Something wrong with my thermometer??

[gimling]

I have a RCBS thermometer I did my first set of melting and cleaning, everything melted at was steady at 600 degrees am I off on the melting point of lead? is me therm wrong?? most of the scrap that I bought looked like diving weights or roofing flash. thanks

[dbosman]

Lead melts at 621.5°F. Alloys can melt at lower temps. Roof flashing may have had some solder on it.
Take the following with a pinch of figurative salt. I got them online.

563° = solder (9 parts wt. lead & 1 part wt. tin)
529° = solder (8 parts wt. lead & 2 parts wt. tin)
504° = solder (7 parts wt. lead & 3 parts wt. tin)
464° = solder (6 parts wt. lead & 4 parts wt. tin)
428° = solder (5 parts wt. lead & 5 parts wt. tin)
374° = solder (4 parts wt. lead & 6 parts wt. tin)
365° = solder (3 parts wt. lead & 7 parts wt. tin)
392° = solder (2 parts wt. lead & 8 parts wt. tin)
421° = solder (1 part wt. lead & 9 parts wt. tin)

[gimling]

ahh cool thanks so that may mean I got some good scrap!!!

[dbosman]

If you paid about or less then $1.00 per pound, You bet!

There are several folks on this site who will use their hardness tester if you send them three or so bullets.
My personal opinion is that if I ask one of them for a test, I'll send brass or a couple extra pounds of lead their way as a Thank You.

[cstrickland]

I have a RCBS thermometer I did my first set of melting and cleaning, everything melted at was steady at 600 degrees am I off on the melting point of lead? is me therm wrong?? most of the scrap that I bought looked like diving weights or roofing flash. thanks

as was stated lead melts at 621° throw in the fact that most pocket type thermometers like that have a accuracy of +/- 3% of full scale or worse and you can be off up to 30° and sill be within spec.