Does anyone have the antimony man instructions

[Vorga]

Does anyone have the antimony man instructions for adding pure antimony to lead? I cant find them anywhere . I know it is hard to do but I have a few pounds of pure antimony and have time to give it a try .
Thank you

[Bullshop]

600 degrees and use his flux sparingly.

[Vorga]

Thank you that was just what I needed
One more question I have a pound of frankford clean cast lead fluxing compound .. Can I just use it or is there something special with the antimony man flux that will allow the antimony to blend that the frankford stuff wont do ?

[Dusty Bannister]

At one time Bill sold LETS Flux and LETS Alloyer's Flux. He also sold "The Bullet Caster's Recipe Booklet" There were several notes added to the booklet and mine has the notes added in black, red, and green ink. There may have been others. Bill recommends 625 degrees as "best".

His booklet gives clear instructions for the Alloyers flux, and also says that the Lets Flux "will not dissipate pulverized antimony". I suppose your casting flux would not likely work as the alloyers flux. Very small amounts of the alloyers flux are used because too much just encapsulates the antimony and it will not disolve into solution.

[guninhand]

I have some of Bill's flux, it's the pink stuff. Is that the LETS flux or LETS Alloyer's flux, or something else? Also it has absorbed moisture and is a big pink lump. A rasp does a good job of getting off fine particles, so should should it still work with antimony as it's original form?

[shadowcaster]

Does anyone know whats in "LETS Alloyer's Flux"?

Shad

[runfiverun]

you can heat that flux in the oven to dry it out.

I have followed the ant [bills] instructions and used marvelux it worked just about the same way.
however you have to use the minimum barest amount of both the flux and the ore and stir, stir, stir.
then clean the flux off the top and start over.

[Vorga]

I have yet to be able to find the flux .I even placed an order on antimony mans web site .(weird ordering system tell him what you want and he gets back to you with a final price)and he hasn't gotten back with me . anyone know where to get the correct flux ? I might just try the marvelux . Runfiverun any chance I can get a look at the instructions? Also the antimony I have is in chunk form any ideas on how to convert to powder? hammering away at it doesn't seem to be a good idea and I will loose a lot of the product. I even thought about going at it with my welding torch and adding tin and lead as it melts in a cast iron pot .Think I am looking for trouble doing that . I was loaned a Lee hardness tester today and tested about 40 ingots 1/3rd of the lead I have stockpiled and not happy with the results .. I will have to harden it up before I start pushing them through the 308win. Its fine for the pistols and I know once I cast it will harden more but they ranged from 9BHN to 16BHN and I only had 1 ingot at 16 most were in the 12-14 range . These are the Lee 3lb mold filled to the top so the average 4-5lb each . I have 2lb pure antimony and 1 30/70 hard ingot from rotometal think that's about 5lb . seems more cost effective to use the pure antimony to harden my lead .

[Vorga]

trying to do too many things at once I forgot I casted some rounds two weeks ago that were water quenched . I just went out and tested one and I got a 13.4BHN . The load data says it needs it be 15BHN. don't think that's going to work . At least I only made up 16 test rounds . Think I should try them out?

[guninhand]

I went to the WW to Linotype kit I bought from the Antimonyman in 2003 and found his instructions which follow
quote
GRANULATED ANTIMONY ALLOYING
ANTIMONY
The product looks like small metal gravel It is quite pure with dust and fines removed. ALLOYING FlUX
The flux is a pink powder which absorbs moisture, so it must be stored in a sealed container with a desssicant such as silica gel when not in use. It has a MAXIMUM alloying temperature limit of 635F. The lowest temperature is that where the metal to be alloyed, LEAD, or LEAD/TIN or TIN is completely liquid. These temperatures range from 621F for pure lead to 450F for pure tin. 93/7 tin/antimony pewter is made at 5OOF.
PROCEDURE
1. Start with a clean pot and clean metal or alloy. Bring up to operating temperature,
minimums as given above.
2. Spread a very light film of flux over the melt surface and let it melt. The simplest
applicator is a 'salt shaker' type container. Letting it melt insures evaporation of any
adsorbed moisture.
3. Sprinkle on a light coat of granulated antimony. Follow with another thin film of flux.
When the flux has melted the antimony will have warmed up enough to not "chill" the melt
4. Start stirring slowly and smoothly The antimony and flux float so there is no advantage
to agitation Stirring rolls the antimony particles over in the film of flux on the surface of
the melt. EXCESS FLUX is indicated by a dark foam or crust. As the antimony is
encased in this flux it will not contact the melt and solution slows and stops.
5. Learn the lesson, skim off all foam, antimony and excess flux. When cool, wash with
water, the flux and flux products dissolve leaving the antimony. Dry it.
6.Start over again and control flux properly. As the antimony goes into solution, add thin coats with minimum flux and continue stirring.
7. Eight to ten minutes is usually adequate time to make linotype IF the procedure is followed properly. As with any process it takes practice to maintain proper temperature (as low as possible), add minimum flux and spread antimony in the proper amounts.
unquote

I also have an email from him saying the ratio of antimony to flux is 20:1 and is a conservative value. Apparently the pink flux is called Hurst flux.

[Vorga]

Guninhand Thank you just what I was looking for. Now to track down the flux

[runfiverun]

forget doing the math thing for the alloy upset pressure whatever.

now everybody knows why I segregate all my gathered alloy and smelted ww batches and mix/match it into a big batch it into one continues alloy.
I then manipulate that pile as needed until it's gone.