Help from you shot making gurus

[Donkey]

Hi guys I'm looking for some help from you shot making gurus

I have a Steve Hugh's shot maker , I am running out of shot and decided to make some more the other day .

Now it's been a few years since I made shot with this shot maker , back then the shot was dropped into about 50mm of used hydraulic oil floating on water .

I'm trying to remember what was originally used on the ramp ( I seem to recall you coated it with smoke from a candle )but Steve later supplied a graphite coated plate that was attached to the ramp

Now we have moved on a few years I decided to drop the shot into fabric softener and use copper grease on the ramp especially as I've lost the graphite plate.

The shot I am producing is not round but looks like it has Been squashed in the jaws of a vice the lead is being dropped about 20mm and after a short run of a few mins the lead sticks to the ramp

What am I doing wrong with the copper grease I have applied it with brush and finger and both times heated the ramp till the grease turned black I have applied both thick and thin layers but the lead keeps sticking

What am I doing wrong with the ramp and why is my shot so mis shapened

Cheers

[bruno22rf]

pm "sitsinhedges" on this forum - best home made shot I've ever seen and a real nice guy to chat to.

[sitsinhedges]

pm "sitsinhedges" on this forum - best home made shot I've ever seen and a real nice guy to chat to.

 

No need I'm here

 

Firstly you need to have the coolant as close to the ramp as possible without touching, 5mm or less, so the pellets ease into it or the lead will belly flop then freeze into out of round shapes.

 

I came up with the copper ease as a ramp lubricant and it works far better than chalk. Just spread a layer on with your finger and let any solvent dry off as the ramp heats so it becomes almost like Teflon. The ramp still has to be hot enough though or the lead will still stick so you need to let it heat up properly and shield it from any draughts, preferably making shot on a hot still day. I make mine on the floor just inside my shed door with a piece of ply across the doorway just high enough to protect it and me feeding it from the outside with mask on so I can avoid any fumes as much as possible.

 

I use Graphogen for the ramp now which is even better but very expensive.

 

I've never heard of a Steve Hugh shotmaker and would like to see a photo if you could

[sitsinhedges]

PS, I started using the oil on water method and spent more time cleaning the shot than making it, never got it really clean even then. With fab con a quick swill in water is all that is needed and it's much safer to use.

[Donkey]

Thanks for the. Tips sits

I will try to upload some photos

[Floating Chamber]

Steve Hughes's shotmaker was just a sheet metal box with six holes drilled in the base, about 10mm from the upright of the box. A ramp was welded to the base.

In operation, the box was clipped over the side of the coolant tank and molten alloy poured into the box. He used Zebrite (old stock containing graphite) on the ramp

I saw it at a Game Fair circa 1992. He could turn out useable shot at a good rate. Two similar, but improved, shotmakers are still used by two friends of mine who live close by.

Edited September 18, 2017 by Floating Chamber