The latest in automatic casters

[Drew P]

I’m falling behind in my casting and I’m pondering adding automation. I see that there are a few options, and also some who have automated semi automatic magma units. I’m curious what the best unit is and why, who in this game is “the Dillon” lol.

https://americancastingequipment.com/products/m2r-automatic-casting-machine

Looks like a nice unit. How closely do these units need to be monitored, can one load them up and walk away for a few hours? Overnight? Do any of them return their sprues to their own melts?

Also, it looks like most use two cav molds, is there a reason for this? Have any used higher cav count molds? Is it easy to use a hand casting mold in a machine? With some welding on the sprue plate possibly?

[Burnt Fingers]

Wow!!

You need a machine that can cast 5000 bullets an hour!!!

The one you linked to has a 150 lb pot.

If you're using the full capacity and casting say 200 gr bullets it will run for less than an hour before it's out of lead. That's guessing 100 gr of sprue weight.

I haven't seen a machine that returns the sprues to the pot.

The reason for using 2 cavity molds is speed. They cool down faster and are easier to cycle.

You can modify a 2 cavity mold. It's more to do with how it attaches to the machine.

[Drew P]

Ah I see. Makes sense. Machine can run a two cav enough faster that it doesn’t make faster to increase cav count. Yes, returning sprues will extend the time between adding lead greatly. I can probably make my own conveyor to accomplish this. I can probably make this whole machine from scratch too, but I’m not sure it’s the best use of my time. Lot of trial and error has already been suffered by the makers of these.

[ReloaderFred]

I know of no automated casting machine available to the general public that you can turn on and walk away from. I have a Magma Bullet Master Mark 6, and if you even look like you're going to turn your back on it, something will absolutely go wrong. That's a rule written in stone, at least with my machine. Between the electronics and the pneumatics, there are a lot of things that can go wrong, and go wrong they will. I'm waiting on parts for my machine right now, and I need to get it working again..........[smilie=b:

And that's not even addressing the Lube Master and M-A Systems Collator, which is a whole 'nuther issue........

Hope this helps.

Fred

[dverna]

I know of no automated casting machine available to the general public that you can turn on and walk away from. I have a Magma Bullet Master Mark 6, and if you even look like you're going to turn your back on it, something will absolutely go wrong. That's a rule written in stone, at least with my machine. Between the electronics and the pneumatics, there are a lot of things that can go wrong, and go wrong they will. I'm waiting on parts for my machine right now, and I need to get it working again..........[smilie=b:

And that's not even addressing the Lube Master and M-A Systems Collator, which is a whole 'nuther issue........

Hope this helps.

Fred

Listen to him.

Even if someone says you can run one unattended, do you really want to risk having a machine using 750* lead operate that way?

I have a Master Caster and wish there was something a bit faster. “Automating” the Master Caster saves hand cranking but I do not see output per hour being increased. At least you can run it more hours a day without tiring yourself out.

BTW, you can cast bullets a lot faster with a 10 cavity manual mold. I had an H&G and could do 1000/hr ladle pouring. But that was when I was a lot younger and stronger. I got the Master Caster because I was no longer physically able to use big molds for an extended period.

[Drew P]

The ace machine holds up to 6 molds at a time, so it can really start moving. I might have to try one out. Yes, I agree it’s unlikely I’ll be able to walk away longer than a pee break from any machine.

[ReloaderFred]

Yes, I agree it’s unlikely I’ll be able to walk away longer than a pee break from any machine.

As soon as you leave the room, something will go wrong...........:veryconfu

[Ausglock]

The machines watch you...stalk you.....lull you into a false sense of comfort..
The moment you turn your back, all hell breaks loose. Lead everywhere. Broken shear pins falling all over the floor. Bullets stuck in cavities causing weird pours... you name it, it will happen.
DO NOT TRUST your machine.... It hates you!!!!!

[dverna]

The machines watch you...stalk you.....lull you into a false sense of comfort..
The moment you turn your back, all hell breaks loose. Lead everywhere. Broken shear pins falling all over the floor. Bullets stuck in cavities causing weird pours... you name it, it will happen.
DO NOT TRUST your machine.... It hates you!!!!!

It is great to see people with real experience and common sense.

[Drew P]

It is great to see people with real experience and common sense.

Not sure if that’s meant as a compliment to mr ausglock or an insult to me, but either way, I agree.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Have you guys tried some sacrifices to Murphy?

You know, something a little costly, break it intentionally.

I've heard that Murphy can sometimes be appeased this way and will let things go smoothly. For a while.

[Drew P]

Have you guys tried some sacrifices to Murphy?

You know, something a little costly, break it intentionally.

I've heard that Murphy can sometimes be appeased this way and will let things go smoothly. For a while.

Excellent idea, but what? Spill some pure molten tin?

[Mr_Sheesh]

If it's recoverable easily, I'm not sure Murphy is impressed. Maybe try some expensive looking glass knicknacks?

[Tazza]

The machines watch you...stalk you.....lull you into a false sense of comfort..
The moment you turn your back, all hell breaks loose. Lead everywhere. Broken shear pins falling all over the floor. Bullets stuck in cavities causing weird pours... you name it, it will happen.
DO NOT TRUST your machine.... It hates you!!!!!

That is so very true, my master caster or sizer does that to me. It's running great, i step away for a piddle break and something WILL stop, no matter how well it was going....

[dverna]

Not sure if that’s meant as a compliment to mr ausglock or an insult to me, but either way, I agree.

Hey, no insult intended. In my younger days I was a Process Control engineer. I learned you cannot trust people or machines. The only difference is machines do not lie about what screwed up.

[Mr_Sheesh]

In software development I learned to test all assertions, and provide nice detailed error messages to the user so they could tell me exactly what had gone wrong.

I then learned that some users are very special, their report to me was "It popped up an error so I shut the program down and restarted it."

So to compensate I started writing these errors to an error log, then I would actually get error reports more detailed than "Some error popped up." Literally.

I mean, I got them a notebook with pen for the error reports and everything, but that's too much work? Grrr -.-

Reinforces my previous rule of "Only code for technical people, so you don't kill yourself off with stress" LOL

But yeah, Murphy is watching & just waiting for you to leave...

[kevin c]

My automatic caster uses MP 8 cavity molds, and, once tweaked, will usually run three hours at ~900 good casts per hour before shutting down and needing a reboot. It has an ingot loader and sprue return. It is self monitoring and self correcting.

Problem is, it's out of warrantee, not upgradable, and cusses when it's organic parts get spattered with lead.

[Mr_Sheesh]

That getting spattered with lead is an alternate way to appease Murphy, but not really recommended.

The other way to get automated casting is to get your kid to cast for you :p

[Drew P]

My automatic caster uses MP 8 cavity molds, and, once tweaked, will usually run three hours at ~900 good casts per hour before shutting down and needing a reboot. It has an ingot loader and sprue return. It is self monitoring and self correcting.

Problem is, it's out of warrantee, not upgradable, and cusses when it's organic parts get spattered with lead.
You had me very interested for a minute there, until I realized I already have that casting machine and I’m trying to replace it!

[Drew P]

Well, I bit the proverbial boolit and sent off a check to a man in California to make me one of these.

https://americancastingequipment.com/products/speed-caster-42-bullet-casting-machine

I’m super excited about it! I will see how it runs manually but I’m thinking I’ll add my own automation motors and switches for full auto operation.

Does anyone know if MP will make me molds for it from his catalog that might not be listed specifically in the machine section?

[dverna]

That is the one I would buy if I was younger and still shooting competitively. Even at 1200 bullets an hour (which I think is a more realistic number) it would kick butt. You still need to add ingots, flux, move containers of bullets and sprues, and clear nozzles occasionally so it is more than pulling and pushing on the handle. But 6000 bullets in 5 hours would be sweet.

Looking forward to your report!!!

[sukivel]

Yeah that girl looks like she can eat too!!

Nice looking machine for sure!


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[Drew P]

Yeah it looks like this fellow has really spared no expense on this unit and get this, it comes with 9mm molds?!

[Ausglock]

I have a manually operated Ballisti-cast Mark X machine.
4 x 2 cav molds.
This machin will cast 2500 to 3000 per hour.
After 3 hours of pulling the handle, I need to stop as the arm gets a bit tired.
Did 3 hours today and got 4000 125gn SWC and 4000 135gn RN. with a mold change in the middle.

They are great machines...

The Mark 2 autocaster will do 2500 per hour. So long as you don't turn your back on it...