Lucky Me!!

cptinjeff · 11-06-2009, 07:22 AM

I've just managed to obtain (long story) 10 57 lb bricks of lead for FREE!!

I removed about a three lb section to melt and test for hardness and fill out. I'm pretty sure though that this will be close to pure lead. I did some calculations and a pure lead brick the size of the ones I have should weight 58.8 lbs or so.

My question is....I have been using ww alloy with a little tin added and have developed a few loads that do what I need them to do. My measurements give me a bhn of about 12 or 13. Assuming this is pure lead...what is the least expensive way to bump it up to that bhn?

p.s. I have some tin...maybey 30lbs or so. I'll probably only want to do this 1 or 2 bricks at at a time. Thanks for any suggestions.

southpaw · 11-06-2009, 08:44 AM

Hmm lets see. If you had some type metal you could add that till you get your desired hardness. If you don't have any you could trade some tin for it. I am sure some one on here would take you up on that offer. I would trade for the tin but would rather let some one that needs the tin have a chance at it ( I have at least as much as you if not more). But if no-one wants to trade let me know. If you don't want to go that route you could add ww to it and water drop it and see if you need to add more ww or less. This maybe your least expensive way to go.

Just some of my thoughts. I am sure that others may have some better ideas.

Good luck.

Jerry Jr.

cptinjeff · 11-06-2009, 09:17 AM

Yes,

Adding ww alloy and then quenching or heat treating is what I was sort of thinking (I know this is just one of many paths to the stated goal and I'm willing to try whatever)

. But how much to add to start?

southpaw · 11-06-2009, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cptinjeff

But how much to add to start?

There in lies the fun. I would start with 3 pure - 1ww. See where that takes you. If it's not what you are looking for just melt it down and add more one way or the other but remember to write down how much of each as luck has it you won't remember what you did the next time you want to duplicate it.

The chase is better than the catch. Enjoy.

Jerry Jr.

runfiverun · 11-06-2009, 02:14 PM

linotype will be your friend here.
3parts of yours to one part lino will give you a 1/3 mix and pour nice boolits.
the bhn should be right near 11-12.

Echo · 11-06-2009, 09:46 PM

+1 for r5r - Find some lino and blend w/pure. 50/50 will give you what amounts to Magnum metal - 2% Sn, 6% sb, and 92% Pb, and close to your goal, with enough tin to make casting a pleasure. Cut it 3/1 w/Pb, and add 1% tin, and you will still have enough tin for good fillout.

SciFiJim · 11-07-2009, 12:40 AM

Depending on what you use it for, a lot of people mix pure and WW 50/50. I use this mixture air cooled in my .45acp with great results. I have also use it water dropped in my .357 rifle with good results (no leading) although still working on THE load for it.

geargnasher · 11-07-2009, 01:38 AM

Since you already have a quantity of tin, my cheapest solution would be to obtain 51 Lbs of the 30% antimony mix that Rotometals has on sale right now and use it to get your hardness up to where you want it. I would shoot for 5% antimony/2% tin, figure your proportions with the 30% alloy accordingly. This ought to air-cool at the 12 bh you're used to.

Gear

alamogunr · 11-07-2009, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cptinjeff

My measurements give me a bhn of about 12 or 13. Assuming this is pure lead...

My WW barely test this hard. I've always gotten about 5-7 for soft lead. I hesitate to use the term "pure" lead since I've never been sure just how pure my feed stock was. I just finished melting down some stick-on WW and some sheet lead from a hospital remodel. I kept the ingots separate but have not had time to check hardness yet. Hopefully this will either confirm or deny what I said in my first two sentences.

John
W.TN

Sorry! I read the quote wrong. I thought you were saying that pure lead measured 12 or 13.

lwknight · 11-07-2009, 10:32 AM

+1 for rorometals 30% superhard on sale.
All antimony comes from China.
China has cut antimony production.
The US dollar is losing value.
You better stock up now!!

cptinjeff · 11-09-2009, 11:57 AM

These are all good ideas. The one I'm thinking about now is the 30% antimony. I at first sort of rejected that in my mind because I've been getting most of my materials free or nearly free.......but after doing the math I should end up with over 600lbs at 20 something cents a pound or about a penny a boolit. Thanks for all the great info. I melted down just enough of a chunk to make some "test" boolits and some "quenched test" boolits to determine if quenching makes them any harder (in case the blocks have any antimony already). Tonight or tomorrow I will test for hardness and see what happens. I want to be sure of what I have before ordering anything. Thanks again. jb

sneno77 · 11-09-2009, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lwknight

+1 for rorometals 30% superhard on sale.
All antimony comes from China.
China has cut antimony production.
The US dollar is losing value.
You better stock up now!!

Not trying to be abrasive w/ my first post here, but I couldn't help but disagree with this. I live about five miles from the Antimony mine here in Tfalls. Ihttp://www.usantimony.com/

I've been following this site for a long time, and recently found some metal I have questions with, so figured you guys could help me out. I'll put up a new thread for it so I don't hijack this one anymore...

Wayne Smith · 11-12-2009, 05:19 PM

Those sample boolits you are casting, remember that they may take a week or two to reach full hardness.

11-06-2009, 07:22 AM	#1
cptinjeff Boolit Mold Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: South Florida Posts: 6	Lucky Me!! I've just managed to obtain (long story) 10 57 lb bricks of lead for FREE!! I removed about a three lb section to melt and test for hardness and fill out. I'm pretty sure though that this will be close to pure lead. I did some calculations and a pure lead brick the size of the ones I have should weight 58.8 lbs or so. My question is....I have been using ww alloy with a little tin added and have developed a few loads that do what I need them to do. My measurements give me a bhn of about 12 or 13. Assuming this is pure lead...what is the least expensive way to bump it up to that bhn? p.s. I have some tin...maybey 30lbs or so. I'll probably only want to do this 1 or 2 bricks at at a time. Thanks for any suggestions.

11-06-2009, 08:44 AM	#2
southpaw Boolit Master Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: NEPA Posts: 161	Hmm lets see. If you had some type metal you could add that till you get your desired hardness. If you don't have any you could trade some tin for it. I am sure some one on here would take you up on that offer. I would trade for the tin but would rather let some one that needs the tin have a chance at it ( I have at least as much as you if not more). But if no-one wants to trade let me know. If you don't want to go that route you could add ww to it and water drop it and see if you need to add more ww or less. This maybe your least expensive way to go. Just some of my thoughts. I am sure that others may have some better ideas. Good luck. Jerry Jr. __________________ You can't buy experience, but you'll pay for it. .... but what do I know, I'm just a dumb farmer. My Dad. NRA LIFE MEMBER

11-06-2009, 09:17 AM	#3
cptinjeff Boolit Mold Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: South Florida Posts: 6	Yes, Adding ww alloy and then quenching or heat treating is what I was sort of thinking (I know this is just one of many paths to the stated goal and I'm willing to try whatever). But how much to add to start?

11-06-2009, 02:14 PM	#5
runfiverun Boolit Master Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: soda springs Id. Posts: 4,411	linotype will be your friend here. 3parts of yours to one part lino will give you a 1/3 mix and pour nice boolits. the bhn should be right near 11-12. __________________ you'll have that, on these bigger jobs....... me.

11-06-2009, 09:46 PM	#6
Echo Boolit Master Join Date: May 2008 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 1,376	+1 for r5r - Find some lino and blend w/pure. 50/50 will give you what amounts to Magnum metal - 2% Sn, 6% sb, and 92% Pb, and close to your goal, with enough tin to make casting a pleasure. Cut it 3/1 w/Pb, and add 1% tin, and you will still have enough tin for good fillout. __________________ Echo USAF Ret NRA Patron O&U

11-07-2009, 12:40 AM	#7
SciFiJim I'm A Honcho! Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Central California - the red part of a blue state Posts: 871	Depending on what you use it for, a lot of people mix pure and WW 50/50. I use this mixture air cooled in my .45acp with great results. I have also use it water dropped in my .357 rifle with good results (no leading) although still working on THE load for it. __________________ Honcho for the 41 Keith, 432265RFGC, 45 TriWeight WC, 429421Keith , 432300RFGC, 460425RFGC, 460350RFGC

11-07-2009, 01:38 AM	#8
geargnasher Anti-Socialist Texan Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Kerrville, Occupied Nation of Texas Posts: 799	Since you already have a quantity of tin, my cheapest solution would be to obtain 51 Lbs of the 30% antimony mix that Rotometals has on sale right now and use it to get your hardness up to where you want it. I would shoot for 5% antimony/2% tin, figure your proportions with the 30% alloy accordingly. This ought to air-cool at the 12 bh you're used to. Gear __________________ "Do you care about freedom? Dreams may have inspired it, and wishes prompted it, but only war and weapons have made it yours." -- Robert Ardrey *"You see, it's not how* you do it, it's the way you do it!"** --Bill McFarland You can't fix Stupid, but you can occasionally head it off before it hurts something. --Stephen Adams

11-07-2009, 10:32 AM	#10
lwknight Boolit Man Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: N. Texas Posts: 132	+1 for rorometals 30% superhard on sale. All antimony comes from China. China has cut antimony production. The US dollar is losing value. You better stock up now!! __________________ L W Knight

11-09-2009, 11:57 AM	#11
cptinjeff Boolit Mold Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: South Florida Posts: 6	Thanks These are all good ideas. The one I'm thinking about now is the 30% antimony. I at first sort of rejected that in my mind because I've been getting most of my materials free or nearly free.......but after doing the math I should end up with over 600lbs at 20 something cents a pound or about a penny a boolit. Thanks for all the great info. I melted down just enough of a chunk to make some "test" boolits and some "quenched test" boolits to determine if quenching makes them any harder (in case the blocks have any antimony already). Tonight or tomorrow I will test for hardness and see what happens. I want to be sure of what I have before ordering anything. Thanks again. jb

11-12-2009, 05:19 PM	#13
Wayne Smith Boolit Master Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hampton Roads, Virginia Posts: 1,871	Those sample boolits you are casting, remember that they may take a week or two to reach full hardness. __________________ Wayne the Shrink There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!