Does ANYONE have an operating MAGMA BULLET MASTER.

[RoGrrr]

Does ANYONE have an operating MAGMA BULLET MASTER ?

I just picked up an OLD beat up (like - built in the 70's) MAGMA MK 2 BULLET MASTER. While it is relatively complete, it also has butchered electrical controls. Really loused up. However,
That isn't really a concern to me since I spent an entire career in electricity/electronics so I can rewire it and make it GO.
If I understand the sequencing of the machine, that is.
What I do need is to see one in operation and talk with the owner so I can get an idea what it is and how it works.

I spoke with Gene at MAGMA today and while I got a decent idea of how it works, and they're sending me a manual for the MK 4 (they are up to MK8 and they had a fire at their plant so the oldest they have is the MK 4) I'd like to see one so I can begin to get a feel for it. I also have looked at their vids but there are still some things that the vids don't show.
I'd really like to see a manual for the MK 2 if anyone has one of them.

HELP !

RoGrrr

[KYCaster]

What, exactly, do you want to know?

Jerry


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv5Ra6s0wLI

[RoGrrr]

It's not that I have specific questions, and I have already seen the vid you linked to which is for the Master Caster.
I have the bullet master which is the 8-mold progressive machine.

Bottom line, what I got is a basket case which is actually an abortion.

My machine has a solid state controller in it which was not part of it when it was new. I believe this is to control the lead valve but all the wires have been cut and/or pulled out. Bottom line is that you see there are wires which SHOULD go somewhere....

I understand the basic operation of it and in time I should be able to get it put back together and running. I talked with Gene at Magma and got some info but seeing a machine in operation will answer lots of questions without me even opening my mouth to ask them.
I understand the basic operations but would like to see one.

DO YOU HAVE ONE ?

[KYCaster]

Yes I have a MKII operating, a MKIV operating, another MKII with a couple of issues I'll eventually convert to PID control and another MKIV that's been stripped for parts.

I replaced the link with the correct one that shows a MKII bullet master.

Wiring on the MKII is very simple. The top toggle switch is the main power. It's a DPST that feeds 220v to the heating elements (the bi-metal thermostats break one leg) and also feeds 110v to the three SPST switches. The right switch controls the motor, the center controls the fan and the left one controls the spout which feeds through a micro switch riding on a cam on the motor shaft.

Mine also has a sprue knocker that the one in the vid lacks, which is wired in parallel with the spout.

Weakest link on the MKII is the solenoid operated pour spout....scrap that and put an air cylinder on it ASAP.

Next is the bi-metal thermostats, that's why I'll convert them to PID. I have the parts ready to make the change when the thermostats fail.

Does that help?

Jerry

[RoGrrr]

Jerry
I have that particular vid in my library and it did answer some of my questions, initially.
I understand the need for the 4 switches and plan to set mine up with them. I don't, however, have the small panel on the main pot support. Instead, someone put in a 12x12x3 panel box which has 5 switches, however, all the wires have been cut so I don't know what the 5th circuit was intended for.
I saw the microswitch on the motor shaft but had no idea what it was for. Now I understand. However, there is an electronic timer in the box which I surmised was to control the lead valve. I had planned to use it for the valve but now maybe my plan has changed.
At 1:26 in your vid there is an actuator/solenoid. What is it for ?
You talk about the bi-metalic t-stat, which mine doesn't have. I've been looking at the PID Stats with the K-Type sensor and 25 amp SSR on ebay and will be adding that to mine. I'm thinking in the range of $40. My unit has a 30 amp relay in the box which I guess is to control the heating element. That will be replaced by an SSR driven by the PID. I'm trying to figure out how to mount the temp sensor on the pot. Do you have any ideas to help me ?
Mine also has a solenoid on the end of the machine which is a sprue knocker, however, it is out of adjustment and doesn't even trouch the sprue plate. Yet.
The German Master Caster vid I saw had 2 knockers which were driven by pulses and strike the mould on the order of 5 times rapidly. When I've cast my 45s with my Lyman 4 cav mould, I have to strike the mould smartly with a lead hammer to dislodge all the boolits so I'm thinking that I should replicate the rapid striker as the German fella did.
The clevis on the working end of the carousel driver is gone, not that it's a big problem for me, as I'll either pick one up at a hardware store or make my own (I weld and have a complete machine shop, including a Bridgeport mill).
The actuator to drive the lead valve is missing so I just bought one from ebay, waiting on it to arrive. Explain your air-drive to me and how you control it. I do have air to drive anything I want. I also have oil driven hydraulics if need be.
Your lead pot is partitioned while mine is one chamber. When I got the machine, it was half full of lead and the asbestos sheet on the bottom which acts as the support for the filled pot was broken during transport so I need to replace that. I'll use a piece of aluminum cut to fit, with some more fiberglass insulation in the cavity, as they had from the factory. If our heating elements ever burn out, we're screwed. Those were made specifically for Magma and that vintage pot. As such, they are no longer available, none left in stock at the factory. New lead pot is about $500.
I fired up the pot and it only took about 15 minutes to melt the lead that was in it. I set it up over a bucket so when it melted and started to run, I had lead shot rather than a blob which I would have had to cut apart to remelt. Easy for me to handle now. I then disassembled the lead valve and orifice to clean out all the accumulated lead. It was a good thing I did, as there was lots of stuff which needed to be removed to prevent future problems.
They don't have any manuals for the MK 2, as there was a fire at the plant which burned up all their paperwork in the office area. They offered to send me a manual for the MK4 anyway.
I got a set of 9mm RN moulds when I bought the machine, which is ok since I shoot 9s but I'd like to have a set of 45 moulds. What I'd REALLY like is a set of moulds to cast the 255 grain 45 KEITH boolits. That's what I shoot bowling pins with. If I end up with SWC or RN moulds, I'll be happy with them, since I shoot more paper than pins.
RoGrrr

[KYCaster]

Does your panel look kinda like this?.......

44923


Same switch configuration as the one in the vid......one DPST and three SPST. The two dials set the temp for the two pot zones.

Mine has two of these PC boards..........

44924


They're the temp controllers. The white/black/blue leads go to the dials to set the temp and the connector strip has line, load and thermocouple. Load goes to mechanical relays to operate the heating elements. Should be simple to replace the PC boards with a dual output PID feeding the same relays.

The solenoid you see in the vid opens the valve. Time of the pour was originally controlled by the micro switch on the motor shaft. Duration of contact with the cam is set with a thumb screw. I suppose a timer will work as well but mine works fine with the micro switch so I don't feel a need to change.

Here's the air operated valve........

44925

Much more durable than the solenoid.

Mounting the thermocouple.....................
Much easier to do than to describe and I don't have one at the moment to take a pic of.

Get a piece of flat stock..........~3/4 X 1/8. Bend an ell on one end so you can mount it to the skirt on the top of the pot.....bolt it, clamp it.......whatever.

Near the other end D and T a hole for 1/4" iron pipe thread. Determine the copper tube size of your thermocouple (e.g. 1/8 OD ).......doesn't have to be perfect. Get a 1/4 male IP X 1/8 compression adapter (or whatever size to fit the TC), remove the compression sleeve and replace with an O ring that will fit snugly around the TC and fill the inside of the compression nut.

Assemble this to your flat stock and bend it to position the TC.

Perfectly clear, right? :roll:

Actually works very well.

Good luck. Hope you can get it working.

Jerry


Edit to add...........

Well, I see the pic of the air actuated valve isn't very clear.

Essentially just a turn buckle between two clevises with the cylinder under the angle screwed to the side of the machine.

The tee between the valve and the cylinder feeds the sprue knocker which operates at the same time as the valve.

[RoGrrr]

KY
Did you get my PM this evening ? I think I sent it but the system doesn't show any results.

[Silver-Silver]

KYCaster,
Even though this was not for me, I still found it interesting.
I do have a question for you though. Do you have a picture or a discription of the liquid float transfer between the warming pot and the production lead pot?
I have always been interested to see one, or a diagram how they work. But I have never gotten a good description.
Thanks,
Steve

[Ron r]

I have 4 of them I'll look for a manual
Know I got one on mk 4 not for sure on
Mk 2