Time to beat a dead cat

[Woody3]

I just acquired 1lb of Oatey 40% tin, 60% lead solder
60087

And a half pound of Silvabrite %95.5 tin, 4% copper and .5% silver solder (this one states, lead free-antimony free solder)
60088

My question is, is this stuff good for mixing into pure lead? And if so, how much should I add to get me a "ww" hardness mix.

Thanks a ton,
Jason

[avogunner]

Get Bumpo's calculator.........

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?105952-Lead-alloy-calculators&highlight=bumpo

[popper]

I don't think you can get to WW without antimony. Basically you have a source of tin in both rolls. By the time you dilute the tin down to a 1-2%, copper and silver will be just a trace and of little value.

[357shooter]

Elmer Keith's favorite alloy was 16/1, lead/tin. It's BHN 11 and about the same as WW. The WW can vary quite a bit from batch to batch, they aren't finely tuned precision made products!

[Woody3]

Awesome guys!!! Thank you for your quick replies. When I get to a real computer, I'll check out the calculator.

So am I understanding this correctly? Any solder will work to tin my lead?

[I'll Make Mine]

Any solder will work to tin my lead?

Pretty much. The more tin in the solder, the less you have to use to get a given final alloy content (but the more it's likely to cost). Lead free solders have so little other stuff than tin, you can almost ignore it (the copper in the Silvabrite might have some effect, but what I've been reading suggests you need around .25% copper to gain anything, and you'll have at most around a tenth that much).

[Woody3]

Great!
Thank you

[303Guy]

At the price of solder, you'd do better to trade it. That might mean trading it for cash then buying some lead alloy. Just a suggestion.