Lee hardness tester

[Newtire]

I have a question about the instructions with the Lee hardness tester. It says to file a flat spot on the boolit to put the end of the tester on before you apply the pressure. Isn't that just going to take the surface hardness off & wouldn't it make more sense to just find a flat spot on the boolit & do it on that? Like the flat nose obviously?

[montana_charlie]

I believe the instructions also say not to use the base. I guess that part cannot be expected to have the same hardness as the rest of the bullet.

So, logically speaking, the nose might be a good choice if it is very flat and smooth. The flatter and smoother the surface is, the more accurately you can read the scale in the microscope.
CM

[dltaskey]

Betcha it's gonna be tough to rest the edge of microscope on the bullet nose and get the indentation in the field of view. Mebbe I'm too shaky in my advanced years. Or, maybe, you got really wide meplats!

[454PB]

I've been testing heat treated boolits with the Lee, and have done it both ways. I used the nose of the SWC's, and I also filed flats. The heat treating goes in deeply enough that filing the flat makes no difference.

[AZ-Stew]

Newtire,

You might be interested in making a device like mine for use with your Lee hardness tester. It will make it easy to fixture a variety of flat objects under your indenter. Please see the photos in this post http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?p=104366#post104366 . Scroll down to Post #18 for the photos. Also, you can click on the photos to see a larger copy of them.

As Montana Charlie said, Lee warns against testing the bullet base because it will test softer than the rest of the bullet. I have found this to be correct. There will be a couple of BHN numbers difference between the bullet sides/nose and the bullet base with WW metal bullets. I have found sprues to test pretty close to the bullet sides/nose, but only if the testing is done near the sprue cone. Testing nearer to the edges will give softer numbers.

Have fun with your Lee tester.

Regards,

Stew

[Marlin Junky]

I figured out how to hold that darn microscope steady and enable an easy, accurate reading. Find a cheap plastic kitchen funnel that the scope will fit snugly into but not so tight that it won't slide in and out the funnel's neck. This will serve as a base to hold the scope vertically. Then cut an opening in the cone area of the funnel to observe the distance between the scope and the boolit and to let in light.

MJ

[Newtire]

Newtire,

You might be interested in making a device like mine for use with your Lee hardness tester. It will make it easy to fixture a variety of flat objects under your indenter. Please see the photos in this post http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?p=104366#post104366 . Scroll down to Post #18 for the photos. Also, you can click on the photos to see a larger copy of them.

As Montana Charlie said, Lee warns against testing the bullet base because it will test softer than the rest of the bullet. I have found this to be correct. There will be a couple of BHN numbers difference between the bullet sides/nose and the bullet base with WW metal bullets. I have found sprues to test pretty close to the bullet sides/nose, but only if the testing is done near the sprue cone. Testing nearer to the edges will give softer numbers.

Have fun with your Lee tester.

Regards,

Stew

Thanks for all the replies. I just put a flat plate on top of the Lee V-cradle to test mine. I'll not worry then when I file a little flat spot to test mine. One day maybe I will own all Saeco & RCBS type heavy duty stuff & when I do, I will start selling T-shirts. "Friends don't let friends load with Red Equipment". My Lee tool seems to work pretty well. I do believe that I can get away with alot more pressure with my loads than their formula says. I think it just has alot to do with which powder you select and a few other things that have to do with how fast you twist it as well as how hard you initially kick it in the butt.

[drinks]

Yes, yes and yes

[rbt50]

http://www.castingstuff.com/cabinetree_loading_products.htm they have a nice lead tester it cost a little more but easy to use.