Lee Lead Hardness Tester - Comments please

[flashhole]

Can anyone waxe eloquently on the virtures of the Lee Lead Hardness Tester? Do they work? What do you need ... if anything ... in addition to the tester to make it work?

[w5pv]

There is a real good forum on testing with lead artist pencils it is a lot of good information there on how to test BHN of lead.I tried it some but got the wrong set of pencils.Before you buy check this out.

[gtgeorge]

I like them and seem to be accurate as I have tested know samples with proper results. The little scope is a pain though but others have built holders that would make it easier to use.

[jmort]

They are as accurate as you can get, but most prefer the Cabine Tree. As to mods, some have rigged them up to inexpensive microscopes by replacing the existing scope with the Lee Precision tester.

[Bzcraig]

It is accurate, it is a pita to use, it is inexpensive compared to others. Like most Lee stuff a great value.

[WILCO]

It is accurate, it is inexpensive compared to others. Like most Lee stuff a great value.

That's how I see it.

[flashhole]

Hey WILCO - I love cast iron cookware too. Wifey doesn't get it. We pay food a compliment when we cook it in cast iron.

[flashhole]

That Cabine Tree looks really easy to use. No clue about the pencils.

[1bluehorse]

Can anyone waxe eloquently on the virtures of the Lee Lead Hardness Tester? Do they work? What do you need ... if anything ... in addition to the tester to make it work?





No waxing eloquently here :)....they do work.....as has been mentioned they are a bit of a pain to use and to get repeatable results....I've had one for about 10 years or so, paid like 30 bucks for it so it's been awhile....I've probably used it 5 or 6 times....once I figured out pretty much all COWW's are around 11/12 bhn and that number will work for all my handgun shooting, I just kinda put it away and haven't used it since....if I were trying to work up a "special" alloy, then different story....as mentioned, some fella's here have come up with some very innovative ways of "holding" the scope....8-) it's served it's purpose for me..

[454PB]

I was one of the testers for the Shay hardness test some years ago, and I used the Lee tool. My results matched the "laboratory" results very closely.

I did make a small three sided box to hold the microscope steady, and it makes a world of difference. Over the years I've had it, I've found that I can use a dial caliper to measure the dimple within 1 or 2 BHN.

[flashhole]

Got any pics you can share to enhance your explanation?

[flashhole]

1bluehoars - This line "... once I figured out pretty much all COWW's are around 11/12 bhn and that number will work for all my handgun shooting ..." That's about all I'm trying to do but I'm trying to do it for rifle loads, 45-70 and 7mm Rem Mag. My 40 S&W pistol doesn't complain about anything I put down the barrel.

[bangerjim]

I have both the Lee *** and the Cabine tester. The Lee thing was on backorder so long, I called Cabine and they shipped it out the next day.

It does cost more.....over 2x but worth the difference in speed, accuracy, PORTABILITY (!!!), and overall function.

I have compared the results and the Lee is "relative" close to the Cabine on KNOWN samples.

If you wear glasses or have bad eyesite, you will absolutely HATE the Lee thing. You have to peer thru that tiny peephole scope and guess at the readings, all depending on the light angle.

The Cabine readings are there in about 1 second! I put a HF digital dial indicator on mine so when the chart says o.85......the indicator reads 0.85!!!!! You should always do THREE (3) readings on any ingots or samples in different spots to get a good average to work with. That would take a l---o---n---g time with the Lee thingy!

And you have a VERY difficult time doing ingots with the Lee.

I take it with me to the scrap yards. Can't do that with the Lee as you have to use it with your press. Oh, did I forget to mention, the Lee MUST be used in your press, tying it up and making it totally non-portable.

And........I use it EVERY time I cook up a new batch of soup in my casting pot. Not just 5-6 times in 10 years! Just draw off a little 1/2# ingot, cool it and test the bhn. I know it will go up at lease 4-5 units in about a week, so I adjust my ht mix accordingly.

A very valuable tool.

Pencils are just a SWAG. But if that is all you are after, go for the $10 set.

Get the Cabine. You will NOT be sorry.

bangerjim

[AlaskanGuy]

I love my lee tester... Just need to devise a holder for it to make is easier to hold..... Oherwise, good product, and accurate...

[flashhole]

bangerjim - where are you wandering? I spent most of my adult life in the Southwest. AZ, NM, CA want to go back some day. NY is paying the bills at the moment. May head to ID or MT in a couple of years for retirement. Good input, exactly the kind of stuff I was looking for.

[454PB]

Got any pics you can share to enhance your explanation?

9201892019

Sorry for the delay.

This can be as fancy or simple as you want. I used some UHWMP (plastic), but wood would work fine. It's important to get the hole size right......snug enough to hold it in place but loose enough to move up and down. I think I used a 7/16" drill bit.

[mikeym1a]

I have both the Lee *** and the Cabine tester. The Lee thing was on backorder so long, I called Cabine and they shipped it out the next day.

It does cost more.....over 2x but worth the difference in speed, accuracy, PORTABILITY (!!!), and overall function.

I have compared the results and the Lee is "relative" close to the Cabine on KNOWN samples.

If you wear glasses or have bad eyesite, you will absolutely HATE the Lee thing. You have to peer thru that tiny peephole scope and guess at the readings, all depending on the light angle.

The Cabine readings are there in about 1 second! I put a HF digital dial indicator on mine so when the chart says o.85......the indicator reads 0.85!!!!! You should always do THREE (3) readings on any ingots or samples in different spots to get a good average to work with. That would take a l---o---n---g time with the Lee thingy!

And you have a VERY difficult time doing ingots with the Lee.

I take it with me to the scrap yards. Can't do that with the Lee as you have to use it with your press. Oh, did I forget to mention, the Lee MUST be used in your press, tying it up and making it totally non-portable.

And........I use it EVERY time I cook up a new batch of soup in my casting pot. Not just 5-6 times in 10 years! Just draw off a little 1/2# ingot, cool it and test the bhn. I know it will go up at lease 4-5 units in about a week, so I adjust my ht mix accordingly.

A very valuable tool.

Pencils are just a SWAG. But if that is all you are after, go for the $10 set.

Get the Cabine. You will NOT be sorry.

bangerjim

Sounds like someone got up on the wrong side of the bed, and hadn't had their coffee yet! :)

[bangerjim]

Sounds like someone got up on the wrong side of the bed, and hadn't had their coffee yet! :)

No brag........just the facts! :drinks:

I strive to give truthful fact-based hands-on reviews and I feel the Lee unit is inferior in usefulness and performance, at least for what I need and use. I like Lee stuff and have a lot of it, just don't warm fuzzes for this thing.

I even have an industrial graticule microscope (hundreds of $$) I can use to measure the little dipple with..Even with a 1/2" eyepiece lens and B&L optics, it is still a PITA to measure the crater and then take time to look up the guestimate on a chart.

The digital indicator on the Cabine is the only way to go. Fast, accurate, and easy-to see.

banger
:coffeecom........plenty of coffee on board!