Lead alloy calculators

[Barnowl]

Here is the source of the formula:
http://www.rotometals.com/Bullet-Cas...s-s/5.htmBasic Rules for Hardening Lead-
For every 1% additional tin, Brinell hardness increases 0.3.
For every 1% additional antimony, Brinell hardness increases 0.9.
For a simple equation,
Brinell = 8.60 + ( 0.29 * Tin ) + ( 0.92 * Antimony )

If you put in the numbers for hardball and lyman #2, the formula comes out very close to the published values using the "8.6" as-is in the formula. The formula does not work well (match published data) unless both tin and antimony percentages are about 1% or more. Of course, you can not get a lower BHN than 8.6 with this formula, but it does not say in the source that it works for every case.

I don't quite understand where the "X" number idea you guys mentioned above comes from.
I would appreciate it if you could explain a bit more.

bumpo628,

Apparently there is more to the Rotometals formula. "Brinell = X + (0.3 * Tin) + (0.92 * Antimony) for "X" enter 5 for pure lead or 8.6 for wheel weights" It appears that "X" is the base metal one is starting with.

This comes from this 12-10-10 post of a Rotometals newsletter:Here

Here is the pertinent text:

Talk Back
Lead Hardening
Recently I was asked the brinell hardness of pure lead and wheel weights. We did some research and found that the BHN of pure lead is approximately 5. The BHN for wheel weights was a little more difficult to find as wheel weights differ in their chemical composition. That said, many people use a range of 8-9; we list 8.6 as the baseline BHN for wheel weights. This got us thinking, why do we receive so many calls about hardening lead? This has to be the number one question we are asked by bullet casters. So we thought, let's try to answer this question without adding to the confusion of lead hardening.

There are two metals that can harden lead successfully, tin and antimony. For every 1% of tin added to your lead you will increase the brinell hardness by .3 and for every 1% antimony you add, you will increase the brinell hardness by .92. Using this simple equation Brinell = X + (0.3 * Tin) + (0.92 * Antimony) for "X" enter 5 for pure lead or 8.6 for wheel weights. Now you can figure out exactly how much antimony and/or tin you need to add to achieve a certain BHN.

Example: 14.7 = 8.6 + (0.3 * 5) + (0.92 * 5)

Here, we added 5% tin and 5% antimony to our wheel weights and achieved a 14.7 BHN.

For more information and to look up these products, visit us online at www.Rotometals.com.

An unasked question is an unanswered question. Send us your questions today. You never know, your question may be featured in a future newsletter.

[bumpo628]

Thx for that info. The formula doesn't make any sense now, though.
If you start with pure lead and add 5% of both tin and antimony, you end up with a hardness of about 11. Since it should be 15, that means the formula doesn't work the way they say it does.
Plus, adding tin or antimony to WW lead should make the hardness higher since you're starting with an alloy.

I'll see if I can figure out a formula that starts with 5 and matches up with known alloy hardnesses.

[Barnowl]

I played around with both figures also (5 for lead and 8.6 for WW) and found the same discrepancies as you did. As a side note, the bhn of 8.6 for WW is less than most sources I have found. The Rotometals formula may have a narrow range of accuracy/use. Maybe Rotometals could explain.

Kevin

[FLYCUTTER]

I want to thank you Bumpo for your lead calculator. Now that I have windows 10, I down loaded Apache Open Office 4 and can open it free. I found it very fascinating and spent hours messing around getting to know your program. I am not a computer savvy guy but it really is easy to use . Thanks for your hours building this spreadsheet for all of us to use.

[Pine Baron]

Bumpo, Thank you so much for this. After downloading, I just spent an hour fascinated by the different alloys possible, with all the "stuff" I've accumulated/acquired. Your efforts are appreciated.

[alamogunr]

I'm amazed that I just found this thread and alloy calculator since it has been around for 5 years.

OK! I've read all eleven pages of this thread and still have some things I'm unsure of. I have several different alloys(for want of a better term) that I plan to use to mix different alloys. As I understand the spreadsheet, I would use the custom alloy lines to enter my different alloys to be used as components of a desired alloy. For instance, I have a large supply of 40/60 solder that was salvaged from a large production pot. It tested as 76% Pb, 23.4% Sn and .6% Cu. I would label it "My 40/60 Solder". I have a variety of WW, range lead that I am considering mixing together to obtain a "Basic Boolit Component". This would be added as a Custom Alloy to be used in future calculations.

Can the Monotype line be altered to reflect the tested results for my monotype(mine differs significantly) or does it also have to be entered into the "Custom Alloy" section? I guess the answer to this question is the same as I stated above for 40/60 solder.

I quit dealing with spreadsheets using calculations when I retired 10 years ago. Amazing how much you forget.

Regardless of the answers, my thanks to bumpo for all the work he put in on this.

[popper]

alamo - you can unlock cells to change data, then BE SURE to relock. I've made changes to several and added some. Act ually you can add a sheet and make cost calc per load/100.

[alamogunr]

alamo - you can unlock cells to change data, then BE SURE to relock. I've made changes to several and added some. Act ually you can add a sheet and make cost calc per load/100.

Thanks popper. As far as cost is concerned, I wrote off any $$ I had invested in various lead supplies a long time ago. I've got enough of everything to be able to leave it to my sons if they want it or for them to dispose of it(not scrap it, make sure it goes to someone who will use it).

[bumpo628]

Thanks popper. As far as cost is concerned, I wrote off any $$ I had invested in various lead supplies a long time ago. I've got enough of everything to be able to leave it to my sons if they want it or for them to dispose of it(not scrap it, make sure it goes to someone who will use it).

I would just correct the numbers to match the alloys you have. Download a fresh copy if you ever need to see the original version.
If you need more custom alloy lines, I made another version with 17 customs and you can download it from post no. 147 on page 8.

Cheers

[alamogunr]

Thanks bumpo! I downloaded your 17 custom version and used the custom lines to enter my special alloys. Then using my alloys, I played around with mixing COWW and range lead. Then adjusting tin and antimony using my monotype, it only took 3 tries to get this:

Sn 1.88% Sb 4.04% Cu .22% Pb 93.9%

This gave me an estimated hardness of 12.9BH. My batch(not actual) was a little over 100#. To reduce that hardness would eat into my soft lead, of which I don't have an abundance, considerably. Regardless, this is fun.

[bichettereds]

When I try and use this it says the document was open as "read-only". Do I have to pay for the software from Apache or Microsoft to actually use this or am I doing something wrong?

[bazzer485]

Thanks for the calculator, its great. But how do I get the cost per bullet to show a actual cost rather than #Value?

[bazzer485]

Thanks for the calculator, its great. But how do I get the cost per bullet to show a actual cost rather than #Value?

Problem solved when I downloaded a later version.

[bumpo628]

When I try and use this it says the document was open as "read-only". Do I have to pay for the software from Apache or Microsoft to actually use this or am I doing something wrong?

I haven't heard that one before. Try to save it with a new file name to see if that gets rid of it.

[bichettereds]

Thanks bumpo. That worked! Nice job on the calculator!

[sfcairborne]

Ok maybe I missed it somewhere in one of the posts. Is there a way to utilize the calculator on an IPAD? the IPAD is the only form of internet access. I do not have a computer, as my Ipad will do most everything I need, well except this.

Thanks Gents

[bumpo628]

Ok maybe I missed it somewhere in one of the posts. Is there a way to utilize the calculator on an IPAD? the IPAD is the only form of internet access. I do not have a computer, as my Ipad will do most everything I need, well except this.

Thanks Gents

I think the app called "numbers" is your best bet.
Here is a good article on the subject:
http://www.macworld.com/article/1168...n-an-ipad.html

[sfcairborne]

Thank You, BangorJim squared me away today, got it loaded on both my phone and on the IPad. Thanks guys. So far I've just been mixing 50% Stick Ons to 50% WW. Seems to be working, but I would really like to make up a batch of 20:1. For the 30/30 and the 45/70. I think I understand the formula for it 96% pure, 2% WW and 2% tin. If that is right I just need to figure the number in pound for a 30 pound mix.

[bazzer485]

Yep, bumpo629 is right, Numbers is a great way to use the spreadsheet on a iPad. Just put in the leads you want to use and the hardness is calculated for you. It will calculate the cost of each bullet if you enter the cost of the lead and alloys. Mine are coming out at four cents each.

[mac1911]

On the desktop, try opening the calculator with OpenOffice if Microsoft Excel doesn't work for you. Or an older version of Excel.
http://www.openoffice.org/download/

On the phone, you can use one of the spreadsheet programs like Docs To Go or Google's Sheets.

ok getting back to smelting and alloy mixing.... new computer.
I cant get the calculator to open again. down loaded http://www.openoffice.org/download/ and still tells me I cant open the calculator?