Approximate BHN if poss.

[stubert]

If I mix 8 lb's ww with 1-1/4 lb's pure and 1/4 lb tin. Can someone tell me about what bhn I'll have. I am no good with math. I am looking to get down to 11 or 12 bhn. Thanks in Advance, Stu

[Yodogsandman]

I'm assuming that your WW's are all the clip-on type wheel weights (COWW's). You don't say what your use is for but, you don't need that much tin. One or two ounces is all you need. After casting and waiting for your boolits to age harden for 2 weeks, you'll get about 10-12 BHN.

[stubert]

The tin I have is 50/50 solder, I meant to say 1/4 lb of solder, that would be about 2oz. Sorry, that math problem again. I am shooting them in 44 Mag. 35 Rem. and 45-70. All are gas checked. Been using #2 but want a tad softer. Thanks again, Stu

[LAGS]

Using my Advanced matmatical Skills, and lacking the ability to use a computer to look on the Alloy Calculator I have it figured out for you.
You will end up with 9.55 pounds of a blend containing 94.7 % lead. 3.5% antimony, and 1.8% Tin
So you are right around , or maybe a little harder than the current COWW's and will have a BHN of 10 as cast.
Water dropped, maybe an 11 or even 12
I figure ratios by converting all things to grains First.
So the 8lb of COWW come to 53,840 grains of Lead, 2240 grains of Antimony and 280 grains of Tin
The 1.25 lb of pure is another 8750 grains of lead.
Then the 50/50 solder is another 875 gr of lead and 875 gr of Tin.
Add it all up and that gives you 66,860 gr. of alloy Or if devide by 7000 grains in a pound = 9.55lb
Devide the Antimony in grains by 66860 gr and that gives you the Percentage of 3.5
Devide the tin in grains by 66860 gr and that gives you the percentage of Tin.
Add up all the Lead in Grains, and devide by the total weight of 66860 Grains for your Lead percentage.
It took me longer to type this out, then it did to actually figure the ratios out.

[RogerDat]

Alloy Calculator puts the BHN at 11.4 with pretty close to the same percentages as Lags came up with, little lower on antimony at 2.5% but the calculator uses a lower Sb as a starting percentage since it uses 3% Sb. Which also bumps the Pb to 95% But hey COWW's are something of a best guesstimate percentages unless you get them gunned.

[bangerjim]

Get the free alloy calc on here. It will answer ALL your many "what do I get when I do this" questions.

bangerjim

[LAGS]

The Current COWW are closer to 3% antimony and the older or harder ones are at 4%
But the mix the OP proposes would be better than COWW because of the higher percentage of Tin to make it cast better.
But you see how easy it is to figure ratios if you dont have access to the On Line Calculator or a computer fast enough to run it.
I was using my method long before we had Personal Computers, or Cell phones.
I wonder what the mix would come out like if you didn't add the Pure lead to the mix ?

Well that would be a 95 % lead , 2% Tin and 2.9% Antimony
That is a high 10 BHN or mid 11 BHN because you lowered the Antimony.
Now before you double check my math, This time I used the current COWW percentage of 3% antimony instesd of the 4% that I used before.

[bangerjim]

It does not really take any computer horsepower to run the simple free spreadsheet calc on here. Just a simple Excel spreadsheet. Nothing "on-line" about it.

I use it all the time on my iPad and iPhone. Instant answers every time.

[w5pv]

I use the pencil scratch test it wil get you close to how hard yout mix ends up at.

[runfiverun]

all the numbers are a percentage of 100.
so if you had 100 lbs of 3% antimonial lead alloy you have 3 lbs of antimony in the mix.

when figuring out a mix I add up all the percentages.
1 pound of Lino is 12% antimony so.........12
9 pounds of ww's is [3% of each pound] 9x3=27
add the 2 numbers together 12+27=39
divide 39 by the total weight [10 lbs] giving you 3.9% antimony in your mix.

you don't need to know the actual bhn of an alloy you just want it softer/harder [smaller or larger/harder]
so adding in 1-2 lbs of soft/hard would give you a lower/higher end percentage and a predictable amount of size differential too.

the results are repeatable enough that even if you use a different mix of [known-ish] alloy's to get there, your close enough.

[bangerjim]

Runfiverun is right. Too many people get caught up in having BHN numbers way too high or exactly at 13.560327Bhn. Folks, it is NOT that critical. Even " ye olde pencil test" will get 'ya in the ball park close enough for what we all do. The spreadsheet just makes it easier and more convenient to plug in numbers and have it crank out a instant hardness.......and then be able to play with amounts of alloy to see what happens to get you where you want with the amounts of and types of alloy you have.

COOOOOOL! [smilie=s:

A Cabine or other high end tester is sure nice. I love mine and use it almost every day. But if you cannot afford one, use the seat of your pants methods. This is not brain surgery. This is melting lead.

banger