On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:25:05 -0600, "RogerN" wrote:


"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
.. .

snip
After having cast hummm...probably a half million bullets in 35 yrs...I
find it boring as hell and tedious..mindless work that I can do
virtually asleep. But...thats not true for new casters.

Gunner

I enjoy automating boring and tedious, mindless work. Perhaps an air
cylinder to open & close the mold, a solenoid for a plunger in the lead pot,
and a couple of thermocouples or RTD's to measure temperature of lead and
the mold. The program would probably consist of mostly timers and
temperature controls, may take some tinkering to get it right but I should
be pretty consistent, might need some adjustment from batches of different
alloys. Maybe the mold could be designed to allow the sprue to be trimmed
before removal, something like my lee round ball mold.

It would be nice to be able to feed it lead and let a bucket fill up with
cast bullets! I wonder if the sizing, lubing, and installation of gas
checks would be automation friendly? Perhaps help supply for the bullet
shortage...

I bought some load cells on eBay that should be able to weigh to 0.1 grain,
my intention is to make an automated powder scale similar to the RCBS. The
load cells have a 200 Gram capacity and should be able to measure powder by
lifting a cartridge, taring out, and dispensing to within 0.1 grain.

RogerN

You are aware that one out of 2 bullets tend to stick in the mould
cavity...right?

G

Gunner

"I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the
means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not
making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of
it. In my youth I travelled much, and I observed in different
countries, that the more public provisions were made for the
poor the less they provided for themselves, and of course became
poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the
more they did for themselves, and became richer." -- Benjamin
Franklin, /The Encouragement of Idleness/, 1766

"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:25:05 -0600, "RogerN" wrote:


"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
. ..

snip
After having cast hummm...probably a half million bullets in 35 yrs...I
find it boring as hell and tedious..mindless work that I can do
virtually asleep. But...thats not true for new casters.

Gunner

I enjoy automating boring and tedious, mindless work. Perhaps an air
cylinder to open & close the mold, a solenoid for a plunger in the lead
pot,
and a couple of thermocouples or RTD's to measure temperature of lead and
the mold. The program would probably consist of mostly timers and
temperature controls, may take some tinkering to get it right but I should
be pretty consistent, might need some adjustment from batches of different
alloys. Maybe the mold could be designed to allow the sprue to be trimmed
before removal, something like my lee round ball mold.

It would be nice to be able to feed it lead and let a bucket fill up with
cast bullets! I wonder if the sizing, lubing, and installation of gas
checks would be automation friendly? Perhaps help supply for the bullet
shortage...

I bought some load cells on eBay that should be able to weigh to 0.1
grain,
my intention is to make an automated powder scale similar to the RCBS.
The
load cells have a 200 Gram capacity and should be able to measure powder
by
lifting a cartridge, taring out, and dispensing to within 0.1 grain.

RogerN

You are aware that one out of 2 bullets tend to stick in the mould
cavity...right?

G

Gunner


It would be a problem but with many possible solutions. One solution could
be holding onto the sprue while the mold opens, then trim bullet from sprue.
Other than that their are ejector pins, etc.

RogerN