Mystery alloy questions...

[Jake McCracken]

Got a big block of "lead" given to me in the shape of a V8 valve cover. I cut it into chunks and threw it in my "turkey fryer" to clean it up.

When it melted down I fluxed it a couple times and it started turning a straw yellow then instant blue. I read some of the previous posts and it seems the alloy may have gotten too hot at one point during its life and caught the blues.

But, The really really weird part is how amazingly shiny the ingots and bullets are. (And Blue, theyre still blue. Haven't worked on that one yet. The shiny still has me puzzled.

I contacted a member of the forums to see if he could hardness test them for me. He said he would, so I ladel poured a few for him to test (didn't take time to make a perfect bullet for testing so ignore the wrinkles please!) As u can see in the pictures it almost looks like they're chrome plated?

I had the metallurgical guy here at the work run a sample thru his spectrometer but it came back with wonky results. We're guessing since its set up for steel and we tried testing lead it just got confused. I attached the results with the other pictures. Were assuming some of the stranger elements may have come from the sanding disc and embedded in the soft metal of the test site. And maybe the 85% iron reading came from metal dust on the same sanding disc? The impressions in the sample were done with a small screwdriver with a firm push. The zigzag scratches are done with my fingernail... so I'm pretty confident this alloy is NOT 85% iron. Or maybe it has some sort of Bruce Banner connection and I've become super human strong? Would've expected green if that was the case, but I kinda like that blue color better.

Anyone have any guesses what I may be dealing with?


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[Dusty Bannister]

I would say that the blue ingots resulted from being poured very hot. The bright shine on the bullets are due to a cold pour. The mold is not up to temp so the edges are rounded, and the melt temp is unknown, so you probably have no thermometer to monitor the melt temp.

It might be a good idea to get a large caliber flat nosed bullet mold so you can pour a sample bullet and it will be easier to test that sample for hardness. A consistent sample size will give more consistent test results. Seeing the indication of "blue" I would suggest you utilize the service of BNE and get an XRF scan from him. Or pour a clean sample without any surface contamination for the guy at work to test. I have used BNE on a number of occasions and knowing he is more familiar with the lead alloys, would suggest that course.

[Budzilla 19]

If you have an industrial X-ray company in town, (think white trucks with a doghouse on the back) ask them if they will pmi that lead slug for ya!! If no report is needed, then usually no charge!! Just my two. Send a sample plus a pound of lead alloy to member here BNE. You will get detailed results!!

[hunter74]

Looks like pure lead. It can turn yellow/blue if hot.

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[rmark]

Soft lead will be blue/purple if melted hot - had exactly the same color last week when I melted a large soft ingot from Rotometals into smaller ingots.

[Mitch]

Looks like it may be pure lead.Drop an ingot on the cement if it goes clunk is pure or real close.

[Jake McCracken]

I was asked to show images of both sides of the casting (air and mold sides). So here goes, plus one more... A better shot of the shiny I was talking about. Mirror like finish.

Also, i didn't notice before, but there's a layered almost ripple look to it. Yes, it was all one continuous pour. I've never had this with any ingot I've made before, not sure what caused it, but every ingot from this batch is like this.

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