Lead alloy calculators

[larrymac1]

Superhard is already on the list - it is the 12th item down from the top. You just need to put the weight in pounds in the yellow column.

For the two custom alloy rows towards the bottom, you enter the percentages of the alloy components in the five boxes (Sn, Sb, As, Cu, Ag) and the remainder of lead is filled in for you. Excel is a bit funny in that to enter 30% for example, you can type in "30" or ".3". However, to enter 0.5%, you have to type in ".005".

When trying to calculate an alloy like your example, first I enter the pure lead (43 lbs). Then I add some tin and adjust the weight until it gets around 2%. After that, add in the superhard weight and adjust until it gets to either the percentage or hardness you want. Fine tune both as needed.
For your example, I came up with the following:
43 lbs of pure lead + 1 lb of pure tin + 7 lbs of superhard = alloy with 2% tin, 4% antimony, 94% lead, and a Brinell hardness @ 13

Once you find a recipe you like: to make larger or smaller batches, just multiply or divide all the numbers in the recipe by the same number. In the example above, if you wanted a 10 lb batch (total weight) you would divide all the numbers by 5.1. You get the 5.1 by comparing the two batches total weights (51 lbs / 10 lbs = 5.1). The new recipe would be:
8.4 lbs of pure lead + 0.2 lbs of pure tin + 1.4 lbs of superhard = alloy with 2% tin, 4% antimony, 94% lead, and a Brinell hardness @ 13

For your 75 lb WW batch question, you just need to enter the known amounts and use trial and error with the weights of your additives to get what you want. There are several ways to do it depending on what you have on hand. I like to print out the recipes and put them in sheet protectors in a binder when I find one I like so I don't have to fiddle around with the numbers next time.

Finally, I really like your reverse calculator idea. I don't think I could do it for all the items on the list, but maybe I could make one that just used a few components. I think lead, tin, and superhard would be a good start. I'll give it some thought and see if I can come up with something.

Here is the weight formula I put together.

Column B is B(line #)*H(line number) In using your chart it would be B47*H47 That would give you tin Then to column C and the same basic formula =SUM(C47*H47) etc. You don't need a total pounds column since you are drawing that from line 47.

I hope this is understandable. Set your percentages in line 47 and the weight calculator part will do the rest.

BHN will take some thinking but it can be done.

[meeesterpaul]

Hope you aren't bored or numb to compliments and appreciation for this calculator. Thanks a bunch. Can I send you a box of letterpress to show my appreciation?
I have a lot of trays of sorted letterpress. I have had them XRF scanned. I'd like to make a line entry for each sample. Can I copy your Custom Alloy lines and reinsert them multiple times? I have tried it and it doesn't seem to carry the automated calculations over to the new line.
Also, I don't see a change in the BHN number when I use a custom alloy with Cu in it. Is there a line that has the Cu influence on hardness built into it; that I can customize with the other XRF scan results of Sn Sb and Pb content of a sample?
TY again

[bumpo628]

Hope you aren't bored or numb to compliments and appreciation for this calculator. Thanks a bunch. Can I send you a box of letterpress to show my appreciation?
I have a lot of trays of sorted letterpress. I have had them XRF scanned. I'd like to make a line entry for each sample. Can I copy your Custom Alloy lines and reinsert them multiple times? I have tried it and it doesn't seem to carry the automated calculations over to the new line.
Also, I don't see a change in the BHN number when I use a custom alloy with Cu in it. Is there a line that has the Cu influence on hardness built into it; that I can customize with the other XRF scan results of Sn Sb and Pb content of a sample?
TY again

I'm glad you enjoy it. I'm afraid the custom lines can't be copied unless you rewrote the other formulas. I limited it to two lines in order to fit on one page when printed. You could copy the lines and hit "paste special" then select "values" on a separate sheet. The hardness formula from rotometals only accounts for tin and antimony, but not copper or silver. Although both of those will increase the hardness.

Thanks,
bumpo628

[meeesterpaul]

I'm glad you enjoy it. I'm afraid the custom lines can't be copied unless you rewrote the other formulas.
I limited it to two lines in order to fit on one page when printed. You could copy the lines and hit "paste special" then select "values" on a separate sheet.
The hardness formula from rotometals only accounts for tin and antimony, but not copper or silver. Although both of those will increase the hardness.

>>>Do you mean the formulas built into the cell on that line?
>>>could the whole line, with formulas, replace one of the other lines on the page?
>>>It looks like Cu affected BHN about the same, or a little more than Sb judging by the line with PB/Cu only.
Now to find out whether it's better to harden with Cu or SB? I wonder if the 6% Sb brittleness can be worked around using Cu. Anyone have any info on that? If it is a good alternative it may be worth doing the copper sulfate-zinc swap steps.

[Greebe]

Thanks for the time creating this calculator and sharing it with us.

However I can not get it to output the right numbers. They seem a bit off. Maybe I am doing something wrong.

For instance it shows the following info:

Foundrytype 15.00%(Tin) 23.00%(Antimony) 0% 0% 0% 62.0%(Lead) --Brinell 30
-Now if we enter the quantities in the calculator it outputs 34.1

10 to 1 9.09%(Tin) 0% 0% 0% 0% 90.9%(Lead) -- Brinell 12
-calculator output is 11.3

Hardball Alloy 2.00%(Tin) 6.00%(Antimony) 0% 0% 0% 92.0%(Lead) -- Brinell 16
-calculator output is 14.7

I get the same discrepancy for most of them. I hope this does not come off as being nit picky or ungrateful, I just wanted to bring it to your attention as it seems that something is not quite right.

Thanks
Greebe

[bumpo628]

Thanks for the time creating this calculator and sharing it with us.

However I can not get it to output the right numbers. They seem a bit off. Maybe I am doing something wrong.

For instance it shows the following info:

Foundrytype 15.00%(Tin) 23.00%(Antimony) 0% 0% 0% 62.0%(Lead) --Brinell 30
-Now if we enter the quantities in the calculator it outputs 34.1

10 to 1 9.09%(Tin) 0% 0% 0% 0% 90.9%(Lead) -- Brinell 12
-calculator output is 11.3

Hardball Alloy 2.00%(Tin) 6.00%(Antimony) 0% 0% 0% 92.0%(Lead) -- Brinell 16
-calculator output is 14.7

I get the same discrepancy for most of them. I hope this does not come off as being nit picky or ungrateful, I just wanted to bring it to your attention as it seems that something is not quite right.

Thanks
Greebe

I'm glad you're getting some use out of it.
The hardness values listed to the right of the alloys are published data. The number produced from the custom alloy line or the mixed alloy line is based on a formula provided by rotometals. It's accuracy is limited, but it is the only formula I could find. The formula is most accurate when tin and antimony are at least 1%. Even the published vales vary a bit depending on the source.

[ShootR]

Bumpo628, Thanks for your hard work and sharing the calculator. I read all of the posts and plugged in some different alloy hardness numbers and figured what is needed to make a little harder alloy. I have tested each ingot I have and have noticed that my COWW and range lead varies from batch to batch. Your calculator helps me make a more consistent final alloy.

[pistolman44]

For some reason my computer with Windows 8 won't allow me to down load this file.

[bumpo628]

For some reason my computer with Windows 8 won't allow me to down load this file.

There is no reason windows 8 will not do it....maybe it just put the file in a default location. Check to see where downloaded files are saved. Otherwise, download from another computer and email it to yourself.

[kelbro]

Is 070612 the last update?

[bumpo628]

Is 070612 the last update?

Yes it is.
By the way, I always attach the latest revision to the first post.

[kelbro]

Thanks. Really appreciate your effort on this.

[inspector_17]

Thanks for all the painstaking work in getting this collected, put together and Updated!

As a side note if you don't have MS Office, Open Office does work, and it is a free download.

[tryn2rest]

Thank you for this tool. While it took me a few tries to use it once I got it down it works great!! Now how do I add water quenching to the equation? (LOL)

[fatelvis]

Damn, these calculators wont open on my computer. It uses Windows 8.

[bangerjim]

Damn, these calculators wont open on my computer. It uses Windows 8.

It's just a plain old Excel sheet. I can even open it on my iPhone and iPad!

I do not like Win 8. Still use 7 Ultimate and it opens great in Excel. Are you sure you have the appropriate program??????

banger

[62chevy]

Works fine on Linux, Debian Testing, with LibreOffice.

[bumpo628]

Damn, these calculators wont open on my computer. It uses Windows 8.

I bought a couple windows 8 computers recently and they don't even come with a trial version of Office anymore. You can install an old copy if you have it or download OpenOffice for free.

[CPL Lou]

Any chance of getting Rotometals Super Tough added to the list ?
Thanks !!!!

CPL Lou

[bumpo628]

C

Any chance of getting Rotometals Super Tough added to the list ?
Thanks !!!!

CPL Lou

There are so many kinds of babbitt, I just couldn't fit them in there. However, you can put the percentages in one of the custom alloy lines. You can rename it to Super Tough as well and save it on your copy. I would use 84% tin, 8% antimony, and 8% copper for the values.

Thanks
- bumpo628