telling the difference in lead by color

[stumpjumper]

i purchased almost all of casting equipment a few years ago used. the gent. i bought it from also gave me his small stash of lead he said that there was some wheel weight lead and linotype. all of this is in ingots. my question for you all is will the linotype be a lot brighter in color. one bucket is real shinny the other is dull. and if you was going to use some of the linotype in with the wheel weights to harden up the wheel weights how much to how much. (8 lbs of wheel weights to 2 lbs of lino, 7 to 3) thanks.




dave

[Alangaq]

http://www.lasc.us/
Check out the link above, there is much usefull information there. You will find that linotype is rather expensive and I reserve mine for blending harder alloys from WW material. A hardness tester and thermometer will aid you in determining you alloys and hardness. Do yourself a favor and read alot before you go blending lead. Its hard to "undo" a alloy that wont work for your needs.

[Alangaq]

Sorry......... forgot to answer your question. The Lino will be the shiny one and noticeably harder when scratched with a finger nail.

[randyrat]

Drop your ingots on a concrete floor and listen. If they thud- soft lead, ring,ding,ting....anyway i forgot the scale.. Higher the pitch harder the alloy.. ie. if soft lead goes thud then WWs should go ding and lino should be a higher pitch like-ring.. Ok lets all sing LOL... It really does work if you can hear the pitch, it will give you a ball park figure to seperate alloys.. Don't waste good linotype unless you need to.. Most applications you can get by with WWs heat treated or as is. Color can be deceiving, aged lead will have oxidation on it and look dull,could be linotype or pure soft pb.

[454PB]

Linotype can be broken with a hammer, wheelweights can't.