Little help please

[sagamore-one]

Just scored some pure lead from the phone company and need formulas to acheive Lyman #2 alloy using linotype as well as mono type, one formula for lino and one formula for mono to get 10 lb batches. I have plenty of lino, mono, and now pure lead, just need to know how to blend it to get #2 alloy.
I failed to understand the lead alloy calculator , thus I humble myself and ask.

[1Shirt]

Suggest you buy a Lyman manual!
1Shirt!

[sagamore-one]

Suggestion taken and found recipe for #2 alloy using 5lb pure, 4lb lino , plus 1lb bar solder.
O-K. Now how about mono type ?

[knifemaker]

Since mono is harder then lino, I would WAG, wild *** guess, of using 6lb pure, 3lb mono, and 1lb solder.

[bumpo628]

I plugged the first recipe above into the calculator (assuming the bar solder was 50/50):
I got an alloy with 6.6% tin and 4.8% antimony
The solder would need to be @ 33% tin to give you 5% tin in that recipe.

The estimated monotype recipe above gives an alloy with 7.7% tin and 5.7% antimony

Here are a couple recipes that use pure tin:
5oz pure tin + 4lbs 2oz linotype + 5lbs 9oz pure lead = alloy with 4.78% tin, 4.95% antimony
4oz pure tin + 2lbs 10oz linotype + 7lbs 2oz pure lead = alloy with 4.86% tin, 4.99% antimony

[Calamity Jake]

There's enough tin in the mono/lino to not need any more in a 10lb batch, anything over 2% tin is a waste of good tin.

[David2011]

What Jake said.

David

[sagamore-one]

Thank you everyone .

[sagamore-one]

Just out of curiosity.... if more than 2 percent tin is a waste.... why does Lyman still strongly recommend 90-5-5 (Lyman #2) as the best all around alloy ? Just curious to see if over 2 percent is wasteful can be substantiated, demonstrated, or documented.
Please... no disrespect intended. I have been fortunate to have access to fresh linotype for years and am now just beginning to blend alloys.

[RickinTN]

Over 2% is not a waste if your looking for a balanced alloy. The alloy retains it malleablility better if the antimony equals the tin content. If your only punching paper it probably won't matter, If you are concerned with how your alloy may act on impact, it does. 2% tin is usually enough to give good fillout, but not enough to give a balanced alloy, unless your alloy has only 2% antimony.
Rick

[btroj]

Just out of curiosity.... if more than 2 percent tin is a waste.... why does Lyman still strongly recommend 90-5-5 (Lyman #2) as the best all around alloy ? Just curious to see if over 2 percent is wasteful can be substantiated, demonstrated, or documented.
Please... no disrespect intended. I have been fortunate to have access to fresh linotype for years and am now just beginning to blend alloys.

Why does Lyman do this? Because they always have and don't care to change everything. They also don't have to pay for your alloy.

[Defcon-One]

I see you figured it out, the Lyman alloy recipes do not work. I posted recipes for actual Lyman #2 before. I will pull it together and post it again here.

FYI: I waste tin all the time! I love it! I shoot for fun and cast/reload for the same reason, not to save a few cents here and there. I consider Lyman #2 the best alloy for rifle and magnum handgun bullet casting. It makes pretty and excellent quality bullets and I have no problem using a few pounds of scrap lead (Linotype and Solder) to make it.

DC-1

**********You'll need a good digital scale!**********

Pure Lead/Linotype/50-50 Solder:

Pure Lead - 5.50 lbs.
Linotype - 4.44 lbs.
50-50 Solder - 0.71 lbs.

This one will make 10.65 pounds of Lyman #2 (5% Tin, 5% Antimony, 90% Lead) using Linotype.

**********

Pure Lead/Monotype/50-50 Solder:

Pure Lead - 7.02 lbs.
Monotype - 2.70 lbs.
50-50 Solder - 0.54 lbs.

This one will make 10.26 pounds of Lyman #2 (5% Tin, 5% Antimony, 90% Lead) using Monotype.

[runfiveslittlegirl]

a balanced tin/antimony ratio has some advantages other than wasting tin.

i just cut pure in half with linotype and add 2% tin as one of my main alloys beyond ww alloy alone.
this gets me to a 4/6/90 alloy, which will shoot circles around ww alloy [no matter how treated] in many stressful situations.
such as maintaining accuracy at velocity in small bore rifles.
it's also great at mixing with ww alloy to fine tune a boolits diameter to a particular rifle.

[jmort]

"I failed to understand the lead alloy calculator"

If you just go by weight then it's easy.

[cbrick]

Just out of curiosity.... if more than 2 percent tin is a waste.... why does Lyman still strongly recommend 90-5-5 (Lyman #2) as the best all around alloy ? Just curious to see if over 2 percent is wasteful can be substantiated, demonstrated, or documented.

To simply state that adding more than 2% Sn is a waste is incorrect & kind of misleading. Most WW alloy has about 2% Sb and according to the metals industry the Sn percentage should not exceed the Sb percentage thus in WW alloy it would be a waste and possibly detrimental. For the Lyman #2 you ask about with it's 5% Sb bringing the Sn up to 5% does not exceed the Sb. Thus Lyman #2 = 90/5/5.

Note that this is for Pb/Sb alloys but even with straight Pb you get to a point where more Sn will do you no good.

Rick

[bumpo628]

ref: (Sn/Sb/Pb)
Hardball (2/6/92) was created as a cheaper alternative to Lyman #2 (5/5/90).
It is also easier to make with linotype - just cut it 50/50 with pure lead.
I like to cut that in half again with pure lead to make (1/3/96) to use for pistols
That being said, all alloys perform differently and you should try several kinds and use what you like.

Next time I update the alloy calculator, I'll try and make it easier to input the weights.
I was thinking separate boxes for pounds and ounces....

[Defcon-One]

....Next time I update the alloy calculator, I'll try and make it easier to input the weights. I was thinking separate boxes for pounds and ounces....

Bumpo: I have a digital scale. A good one. I like decimal pounds (ie. 0.00 lbs.)! I also use your program/calculator, a bit modified to suit my needs better, but it is yours!

[bumpo628]

The way i would do the next rev is: you can put number in the "pounds" box and/or the "ounces" box. Whole or decimal numbers in either one.
Sorry for the threadjack, sagamore-one!

[sagamore-one]

No problemo about threadjack... I'm enjoying this thread immensely. Mucho thanks to Defcon for the precise formula for my needs. Mucho thanks to everyone else, even if I don't understand.

[shadowcaster]

Just out of curiosity.... if more than 2 percent tin is a waste.... why does Lyman still strongly recommend 90-5-5 (Lyman #2) as the best all around alloy ? Just curious to see if over 2 percent is wasteful can be substantiated, demonstrated, or documented.
Please... no disrespect intended. I have been fortunate to have access to fresh linotype for years and am now just beginning to blend alloys.

Why does Lyman do this? Because they always have and don't care to change everything. They also don't have to pay for your alloy.

While Lyman #2 is an excellent alloy, Lyman will not change or report differently because they have their name on it. It helps them promote all their products. It does not however, always fit every ones needs.

As far as more than 2% percent being a waste of good tin, that's going to depend on you. As posted above, having a balanced alloy makes for some mighty fine boolits. Tin is a commodity that I don't have enough of and I try not to exceed 2% total tin. I use WW's or RS and they always have some tin in them already.

Shad