Preparing For Analysis

[alamogunr]

I've got about 2 tons of various melts of scrap WW. Some is from the '90's. Some is from early 2000's, and some is purchased from a caster that salvaged from a LEO range. I've also got a several hundred pounds of SOWW/soft other and roll solder(solid wire).

I want to send samples to a fellow that can analyze a sample. Rather than send multiple samples, I'm considering making up melts(no more than 2-3) consisting of known quantities of various melts. This way I would not have to bother him with many different samples. Also, I could duplicate a given alloy by referring to the make up of the sample that I wanted to duplicate. Also could change that alloy by adding tin, antimony or even pure, but not in the quantities that would be required if I was alloying pure lead.

Does this sound like a feasible plan? Or should I modify the plan in some way to simplify things?

[kevin c]

If I understand you, you're going to make a sample blend of different scrap sources in a fixed ratio and have that analyzed, so that you'll have the content of that blend, but not the content of each scrap source?

That will work, if you can keep each source separate and positively identified. Using the alloy calculators makes it relatively uncomplicated to mix up a new alloy from any set of known alloys. But you will have a problem with left over source scrap: if you run out of one, then all the others used in that combo become unknowns again, since you can't make the old blend and don't know what the rest will give you, singly or in combo. To avoid that you'd have the weigh each scrap source and combine in a ratio that'd eventually use them all up at the same time.

If you don't mind the time, propane, and the abuse of your back, you could melt together like with like in large lots and get each analyzed. You'd have fewer lots to keep organized and separate, and will have known source alloys to start with. The only disadvantage is some loss of flexibility in starting source alloy content, but it'd be the same with what you're proposing.

Greatest flexibility is analyzing each scrap type and keeping them marked and separate. Keeping the scrap marked and separate is still needed with the batching and testing you describe, so another option is to test them all. I've sent BNE twenty samples at a time: he got twenty pounds of lead for his work and I got info that I needed.

Personally, I've gone to testing large batches of like with like. At one time I had four times the quantity you describe, acquired over a few years, and I figured it was what I had to do to keep things straight.

[alamogunr]

Thanks for your response, Kevin. I haven't done anything yet but plan to segregate boxes of lead by date. These boxes contain only COWW. I suspect that the older boxes are much the same and even if not, they don't differ enough to be of importance to me. I plan to make up each batch in proportion to how much of each date box I have. That way the inconvenience of running out of a box before others are used up is minimized.

When I make up the batches, each box will be identified with the batch it goes with.

I just remembered that I have a fair quantity of enrichment metal that I obtained in a group buy many years ago. Since it is in large(about 5-6 lbs) ingots, I will have to melt it down and cast smaller ingots to be able to make use of it in adjusting the makeup of a base alloy.

I suspect that, as I prepare to do this, that I will adjust my thinking as I run into unanticipated problems.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

Who is doing testing now?

[alamogunr]

Kevin mentioned BNE. I'm not familiar with them. I'm also not sure that the person I have used in the past wants to do it now. I'm just hoping he will. If he wants to do it for others, he will have to make that known. I'm not trying to keep it a secret, I just don't want to cause him a problem.

[kevin c]

BNE is a member here who has had access and permission at work to use lab grade XRF instruments to do lead alloy content analysis. For the cost of shipping a sample and a pound of lead (for his trouble), he'll pm you the content of your sample down to the nearest tenth of a percent. Compare that to the $45 cost to do the same by Rotometals.

The last I heard he was taking a break, what with work load, the pandemic and other stuff, but I don't think that is permanent. An inquiry by PM will tell you.