100% Pure Antimony

[fordfan]

I was given a chance to get some pure antimony from a neighbors brother who works at national lead foundry in Granite City. Is this something that can be used and what would it take to mix it with some pure lead?

[jmort]

It will dissolve in lead to a point. I believe it will become saturated at around 3.5% and after that you need some high temperature north of 1000 degrees to alloy it to whatever percentage in want/need. It is toxic and must be shaved off or ground up to small size to get it to dissolve easily at lower temperatures.

[bangerjim]

Not something you really want to mess with! Very hi temps and toxic stuff are things to consider.

I have a bunch of Sb electrodes from waste treatment plants that I will never try to alloy. Just not worth it.

If you want Sb, buy it already alloyed from Rotometals.com.

bangerjim

[fordfan]

thanks guys that what I thought and thats why I turned it down. Even though it was some neat looking stuff.

[Magana559]

Heck ask him if he gets a discount on the lead or if they will make a custom alloy for you at a good price.

[fordfan]

Heck ask him if he gets a discount on the lead or if they will make a custom alloy for you at a good price.I did last year and he said I could get 92%6%2%for $1.60 a pound

[oso]

Don't get discouraged by misinformation from the net! Gravel sized chunks of antimony dissolve when submerged in molten lead with tin (2% sufficient in my experience) as an intermetallic catalyst. High temps not required and are actually more work and less productive in my experience.
How much is the asking price for straight antimony?

[fordfan]

It was 7.5 lbs for $40 and it was in gravel size stone pieces

[dbosman]

At that price, I'd be seriously weighing the real cost of alloy smelting. Fuel, smelting pot and ladle, time, neighbors, etc.



I did last year and he said I could get 92%6%2%for $1.60 a pound

[KYCaster]

Not something you really want to mess with! Very hi temps and toxic stuff are things to consider.

I have a bunch of Sb electrodes from waste treatment plants that I will never try to alloy. Just not worth it.

If you want Sb, buy it already alloyed from Rotometals.com.

bangerjim


Jim, would you be willing to trade your Sb for my Pb?

I have LOTS of soft lead and need something to harden it with.

If you're interested, shoot me a PM.
Jerry

[oso]

fordfan that's not a bad price at $5.33/lb and no shipping. Check www.rotometals.com/antimony-s/1.htm for per pound price for a chunk of ingot 5 lb min order. You could only do better per pound getting a couple metric tons at spot but shipping from China would break the deal.
I would jump on this if I hadn't already acquired more than enough for my needs more than a decade ago. Already gravel so it is easy to work with. Just melt 84 oz lead add 4 oz tin and then dissolve 12 oz antimony by submerging it (hold it under the melt with a screen or perforated tin can) in your regular casting pot and you'll have 100 oz linotype. I've done it, no fancy flux, no roasting ore by the dark of the new moon.
Antimony is less toxic than lead, it won't accumulate in your body like lead if your kidneys can still make urine. Remember it is used to fireproof children's clothing.

[too many things]

If its pure it will look like crystals and will break like glass . so you can make any size . heat lead to about 900 and it will melt easy drop temp and keep fluxing. best is to use the marvel flux but you can do with other things when you get temp down to about 500
it is lighter than lead so it will float . tin helps to keep it mixed.
But you can do same thing with Zinc