Alloy Hardness Testers: Suggestions?

[RG1911]

Having checked the Lyman and Saeco hardness testers, I'm thinking that the way to go is the Cabine tester. It seems to offer the best chance at achieving consistent readings.

But I'm open to counter-arguments and other suggestions. Although probably not the pencil method, since I don't feel *I* can be consistent enough.

Richard

[R.M.]

I've heard great things about the Cabin Tree. Never used one though. I have an LBT and think it's just great. No charts or conversions, just a direct reading.
There's many threads here about testers, try searching the site, you'll find enough info to make the right decision.

[Griz44mag]

I bought the Cabine Tree a few weeks ago. The Lee works fine, but my tired old eyes were getting too bad to see through the scope.
With the Cabine Tree I can test pretty much anything fast and accurately.
I tested a bucket full of unknown hardness stuff that I had smelted several years ago in about 5 minutes. That was around 60 bars.
I use a sharpie to mark the hardness on each one.

[Anyracoon]

I have had a Cabin Tree for several years. The only problem I have is I only use it once in while and when I do up a large smelt & blend batch and I always forget where I put the chart and have to print another one out.

[Dusty Bannister]

I also have had a Cabin Tree for several years. I have checked the accuracy against some known pure samples obtained from The Antimony Man several years ago. I find that there is error at the soft end of the scale but mid and upper range readings are correct. I also know that the error is consistant so when my dial reading is .042 instead of the chart reference of
.020-.030, I know it is pure lead. Great tool and consistant. I make up samples of different melts and cast bullets with the Lee 500-440-RF for a consistant test ingot. Dusty

[cbrick]

Here ya go, everything you ever wanted to know about boolit alloy BHN testers.

Testing The Consistency Of The Commonly Available
Cast Bullet BHN Test Equipment (http://www.lasc.us/Shay-BHN-Tester-Experiment.htm)

Rick

[Dusty Bannister]

That test summary is why I decided to spend the bucks to see if there was an error, or all of my soft lead was unusually hard. I feel it was a good investment, especially since I occassionally trade or sell lead and alloys with friends.

[montana_charlie]

If you want to know how alloy A compares with alloy B ... or, if you want to lnow how alloy X compares with certified Lyman #2, any of them (with the possible exception of the SAECO tool) will do the job well.
But, if you actually want to know the Brinell Hardness Number for your alloy, the Lee is the only tool which calculates for that result.

CM

[RG1911]

Here ya go, everything you ever wanted to know about boolit alloy BHN testers.

Rick

Many thanks for providing this article. Much food for thought.

Richard

[zomby woof]

Make your own

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/100_2996.JPG
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/100_29981.JPG

[Andrew Mason]

i have the lee tool.
while it is a nice enough tool,

i do have some complaints.
when i use my pure lead, i go off the charts....way off the charts, and it registers my WWalloy way off from the standard WW hardness.
i tend to use it more as a relative guide, than as a true, ultra reliable hardness guide

[John Boy]

Cabine Tree: Price - $115.00
BHN S.D. E.S.
24.1 2.5 10.0

Lee: Price - $51.91
BHN S.D. E.S.
23.4 2.8 13.9


when i use my pure lead, i go off the charts....way off the charts, and it registers my WWalloy way off from the standard WW hardness
Andrew, this is because the published Bhn values are not correct.
Here's the chart to use ...
http://www.texas-mac.com/sitebuilder/images/Extended_BHN_Chart_for_Lee_Tester3-728x491.jpg

http://www.texas-mac.com/Evaluations_and_Recommendations_for_Lead-Alloy_Hardness_Testers.html

And for wheel weights, having made over 2000 lbs of ingots, I have never encountered a batch with a Bhn of 9 or 12 which are the published hardness. All these ingot batches were either Bhn 13.5 or 15.4

[cbrick]

it registers my WWalloy way off from the standard WW hardness.
i tend to use it more as a relative guide, than as a true, ultra reliable hardness guide

There is no real world standard for WW, only averages. There is far too much variablity in WW metal. There is no recipe or standard for making new WW. As the metals market fluctuates and various metals become available the percentages of the metals change and not only from mfg to mfg but with the same mfg. Even the mfg's of new weights will use scrap (used) weights and other scrap metals. This doesn't mean that WW isn't a great boolit alloy, it is but there is no "standard".

There is no "ultra reliable" boolit BHN tester on the market. If there were there would be very, very few of us that could afford one. Plain and simple these are not lab grade pieces of equipment.

The boolit BHN testers on the market on the whole are decent and useful. What is not important with them is that your tester says a sample is 14 BHN and a legit lab test says nope, it's 17. What is important is that your tester always says 14 for that sample plus or minus about 1 BHN. That way your notes for your handloads are repeatable.

Rick

[Lizard333]

I got my cabin tree tree tester a couple of months of go. I love it and it is very repeatable. After doing my research this was my choice. A very well built product and a very good guy to deal with. I would defiantly do business with him again.

[1Shirt]

For my money, you can't beat Cabin Tree! It works, works well, and is built like a tank!
1Shirt!

[ROGER4314]

I bought the Lee BHN Tester and just tonight tested it against some known alloys. I bought a dozen one pound samples of Rotometal bullet casting alloy. In all but one sample, my Lee tester agreed with Roto's spec sheets for their alloys. The exception was an alloy that should have been 10.0 BHN and it read 8.7 with my tester. I was pretty impressed! Even the error was very close!

Unfortunately, pure lead and some of the softer alloys are off the scale with the lee tester.

Flash

[Lloyd Smale]

my vote is for the cabin tree. Ive owned a lbt and a seaco and sold both when i got the cabin tree.

[Wal']

I bought the Lee BHN Tester and just tonight tested it against some known alloys. I bought a dozen one pound samples of Rotometal bullet casting alloy. In all but one sample, my Lee tester agreed with Roto's spec sheets for their alloys. The exception was an alloy that should have been 10.0 BHN and it read 8.7 with my tester. I was pretty impressed! Even the error was very close!

Unfortunately, pure lead and some of the softer alloys are off the scale with the lee tester.

Flash


John Boy's Post 12 has the extended chart down to the softer lead alloy's. [smilie=s:

http://www.texas-mac.com/sitebuilder/images/Extended_BHN_Chart_for_Lee_Tester3-728x491.jpg

[ROGER4314]

John Boy's Post 12 has the extended chart down to the softer lead alloy's.

Yes, that was a great job! I copied it and saved it to my reloading goodie file. Nice job!

Flash

[Chill Wills]

Lead alloy hardness is dynamic. For a given alloy, the conditions a sample was cast will affect the outcome. After the alloy is cast, depending on make up and storage conditions it will likely change again. Thinking the hardness of lead alloy is static will lead you to some interesting conclusions.

[hermans]

Have been using my Cabine Tree for a few years now. Very accurate(repeatable), sturdy, and as far as I know one of the only testers that can do boolits, small and large ingots.
You get what you pay for......

[captaint]

The question that matters to me is "would you, after buying A, B, or C, buy it again" ?? Does it serve YOUR purposes ?? I have the Cabin Tree and I'd buy it again.... enjoy Mike

[cbrick]

The question that matters to me is "would you, after buying A, B, or C, buy it again" ?? Does it serve YOUR purposes ?? I have the Cabin Tree and I'd buy it again.... enjoy Mike

Yep, not only would but did. Several years back during a move the kindly movers smashed a box nearly flat. In that box was my LBT BHN tester and it was smashed flat. Had a new one on the bench before I even finished setting up the new loading room.

Rick

[Wal']

I have the basic Lee BHN tester............does everthing I need of it, price was right too.

[Griz44mag]

Hey Zomby - That's one super creative piece of Southern Engineering.
I assume you developed a chart for interpreting your results?
What are you using to measure your indentation diameter?

[Larry Gibson]

I went with the Lee also and using the extended BHN chart it works very well and consistently ( I also tested it against known alloys) . I modified a microscope I got in a 2nd hand store ($13) which makes the Lee very easy and accurate to use. Others have made stands to hold the scope steady and a search should get you lots of ideas.

Larry Gibson

[montana_charlie]

I bought the Lee BHN Tester and just tonight tested it against some known alloys. I bought a dozen one pound samples of Rotometal bullet casting alloy. In all but one sample, my Lee tester agreed with Roto's spec sheets for their alloys. The exception was an alloy that should have been 10.0 BHN and it read 8.7 with my tester. I was pretty impressed! Even the error was very close!
I'm guessing that alloy was 20 to 1 lead - tin. Yeah, the long-accepted charts say 20-1 has a 10 BHN, but they have been wrong forever. Your reading of about 8 BHN is correct. 7.8 is even more correct ... if it matters.

CM