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Shot maker Troubleshooting ?

10K views 24 replies 14 participants last post by  snarepeg 
#1 ·
Here the problem: When making 7.5 size shot the droplet want's to stick just prior to droping into the coolant. I don't have that problem with using size 8 dies just 7.5. The area has been cleaned and soapstone applied, no help.
I am using a Littleton Shotmaker.
Related Comments Please
 
#3 ·
My guess would be you have the coolant too close to the drip shelf and it is splashing up on the underside of the drip shelf and cooling it off, this causes the shot to stick. 7.5's will splash a little more than 8 because they are larger. I would try raising the shotmaker slightly and see if it helps.

In addition to soapstone, the drip ledge needs to be clean and polished. I give it a pass every once in awhile with 400 grit sandpaper before applying the soapstone.

Phil
 
#4 ·
i went from the soap stone to my kids sidewalk chalk(1 inch diameter),seems to coat the lip better, and 2 passes and you cover the whole lip i re apply every 15-20 minutes and dont have a problem,soap stone seemed to be too hard.hit the problem area twice if you have to,
and 333t has a good point also,some times as your running the fluid level will creep up on you,mark jones
 
#7 ·
I may be wrong about this, but Jim Stewart told me to NOT sand or polish the lip. He said it needs to be rough.

I used his suggestion of Moly Paste. My machine came with the lip coated in Moly, and a small supply for start-up. It is expensive, but I also couldn't get soapstone to stick to the lip. I saw in Scott's pictures where he had a supply of "sidewalk chalk" beside his machine. I might try this when my supply of Moly gets low, but for now, Moly works great.

Moly is available from Graingers, or any other large supply house.

In my small amount of experience, shot sticking on the lip is a lack of lubricant on the lip, or the lip too cool.

Danny
 
#8 ·
Like Mark, I had better luck with chalk than soapstone. The angles surface and the edge must be covered. I did not ever see a problem with shot size. In fact, my #8 shot drippers would make 7.5 shot if the lead was a little cool and make #9 shot when it got too hot.

Pat Ireland
 
#11 ·
have any of you guys tried changing the angle of the lip? tilting the machine back or forward a little bit to change the angle?

do you guys find the lead takes two "bounces" as it goes down the ramp or do I have something wrong? after I run a batch i can see the dark spots where the dropplets bounce.

any info?

thanks len
 
#13 ·
Lither, I don't think it matters 2 bounces or 3, As long as the last bounce is not on the very edge of the lip. I just looked at mine and it looks like I'm getting 2 bounces.

Yes you can adjust the angle some. That's how I got away from having the drop hit the edge of the lip.
 
#14 ·
as far as the temp of the lip gose mine varies from 550 deg. on the edges to 570 in the center,i got a digital read out red dot thermo. that instantaly tells you the temp when you pull the trigger.that way i can read what the ladel,lip&coolant temp.is at any time.as far as glass goes i dont feel it would work,my lip has not been polished and as long as i keep the chalk on it (i run across 2 times every 15 min. weather it needs it or not)i dont have tails or sticking.mark jones
 
#15 ·
Stone will some time get a glaze on it if your putting it on the lip while your running , Think its because your soaping while the lip is so close to the coolant. Usually have a burnsamatic torch close by anytime I'm running shot usually a quick flash across the lip cleans it up and eliminates the problem,. than clean your soapstone off by rubbing it on some sandpaper and re soap the lip again , don;t get the lip to close to the coolant as it , the coolant, gets hot will grow closer to the lip and agin.
 
#17 ·
FINALLY GOT MY LITTLETON UP AND RUNNING TODAY.

NUMBER 6 DROPPERS IN, BAD BATCH TO START WITH DUE TO LEAD GRABBING LIP AND NO AMOUNT OF CHALKING DID MUCH GOOD.

WIPED LIP WITH MOLY GREASE AND THEN SPRINKLED WITH GRAPHITE POWDER. BAKED HARD BY TIME SHOT STARTED RUNNING AND NO PROBLEMS AT ALL.
HAVE GOT A LENGTH OF GRAPHITE 2INCHES BY ONE QUARTER THICK AND LENGTH OF PLATE.

AM GOING TO TRY AND SPLIT TO ONE/8 THICK AND FIT TO DROPPER PLATE BEARING IN MIND IT WILL REQUIRE SOME WORK TO GET IT TO CORRECT DISTANCE FROM DROPPERS.

WILL LET YOU KNOW THE OUTCOME OF THIS TINKER BUT THINK IT WILL WORK. JOHN
 
#19 ·
I just put a new ladle in service and don't have any problem with the lead sticking. I clean the lip with a wire brush between batches. I make 125 pounds batches and clean and soap stone the lip and normally do not have to re-soap until I'm done. I have contaminated my soap stone with my cooling solution and transfered it to the lip. That does not work real well. If that happens the lead will stick.

snarepeg are you using chalk or soap stone? I have never used chalk but some people have with good results.

Ajax
 
#21 ·
I was not familiar with French Chalk, I looked up French Chalk and found it is a lubricant with a talc based. Dry cleaners used it for pulling grease stains out of clothing, also used in welding. Not a lot of information with the welding. The welders I'm familiar with use soap stone/or silver pencil to mark items.

It does help to coat the lip when it's cold and do it again when it heats up.

Let us know how it goes.

Ajax
 
#25 ·
well.

second day at the littleton was better, one of the problems was a cold wind and the draught kept cooling the lip.

dropped about 40 kl of shootable shot, not the best i have seen but passable.

have taken some photo/s of my set up, but cannot get them on here. will e mail if anyone can put these up.

have had 6kl of antinamoni? offered, and accepted at $12 a kl so don,t have to chase those wheel weights no more.

thinking along the lines of an electric smelting pot as the number 6 droppers get it out faster than it is melting from the ingot stage.

stay tuned. snarepeg
 
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