Want to replace SAECO hardness tester

[DAFzipper]

Thinking about LBT or CabinTree. What one should I buy? My SAECO seems to test everything on the hard side. Not sure if its my alloys or the tester or both.

[32Special]

I think my SAECO tests hard as well. It shows my water dropped WW/2% tin as equal to linotype. Also, my range scrap (mostly jackete bullet cores) with 10% foundry type (20%tin/20%antimony) tests equal to linotype. These alloys are hard, but I doubt they are that hard.

I have some pure lino here that I got from a printer friend. I guess I could cast up some bullets with that and see how it tests. I suspect using the lino data point, you could mirror the one given on the SAECO instructions and have a good feel for what the numbers really are.

[Jon K]

Test some pure lead, and some certified alloy of a known mix. Also do a side by side comparison, to be sure you are getting false readings.

Just remember WW and Range Scraps are an UNKNOWN.

Jon

[Calamity Jake]

Go with the CabinTree, you won't be sorry.

[Dale53]

I have an LBT hardness tester that I have had for several years. I have been happy with it. However, if I were buying a new one, it would be the Cabin Tree tester as it is more versatile.

I DO like having a hardness tester. It doesn't get used often but when I want to know hardness information, out it comes.

Dale53

[anachronism]

Contact Saeco & ask them to check the calibration of your tester. It's not a throw-away.

[Bad Water Bill]

I have the same problems.Everything tests the same hardness. Store purchased PURE tests the same as a 2? # Ingot of new lino. My Lee shows the correct readings but the 3X more expensive tester can not tell the diff.

[Bret4207]

Cabin Tree.

[STP22]

I have an early BHN tester from Redding...all steel, not the gold anodized body version. When I got it, I called them and requested their hardness chart and it was faxed to me at work in less than 15 minutes. Works perfectly...no issues here.

[Meatco1]

The Cabine Tree is certainly easy to work with, and seems to be giving fairly consistent readings for me.

Richard

[DAFzipper]

I contacted SAECO and sent my tester back to be calibrated. I'll let you know how I make out.

[Springfield]

I like my LBT. When we had that big comparison test with everybodys tester last year my LBT was very close to the lab tester results.

[DAFzipper]

Well I received my tester after calibration. Checked a batch of #2 I mixed. It tested at 20 before and now it tests 15! Looks like I'll stick with this for now and see how it goes.

[cajun shooter]

The Lee tester will give close to Lab results. The problem with them is holding the 20x scope steady to have the same reading every time. A post on this site showed one mounted in a child's microscope and I did the same thing. WORKS GREAT. The Lee can be purchased for $43 and thats alot less than the others.