help me identify alloy

[mike_kaleigh]

i took a large load of steel to the scrap yard to cash in to buy lead. Normally i get ww but to guy said he had some good stuff so i followed him. He had 28 lbs of 45 acp rn 230 grain, perfectly cast for a dollar a pound and he had a 80 lb block that was cast in a cake pan. It had a good ring and seemed hard, so i bought it. I got home to melt it down and and it was cold outside (30) and i was having a hard time keeping the large pot up to temp. I melted it all down to put in a muffin pan and all seemed normal. It was grainy which i had seen before when you just barely up to temp, but when i put it in the muffin pan it seem to take forever for the center to harden and it formed a hole in the center. I don't think it had zinc in it because it did not have the scum on top but who knows. the lead is a little softer than ww but not much.
124638
the new lead stayed shiny also, but the left one is the new lead, center is ww, and the right is pure.
what do you think, zinc, tin, cold?
thanks

[scottfire1957]

The was a recent thread about that very phenomenon recently. You might scroll down a ways and find it.


http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?259657-What-sorta-problem-here-Some-sort-of-contamination

[bangerjim]

Never buy any lead or alloy from a scrap yard without them giving you an x-ray analysis. The all have the guns.......just ask. Takes just a few seconds.

I buy a lot of lead/alloy from several yards and they are all more than willing give me an analysis.

Then you will know for sure the exact % make-up and not have to ask for 2nd guesses from us from just a picture.

Take an ingot bacik to them and ask!

banger

[mike_kaleigh]

i have taken lead to them before to sell and the never scanned it, I did not know that kind of testing was available to a scrap yard. I will still use it no matter what just might have to use it in my 357 handi rifle, it loves lee 158 swc at 950 fps and just about any lead works for that.

[mike_kaleigh]

wow, i will check if they have an x-ray scanner but i know why they might not get it out much, they start out around 20 grand!!!!!!!!!!!

[MaryB]

Looks similar to the mix I make using foundry type and pure lead but impossible to tell from a pic...

[RogerDat]

They get the gun out all the time, some scrap from machine shops is fairly pricey stuff, no way they are going to pay premium money without hitting every barrel of shavings for a reading.

Lead is fairly cheap and generally they pay the same price for all lead, finger nail test and it's danged heavy are enough for that. At our local scrap yard lead is either "plain" or "dirty" plain is just any lead that does not have other metal attached to it. They don't pay attention to any alloys. Solder bars or sheet lead all the same. WW's are "dirty" because of the steel clips.

[KYCaster]

Mention an XRF gun around here, they'll laugh at you.

Jerry

[bangerjim]

All the yards around me......their guns run $45,000. But they ALL have them. It is just part of the scrap/recycling business the make LOTS of money on!!!!!!! If you are dealing with tiny mom & pop yards in a tiny town, then they probably are just flying by the seat of thier pants. Big yards use their guns all the time on incoming scrap of all kinds.

Just ask.......you will be surprised!

banger

[mike_kaleigh]

ok i call the scrap yard and they dont have a gun at their branch but their main one does, problem is the battery went bad, they will get it next week. But in the mean time i recast the alloy at a warmer temp and i did the same thing, the stuff took forever to harden and got inclusions. That got me thinking what is the chances of this stuff having a really high tin content, what does really high tin lead look like when it cools, maybe this was some kind of solder?

[mike_kaleigh]

here is a link maybe it is solder 60/40 or something, mine looks dead on this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-lbs-5ozs-60-40-tin-lead-ingots-bullet-casting-/251653953619?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a97be9853

[scottfire1957]

I've got some pewter ingots that have the dimple, if that's what you're talking about. Info in the link I posted.

[mike_kaleigh]

had it scanned today, it is 50/50 solder (lead/tin) with trace copper, so now i am happy as heck, just have to do the math to figure out how much to add to my usual ww. What do you recommend?

[bangerjim]

Now that you are not using a SWAG on % content, you can download the free alloy mix calc spreadsheet on here and have fun figuring out what you need! 50/50 is a standard solder alloy.

banger

[Oklahoma Rebel]

wrong post