Master Caster Automated

[bstone5]

The used Master Caster I purchased need some minor repair work, after getting the machine operational in the hand operated method I went into the automation of the machine with the air cylinders and CLICK PLC like others have done on the forum.

I want to think all who have shared the automation of the Master Caster with air cylinders.

With out this information the automation would have much more difficult.

I have had the machine running in the auto mode for about four months.

I am on my third order of 200 pounds of lead at this time, casting only pistol bullets.

I purchase the 92-6 -2 allow locally hear in Houston from Lead Products.
A 1/8 cup of hard bird shot is added to each melt so a small percentage of Arsenic is present to make the allow a little harder.

The machine is mounted on a stand with metal casters made from 1 " Sq tubing and sheet metal all TIG welded together.

This arrangement allows for the easy movement of the machine for operation and storage in the shop.

Since the machine was automate approximately 14,000 cast bullets have been cast with the machine.

It is somewhat strange but it takes longer to make 200 grain bullets than 125 grain bullets, the lead pot gets empty faster and adding lead, with fluxing and bringing up to temperature the heavy bullets take longer to make.

The last picture is of the bullets I have cast with the machine. I generally powder coat and install gas checks on all cast lead bullets.

Again I want to thank all of the people who have contributed information on this site with regard to automating the Master Caster.

[kayak1]

Looks great!

[HATCH]

You know i have built thousands of control panels and i didn't even think about mounting the control panel on the side of the cart with the controls on the side.

I made aluminum side shields for the mc. I kept finding sprue pieces on the floor.
Also i took out the divider so both the sprue and the boolits drop in the same pan.
You need to just get a pallet of lead in and be done with it.

[wymanwinn]

VERY nice setup....from one automated Master Caster caster to another...

wyman

[ProfGAB101]

Is there a good write up on how to do this? I like how you programmed the action to dwell at the fan, then return to the top before trying to cut the spru.

[HATCH]

On my setup it only has two positions.
Top and bottom

Its all timing.

Lets say
1 sec pause at top
5 sec for lead to pour and sprues to cool
4 sec run to bottom

The pause at top is the oh **** something is wrong shut it down before it dumps lead.

I need to rewrite the lead pour sequencing and tie in the amount of time it is to pour lead.
Right now its 5 secs regardless of the size of the boolit. So larger boolits have less cool down time

There is a post explaining everything. Look for topics started by me.