Building your own ShotMaker??

[Bagelthief]

Does anyone know how?

If no one does, would anyone in the 619 area wanna put our heads together and figure out how?

It would be awesome if we could get a group of guys together and we could all help each other in making our own. It would be double awesome if we could get a few people there who already have done so...




Thats not home made, but just incase some of you have never seen one in action.

[Newshooter]

Check out the website Trapshooters.com. There is a ton of guys there who make their own shot and have a ton of information regarding shot making.

[smird]

I'm in the 909, I might be interested in this. Let me start looking whats involved.

[Bagelthief]

Yea I've been doing some reading, and basically the one part people seem to have trouble with are the nozzles.

Luckily, we can buy nozzles for the commercial models for about 50 bucks for 7, which is plenty for one maker.

Other then that, it seems like some metal cutting and welding will need to be done to get a proper melting container, as well as for the reservoir.

I would also like to fabricate an adjustable slope ramp.

The correct tools and skills (mainly welding, which I have no flippin clue on how to do) would be the toughest parts of this project...

[smird]

I can weld, that's no big. I did some research also. Was kinda hopping you could cast buck shot with it. But that looks like a no go.

[Bagelthief]

Yea iv heard anything bigger then #6 and you start to run into problems with the shot turning more into "stream" of lead...

They have molds for buck though just like they do slugs...

[chesterthehero]

looks a lot like the same basic setup i have for my fishtank filters

if they used a bigger pump (more turnover) and a driptray (surface agitation = better heat transfer = more cooling) attached to the overflow then you could get away a plastic catch basis..

[smird]

here's a good thread

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=18389&highlight=gonna+build+shotmaker

[Bagelthief]

So I've really been thinking about some designs I want to run by some people who might perhaps have more knowledge then me.

I really want to build a shot maker that is above and beyond anything currently in (known) existence.

One thing I have never seen is an adjustable ramp, but that's easy. Instead of a ramp welded strait on to the main container, you could use 2 steel door hinges welded onto both the container and ramp to connect them. How to lock that ramp at a given slope I have not figured out, shouldn't be an issue though.

Since pressure at the nozzle is a big impacting factor in keeping your shot uniform; I also want to fabricate a way to keep the volume of lead in the container static at which ever level I choose.

This I'm thinking can be accomplished very simply, but I'm just not sure if my physics is correct.

Imagine a sink full of water (which represents the lead in the main container). Then get a bottled water, take off the cap and quickly hold it upside down with the opening just barely underwater. You'll see none of the water will leak out of the bottle unless the seal is broken (which would be caused by the level of lead going down past a certain point) and air is allowed to replace some of the water, releasing some of the pressure holding the water back. Now cut a small hole (able to be covered by your finger) into the bottom part of the water bottle (the part that touched the counter when you usually set it down). That would represent the fill hole where you would top off the reservoir with extra liquid lead when it got low. In the real reservoir it would need to be able to be screwed on and off air tight. A small lever could cut off the flow on the bottom of the reservoir while filling, so it doesn't immediately leak out.

That whole apparatus would be able to be either raised or lowered depending on how high you would want the lead level to be at. Haven't figured out how to do that part either, but again, should not be too cumbersome.

And wala! You have something that would keep a constant volume and pressure for perfect shot.

Anyways, I hope that last part made sense. Its really quite simple, at least in my mind it seems that way...I just hope my explanation is adequate...


One question I have though is; will the weight of the liquid inside the reservoir effect the pressure at the nozzle? For instance, when its super full, will the pressure at the nozzle be higher then when its almost empty? I think it wont effect it, because its vacuum inside the reservoir that is holding all that extra liquid back. But again, I don't know if my physics is a little off on that part so I would like some confirmation....



Another thing Im not sure of is how im going to cut out all these F'in steel pieces!! Anyone got a plasma cutter?!

[PEZHEAD265]

Is this made of steel or aluminum?Lead does not stick to alum.Alum needs to be tig weld or a special gun for your mig welder.

[smird]

Is this made of steel or aluminum?Lead does not stick to alum.Alum needs to be tig weld or a special gun for your mig welder.

Not sure what the commercial one is made of. But the homemade ones are all made of of steel.

[smird]

So I've really been thinking about some designs I want to run by some people who might perhaps have more knowledge then me.

I really want to build a shot maker that is above and beyond anything currently in (known) existence.

One thing I have never seen is an adjustable ramp, but that's easy. Instead of a ramp welded strait on to the main container, you could use 2 steel door hinges welded onto both the container and ramp to connect them. How to lock that ramp at a given slope I have not figured out, shouldn't be an issue though.

Since pressure at the nozzle is a big impacting factor in keeping your shot uniform; I also want to fabricate a way to keep the volume of lead in the container static at which ever level I choose.

This I'm thinking can be accomplished very simply, but I'm just not sure if my physics is correct.

Imagine a sink full of water (which represents the lead in the main container). Then get a bottled water, take off the cap and quickly hold it upside down with the opening just barely underwater. You'll see none of the water will leak out of the bottle unless the seal is broken (which would be caused by the level of lead going down past a certain point) and air is allowed to replace some of the water, releasing some of the pressure holding the water back. Now cut a small hole (able to be covered by your finger) into the bottom part of the water bottle (the part that touched the counter when you usually set it down). That would represent the fill hole where you would top off the reservoir with extra liquid lead when it got low. In the real reservoir it would need to be able to be screwed on and off air tight. A small lever could cut off the flow on the bottom of the reservoir while filling, so it doesn't immediately leak out.

That whole apparatus would be able to be either raised or lowered depending on how high you would want the lead level to be at. Haven't figured out how to do that part either, but again, should not be too cumbersome.

And wala! You have something that would keep a constant volume and pressure for perfect shot.

Anyways, I hope that last part made sense. Its really quite simple, at least in my mind it seems that way...I just hope my explanation is adequate...


One question I have though is; will the weight of the liquid inside the reservoir effect the pressure at the nozzle? For instance, when its super full, will the pressure at the nozzle be higher then when its almost empty? I think it wont effect it, because its vacuum inside the reservoir that is holding all that extra liquid back. But again, I don't know if my physics is a little off on that part so I would like some confirmation....



Another thing Im not sure of is how im going to cut out all these F'in steel pieces!! Anyone got a plasma cutter?!

If I understand you correctly you are talking about something like this.

[Marlin Hunter]

I can weld, that's no big. I did some research also. Was kinda hopping you could cast buck shot with it. But that looks like a no go.

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1292249961.4069=/html/catalog/blackpow.html#shotgun

You can scroll up the page to the 2 cavity ball molds. They have other sizes. Time consuming, but they work. Unfortunately, they don't make molds for #2, #3, or #4 Buckshot.

Check out these links:

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15776

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=240202

BTW. Wheel Weights are banned in California, and it is a controlled hazardous material. Where are you guys going to get cheap lead?

[smird]

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/cata...w.html#shotgun


You can scroll up the page to the 2 cavity ball molds. They have other sizes. Time consuming, but they work. Unfortunately, they don't make molds for #2, #3, or #4 Buckshot.

Check out these links:

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15776

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=240202

BTW. Wheel Weights are banned in California, and it is a controlled hazardous material. Where are you guys going to get cheap lead?

I know about those, was hoping for something more automated. I work for a company that buys and sells used medical equipment. We some times remove xray, and other radiology rooms, I have lead.

Plus there's always ebay at $1 a pound.

[Bagelthief]

If I understand you correctly you are talking about something like this.

Yes! Thats exactly what im talking about. That is infact what gave me the idea. Ours would need to be suspended and raised/lowered by a hand wench system or something...

Would that work or no?

I would love to make it out of aluminum. I heard it is a difficult material to weld though...