monotype

[686]

i am a old caster with a new observation. i have been making my bullet mixture over the last week. i am using liontype in line form and monotype in single letters. with all the other type of lead i am using in a mix i add 4 lb. liontype to one batch then 3 lb. liontype to the next batch. i only pour up about 2/3 of the lead in the pot at a time. this gives me a little cross over mix.
here is what i found out. the monotype foams. after fluxing i have a lumpy, foam on top. i dip it off flux again and every thing is fine. it does not do that with the liontype. does any one know what this is that is foaming. i am melting at 625-675. i know it is the monotype and not any other lead. thanks

[garandsrus]

686,

I believe it is the tin and antimony that is foaming due to the high percentage of each in the mix. If you flux the mix again and heat it up a little hotter, the foam will be re-absorbed.

I like to use a bid of candle wax to help heat up the top of the mix. After melting, it ignites which adds the required heat.

John

[454PB]

I've observed the same thing. I melt the soft lead first (whether pure lead or WW's), then add the monotype. That seems to minimize or eliminate the foaming. I never remove the foam, I just let it sit and heat longer, then flux thoroughly. This is one condition where Marvelux really works well.

[billyb]

Monotype has a much higher tin and antimony content than lino. I purchased about 50# at a sa;vage yard some years ago,started making some # two and run to the oatmeal efect. Mixed the alloy, and after it had cooled i droped one of the ingots and it snappen into. Did a google on type metal and discovered the mono has a higher antimony content. I use the #2 i made with the mono and mix it with ww&pure. Bill

[686]

I am going to try 2 parts soft lead to 1 part monotype. what do you think? do you think i will need to add some tin ti this? if this mixes with out the foamey oat meal stuff on top, do you think i can then remelt and mix that with my reg mixture and get it to blend together good.

[wiljen]

I am going to try 2 parts soft lead to 1 part monotype. what do you think? do you think i will need to add some tin ti this? if this mixes with out the foamey oat meal stuff on top, do you think i can then remelt and mix that with my reg mixture and get it to blend together good.



2:1 Pure to Monotype should yield an alloy of roughly 91% Pb 6% Sb and 3% Sn
certainly no need for more tin in that.

[454PB]

Your recipe should work fine. One I use for rifle boolits is 50/50 monotype pure lead. This comes out about BHN 19 to 20 and casts beautifully.

You shouldn't need any additional tin, 1 part monotype to 2 part lead will have 3 times as much tin as WW alloy. Monotype is supposedly 9 percent tin, 19 percent antimony, and 72 pecent lead.

[686]

for those that have put monotype in to ww and got the foamie oat meal stuf on top, did it mix good without foam when you mixed lead with monotype?

[686]

well a lot of testing over the weekend. first i found out if i put something on top of the oat meal stuf, like saw dust. in my case i put corn cob meda. let it set there for about 15-20 min. have the heat up to about 800-825, then the oat meal would mix in to the lead.
for a starting point i use two pots maybe 100 lb each to mix in. one i mixed my mixture with liontype added. i casted some bullets from it.
in the other pot i mixed 2parts soft lead to one part monotype. i casted some bullets from it.
the out come was the monotype ones were 171 gr. where my reg lead were 177 gr. they were harder and .002 bigger. this tells me i need more lead.
i then used 3 parts to 1 part soft lead. they came out all most the same as my reg lead.
i then used the monotype for my reg mix insteed of liontype and put in more soft lead than i normaly do for the liontype. it worked out the same as my reg. mix.
it seams i have to use more heat and cover with corn cob , let is set for a while for the oat meal to mix in. in doing this i get all the goody of the monotype.
now i have to try and get all the stuf i was dipping off out of the bucket and melt it. i may make 1 ln ingots of it , knowing it is a lots of tin and antomey. i will try to add them in some some time.
this is long but maybe it will help some one else.

[garandsrus]

686,

If you add heat to the top or use flux that can burn, such as with candle wax, the oatmeal will mix in more quickly.

Re-claiming what you already skimmed off is a very good idea...

John

[Lloyd Smale]

Monotype is a block letter that is used many times. thats why it needs to be harder. Most of what you see on top of your pot is probably ink from the letters.

[686]

I have fluxed with wax and other stuf and the foamey oatmeal stuff does not mix in. it is also not the ink off the type. i am thinking it is tin and antimonet. it does blind in after i cover it with corn cob media and let it sit for 15-20 min.

[Lloyd Smale]

it isnt antimony. no way that much tin and antimony are seperating from your mix. Tin and antimony would also flux in. Id scrape it off and throw it away.