Think I'm safe throwing this in my melt?

[Tango2020]

75481

I normally use straight WW for all my casting needs. Found this in the parking lot of the local flea market this morning. Reads 50% Tin on it but wonder what the other 50% is, Lead?. It's the size of a hotdog and I can bend it by hand. Weighs exactly .50 pounds. Think I'm good to go?

[Bigslug]

Looks a lot like the 50% tin/lead solder bars on Rotometals' website, so I'm guessing you've got a quarter pound of lead and a quarter pound of tin. Into the pot with it!

[Tango2020]

I looked on the site and I think you are correct. I need to find more of those. I get more excited finding wheel weights on the ground than change these days.

Thanks for the reply Bigslug.

[Larry Gibson]

That tin/lead bar solder will be very good for about 22 lbs of COWWs.

Larry Gibson

[rockrat]

Nope, don't put it in your melt . Looks defective. Send it to me and I will dispose of it properly:twisted:

[GrizzLeeBear]

rockrat is wrong! It is not defective, its broken. I am a collector and certified lead/tin fixer. Since it is 50% lead it is a toxic hazard to you. Send it to ME and I will properly fix it by mixing it with the appropriate 20 lbs of WW. LOL

[fryboy]

"I need to find more of those."


ummm dont we all ??? :P

[Shedhunter]

That is a nice find, always looking for free stuff on the ground!

[Hardcast416taylor]

I`d like to see the size of tire/wheel that this came off of?Robert

[Randy in Arizona]

I found a full pound bar of that in the middle of a busy intersection one time.
Other than a bad case of road rash it was fine!

65

[MtGun44]

Only half or less of that is needed to sweeten a typical 20 lb pot of
wwts. Don't waste it.

Bill

[Tango2020]

I am thinking about venturing into casting for my 30-06 and 25-06 in the near future so I'll hold on to it for those. I won't waste it on my pistol rounds.

[MtGun44]

The primary thing more tin will do is to make the boolits
nicer by improving the fillout of the mold, makes nice
square corners and bases.

Bill

[Larry Gibson]

The primary thing more tin will do is to make the boolits
nicer by improving the fillout of the mold, makes nice
square corners and bases.

Bill

Bill

In a ternary alloy such as COWWs I actually think that is the secondary thing of importance tin does. The primary importance is the tin combining with the antimony making a better solution with the lead. It improves the overall quality of the alloy. However, the fill out is also very nice. The lack of tin in COWWs is the primary cause of my mould is casting undersize.........

Larry Gibson

[MtGun44]

Thanks for that info, Larry. I usually add tin as needed to wwt alloy
if I am having any issues with less than wonderful fillout. I didn't really
connect that with diameter, but since I frequently add some tin, perhaps
that is why I don't usually have any "too small" issues myself.

I do have a need for some larger than normal diameter (like .361 or so)
.38 cal boolits to feed a .38 S&W Colt, so I will mix up a batch with some
extra tin and see what diameter I can get. I did recently purchase a mold
specifically for that cartridge, but haven't tried it yet.


Thanks again. I always read your posts carefully, usually learn something
along the way.
Bill