Accuracy of lead hardness testing

[6bg6ga]

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Pretty easy to use. No reloading press needed. Can be carried easily to another location to check someone else's bullets. The read out is easily compared to the sheet on the right. Slightly more money than the Lee which is praised so highly on the board. No need to keep the bullet in position for 30 seconds or what ever it takes with the Lee.

[6bg6ga]

Just as accurate as the Lee per prior threads on hardness testers here. A heck of a lot easier to use too. Slightly more money. Those that are currently using 2X or 3X magnifiers to read print will enjoy the fact you can actually see the dial without your glasses on. Easy to take the reading and compare to the printed sheet for a hardness read out. What's not to like?

[6bg6ga]

The Lee Lead Hardness Testing Kit will determine the exact Brinnell Hardness Number of an alloy in a simple six step process. The process involves pressing a hardened steel indenter ball into the bullet through the use of a standard single stage press. The indentation is measured with the Lee Pocket Microscope (included). The measurement is located on the supplied chart to determine the Brinnell Hardness Number. Never again waste time and components working with the wrong alloy.

Technical Information:

Includes:
20 power, 4 lens optical microscope
V-Block Cradle
Calibrated hardened steel ball indenter
Brinell Hardness and maximum pressure chart
Function: To determine the hardness of blended alloys
Notes: Kit must be used in conjunction with a reloading press. This die is a standard 7/8"-14 threaded die that will work in almost all reloading presses.

[6bg6ga]

The Lee is about $60.00 Sure its twice the price. You get to screw the unit into a reloading press fumble with a 20 power microscope and keep the bullet in perfect position to insure the reading is correct or as correct as a reading can be with any tester under say $4k.

My reasons for purchasing the Cabine Tree is its simply a hell of a lot easier to use. Its not a matter of the money for me as I have learned its better to wait on a purchase than it is to purchase something that is inferior. If I have to save up for something then fine I will and this way I purchase good products and I only purchase once.

[leadmonkey]

No.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...s-testing-hard
read post 12 and 13 carefully.

Okay... I guess I should have mentioned that all of the ingots and boolits I tested were air cooled. I'm just trying to get some kind of idea about the baseline hardness for the lead, and then I'll start experimenting with the effects of water cooling it.

I guess even air cooling has a certain amount of hardening effect, likely more pronounced on boolits because of their smaller size.

I did cast a few boolits from one batch of the wheel weights and tested them. I saw no significant difference in hardness from the ingots I cast them from.

[OS OK]

6bg6ga...You woke up this morning chewing on this huh? The methodology is 6 of one and 1/2 dozen on the other. The fact that we have to use our presses...well, that's sorta what they're here for...a tooling platform.
The fact that you can't see...on and on. That's the individual reasons we choose our tools...well, that and some choose cheap every time but here it's clear that Lee made an effective tool.
Heck a set of quality art pencils are just as effective, I know because that was my previous method. The drawback there is making sure the point is correct and then trying a 1/2 dozen different pencils...point is, they get the job done also.

I was almost sold on the cabin tree, purchase price was not the issue...the issue was that I wanted to test lead before it got into cast boolit form...I needed to be able to test my little hockey pucks...how do you handle these ingots of varying sizes?


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[6bg6ga]

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[6bg6ga]

OK OS,

I'm glad that we have such a good repore and can share information. I merely thought I would share some information on the Cabine Tree tester that some here might feel valuable. I'm sure we both have the same goals and that would be to share our valuable information that we have accumulated as a result of our age. Some here have no idea of the workings of the Cabine Tree tester and beings that I am a sharing and caring person like yourself I felt it my duty to inform if I could.

[6bg6ga]

With respect to post 27 which will not let me edit it. I find that if I run across an ingot that is too large I simply cut it in half. I also find that cutting said ingot in half does not hamper its ability to lend itself to making a number of good bullets.

[OS OK]

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I'll have to cede this point to you...this was my first and foremost objection in not buying your tester.
When I read slanted reviews from the other camp they made a point of saying that the unit you have was too shallow to accept these ingots of varying shapes and non-right angled sides.
Pictures I had seen were like yours...showing at best, a 'two dimensional view'.

I had used the Lee before and have mastered the backwards movement of the scope and have good enough eyesight in one eye and a steady hand so...it was an easy choice.

If I had seen these two pictures before...well, you and I would be selling them to everyone else here together.

[6bg6ga]

OS OK,

I can see plus's for both units. As I pointed out the cabine tree didn't need a press to function. Let me elaborate just a bit. I sometimes get asked to check someones lead bullets for hardness. Sometimes this happens where they are setup making bullets and where they don't happen to have a reloading press setup. I like the mobile functionality of the unit.

Having said and having posted some pictures are there any views that might help in someone's ability to understand this particular tester better? I like to try to present both sides if I can and that is why I post info on the Lee from a vendor so that people could read what the Lee had to offer and possibly provide a better understanding of the product. Yes, I will admit I may have come into this thread a little harsh and for that I apologize.

[OS OK]

OS OK,

I can see plus's for both units. As I pointed out the cabine tree didn't need a press to function. Let me elaborate just a bit. I sometimes get asked to check someones lead bullets for hardness. Sometimes this happens where they are setup making bullets and where they don't happen to have a reloading press setup. I like the mobile functionality of the unit.

Having said and having posted some pictures are there any views that might help in someone's ability to understand this particular tester better? I like to try to present both sides if I can and that is why I post info on the Lee from a vendor so that people could read what the Lee had to offer and possibly provide a better understanding of the product. Yes, I will admit I may have come into this thread a little harsh and for that I apologize.

Not a problem...like you said, I offended you first. So, touchet'...
I too like to share knowledge as you said, it's hard earned but here I get as much or more than I give! The problem here in this forum is that we have so many obstinate detractors that sometimes you can't get a word in edgewise before they are reading between the lines and telling you what you said, then the spitting match starts taking the thread off course, sometimes permanently.
So...in that spirit, I keep my armor on at all times around here and I don't take any spit off anyone. It's doubly hard if you are from California because half the fellas here just can't wait to kick you in the teeth over anything at all...it's automatically Cali's fault for all their woes in life, hemorrhoids included. I am damn tired of these vacuum heads.
So, let me apologize to you also and restart on a different footing.

charlie

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Okay... I guess I should have mentioned that all of the ingots and boolits I tested were air cooled. I'm just trying to get some kind of idea about the baseline hardness for the lead, and then I'll start experimenting with the effects of water cooling it.

I guess even air cooling has a certain amount of hardening effect, likely more pronounced on boolits because of their smaller size.

I did cast a few boolits from one batch of the wheel weights and tested them. I saw no significant difference in hardness from the ingots I cast them from.

Maybe I shouldn't have given you such a definitive no. I suppose Lee could not have 'calibrated' the spring weight of your detention die correctly. Also, I use mine on the tiny Lee "c" press, and there is enough side-to-side movement in the ram, caused by movement of the handle (if I'm not careful), that can cause the making of a oblong hole, giving a inaccurate reading. There could be other factors in someones technique, that I haven't thought of, as well.

But generally, for repeatable accuracy, you should be measuring boolits, not ingots. But measuring ingots may get you close?