LEE Hardness Microscope Adaptation

[perimedik]

Greetings,

based on the ideas of previous posts by the members here (thanks to Larry Gibson), I mounted a Lee Hardness Test Kit Microscope into a Tasco Microscope (2 bucks at a garage sale).

I removed the lens from the actual microscope then I used calipers to measure the Lee's barrel, then used a drill bit that came closest. I bored out the shaft and inserted the Lee. I used 1/2" foam weather stripping to take up the minimal space that was remaining and it is nice and snug. I used a button battery LED light to light the scope ($1 @ the dollar store) set it to give me a good focal length and enough room to read a bullet or ingot.

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff170/perimedik/IMG00656.jpg

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff170/perimedik/IMG00657.jpg

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff170/perimedik/IMG00658.jpg

it was a pre-emptive move since I am new to casting and want to eleimnate as much frustrations. I ain't as young as I once were... so the eyes and hands needed a steady mount.

In the next day or so I'll churn out some projectiles and measure them. The BHN of the 1/2 pound ingot was 13.4 (0.062 if my eyes are reading it right) The alloy was straight wheel weight melt.

What say the collective?

[Larry Gibson]

Looks sweet to me:smile:

Try the bit of modelling clay or putty on a piece of pop case cardboard. I usually test the nose of bullets and the bases stick easily to the clay. Makes adjusting the scale to the indent a lot easier. I find mine is so easy to use the hard part is the 30 second wait making the indent.

Larry Gibson

[ColColt]

That is slick and you don't have to try and read the numbers with them bouncing left to right all over the place-great idea.

[cajun shooter]

permimedic, That BHN sounds awful high for WW's that are around today. They usually run between 9-11 BHN tops. If you are measuring that ingot from the top face then that is not the correct way. Any ingot or bullet you test should be tested from a side that touch the mould. With that ingot it would be either side or the bottom, with the bottom being easiest to obtain. If you have straight WW's as you said, try another alloy that you know what the reading is or a cast bullet from a known alloy such as 20-1 which should give you a 10 BHN reading. Pure lead will read a 5 BHN. You have to have some known to be able to check the accuracy of your tool's. In police lab work you will have a column of what is called the Known and beside it will be a column of what is referred to as Unknown. I , myself have never seen lead ww's that gave a 13.4 BHN which is almost the 15BHN of Lyman #2. In my area of Louisiana they always read between 9 and 10 BHN.

[Carolina Cast Bullets]

I just dispense altogether with the microscope and measure the indentation with a caliper. Works well for me

Jerry
Carolina Cast Bullets

[perimedik]

Correction
I double checked - still learning here - and re-read the divot
7.1 not 6.6 (I read the lines incorrectly)
The correct BHN would be 10.1

I did it on a bullet (wrinkled reject-again still learning) as well as the ingot (which was a side that touched the mould)

Thanks Cajun

[perimedik]

through the lens - blurry and a bit distored but 7.1 is the reading
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff170/perimedik/100_4363.jpg

[Bill*]

Actually... I think I see 7.4