Analyze this!!

[Swede 45]

Well, I´m new to casting, and since ww´s as a base for alloys are hard to come by here in Sweden, I have to get whatever lead I´m able too.. often of unknown source and alloy.

I have now ended up with 7 different lots of lead, smelted and casted to ingots.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?245821-Different-lots-of-lead-how-do-I-mix

Today I had it analyzed by the local scrapmetal dealer with an XRF gun..
I plan to do a pencil hardness test when I get my pencils..
The test costed me a bag of cinnamon buns for their coffee break!:razz:

This is what I got out of the XRF analyze:
1: Pure Lead Babbit; 98,88 Pb, 1.12 Sn
2: Cable/roofinglead; 98,33 Pb, 1.67 Sn
3: Rangescrap; 96.8 Pb, 1.69 Sb, 1.34 Sn, 0.08 Bi
4: Wheelweights; 95.38 Pb, 2.45 Sb, 2.91 Sn, 0.15 Fe
5: Isotope containers; 97.6 Pb, 2.38 Sb
6: Casting lead from other caster; 95.0 Pb, 3.3 Sn, 1.6 Sb
7: Mixed scrap lead; 94.9 Pb, 2.15 Sb, 0.47 Wolfram, 2.24 Zn

I made a trial by mixing equal parts by % available from each of all the above into a small lot.

8: My "mixitall" alloy: 98,25 Pb, 1.53 Sb, 0.22 Zn
Funny thing, this aloy didn´t give any reading for Sn even thou there is Sn in the used alloys?, no the melt was clean, and I didn´t skim the tin of. Without putting my head into it(math isn´t my strong thing) there should at least be some %?

I also have alot of recycled tin casted into ingots.
9: 91,1 Sn, 7.33Sb, 1.14Cu, 0.36 Pb, 0.006 Bi

I had problem with lot no7 while smelting it:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?246333-Colour-of-smelt

I guess there was a combination of overheating, zink contamination and wolfram?

Based on my no8 "mixitall" alloy, any guesses on how much of my tin that I should ad to get a good alloy suitable for low and midrange vel for 38spl boolits?

Kindly
Per

[Beesdad]

Dilute #7 with some WW's to have the Zinc @ < 1% and you will not know the difference... Add some Tin and your good to go.

[montana_charlie]

8: My "mixitall" alloy: 98,25 Pb, 1.53 Sb, 0.22 Zn
Funny thing, this aloy didn´t give any reading for Sn even thou there is Sn in the used alloys?, no the melt was clean, and I didn´t skim the tin of. Without putting my head into it(math isn´t my strong thing) there should at least be some %?
I wonder if it's possible that the Zn figure should actually be Sn ...

CM

[Swede 45]

The thing is that WW´s are not available to me .. i´m stuck with this.
Antimony, pure or otherwise high% alloy similar to "superhard" is not available either...

I want to focus on the alloy No8 and how I can make that into something usefull?
The 8 is a mix of 1-7.. my goal is to be able to use the whole stash of lead into ONE alloy..
No8 alloy has less than 0,22Sn in it.. so on that I´m good..

If I added 5% of my tin No9 to the No8 lead.. wouldn´t that turn out to something similar as the 1/20 alloy, but in my case also hold a small amount of Sb as the No8 has 1.58 to start with, and the tin alloy contains 7.33% Sb?

Well, I just have to test I guess? :razz:

[dtknowles]

You did not say how much of each alloy 1-7 you had but they are all very similar in that they are mostly Lead. I would think you would be fine mixing them as long as there is not a lot of #7 to spoil the mix. Smelt them all mixed together in equal proportions so each ingot is the same mix. I would then mostly fill the casting pot with this new alloy and try casting it as is and if the bullets fill out nice then don't worry about adding any of your tin, save it for some future use. If the fill out is poor add 1% tin and mix and flux well and try casting to see if the bullets fill out well. That amount of tin should be enough. I would then cast some more bullets and let some air cool and water drop some. Let the water dropped bullets age a couple weeks then do some pencil tests to see what you can expect for hardness.


Tim

[C. Latch]

suitable for low and midrange vel for 38spl boolits?





I believe the quoted part is key to your answer: if the alloy you have mixed up will produce a bullet that fills out the mold and look like a bullet, it will be perfectly fine for your intended use. You can make .38 bullets out of almost any alloy.

[NewbieDave007]

Per-

Now that you have them analyzed you can directly plug then into the alloy calculator and play with the mix until you get what you want.

Dave

[lwknight]

Can someone explain: What the hay is "wolfram"?
Is that like a compilation of unknowns?

[NewbieDave007]

I believe it is tungsten.

[Swede 45]

Yep, Volfram is the same thing as Tungsten.. "Tungsten" is actually a Swedish word meaning "heavy stone" used by Scheele, the Swedish guy who took credit for finding this substance. Wolf(or volf)ram comes from the german word (Scheele was born in germany) Wolf rahm that translates to Wolfs froth.. A decription of the violent reaction with tin.. I made the wrong assumption that tungsten was the Swedish word, and volfram the English..:-|

Well, I took some of the 8 alloy and mixed in 5% tin.
This is what I ended up with:
92,6 Pb, 4,9 Sn, 2.19 Sb, 0.23 Cu, 0.1 Zn, 0.09Fe and 0.03 Cd

This alloy casted realy nice, shiny good looking and great fillout.
I casted a small batch each of some bullets I plan to use.
I will try them out and see how they work.. will also try to establish the hardness of this alloy when I get the chance.

Thanx for the input so far!
Per