lead shot making

[Mick Shaw]

I need some help please, I'm not able to get my shot maker to flow using soft lead, Iv'e just used up almost all of my re-claimer range lead and tried to mix in soft lead, it wont flow properly and makes 4 shot instead of 8 shot.will a different hole size help ? I'm using a .023" hole at the moment, any body got any ideas ? or does any body have some spare linotype or wheel weights ? or if any body wants to swop some 3 1/2 shot for some 7 or 8 shot !

 

thanks for looking.

Mick.

[sitsinhedges]

I need some help please, I'm not able to get my shot maker to flow using soft lead, Iv'e just used up almost all of my re-claimer range lead and tried to mix in soft lead, it wont flow properly and makes 4 shot instead of 8 shot.will a different hole size help ? I'm using a .023" hole at the moment, any body got any ideas ? or does any body have some spare linotype or wheel weights ? or if any body wants to swop some 3 1/2 shot for some 7 or 8 shot !

 

thanks for looking.

Mick.

 

What kind of shotmaker is it

[Mick Shaw]

Its one I made about 15 years ago, I saw a picture of one in sporting gun magazine and set to work making something similer, A 6x3 steel tray 1 1/2" deep, with 5 holes at lowest end, heated by a gas burner, nothing special but it has worked for years with the lead I was able to get.

 

Mick.

[sitsinhedges]

Its one I made about 15 years ago, I saw a picture of one in sporting gun magazine and set to work making something similer, A 6x3 steel tray 1 1/2" deep, with 5 holes at lowest end, heated by a gas burner, nothing special but it has worked for years with the lead I was able to get.

 

Mick.

 

Floating Chamber is the expert but I find that a little bit more heat often helps for small shot and more head to push it out, but those holes are very small. I use about .65mm which is 0.026" for no 7.5 without problem. Maybe you are pushing the limit of what is do-able with pure lead. If you are creating big shot it sounds as if it is coming thru very slowly and so forming big droplets before falling under its own weight so I would suggest a bigger hole that lets it flow more easily might help.

[seeker]

if it usually works (15years) I d look at the lead .. are you sure of the source? A build up of a little Zinc from the metal hook on wheelweights seems to cause that. I was told to clean everything out and start a fresh ..... its frustrating.

[Vince Green]

Lead alloys can do funny things, its the same casting bullets. Every now and then you get a load that just refuses to cast.

[Mick Shaw]

if it usually works (15years) I d look at the lead .. are you sure of the source? A build up of a little Zinc from the metal hook on wheelweights seems to cause that. I was told to clean everything out and start a fresh ..... its frustrating.

Hi Seeker

Thanks for the responce, I have stripped both my lead trays 3 times each and passed a drill through the holes, wire brushed around the hole area and re-started the process,and have made 50Kg of 3 1/2 shot in the process, I started with 50/50 hard range lead/roofing lead (of my own roof ) and then 60/40, then 75/25 and it only started to flow when I used only about 10% soft lead. I have not used any wheel weights at all, (dont have any)

Is there anything else that might help? my only other option is hole size.

 

Mick.

[seeker]

if current hole size worked then I'd still look at the mix / heat.

to much antimony has caused problems. A mate had problems with recasting some cast bullets fron a range

Otherwise it seems to be something to do with the moon? phase

[Guest cookoff013]

more heat? (just a stab in the dark?)

[sitsinhedges]

Try reading this page off the Cast Boolits website esp the troubleshooting page.

 

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/showth...aker&page=2

 

It says that overheating lead can ruin it for shotmaking, never had it happen myself but my shotmaker is controlled with a thermometer. I have noticed that smaller shot tend to drip better with a litle bit more heat though

[Floating Chamber]

I have had trouble with tin, (in the form of solder scrap) in the past.

[b682]

Mick,

 

Make sure you clean the lead by fluxing it to remove all the dross.

 

To make nice round shot you will probably (in my experience) need a lead-alloy with Antimony in it.

 

Like you I find 50% old range lead to 50% "pure" lead (roofing lead to work very well. Antimony also lowere the melting point of the alloy.

Pure lead needs a lot more heat to flow and drip correctly.

 

I have made a lot of shot and at times the same setup/process gives unexpected results, I find most problems are due to unkown lead-alloy mix with insuffient Antimony or insuffient heat.

 

Good luck.

[Mick Shaw]

Hi All

Thanks for all the suggestions, I think Ill look out for some wheel weights and up the hardness again, If I cant find any Ill try upping the temp and see what happens, Ive had days like this before when nothing seems to work and the next time I dont have a problem! I think part of the problem is I only have one session every 1 to 2 years and by that time Ive forgoton what worked best.

 

Thanks again

Mick.