Casting Machine Plans

[No_1]

Does anyone have plans for a casting machine? It can be a single or multiple mould machine, manual or automatic.

Thanks in advance,

Robert

[phatman]

Hello,

Try the Yahoo group Hobbicast.
They are really into this sort of thing

John

[No_1]

Thanks for the pointer.

I know the single mould manual units can be bought for around $1000 but I wanted to build something along the lines of a 2 mould unit that could be automated in such a way that you could set up the moulds, put ingots in the pot, turn it on and when the melt gets to the proper temp it would start casting. I believe the key to the operation would be a PID controller with some additional sensors that would start the process once the melt reached temp. I guess I could save myself a lot of time and headaches if I get a single moud unit, add the PID controller and features I want then set up a drive system to cast boolits. Any thoughts on this idea?

Robert

[angus6]

Robert have you gone to Magmas site and looked at their drawings ? The machines are very simple

[pjh421]

Search this site for posts by jmorris. He made one and other useful automated tools. Quite a guy.

Paul

[deltaenterprizes]

Look at the Ballisticast 2 mold hand unit it would be a good starting point for your idea. Use Magma's mounting system or something similar, Ballisticast's suck.

[ANeat]

There was someone who automated one of the manual Magma machines, I cant track that down yet.

Some good info on the patent search.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4624297.pdf

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3709288.pdf


And here is JMorris creation that pjh421 mentioned, fine work indeed

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/showpost.php?p=628458&postcount=46

[castalott]

I made /have a homemade fully automated caster. It uses 1 Lyman 4cavity mold. It runs with air cylinders and is controlled by timers. I can't find my piks but if you are interested, I look for them. It makes about 1000 to 1200 boolits/hour.

[No_1]

Gentlemen,

Thank you very much for all the information and links. Please keep them coming.
The patents give me the "inside" look on the current items being offered from the manufacturers. I had already decided on trying to use a Magma style mold adapters system. I pulled up the link on Jmorris' stuff but cannot view the pictures from work.

Mr Castalott, I would very much like to see the pictures of your setup if it is not too much trouble.

Robert

[castalott]

Hi No1!

There are ,I think, 2 threads on this site with piks of my older machine. You might try a search for 'homemade bullet caster'.

This is one of them...

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=1573&highlight=homemade+caster

That is the one I rebuilt to what I have now. A lot different mechanically/electrically.The new one is better in many ways but not all ways.

With all the different timers, you can determine how long the sprue cools before it cuts and how long the blocks stay open to cool before they close back together to start the next cycle.

The mold still rotates up underneath the pot and the pot moves as it pours to fill the mold. Time of the move, speed of the move , and fill on the move are all variable. A timer determines how long the mold stays up to cool. It then rotates down and the sprue is sheared. After the sprue shears, the blocks open and a timer determines how long the blocks stay open to cool. It is all adjustable on the go. The last model has provisions for a second pot to keep the bottom pot filled.

Building the machine was as much fun as casting with it...I need to get some piks of the latest model... I'll be glad to help any way I can....

Dale

Oh, A guy in Ohio built a much more simple machine that ran with 2 cavity molds. Look on the accurate reloading forums. Maybe it is still there.

[No_1]

Thanks Dale and everyone for all the info. I have an idea in my head (kind of) and will continue gathering info.

Robert