Skid Posted October 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2012 OK, another quick update after another melting session last Sunday in the cold. The new 2kw hotplate certainly works up enough heat to maintain a steady flow All I have to do is work out how many cupcake sized lead ingots is just the right amount to allow the lead to flow at the right speed and not cool off the melt too much. I managed to experience all the extremes, from too large a head of molten lead fripping out 6 drippers really quickly (emptying the tin too quick to keep up the flow) to only having the central 2 drippers working nice and slowly due to the corners of the melt not being molten enough. I might end up blocking a couple off and only use 4 for a consistent flow. The shot was a lot more uniform this time (still a few odd shapes in there due to flow and temp changes etc) and again about 5.5 size but it's still got a fair few dimples and this batch also has some shot with straight lines on it. However, I think the lines may be caused by the steel gauze strainer I've been using to catch the shot. Maybe the lead hasn't cooled enough at that stage and the gauze is marking it?? I'd be interested in any views on that. Hopefully you can see what I mean from the poor quality piccies attached. I reckon it's almost usable now and would certainly bring pigeons down but being the perfectionist that I am I'd like it to be rounder for a better pattern Having said that, I remember some old paper cased S & B cartridges (do they even still make them?) that claimed to be No 6 shot but were in fact a mix of anything between 9 and 3 shot in all sorts of shapes, some round some square but by hell did they kill pigeons well, right out to long ranges! Damn cheap but also rotted your gun barrels if you didn't clean them straight away too. Think we paid £60/thousand which should date it for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsonicnat Posted October 26, 2012 Report Share Posted October 26, 2012 With the price of lead yes indeedy!! It should make my cartridge costs almost 50% less..........and besides, I'm a typical stubborn bloke and like the challenge Well Said That Man: OK, another quick update after another melting session last Sunday in the cold. The new 2kw hotplate certainly works up enough heat to maintain a steady flow All I have to do is work out how many cupcake sized lead ingots is just the right amount to allow the lead to flow at the right speed and not cool off the melt too much. I managed to experience all the extremes, from too large a head of molten lead fripping out 6 drippers really quickly (emptying the tin too quick to keep up the flow) to only having the central 2 drippers working nice and slowly due to the corners of the melt not being molten enough. I might end up blocking a couple off and only use 4 for a consistent flow. The shot was a lot more uniform this time (still a few odd shapes in there due to flow and temp changes etc) and again about 5.5 size but it's still got a fair few dimples and this batch also has some shot with straight lines on it. However, I think the lines may be caused by the steel gauze strainer I've been using to catch the shot. Maybe the lead hasn't cooled enough at that stage and the gauze is marking it?? I'd be interested in any views on that. Hopefully you can see what I mean from the poor quality piccies attached. I reckon it's almost usable now and would certainly bring pigeons down but being the perfectionist that I am I'd like it to be rounder for a better pattern Having said that, I remember some old paper cased S & B cartridges (do they even still make them?) that claimed to be No 6 shot but were in fact a mix of anything between 9 and 3 shot in all sorts of shapes, some round some square but by hell did they kill pigeons well, right out to long ranges! Damn cheap but also rotted your gun barrels if you didn't clean them straight away too. Think we paid £60/thousand which should date it for you Some Damn Good Flyers in There Mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted October 26, 2012 Report Share Posted October 26, 2012 I would be happy to be able to produce shot like that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
db58 Posted October 26, 2012 Report Share Posted October 26, 2012 lovely shot that skid you are getting there mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floating Chamber Posted October 26, 2012 Report Share Posted October 26, 2012 Well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skid Posted October 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2012 Well Said That Man: Some Damn Good Flyers in There Mate. Now....are we talking traditional "flyers" in that the odd shaped ones are going to drop way out of the pattern?......or were you saying that they look like they'll fly well? I think I know which one you mean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted October 26, 2012 Report Share Posted October 26, 2012 It looks fine. Don't think too much,just shoot it and you will see how good it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeh Posted October 26, 2012 Report Share Posted October 26, 2012 I'm quiet enjoying this thread so please keep it updated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted October 26, 2012 Report Share Posted October 26, 2012 I'm quiet enjoying this thread so please keep it updated! Shhh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brin Posted October 26, 2012 Report Share Posted October 26, 2012 thats not bad at all use brass bolts drill to .7 mill the brass retains the heat and keep the shot flowing 5 to 7 mill drop into coolent use cheapist fabric conditioner scoop it out of the bottom dont drop it on to mesh the tank needs to be at least 150 mill deep and dont breath the fumes and best off all when loaded up and you manage to drop some pigeons home loaded pigeons taste better and the feathers are softer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snow white Posted October 26, 2012 Report Share Posted October 26, 2012 Hi how much linotype to the kilo of lead do you need to put to get right shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skid Posted October 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2012 thats not bad at all use brass bolts drill to .7 mill the brass retains the heat and keep the shot flowing 5 to 7 mill drop into coolent use cheapist fabric conditioner scoop it out of the bottom dont drop it on to mesh the tank needs to be at least 150 mill deep and dont breath the fumes and best off all when loaded up and you manage to drop some pigeons home loaded pigeons taste better and the feathers are softer It's not bolts that were the problem this time. Once the flow started the only time it stopped was when the whole melt pool had cooled down by me putting in too many ingots for it to melt evenly. This meant the lead had actually started to go slushy around the whole edge of the pan so having warmer bolts wouldn't have helped. Also, doing it outside with a massive 11 degrees temp didn't help too much either Tank is about 200 mm deep so should be ok, already using Tesco "value" cheapy conditioner and have been putting fresh stuff in during process so coolant doesn't get too hot. I just ladle some out into the drip tray and pour a bit back in from another cooled bottle. For all you lead addicts out there, the next installment is sorting the shot using my special Carlos Fandango patented shot sorting device...............gotta keep you guessing til next time now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skid Posted October 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2012 Hi how much linotype to the kilo of lead do you need to put to get right shot. As Linotype already contains lead (84%) + 12% Antimony + 4% tin, I mixed it to give between about 2-4% antimony which is meant to be good for general shooting from what I've read on this forum. This works out at about 1 part Linotype to 4 parts lead.....I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brin Posted October 27, 2012 Report Share Posted October 27, 2012 to so the shot i use a metal bowl with the right size holes drilled in it take second to sort the shot only the good stuff go through and the **** gets re done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skid Posted October 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2012 to so the shot i use a metal bowl with the right size holes drilled in it take second to sort the shot only the good stuff go through and the **** gets re done Probably something like this beauty then........my patented (i.e. cheap) no longer non-stick frying pan, slightly modified to allow for free draining fat from your bacon.....or a load of No 5 or 6 shot Plus, about 8kg of assorted shot laying out to dry in the wind. To give an idea of scale those are 2 foot slabs and I've got about 3 of those batches to sort from my first go at shot making. Took about 2 hours to get 25Kg worth this time but I'm sure I can get the time down with practice. And here's Lidls finest kitchen sink strainer, slightly altered to fit my square coolant tank. Bit of a bodge job to see if it worked but I'll leave it out next time to see if it is what's causing the marks on the shot. I'll also be getting an unmodified one back in the kitchen before I get a new orifice reamed into me by the missus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruitloop Posted October 27, 2012 Report Share Posted October 27, 2012 aha the obligatory aldi shot strainer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skid Posted October 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2012 aha the obligatory aldi shot strainer Excuse me.....Lidl's if you please.......couldn't possibly lower myself so much that I had to shop in Aldi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
db58 Posted January 29, 2013 Report Share Posted January 29, 2013 It's not bolts that were the problem this time. Once the flow started the only time it stopped was when the whole melt pool had cooled down by me putting in too many ingots for it to melt evenly. This meant the lead had actually started to go slushy around the whole edge of the pan so having warmer bolts wouldn't have helped. Also, doing it outside with a massive 11 degrees temp didn't help too much either Tank is about 200 mm deep so should be ok, already using Tesco "value" cheapy conditioner and have been putting fresh stuff in during process so coolant doesn't get too hot. I just ladle some out into the drip tray and pour a bit back in from another cooled bottle. For all you lead addicts out there, the next installment is sorting the shot using my special Carlos Fandango patented shot sorting device...............gotta keep you guessing til next time now hi skid can you tell me have the conditioner in the water ,have it got to be hot or warms in the water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skid Posted January 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 hi skid can you tell me have the conditioner in the water ,have it got to be hot or warms in the water There is no water, just neat conditioner. It starts off cold and gradually heats up as the lead drops into it. You don't want too much heat in it though or it won't cool the lead shot enough before it hits bottom of the tank so just try to change some of it during the process i.e. ladle some warm conditioner out and pour fresh cool stuff back in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted February 1, 2013 Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 put a bottle of frozen water in the conditioner... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dangerous Brian Posted February 1, 2013 Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 Excellent thread. Very tempted to start building my own when the weather warms up a bit. Just a thought (I probably read it somewhere else and have just remembered it)- has anyone had success using MIG welder tips instead of drilling bolts out? They are made of copper and normally come with a .6 or .8mm hole down the middle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skid Posted February 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 put a bottle of frozen water in the conditioner... Stop being all sensible and logical, that's FAR too easy! On the other hand, you probably don't want it too cold as well as too hot :lol: Just kidding, good idea Excellent thread. Very tempted to start building my own when the weather warms up a bit. Just a thought (I probably read it somewhere else and have just remembered it)- has anyone had success using MIG welder tips instead of drilling bolts out? They are made of copper and normally come with a .6 or .8mm hole down the middle. Not sure, a friend of mine tried but it didn't turn out well. However, that could have been any number of reasons as he'd never done it before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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