Michael Burgess writes:
I have tried several times to find equipment that will make round balls out of lead. I am looking for a relatively high speed automated machine similar to that used to make rough ball bearings. Do you have any suggestions?
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Off to take on other challenges. Good luck everybody! See you around the Interwebs.
We own the littleton shotmaker. We are looking for a different technology. We want a progressive cavity or similar type device. We are looking for something that operates like the machines that make rough ball bearings.
Well if you're not interested in a Shot Tower - used to make bird shot - look up ball bearings in the dictionary. A tumbling process can be used to make ball bearings. Or call Small Parts in Miami and buy them.
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"If we all worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true is really true, there would be little hope of advance." -- Orville Wright
Still not a good technology. I am seeking the equipment that would be used to make the rough steel ball bearings. Looking in a dicionary does not assist me. I do not wish to purchase the balls, I wish to manufacture them. Sizes would go up to .75 inches, but most would be much smaller.
How about something as simple as cutting wire into sections, then using a die set with hemispherical halves to form the balls? Lead is notoriously soft, and should form easily in a die set. Dies of a decent grade of tool steel should last a long time, but you may need to lubricate the stock as it may tend to stick in the dies. Don't forget the extractor pins to remove the balls from the dies. 8^)
Too slow of a technology. We have been looking for a progressive cavity unit that may accept lead wire or? I once saw a picture of a machine that uses steel wire to make steel ball bearings in a progressive cavity unit. The ball bearings were then put into a different unit to mak them roune to within 1,000,000 th of an inch. I only need to within 5 thousand's of an inch.
your opening one big can of enviormental worms working with lead. Molds are the fastest form of production with lead any cutting will cause heat and change the shape unless you want to cool it , expensive.
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Round Balls
