homemade shotmaker

[pestcontrol1]

Cheers Sitsinhedges a 5 gallon drum with the top cut off sat in a 50 gal bottom section for over spil should be ok then.

[sitsinhedges]

Sounds good, make sure you can retrieve the shot.

[sitsinhedges]

Nice one Sits, like Hafod, this makes more sense now thanks to the excellent pics. I'm puzzled where the second element went to from one of the pics though ? also where could you get soft firebricks ?

 

One picture shows a base for a double pot set up which made all the shot in the first picture, early one saturday morning before the missus arose. It was sold to a couple of chaps off the forum because it made far more than I could ever need and I made a smaller set up for my own needs. This is the old one, could make virtually a kilo a minute at full tilt with all 12 drippers going but took some work to keep it all on track. It had a sump for the coolant too.

 

I buy my soft firebricks from a local kiln shop called 'Corby Kilns' for about a fiver each but shops that sell fires etc will also sell them. Corby kilns also sell the adhesive to stick them together too.

Edited September 2, 2012 by sitsinhedges

[pestcontrol1]

sitsinhedges would i be right in thinking that i can use wheel balancing weights to harden my shot up a bit because i cant seen to find where to get hold of any of the items listed in other topics.

[Tad-blody]

Does anyone still use zebo?? grate polish on their shot I seem to remember my dad's mate using it when he used to make his own shot. What do people on here use is it necessary?.

I have inherited the pot he used to make the shot which uses gas, but yet to use it. I assume that electric would be safer and more controllable.

[sitsinhedges]

sitsinhedges would i be right in thinking that i can use wheel balancing weights to harden my shot up a bit because i cant seen to find where to get hold of any of the items listed in other topics.

 

Wheelweights are made of zinc now and no use. You need to find a source of linotype and mix it 3 or 4 lead to one lino. I did give details of a chap in wales who had a ton or do some time ago but don't have the details anymore. Maybe one of the chaps who bought some will still have it. Don't pay over the odds though it's worth no more than pure lead as scrap.

[sitsinhedges]

Does anyone still use zebo?? grate polish on their shot I seem to remember my dad's mate using it when he used to make his own shot. What do people on here use is it necessary?.

I have inherited the pot he used to make the shot which uses gas, but yet to use it. I assume that electric would be safer and more controllable.

 

Zebrite doesn't contain graphite anymore, it will just make your shot blacker but that is all. Just use half a teaspoon of graphite per 25kilos and mix it well with a paint stirrer in a drill.

Edited September 2, 2012 by sitsinhedges

[sitsinhedges]

Must be about time for you to post those Brussel Sprouts again, Alan

[hafod]

sits i have a stainless steel tank that i rescued from the factory that i used to work in before it closed down , which was a food factory , we had these tanks made to fit under the metal detectors on the production lines to catch rejected product .

 

the tank is 700mm long x 200mm wide x 500mm deep and holds a full 25 litres of coolant when filled to the top , so that would be ideal for a coolant tank , and i have another stainless tank that the coolant tank can stand in to act as the overflow tank .

 

 

as a coolant would cutting oil , the type you mix with water work , being water solouble and all , or would you say stick with the fabric conditioner , as i cant help thinking that 25 litres of fabic conditioner would cost a fortune

 

what thickness steel stock would you recomend to construct the ladle out off , as i have some 8x4 sheets of 4mm steel plate that i,ve had for a couple of years and was wondering if that plate would be any use for the ladle , as long as i could make 10 / 20kg of shot a year then i,d be more than happy ,

[sitsinhedges]

My machine makes that much in one hour. You could have a very simple set up using the largest dog food cans, dumping them out every kilo or so using this thread as a template but avoid using oil based coolants including diesel they are a pain to clean off the shot and are often flammable too. Fabric conditioner just works well as long as you don't get the lead too hot.

 

http://www.castbooli...aster shotmaker

[fruitloop]

Wheelweights are made of zinc now and no use. You need to find a source of linotype and mix it 3 or 4 lead to one lino. I did give details of a chap in wales who had a ton or do some time ago but don't have the details anymore. Maybe one of the chaps who bought some will still have it. Don't pay over the odds though it's worth no more than pure lead as scrap.

just had a quick look and seems that my pc had deleted his details to

[sitsinhedges]

sits i have a stainless steel tank that i rescued from the factory that i used to work in before it closed down , which was a food factory , we had these tanks made to fit under the metal detectors on the production lines to catch rejected product .

 

the tank is 700mm long x 200mm wide x 500mm deep and holds a full 25 litres of coolant when filled to the top , so that would be ideal for a coolant tank , and i have another stainless tank that the coolant tank can stand in to act as the overflow tank .

 

 

as a coolant would cutting oil , the type you mix with water work , being water solouble and all , or would you say stick with the fabric conditioner , as i cant help thinking that 25 litres of fabic conditioner would cost a fortune

 

what thickness steel stock would you recomend to construct the ladle out off , as i have some 8x4 sheets of 4mm steel plate that i,ve had for a couple of years and was wondering if that plate would be any use for the ladle , as long as i could make 10 / 20kg of shot a year then i,d be more than happy ,

 

My first shot makers were made out of thick mild steel U section with ends welded on but the stainless pots I now use are 3mm. No point making it much taller than necessary or it will just act as a heat sink. Think mine are about 40mm deep. Rust can be a problem with mild steel and this is why I use stainless pots and drippers.

[pestcontrol1]

Wheelweights are made of zinc now and no use. You need to find a source of linotype and mix it 3 or 4 lead to one lino. I did give details of a chap in wales who had a ton or do some time ago but don't have the details anymore. Maybe one of the chaps who bought some will still have it. Don't pay over the odds though it's worth no more than pure lead as scrap.

I have found some old lead wheel weights if they are any good as i cant find a supplier for the lino. dose it realy make a big difference for game shooting if you dont harden the shot.

[sitsinhedges]

Lead wheel weights are great for making shot, you need to melt them down to get the steel clips out and flux it with a small amount of candle wax stirred in. light the melting wax to stop it smoking then stir it into the mix to get the **** out. Then pour the lead into ingots ready for use. If you use cake tins for ingots make sure you put some chalk or graphite on them or the lead will stick.

Edited September 3, 2012 by sitsinhedges

[pestcontrol1]

Cheers sitsinhedges i will give it a go

[Lord Geordie]

I was wondering!

 

What day to day implements could be turned into a dripper? The cooker ring set in a fire brick will be quite easy. I was wondering if something like a non stick square cake tin could be made into a shot maker?

 

I do not have access to a welder so i think the fine efforts shown in the pics would be non achievable for myself.

 

I can however perhaps purchase something similar that is ready fabricated "such as a cake tin" and modify it to fit the drippers and add the ramp etc.

 

Is there a set thickness of material for the base and if so.what is the desired guage of metal used?

 

Thanks

[hafod]

sitsinhedges

 

well i,ve cut out and welded a ladle together this evening , made a littleton lookalike ladle out of 4mm steel plate ,( took on board what you said about making in stainless ) but mild steel is all i have on hand , so i thought i,d have a crack at making the ladle using the 4mm plate,

 

its a six dripper model , i,ve blind drilled 3 of the six drippers in M 8 stainless bolts , so i,ll try and drill the other three tommorow evening ,

 

now what i,m wondering is weather to try drilling the 0.08 mm hole for no 6 , in the head flats (many failures in the past trying this kept braking the little b*****s ), or drill through the blind hole , then through the centre of the head with the appropiate size bit and tap a thread for a mig tips ,

 

now the idea behind this is , if the mig tips work then its only its the case of changing the tips for different sizes of shot instead of making other sizes of dripper bolts and the problems associated with making and drilling them out , plus if the holes get cloged then they can just be replaced with new tips , any thoughts on the science ,

 

as i,ve learned more from your goodself in the past 2 days than in the past 2 years of trawling the net .

 

andy

[fruitloop]

_{are you using a piler drill to do the 0.8 hole as trying to do this free hand is very hard .}

_{mig tips will work its just working out the hight as to high and the little drops of lead splat on the ramp to low and it dont drip and u get a dribble and mig tips come in diferant sizes 0.6, 0.8 , 1.0 ,1.2,}

_{the ones in the vid are 0.6 and the thred is m6 .the problem is there not that easy to replace when thay have been hot and will most likely to snap off when removeing.}

_{also becuse there copper and have a high conductivity thay gain and loose heat quickly so one minet there ok then a slight breeze and there all over the plase so a blow lamp to hand is a good idea .}

_rob

 

[fruitloop]

as for a cake tin its not rely thick enugh as when i was looking in to making my own shot maker i went down the same rute looking for somthing to convertwhat i found was cake tins are to thin and skillets tend to have round corners where the drippers will go exspensive and are dificult to atach the ramp to due to them being cast.

so i cast mine in alli .but as it has a high conductivity looses heat quickly. so the next one i make will as sits has done made out of stanless

[sitsinhedges]

sitsinhedges

 

well i,ve cut out and welded a ladle together this evening , made a littleton lookalike ladle out of 4mm steel plate ,( took on board what you said about making in stainless ) but mild steel is all i have on hand , so i thought i,d have a crack at making the ladle using the 4mm plate,

 

its a six dripper model , i,ve blind drilled 3 of the six drippers in M 8 stainless bolts , so i,ll try and drill the other three tommorow evening ,

 

now what i,m wondering is weather to try drilling the 0.08 mm hole for no 6 , in the head flats (many failures in the past trying this kept braking the little b*****s ), or drill through the blind hole , then through the centre of the head with the appropiate size bit and tap a thread for a mig tips ,

 

now the idea behind this is , if the mig tips work then its only its the case of changing the tips for different sizes of shot instead of making other sizes of dripper bolts and the problems associated with making and drilling them out , plus if the holes get cloged then they can just be replaced with new tips , any thoughts on the science ,

 

as i,ve learned more from your goodself in the past 2 days than in the past 2 years of trawling the net .

 

andy

 

I would just get some normal M8x13 set screws and drill 3mm down the length then 0.8mm into one of the flats to meet it. It will be far easier than using stainless and will get you going. Stainless is great but much harder to drill, you need HSS co and they are difficult to get in sub MM sizes. Put some tape on the flat to get the drill started and use a drop of lube to keep the bit cool. You could even soften the bolt up by annealing before you start.

[nabbers]

I've made one and what let my operation down was the heating element, I bought a single ceramic hotplate from Boyes and the heat of the lead melted all the wires.

 

After rewiring, I found that keeping the ramp hot enough needed another heat source. I've spent all summer think I should make some shot, but it's hard work if you haven't got things just right.

 

I do have lots of lead though, and today I was on the edge of weighing it in and taking the money to Kranks to buy some ready made shot.

 

If anyone in my area wants to join forces and do production run.....

[Floating Chamber]

Don't give up that easily! You can use a blowlamp!

[Tad-blody]

Hi Hafod how are you getting on with the project ? any chance of some pics?

[hafod]

hi tad

 

you,ll have to bear with me with the pictures i,m afraid , if i can i,ll get the brother in law to upload some at some point i will , as i havent got a clue with all this computer marlarkey , i,m a one fingered wonder with a keyboard . so far i,ve welded up two ladles and i,m in the process of making the drippers , just waiting for some carbide drill bits to finish them .

 

as for the heat source could anyone tell me if this would work or not , if i bought a single ring hotplate say off ebay as they are quite reasonable on there , would it be possible to remove the hotplate and replace it with a boiling ring .

 

same as everything i chucked a cracking boiling ring in the scrap back a couple of years ago when i cleaned my fathers workshop out , my father used to use it years ago it to mix his own marking fluid for the sheep and would have been perfect for a shotmaker

 

andy. .

[mag44uk]

Well,I am another going to make a shotmaker and have researched this over the past couple of years!

I have 7 drippers for no6 that I got from the US last year.

I am going to use electric and probably use a PID controller as I have the parts to make one.

I will use stainless plate which I can weld together myself.

The only question I have is what is a good thickness for the steel? I was thinking 3mm but I cant see weight being an issue so maybe 2mm?

And does it matter what grade stainless?

Cheers,

Tony