turbo33 Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 I spent the afternoon making up the first stage of the shotmaker. With grateful thanks to Sitsinhedges for his help, advice and sticky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 That's looking good to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnytheboy Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 Looks brilliant!!hopefully I'll be on this soon! it would be good to see it through out the full process!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted February 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 That's looking good to me Thanks Sits, must mean I'm on the right track! Will keep posting the pictures all the way through! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 I found that if you are going to use a boiling ring as the heat source you want it as far forward as possible to get as much heat as possible into the ramp so you don't want the ramp to go too far underneath the pot unless you cut out a portion for the boiling ring to fit into. I also fitted a countersunk m6 bolt into the centre of the pot that protruded out of the bottom and fitted into a socket in the firebrick base to keep it fixed whilst still able to be lifted off for emptying etc. You certainly don't want a pot full of lead sliding into a bucketful of coolant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted February 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 Hmmm, I think I must have misunderstood the sticky on the ramp and thought it needed to be under the tray. Perhaps I should peel it off and refix. Yes its a 1350watt boiling ring. Yes Sits, will put a fixing underneed to stop it sliding off, hot lead everywhere is not such a great idea!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 Hmmm, I think I must have misunderstood the sticky on the ramp and thought it needed to be under the tray. Perhaps I should peel it off and refix. Yes its a 1350watt boiling ring. Yes Sits, will put a fixing underneed to stop it sliding off, hot lead everywhere is not such a great idea!! The chap who made my stainless pots stuck the top corner of the ramp to the bottom corner of the dripper wall which creates a lip underneath. When the firebrick base is made and the boiling ring sat on it I slide the pot up the boiling ring until it touches this lip then make a mark thru the hole in the pot center and this is the point in the firebrick base where a socket is fitted to accept the m6 bolt that fits into the pot. The firebrick base depth is the measurement from the plate on the back of the boiling ring where the electrical tabs are to the front of the ring itself less a few mm so it just overhangs at the front. The tails are carefully cut into the soft firebrick with an old saw and chisel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted February 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 (edited) Got it! Will do some alterations tomorrow. worth getting it right Edited February 27, 2013 by turbo33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian28 Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 Looking good so far welcome to the lead dripping club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floating Chamber Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 Plenty of scrap lead about these days.....with the new regulations regarding payment.....but be careful who you buy it from! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brin Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 have you filled it with water to see if it leaks the welding is shocking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebarrels Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 (edited) have you filled it with water to see if it leaks the welding is shocking :no: If you can't be constructive,dont bother,BB Edited February 28, 2013 by Bluebarrels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted February 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 (edited) have you filled it with water to see if it leaks the welding is shocking I ran round the outside with the mig, so its fine, the mig wire is a bit old so wouldn't run, probably didn't need to bother with the inside, but hey its not a beauty contest And at 300 quid less than the one you bought from the states, and your're a welder, who's having the last laugh Edited February 28, 2013 by turbo33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 In all fairness I've made all the parts for a shot pot before and have taken it to a welder to stick together but afterwards he put in a bucket of water to cool it so I could take it away and it leaked like a sieve. I just binned that one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted February 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 The chap who made my stainless pots stuck the top corner of the ramp to the bottom corner of the dripper wall which creates a lip underneath. Ramp redone as per your spec, bang on 15mm to dripper centres Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 Ramp redone as per your spec, bang on 15mm to dripper centres I'm going to build another one myself just for the photos. I'll post them in the sticky as I go. Went to buy some firebrick today but they're sold out for about a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted February 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 I hope your welding is up to scratch I'm waiting on the bricks too. Everything else is done. Simmerstat wired in and out of a box, element on the bench and 8 litres of tesco's everyday conditioner just waiting to rock n roll Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floating Chamber Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 I haven't lost the knack! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 What size Pellets are you making? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floating Chamber Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 What size Pellets are you making? 2.5 -2.6mm. Notice the LOW level of alloy. Low pressure, nice and slow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted March 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 (edited) Still at it with the shotmaker and making a bit more progress. The pics show a celcon block sawn to the correct size and angles. Channels have been cut out to fit the element and holes drilled through the back to pass the wires through and protect them from heat. The simmerstat is housed in a deep pattress box. Here's a very short clip of it working. I have done about 3 runs now with variable results, but improving. The first problem was not fluxing the lead adequately. Following the help from the above PW members on how to flux, the alloy is much cleaner and consistant flowing. I had a few bits of roofing lead lying around, so have been using that. The next problem was that on exiting the ramp, a lot of it was popping as it dropped into the tank. The last few minutes of the batch it was much better, so I thought maybe the fabric conditioner it was dropping into was bettter when warm. So the bucket went on a camping stove for 5 mins. I kept repeating this process until the optimum temperature seemed to be 40 degrees. This is a pic of the last batch. I'm not there yet I know, the size is consistant but it lacks roundness. I'm assuming its because its roofing lead. I would appreciate any help and advice. ( but don't want my palm read ) Edited March 3, 2013 by turbo33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebarrels Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 Looking good mate BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 Dry it, tumble it, graphite it and shoot it. You'll never have to buy lead shot again As far as roundness goes I think a lot of that is down to what is in the lead alloy, mixing some scrap linotype should help all round but having the ramp closer to the coolant helps too by making a gentler splash as the lead hits the coolant. Tumbling the dried shot in a bucket with a paint stirrer on an electric drill with a minimum amount of graphite will make it look a lot better but you're about there now to be honest. Love to see a new shotmaker turning out their first batch of useable shot, now go and kill something with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alendil Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 is it metters how round it is it will kill anyway. good job . I am so jelous, i am going to make my own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted March 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 Heres one with the all important sound and one in slow motion, quite interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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