Shot

110 v 1500 watt, 8". Was told 1100 watt one wouldn't work, had to have this one at highest level to get lead to 650, which means adding new lead can't be added too fast. Everything I read says don't bother trying to make shot till summer, I wanted to test, but by the time I had all my coolant added, in and out of room, temp in room had dropped to 60, so that didn't help. I bought double drippers, I know this is going to be a problem keeping up with melting the lead, that was why I mounted lee 20 lb pot above to feed it. And of course, I couldn't get lee pot to pour, screwed in, screwed out, nothing, so I guess I'm working on that before I do anymore casting.
 
You could also pre heat ingots ready to be melted in your dripper in an old toaster oven so they pull less heat out of your dripper pan when added.
 
Never even thought of that, my lead was in the unheated garage, so probably around 4 c, I guess even setting them around outside of ladle would of bumped up temp to 30 or so, might of helped.
 
Ya bertn, post 22 suggested toaster oven to warm lead, that got me thinking, what wattage is our toaster oven, 1800. We were looking for a new one, so I may take our old one out and put ladle in and see what happens, not as a warmer, but as the actual melting element. Having it heated from above as well as below might work great. If so I'd just cut a hole in top to add lead.
 
Just took a few measurements in toaster oven, my whole ladle will fit ferfect. It has a rectangle element top and bottom, so tilting your ladle to proper angle puts front of element right under drippers, and also because back of ladle is higher, cold lead would be put in just under back of top element, not only that but then its an enclosed unit, heat faster i would imagine. Me thinks I need to play with a toaster oven next weekend. This probably wouldn't be worth it if you had to go buy new, $100.00 and up were the ones we were looking at, but could check thrift store.
 
What was the cost of the antifreeze for a gallon, is it less than 10 bucks? When I talked to guy at oasis, I double checked what they suggested on their site, he said they tried everything, but nothing beat the fabric softener, thickness was one thing, aside from water soluble, it's about as thick as maple syrup.
 
Well ran 12 pounds of shot through maker today, tried yesterday but everything stuck to ramp. I was using spray graphite on ramp, did a little reading yesterday, a lot of people suggesting copper paste. So I had copper antiseize, brushed that on, and figured, that won't work, doesn't go on smooth, and since you are supposed to polish ramp, how could this rough surface work. Well I tell you, not 1 thing stuck, perfect shot, well with the exception of one of my #8 drippers seams to be a 6 or so, will have to measure those ones. Only ran it for 10 minutes, my PID kit should be here this week, so I expect it will run perfectly when I can set temp. I was just plugging in and out to regulate temp. 700 seems to be the sweet spot for my lead.
 
Greglc said:
Well ran 12 pounds of shot through maker today, tried yesterday but everything stuck to ramp. I was using spray graphite on ramp, did a little reading yesterday, a lot of people suggesting copper paste. So I had copper antiseize, brushed that on, and figured, that won't work, doesn't go on smooth, and since you are supposed to polish ramp, how could this rough surface work. Well I tell you, not 1 thing stuck, perfect shot, well with the exception of one of my #8 drippers seams to be a 6 or so, will have to measure those ones. Only ran it for 10 minutes, my PID kit should be here this week, so I expect it will run perfectly when I can set temp. I was just plugging in and out to regulate temp. 700 seems to be the sweet spot for my lead.
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The only thing I have ever used on the ramp is soapstone , works great
Cat
 
Greglc said:
Got any tips for a guy that just built one. Haven't turned it on yet, too cold. I ordered drippers from oasis, the rest is cut and weld. What are you using for coolant? Wal-Mart girl looked at me a bit when I bout 7 gallons of fabric softener. Got my ramp polished, sprayed with graphite. I also built a shelf above ladle that hold my lee pot, figure it can't hurt to fill with premelted lead. My lead is from pistol range, melted, cleaned, in 1 lb bars. Any tips would be great.
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Finally got my PID figured out, so for anyone trying to hook up a PID controller for shot maker, this vid will help. I had no idea how to set it up, and from directions, I would never of gotten it done, both sides may as well been Chinese, as I sure couldn't understand how. Anyway vid is step by step, push this button, set to this number etc. https://www.google.com/search?clien...#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:f75190dd,vid:NlYfGD_udYA
 
fiddler said:
I remember watching a shot making machine in Edmonton a few years back. Superior Canadian Shotshells had a shop on the west end. The machine was 12 feet high and 25 feet long. A guy could stand there and watch it for hours.
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I watched that machine too when I was buying shot for the local gun club members.
The actual drop into the coolant was less than 5 millimeters.
Most of the shot he was making was shipped to Quebec where it was loaded in Challenger shot shells (Cheddite hulls, Galandi H25 wads) and shipped back to Edmonton where they were sold for less than the cost of Canadian Superior shot shells manufactured in Edmonton by Blemiester.....

The multi stage progressive shot shell loading machine used primed 12 ga Cheddite hulls, Galandi wads and was amazing to watch.
Health and safety inspections and associated delays in issuing permits were part of the reason they closed shop.
 
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