Members,

I am having trouble finding a suitable coolant for making lead shot from wheelweights. I have built a dripper that takes molten lead and meters it to the correct diameter sphere at about 600 F. The molten sphere drops into a coolant at about 1/4".

A coolant that works well is a water soluable machine shop cutting oil mixed at 3 parts oil to 2 parts water. Another is undiluted ethlyene glychol. The former is a PITA to remove and the latter represents a minor fire risk.

The key is to find a coolant that has heat transfer rate similar to the phase diagrams for lead/antimony alloys that is easily removed without excessive rinsing of the product.

The Bliemeister process uses heated water but I cannot locate any useful detail on the principles.

Could steam be used?

Right now I am sitting where Benjamin Franklin says "I haven't failed, I suceeded in finding 10,000 things that will not work."

I have a Bleimeister Machine. The cooling water temperature depends upon the size of shot. Let me know what specifically you are making or what other questions you may have. Also, keep in mind that the tank we drop the lead into is about 3.5 ft deep.

Hi,

I am currently make lead shot, but would like to try and make it more round, could you Black Diamond please give more information on the Bleimeister process, I understand that the droplets of lead are droped in to a tanke of water rolling across an inclide plane and then continue falling and water temperature controls the rate of colling - is this correct ? what temperature is the water at for say 2.3mm shot ?


Many thanks
John.

A lot of lead shoot maker in Australia use diesel fuel to drip lead into. Give it a try.

quote:

Originally posted by Black Diamond:
I have a Bleimeister Machine. The cooling water temperature depends upon the size of shot. Let me know what specifically you are making or what other questions you may have. Also, keep in mind that the tank we drop the lead into is about 3.5 ft deep.

terrya.fields@verizon.net black diamond we need information on bleimeister machine? we are ready to make lead shot didn't know if we should get littleton machine or what?

Black Diamond - where can I find the specifications for a Bliemaster? I want to make lead shot, but I want the best system. Are there other systems? Would you rate them. What type of lead melting system do you use?
OLDSALT

do you know where i can purchase a bliemaster in australia

I have been using liquid laundry detergent as a coolant and having grate success. The one I use is the cheapest that can be found and it is from the dollar store Liquid Sun but any will do. I currently have a good supply of the old stuff that is not concentrated so it will be a few years before it will be necessary to do the experimentation to find out what amount of water will work in the concentrate. I have written a book All American Anti-disarmament Hand Book with a whole section on shot making with answers to problems and solutions. It would be most helpful if someone knew what the water mix to the new liquid laundry detergent was. This would save me from adding more bottles of detergent to my already full shelves. If anyone has the answer all that would be necessary was for me to duplicate the experiment and put it in the next addition of my book.

         Much thanks Richard W Norman