Is this linotype?

[skeeter1911]

My buddy was cleaning out his garage and set these aside for me. About 26 lbs each and 26 inches long. Its pretty hard, and has a ring (as opposed to a thud) when tapped on the concrete. I thought I remembered seeing a picture on this site of alloy shaped like this and that it was for hanging in a linotype machine. Can someone confirm?

[cabezaverde]

You got it.

[skeeter1911]

Now THAT was FAST, thanks. I guess I owe him now. Sure glad he didn't make decoy anchors from them.

[Centaur 1]

Decoy anchors, now there's a good use for zinc. I bet if someone was looking to make decoy anchors or even big pyramid sinkers, they could trade their lead to a boolit caster for twice as much weight in zinc wheel weights. A win win for everyone.

[geargnasher]

They're linotype pigs, but you need to break off a chunk and cast some boolits out of it, air cool them, and test the hardness after a week. Linotype and similar alloys is often very depleted of tin and antimony from repeated melting and skimming. I have some monotype in letter form that measures 8 bhn. If it rings that's a good sign. If you can break off an end by clamping it in a vise and hitting it with a big hammer, that's even better.

Gear

[badbob454]

is that the three little pigs ? yes it is linotype and if it rings it is a good sign , score 4 u

[iwottopq]

Hello to all.
Yes, it is linotype.
Ciao
Nino

[skeeter1911]

Thanks to all who responded.

Geargnasher, I didn't have access to a vise so I laid each pig on the floor of the garage and was able to easily crack one of the ears off each with a hammer. Looks promising.

[onondaga]

You are lucky--That is the good stuff. Linotype is great as is for making great hard boolits for high velocity/high pressure loads. It is also just the ticket for alloying with softer pure lead, range scrap wheel weights etc for making a wide variety of alloys. It is the basis of what I use in all my alloys.

If you are really going to get into casting, get a hardness tester so you don't waste good stuff like Linotype. It will go a long way with mixing your own alloys.

Gary

[ColColt]

Here's some of my old LT(1970-s vintage) I salvaged from a print shop and 50/50 ingots of lead-Linotype. I wish I had more.

[fredj338]

It should be. I used to buy quite a bit waaay back when from a local printer & that is how it came from the alloy supplier. The good old days @ less than $1/#.

[GaryN]

I used to buy it like that from a local printer for 30 cents a pound. He had retired his linotype machine and had a bunch. He would only sell me 100 pounds at a time every once in a while.

[ColColt]

I've called some of the old print shops around here and none have LT anymore as no one sets type these days. I missed a golden opportunity several years back of obtaining quite a bit of LT as one of the local newspaper companies was going out of business. It was a gold mine I've been told if you were looking for LT. I guess is RotoMetals or ebay now.