Lead alloy calculators

[CPL Lou]

Thanks !
I'll give that a try.

CPL Lou

[Cornbread]

I stuck a copy out on Google docs so people without Excel can access it and fiddle around with their own calculations:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

[62chevy]

Works great on LiberOffice with Linux. Works on Windows too. get your copy here: http://www.libreoffice.org/

[jwber]

I stuck a copy out on Google docs so people without Excel can access it and fiddle around with their own calculations:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

Thanks, I just made a copy and saved it to my Google Drive so I can view on my Nexus. No more having to fire up the ol'e desktop to do a quick calculation.

[Cornbread]

Thanks, I just made a copy and saved it to my Google Drive so I can view on my Nexus. No more having to fire up the ol'e desktop to do a quick calculation.

No problem. I hope more people can use it this way. Saves having to have a desktop install of some type of Office or Freeware/Open Source Office and people can use it from smartphones etc.

[meeesterpaul]

Spreadsheet Wish List.
(first of all Thanks to all who make these available)
- I'd like a lot more custom alloy lines. Any suggestions on how to copy the full line and function to insert on a fresh line?
- A custom alloy line that can handle under 1% of a element
- bismuth
I have access to an XRF scanner and have detailed readouts on a whole bunch of different materials, from range lead, boat ballast shot, all types of letterpress type, linotype with different ratios etc. and I'd like to create a line for each item as scanned. BTW - I almost never see used linotype at 4/12/84. More typically it might be 2.8/10/88.2 range.
Now to go try garandsrus' Cast Bullet Alloy calculator and see if I can do those sub 1% elements in a mix.

[bumpo628]

Spreadsheet Wish List.
(first of all Thanks to all who make these available)
- I'd like a lot more custom alloy lines. Any suggestions on how to copy the full line and function to insert on a fresh line?
- A custom alloy line that can handle under 1% of a element
- bismuth
I have access to an XRF scanner and have detailed readouts on a whole bunch of different materials, from range lead, boat ballast shot, all types of letterpress type, linotype with different ratios etc. and I'd like to create a line for each item as scanned. BTW - I almost never see used linotype at 4/12/84. More typically it might be 2.8/10/88.2 range.
Now to go try garandsrus' Cast Bullet Alloy calculator and see if I can do those sub 1% elements in a mix.

I added 15 custom lines for you (now there is a total of 17). That was the most I could fit and still have all the data print on one page. The notes are now on the second page.
Lead Alloy Calculators 070612 (with 17 custom alloys).zip

The calculator can handle percentages under 1%, but you have to input the numbers in a particular way. I don't know why Excel works this way , but here is what you need to do: If you enter "1", it will input 1%. If you enter ".01", it will input 1%. So, to enter percentages under 1% you need to type them in decimal form. For 0.5%, enter ".005". For 0.17%, enter ".0017".

As for bismuth, I will try and squeeze another column in the next time I revise the calculator.

Thanks,
- bumpo628

[meicalnissyen]

I hope I have not missed the obvious link, but I was looking for a simple percentage calculator to blend 2 known alloys to get a target alloy

in this case, I have 94/6/0, 92/2/6, and 70/0/30

I can take 5 lbs each of the first two and get 10lbs of 86/8/6
my immediate goal is to figure out, (without revisiting the tumors I got from 1976 algebra 1)
how many ounces of the 70/0/30 to add to end up with 84/8/8

which the lovely excel tool in this thread shows as 18bn and has that nice SnSb balance I was reading about in "ingot to target"

sorry if this has been answered 47 times, and I missed it, couldn't find one in my online math calc links either

[meicalnissyen]

I went with the tumor, actually just a small aneurism
need 2% Sb
70000gr/2%=1400gr
1lb of 70/30 has 2100gr of Sb

a nice 2:3 relationship
so, I need 10.666666666667 oz of the 70/30 to each 10lb of the parent mix
or 11oz to correct for the small amount of added lead from the 70/30

Thanks for reading

and correct me if I effed up the calc

I hope I have not missed the obvious link, but I was looking for a simple percentage calculator to blend 2 known alloys to get a target alloy

in this case, I have 94/6/0, 92/2/6, and 70/0/30

I can take 5 lbs each of the first two and get 10lbs of 86/8/6
my immediate goal is to figure out, (without revisiting the tumors I got from 1976 algebra 1)
how many ounces of the 70/0/30 to add to end up with 84/8/8

which the lovely excel tool in this thread shows as 18bn and has that nice SnSb balance I was reading about in "ingot to target"

sorry if this has been answered 47 times, and I missed it, couldn't find one in my online math calc links either

[bumpo628]

I have 94/6/0, 92/2/6, and 70/0/30
I can take 5 lbs each of the first two and get 10lbs of 86/8/6
how many ounces of the 70/0/30 to add to end up with 84/8/8

There are a couple problems here. When you mix the first two alloys, you do not end up with an alloy with 8% tin, 6% antimony, 86% lead. You actually get an alloy with 4% tin, 3% antimony, 93% lead. Put your 94/6/0 alloy into one of the custom alloy lines in the calculator and then add 5 lbs to that line and 5 lbs to the "hardball" line and you'll see what I mean. The two alloys percentages average out when they blend, not add together.

Your desired alloy (84/8/8) is too high in tin and antimony, in my opinion. You probably don't need to go higher than 5-6% in either one. Lyman #2 has 5% of each. Hardball has 2% tin, 6% antimony. Both of those alloys have the highest percentages of components that people typically use.

Back to your question:
Due to the averaging effect, you would need to use some pure tin as well to get the tin percentage up to 8%
With the above example, you could add 0.7 lbs pure tin, 2.5 lbs superhard, 5 lbs of the 92/2/6 and 5 lbs of the 94/6/0 to get an alloy with 8% tin, 8% antimony, and 84% lead.

[meeesterpaul]

Super,
Can I send you some alloy as a token of appreciation?

[bumpo628]

Super,
Can I send you some alloy as a token of appreciation?

I appreciate the thought, but I'm just glad to help members out here any way I can. Young and old can learn something new everyday.
Maybe a site donation would be a better way if you can swing it.

[Twmaster]

I'm happy to report this works in Numbers on MacOS 10.9 (Mavericks). Also works in Excel for Mac.

Now a question. Not sure how to use this calculator. I have a lot of 100% pure dead soft lead. I want to harden it up for casting into boolits in the 16 or so Brinnell hardness, or perhaps a little less hard.

How would I use this to figure out how much other stuff to put in?

[Twmaster]

I should add, I have some junk pewter jewelry. Can this be used in the alloy?

[bumpo628]

Now a question. Not sure how to use this calculator. I have a lot of 100% pure dead soft lead. I want to harden it up for casting into boolits in the 16 or so Brinnell hardness, or perhaps a little less hard.

How would I use this to figure out how much other stuff to put in?
(cut-n-paste)
I should add, I have some junk pewter jewelry. Can this be used in the alloy?

You basically have to adjust the numbers by trial and error. Once you get a mix that works, you can scale it up or down to make different amounts.

In your case, you said you wanted to make an alloy about 16 bhn. You'll need something with antimony for that, like rotometals superhard. The cheapest alloy you can make with that hardness (or close) is probably Hardball with 2% tin and 6% antimony.

Here is how I do it:
I put in 10 pounds of pure lead. Then add 1 pound of pewter and that makes the tin over 8%. I tried 1/4 lb of pewter and that is just over 2% tin now. Add 1 pound of superhard and that makes the alloy 2% tin, 2.8% antimony. 2 lbs of superhard makes it 1.9% tin, 5% antimony. 3 lbs superhard makes it 1.75% tin, 6.9% antimony. So, back it down to 2.5 lbs superhard and you have 1.8% tin and 6% antimony. I'd call that close enough and use the final ratio of 10 lbs pure lead + 0.25 lbs pewter + 2.5 lbs superhard.

[Twmaster]

Thanks. I'll see about making that recipe!

[meeesterpaul]

I have a lot of different alloys that I just got tested. I plan on making up a couple batches for my own use with the sub 1000fps loads and then some for high speed. I'll have stuff for sale or trade. I'll post the XRF scan results for the different alloys so you can calculate a mix that you might want.

[meeesterpaul]

Lead Alloy Calculators 070612 (with 17 custom alloys).zip.

If this is the most recent update is it also in the first post ( maybe as 080?14?
TY again.

[bumpo628]

If this is the most recent update is it also in the first post ( maybe as 080?14?
TY again.

If you don't need all the extra custom alloy lines, just use the one in the first post. The 070612 (date) is the most recent version.

[meicalnissyen]

OOPss, see, I knew I'd miss something.
So, If I get this guy at work who knows excel to hold my hand, then I CAN use your calculator to do the grunt work

There are a couple problems here. When you mix the first two alloys, you do not end up with an alloy with 8% tin, 6% antimony, 86% lead. You actually get an alloy with 4% tin, 3% antimony, 93% lead. Put your 94/6/0 alloy into one of the custom alloy lines in the calculator and then add 5 lbs to that line and 5 lbs to the "hardball" line and you'll see what I mean. The two alloys percentages average out when they blend, not add together.

Your desired alloy (84/8/8) is too high in tin and antimony, in my opinion. You probably don't need to go higher than 5-6% in either one. Lyman #2 has 5% of each. Hardball has 2% tin, 6% antimony. Both of those alloys have the highest percentages of components that people typically use.

Back to your question:
Due to the averaging effect, you would need to use some pure tin as well to get the tin percentage up to 8%
With the above example, you could add 0.7 lbs pure tin, 2.5 lbs superhard, 5 lbs of the 92/2/6 and 5 lbs of the 94/6/0 to get an alloy with 8% tin, 8% antimony, and 84% lead.