James Stewart double drippers + what to make effective shotmaker?

[sheepdog]

After reading this and people talking about the Stewart thinking about making one.

Thinking about getting a James Stewart set of drippers, getting a Lee heating element and making my own shotmaker from a scratch since its so damn expensive. Anyone got a design they've made so I dont have to reinvent the wheel?

[scrapcan]

sheepdog,

You could use a high watt range element also. you could use a piece of aluminum channel with a short piece of aluminum angle to make the pot. if you sue the angle you are close to having the 90 degree drop from nozzle to lip.

You can then mount the element right onto the bottom of the pot, this is the way the Littleton is made.

[sheepdog]

Looking for something simple and quick to make without alot of machining. I'm sure I can figure something out but bet someones thought of something better already.

[scrapcan]

If you have the ability to weld either steel or aluminum you can make the pot. Steel will work but it retains alot of heat and may take a higher watt element/more time to get it started making good shot on startup.

Find a peice or 4 or 6 inch channel, cut one end at about 15 degrees (flat of channel down) and weld a piece of angle iron across the front that you just sloped. Lip should be down. Mark your holes for the nozzles, drill to your size. I have not see the stewart nozzles so don't know how they mount, you decide what to do for threading or drill straight thru.

Use some sand paper to make the lip smooth, you can also use a buffer.

drill a hole in the middle of your pot and use a countersunk screw in it to mount to element using a cross bar under element to sandwich the element between pot bottom and cross plate. You figure out how to mount the element to a base that tils up slightly (15 degrees) look at the mounting for the range you took the element out of.

The controller is the question. You can direct wire and use a switch to keep from getting too hot or put a regular control in line.

[cheese1566]

That is an idea! I have a steel channel that is 3" wide I can cut down to 4 or 6" long. Weld some end plates to it.

What about settig it on top of a single electric hotplate? these are typically hot enough to melt lead. I would have to safely make it so it would tilt slightly and not slide off the element.

Different sized drippers could then be placed on opposite ends for making different shot (not at the same time, just maybe easier than switching nozzles in and out.)

[scrapcan]

Cheese1566,

You should be able to use the tie plate and bolt to hold it on the element. Just make sure the tie strap only ontacts the element and not the hot platesupports. The element doesn't care if heats on the top or bottom.

Your idea could work if you build a small sloped mount (can you say angle iron) that will be safe and sturdy enought to keep it all in place. Make sure you don't make it so it can tip due to the weight in the pot when filled with lead.

[sheepdog]

Hmmm I'm not a welder nor even a brazer but I have access to someone that is,..sorta. I could take it to a machine shop but no telling how much that will be.

How do the nozzles react to make the drip? If you put too much lead in the pot does it turn to a jetstream?

[steg]

What controlls the separation of the drip, as in differen't sizes, and what would be the recommended drop height into? water? One time as I was taking a break while casting bullets my bottom pour pot started a slow drip, and just for the heck of it I put a little bowl of water under the drip, What I ended up with was a bunch of teardrop shaped pellets, that if they had a longer fall time I think they would have formed into a No1 or slightly larger shot, they were all more or less uniform in size, it seemed that when the lead reached a certain weight is when it fell, I just wonder how the size is actually controlled, the way it seems to me is that the end of the nozzle must extend beyond the container, or if a screen type of a set up is used it would be better to use a punch of sorts to dimple the bottom of the screen from the inside, to leave a cone shape on the bottom, and then drill the holes for the different size shot in the center of the dimples, to eliminate the shot from adhering to the screen, what do you think?...........................steg

[c3d4b2]

I watched a video one time and if I am remembering correctly.... the lead came out of the nozzle onto a chalk covered metal plate, traveled downward on the metal plate and then fell a distance through the air into water.

[mac1911]

http://www.trapshooters.com/cfpages/smess_list.cfm#620803

here are some of the best videos. I screwed around trying to build a shotmaker.
Came across a used James Stewart better shot maker, drop tanks, coolant, pretty much a complete set up. running the #8 drippers. I only have made one run at shot makeing and was likeing what I had. Now I just have to smelt down a few hundred pounds of wheel weights.