converting to DUAL SPOUTS

[GARD72977]

I have a lee production pot with bottom pour ( drip-o-matic). I am building a dual spout with spring pressure. Will be similar to a RCBS set up. This will be set up to a foot pedal for control. This is a test set up. I hope to end up with a 4 spout larger pot for higher production. The trick will be to get all the spouts to seal and pour evenly. I think a heavy spring return and Pneumatic cylinder to open. The faster it opens and closes the less differences from the spouts .

Has any one used a set up that pours more than one cavity at a time. Im not talking about a spur plate with indention that goes to two cavites.

I am trying to design and build a production set up for personal use. A mold handle that has Pneumatic controls for spur cutting and mold opening. It will be held with both hands so wrist fatigue will not be an issue. The pot will be a 4 spout deisgn that fill all four cavities at one time. There will be a fan to cool the spur lead puddle and small fans to cool the sides and bottom of mold. This is why I am interested in cooling fins on mold. ( and yes cutting metal away will help cool the mold ) I know there are commercial set ups I could buy but Its about doing it myself. This is the same reason most of us cast and load our own

If this works maybe I can sell it to sears and they can slap a CRAFTSMAN sticker on it. It would the thier coolest air tool. :mrgreen:


Any suggestion I would apperciate. Any one saying it wont work - well I dont mind but Im still going to try!

If the lights dont go out tonight im going to work on the dual spout set up. Will post pics soon!

[James C. Snodgrass]

Well I'm glad it's you building it because if it were me it would be a Rube Goldberg affair. It does sound real cool though And I am very interested to see it when you are done. Good luck James:drinks:

[Nueces]

Well, whether you sell it to Sears or not, a lot of us appreciate you do-it-yerselfers coming over here to share your thinking. New perspectives always enrich the idea pot.

Mark

[deltaenterprizes]

Great idea but you are aproaching it from the wromng direction.The automatic machines use a single valve that controls flow into a channel that has a plate in it with 2 holes spacet the same as the holes in the sprue plate,this could also be donr with 4 openings.There was a machine from Canada that used 4 cavity molds,I wish I could remember the name,it was built in the early 90s,I can still remember the design it was nice but if I made one it would use Lee 6 cavity molds.I may have to make one!
I remember a machine that used 10 cavity molds and was supposed to make 50,000 bullets an hour made in the late 80's and cost $25,000.

[GARD72977]

Thanks for the reply. I have thought of having the Spout interchangable but decided their might be a problem with freezing. Im going with a multi spout design. I live in Florence MS so we have been without power most of the night. After thinking about it I see the problem with the Lee. The actual spout does not touch the lead pool. My first will be from aluminun becase I dont have and stainless steel rod on hand big enough to build it.

I like the idea of aluminum molds but have heard they will not hold up in a Magma caster. I plan to beat the production of a Magma but do not need real commercial rates. Im thinking of 960 per hour with 4 cavity. That wold be great in a set up that is both easy on the caster and give great repeatability for accuracy. It may cast more but I will consider it a sucess it I reach 960.

Even as I write this you have me thinking of a system much like a powder measure that drops a pre set charge of lead. that would be mindless casting. Dont want to tackle that one yet !.

I need to get this design in turbocad so I can start cutting tomorrow. Will post pic of prototype qual spout for lee tomorrow. hope to have it install by tomorrow night!

Any body have any opinion about the usefullness of filling all cavities at one time. This is the part of casting I find hardest on me. I think it would save 2 seconds per cavity and give better bullets. Also thinking it might keep molds from heating up so fast. You have the lead of the first cavity sitting there transfering heat while you move the mold and fill the next cavity. Its that last pourd bullet you are waiting on to become solid.

[deltaenterprizes]

The only problem with aluminum blocks is where the sprue plate pivots they can wear quicker than steel blocks and a suitable lubricant can reduce this problem.

[GARD72977]

Girlfriend has camera at work. Just as well first attempt is not a sucess. Seems I still have some work to do! I hope to have this figured out tonight.

[GARD72977]

Well I have not had good luck with this project. I drilled the pot and it is pretty thin. It bent while drilling it in the mill. I made a new nozzel out of a 3/4 bolt. The rod is S/S. Two things went wrong. The rods a perfect slip fit when cold but is very stick when in the molten lead. The worst problem is the bent pot just leaks around the bolt. I made a 6061 alum washer that has a slight angle . I hope this cures the problem. I only have one 1 1/8 socket so im having trouble tighting this thing enough. I going out of town for the week end so work is at a halt.

Found some metal flat bar and a local steel supplier. As soon as I get this figured out Im going to build a large pot and have up to six spouts for multicavity molds. thinking about a 40 - 45lb pot.

Found this in another fourm. I think Im going to build a manual one first and tackle the automatic later. This guy did a great job!

[deltaenterprizes]

That is a copy of the Magma Master Caster ,what site was it posted on?

[deltaenterprizes]

I forud a post about the machine that uses 6 cavity molds, it is called Policlips and I an trying to find pics of it.

[felix]

The "Polly" machine is not what is advertised in terms of quality. Folks I know dumped it after about a year's use. ... felix

[deltaenterprizes]

I have only seen pics ,never one in person.I know that it uses six cavity molds and with the price of Lee six bangers it sparked an idea as to whether the Lee molds could be fitted to such a machine.

[GARD72977]

Project got side tracted for a while. Im back on it now. I made a fitting from a 3/4 bolt. it will have a bottom peice pressed on that will give the dual spouts. Im waiting on some high temp seleant to come in. I cant keep the pot from leaking around the bolt. This will be set up to work by hand first ant then it will be convered to a electronic control. This is my first electronic project so we will see how it goes!