I have seen a couple of different shotmakers for sale. Generally over 500$ and I have read story's of guys who fought for 2 years and never did get it to work right.
I wanted to let any of you who are interested know that there is another way.
I bought my shotmaker off ebay, welded steel box with 5 double drippers. Just a set of drippers costs 60$ on ebay. This guy was selling the whole thing for 90$. Free shipping, I figured if I can make it work and get 50 lbs of usable shot out of it that would cost over 100$ locally. I tried it once with an electric hot plate, just not enough heat. Even melting the lead with a hand propane torch it would not keep the dripper's running. It would only keep a circle about 3" in the center melted.
So I bought one of those Jet type cookers, 35$ no pot and waited.
It arrived and in order to use the tin box I had as a cooling tank I had to do a bit of surgery on the outer ring and part of the support. But once I fired it up it made shot.
Started short and small, 10 lbs first day, lots of snowflakes and crazy looking stuff. Added more dollar store fabric softener. 10 lbs the next day, shot looks real good, round. 16 lbs the the next day and today I ran a little longer session and cleaned out the box. 36 lbs today. 75 pounds total.
As far as I am concerned this paid off the shotmaker, the bayou cooker and put something towards the lead I used.
Pictures perhaps tomorrow I'm all tuckered after casting and cleaning.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/252552300412...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT