Shot Towers
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This is the oldest shot tower in America, located in Philadelphia.
Get ready to learn how shot was made.
>>30654271
I want to see you make shot, Johnny-boy.
>>30654282
Why can't you just pour molten lead into spherical molds?
>>30654379
I think this method is way faster and efficient
>>30654379
For the size of shot, it wouldn't yield hardly enough in the same time. More economically sound to do it this way. If you're using molds, it's to cast a bullet or slug instead.
>>30654344
>>30654370
Heh, that's pretty cool
>>30654404
>>30654409
Thanks.
>>30654287
Kinda weird reading about a usa company that operated for practically 100 years before changing hands 110 years ago.
You always share cool stuff, Johnny.
There's a couple of these in my area.
They aren't nearly as fancy though.
I wish I could still use their shot tower.
It's still the best way to make shot really.
>>30654434
Why was arsenic used?
>>30654506
It is used to provide greater hardness.
>>30654506
Who knows, but, it probably had some property that worked in the mfg process. They didn't really know about toxic substances back then. Could you image being the guy at the top of the tower melting the lead and inhaling that shit.
There's a reason people didn't live much past 45 year old back then.
>>30654535
Why would you want your lead harder?
>>30654554
So it hurts shit more.
>>30654271
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2qybStWdYcs
>>30654558
Sorry, it was a stupid question.
Why didn't they just use iron if that's what they wanted though?
>>30654570
Iron has a much higher melting point. And it was most likely more expensive too, so you worked with what you knew. Lead could be easily and cheaply worked with, but was too soft alone.
>>30654570
>iron
Everything is relative and different metals have different properties. Increasing the hardness of the lead alloy doesn't mean you would want hardness equivalent to iron or that you would want to sacrifice the density of lead. Density and hardness are two keys for penetration.
>>30654570
>>30654554
Lead is denser and cheaper than iron, which makes it better for projectiles. The problem is that it's softer, and so can deform during firing (leading to poor ballistics) or splatter on impact without adequately penetrating. Adding Arsenic increases hardness without unduly increasing cost or reducing density.
