nabbers Posted January 20, 2012 Report Share Posted January 20, 2012 I've read all the advice and watched all the videos. Made a shot maker to specifications on earlier threads about this subject, except don't have access to stainless welding so made it in mild steel. 1mm holes for no 5 shot, hope I got that right. Everyone says use outdoors in summer, but keen to try it, I set it um in my garage and blew fumes outdoors with a heated fan. Used a cheap hotplate and found thermostat was cutting in too soon, do rewired it bypassing the temperature control and thermostat. Lead melted nicely and a few taps got the outer drippers going well, but the inner ones poured continuously, making wire, nuggets or tear drops! The shotmaker is square at the front, the hot plate round....so I wondered if the outer drippers were at a lower temperature causing them to work right whilst the middle ones are too hot? Any advice on sivving? do they do a sive with 1mm mesh? I have a good lot of useable shot, wondering if I should just blank off the inner holes? So was hoping for some advice about temperature, if I bought a thermometer what temp is ideal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruitloop Posted January 20, 2012 Report Share Posted January 20, 2012 (edited) 1mm is way to big thats y you are gettlin wires and blobs. .4-.6mm the temp is around 350 and y do you want 1mm mesh for have a look at what diamiter the shot is what you are trying to make. number 12 is 1.5mm number 6 is 2.6mm Edited January 20, 2012 by fruitloop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted January 20, 2012 Report Share Posted January 20, 2012 (edited) Hotplates are a waste of time you want boiling rings. No5 is about the limit for shot made this way and you would be better off practising with smaller stuff until you've a bit of experience but try less lead in the pot if you want the lead to stop streaming, less pressure pushing it out. You don't want any fans creating draughts that will suck the heat out of the ramp and make the lead ball up on it. Temp 350c or less, as little as possible as long as the pot still works with larger shot because its mass is that much harder to cool without getting pits or popcorn, maybe even 320c. Edited January 20, 2012 by sitsinhedges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted January 20, 2012 Report Share Posted January 20, 2012 Didn't Floating Chamber talk of a new special cheap shotmaker or was he day dreaming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floating Chamber Posted January 20, 2012 Report Share Posted January 20, 2012 Didn't Floating Chamber talk of a new special cheap shotmaker or was he day dreaming No he wasn't! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted January 20, 2012 Report Share Posted January 20, 2012 Wasn't day dreaming, or wasn't talking of another device Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabbers Posted January 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2012 (edited) Ah, I did load the pot up to the max, maybe there is more pressure finding it's way to the middle droppers. Followed Sit's in hedges design, from this other thread. http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/185880-making-your-own-shot/ 1mm for no 5 shot stated there. So can you have the lead too hot? Edited January 20, 2012 by nabbers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruitloop Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 Ah, I did load the pot up to the max, maybe there is more pressure finding it's way to the middle droppers. Followed Sit's in hedges design, from this other thread. http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/185880-making-your-own-shot/ 1mm for no 5 shot stated there. So can you have the lead too hot? yes you can have the lead to hot .as bean said before its not a exact science it takes allot of tinkering Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabbers Posted January 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 Better results today, but still a lot of duff stuff. This helped http://www.magmaengineering.com/PDF/Shot_Maker_Instructions.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 Better results today, but still a lot of duff stuff. This helped http://www.magmaengineering.com/PDF/Shot_Maker_Instructions.pdf Read this thread but don't use diesel http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=27239&highlight=shotmaster+shotmaker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabbers Posted January 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Good thread that! Thanks. Better results again today, got enough good no5 to last me a little while. In the reject pile are a lot of good spheres, but with little cone attached, like little stalactites, what happened there? Going to build a better set up I think for the summer. Anyone want some soapstone? Ended up with a box of 144 sticks! Send me a SAE if you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Good thread that! Thanks. Better results again today, got enough good no5 to last me a little while. In the reject pile are a lot of good spheres, but with little cone attached, like little stalactites, what happened there? Going to build a better set up I think for the summer. Anyone want some soapstone? Ended up with a box of 144 sticks! Send me a SAE if you do. Tails on the shot come from the pellet catching the ramp as it leaves. You need to sand the edge to remove any burrs so the shot leaves cleanly. You can also grind away the underside to create a knife edge. Make sure the ramp is well chalked up too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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