Lead shot has been dropped from shot towers since at least as far back as 1782. This method takes lead block or ingot to the top of the tower for melting. Lead drops through a sieve determining the size of the finished pellet. Due to the inherent surface tension and low melting temperatures a near perfect sphere is formed rather quickly. This historic process has remained essentially unchanged for more than two centuries. Notice the tower standing high above the facility in the left of this glass negative from over 100 years ago.