Checking calibration of Lee hardness tester

[Don1357]

It's there a readily available alloy I can use to check the calibration (or my ability to accurately measure with) of the Lee hardness tester? I have dead soft lead but the microscope scale only goes to .0100 and the reading is pass that. Is all 95% tin solder the same as far as hardness is concerned? I have some of that I could smelt a sample.

[JBinMN]

If no one gives you an answer here, I think your question would be a good one to ask the folks at Lee Precision. Please share it here if that is what you end up doing.


I think the compression amount is 60 pounds when the "post" is held flush with the top of the testing die, but how to check it for accuracy( calibrate?), I do not know.

Interesting & good question. Hopefully someone here knows, or has asked at Lee & will tell about it.


BTW, I do not use the microscope but instead use a calipers. I color in the dimple with, usually a red sharpie pen & then use the calipers to measure the dimple diameter. Perhaps using that method & comparing to the chart might help.

[JBinMN]

I got this from Conditor22/Gramps, but it is an "extended BHN chart to use with the Lee tester:



It goes from .040 or 33 BHN to .108 diameter or 4.0 BHN