Gonna build a shot maker

[heathydee]

The largest shot I have ever made successfully is sized about .110". This needs a set of drippers drilled about .040". The level of molten lead in the tray has to be as low as is practical . If there is too much flow the droplets run into one another and form mis-shapen blobs.
As regards the height of the lip from the coolant I have found the closer the better is the way to go . Raising the lip will result in molten droplets flattening and being less round , as will coolant overheating.
Coolants are a whole story in themselves. I have used diesel fuel with electrically powered shotmakers and it works well - cleanup being the problem . I have heard that near boiling water can be used but I could foresee a very nasty accident happening in my workshop .
Soapy water is another one I have not tried. My current coolant is a soluble machining oil "BP Fedaro M "mixed at about 20 to 1 with water. That is one litre of oil to twenty litres of water. I have been using the same batch of coolant for 15 years .It is stored in plastic drums under the bench and brought out as required. It does not appear to have deteriorated at all over the years.

[beyersgrt]

I see a new building project in the making.
I want to make no 7 and 71/2 shot. What would the size of the dripper be?

What flux would you use?

__________________________________________________ ________

Cartidges aint fun 'til they go BANG

[Mister Tom]

Just a note on the drilling of stainless. Try to use cobalt (or M42) twist drills and you will have much greater success over HSS drills. Stainless is soft but is considerably abrasive when being cut and tends to build more heat on the cutting edge. Cobalt tool steel is not much more expensive and adds to the toughness and hot-hardness of the drill considerably. Make sure to slow down RPMs, use gentle steady feed pressure and use plenty of cutting oil or coolant. Pecking the drill also helps to clear the chips. Cutting stainless at 50sfm with a 5/32 drill should be around 1200 RPM. For the .020-.040 drills, most equipment will not run fast enough, as Heathydee mentioned. I hope this saves some broken drills (and well placed cuss words)!

[rszkutak]

I am looking to make #5, and #6 shot. Does anyone have an idea of what size hole to drill on the front to accomplish this? I hate to buy one of the nozzles from magma to get the size from it, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

I am kicking around using your design for the nozzle, however I am going to make it a double hole exit. Of course you will have to use larger "bolts" and a larger bore inside the bolt but I am planning some good solid heat on it.

For my alloy I use foundry ingots, when i cast normal bullets and heat treat them they come out 22 BHN. I wonder what the BHN of magnum shot is?

[PatMarlin]

Start small and work up.

[heathydee]

I am looking to make #5, and #6 shot. Does anyone have an idea of what size hole to drill on the front to accomplish this? I hate to buy one of the nozzles from magma to get the size from it, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

I am kicking around using your design for the nozzle, however I am going to make it a double hole exit. Of course you will have to use larger "bolts" and a larger bore inside the bolt but I am planning some good solid heat on it

About a .030" hole should be close enough to get you started , bearing in mind that the shot size can be manipulated up or down by playing around with lead level , and thus pressure , in the trough of your shotmaker . The double holed dripper is an idea worth pursuing . When next I have some spare time it is something I wish to do with my machine. It currently has 13 drippers but doubling that to 26 would be well worth doing . Best of luck .
Heath

[hoosierlogger]

I used a .024 for my 7 1/2 nozzle and it comes out pretty close to the right size. I made another set of nozzles too, but I cant remember what size bit I used. Buy plenty of bits because you will break one or two. Also use lots of cutting oil while drilling.

[jppr26]

im having troubble with the one im making all i get is a steady stream of lead with droplets having a tail, what is a decent angle for the pot end of it. and should the plate that it dribbles onto be sloped or flat with the pot

[heathydee]

im having troubble with the one im making all i get is a steady stream of lead with droplets having a tail, what is a decent angle for the pot end of it. and should the plate that it dribbles onto be sloped or flat with the pot

If the lead is coming out of the dripper in a steady stream without forming droplets there is too much pressure behind it . If the droplets have a tail they are falling too far. The inclined ramp needs to be at about 30 degrees . It is not critical . Five degrees either way will not matter. The ramp needs to be smooth and free of imperfections and the droplets should bounce two or three times on their way to the coolant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=App1keMEMVc

[Flash]

I tried this once and never hung in long enough to perfect it but mine was a Saeco bottom pour furnace and a short length of aluminum rain gutter. The Saeco was adjustable to have just a dribble or a decent flow. I used screen material from a local quarry and wound up with pretty decent sized shot around #2 but the sizes were all over the place. I just recycled what i couldn't use.

[L1A1Rocker]

This looks like an interesting project.

Thanks for all the photos and the video. That is truly an excellent dropper.

[PatMarlin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjdHW...eature=related

[jppr26]

so i need to have just enough lead for it to dribble out, the more lead in the pot the more presure which will make it pour out in a stream. am i correct?

[heathydee]

so i need to have just enough lead for it to dribble out, the more lead in the pot the more presure which will make it pour out in a stream. am i correct?

In a word , Yes , but there is an ability to vary the size of the shot by manipulating the lead level . I run mine with the lead level just short of the point where the blobbing starts . This gives me 8.5 to 9 shot. If I lower the lead level half an inch the size produced is 7.5 to 8 .

[jppr26]

another problem im haveing is the lead is sticking to the ramp, and running sown in a stream, it is not staying in the individual shot pellets, do i need to lube the ramp with something?

[heathydee]

another problem im haveing is the lead is sticking to the ramp, and running sown in a stream, it is not staying in the individual shot pellets, do i need to lube the ramp with something?

I use ordinary blackboard chalk on the ramp . Also , the ramp needs to be as smooth as possible . I regularly give the ramp a dressing with an orbital sander using 600 grit paper .

[Faret]

another problem im haveing is the lead is sticking to the ramp, and running sown in a stream, it is not staying in the individual shot pellets, do i need to lube the ramp with something?

Bullplate lube works too just let it burn on.

[jppr26]

how high do the dripers need to be from the plate mine are about 1/4"

[heathydee]

how high do the dripers need to be from the plate mine are about 1/4"

About 3/8 inch .

[xfoxofshogo]

Hello if some one is makeing the boolts for the dripers let me know

Im thinking about tring carb jets ther brass and chep and i can get all size will that work

sorry i was in a rush and i drop words some times