( full of lead at picture )
Attachment 202205
So i only must make this parts in local machine shop.
Btw, do you have contact to Mike from Ballisti-Cast ?
cooling control box is great idea,
The two guys I have had contact with at NVM are Rick and mostly Tyler.
Sent fra min SM-G930F via Tapatalk
I guess you have to rebuild something in the gears for the handle crank? With 2 moulds, do you just pull the handle 2 times to make a full turn? With 4 it has to stop at 1/4 turn when pulling the handle one time, 4 for a full cykle, right?
Sent fra min SM-G930F via Tapatalk
I think there are no need to rebuild handles
With 2 moulds, it has stop at 1/2 turn.
So only add 2 mold carier - and screw on stop at 1/4 turn and voila.
A square hole isn't that hard to do, most machine shops will have a broach that will cut square holes. A good shop should be able to work a way around pretty well any problem.
Goo luck getting it up and running
I lost Mike's number when I lost the last hard drive on the computer.Quote:
Originally Posted by donpablos
I would assume if the people that bought out Ballisti-cast don't have parts then you will have to have a machine shop make them.
Personally, I would stick with the 2 mold position machine. I have been told the 4 position machine has a few more problems. If it were me I would simply automate the machine and call it good.
In looking at the piece that holds my molds it looks as if it was cast and then broached.
If your having control problem try using a fan to circulate the air or change the air in the control box. I had recorded temps way over 120 degrees inside my box before I modified it. Mechanically they are great machines. Mike and I had been in contact over the problem and he re-designed the control box and updated all the connections and made the connectors socketed.
Update,
Rick from Northern Valley Ballistics contact with me , and find solution - used arm from old Ballisti Cast , and offer me it for free
Their customer service is doing a good job,
i am very impressed
My SSR gets really hot when the machine is used over 2 hours. When I operate the machine I have the door on the control box open. I'll see if the SSR and PID holds up more than a year or so. I've changed them out 3 times on 3 years.
Sent fra min SM-G930F via Tapatalk
I added a fan to mine and its worked fine for years.Quote:
Originally Posted by hunter74
That's a great idea! Could you please post a pic. It's not a huge space for one, that's for sure!
Sent fra min SM-G930F via Tapatalk
Attachment 207639
A little blurred but it will give you the idea. Its a 12vdc motor run off a 12vdc power supply that turns on when you turn the machine on.
I had conducted before and after temp tests and yes the fan works. It basicaly blows into the enclosure and the air escapes thru the seams in the box. Not the best but I haven't replaced any PID's since I put the fan in.
I also added another fan switch and programed the PID to turn on automatically when the switch is turned on and the set temp is reached.
I'll try to strip an old computer for its power supply with fan. That way I can just turn it on when plugging in the separate cord. A friend told me it could be started without the motherboard when shorting a couple of the pins or something. That way I don't have to play electrician any more than I already have on this machine.
Sent fra min SM-G930F via Tapatalk
As you can see I didn't get fancy. I just cut a piece of aluminum with some tin snips and mounted it over the opening. Putting the fan there lowers the internal temp of the electrical box,PID, and SSR from 120deg + to ambient temp. At the lower temp the PID and SSR can survive a long time.Quote:
Originally Posted by hunter74
My Mark IV when I first got it lasted for about 6-7 hours before the PID got flakey and acted up. I took my IR thermometer and started taking measurements. The SSR was using the electrical box for its heat sink and that wasn't totally bad if they had incorporated a fan like I did. I did have conversations with Mike and gave him measurements and suggestions. I understand the later model Mark X's actually had the upgraded electrical box that was bigger and did away with the problems the earlier units had.
By using the fan your problems should go away.