How much solder to add to PL

[clearcut]

I have some PL and some kester solder I'm not sure how much to mix in, the solder says Sn63 Pb37 the diameter is .059 , 1lb in a spool. I have about 90 lb.s of the lead I can't smelt it all at the same time so I'll have to do ratios.

Thanks for the help.
CC

[OS OK]

Hey, I was thinking about you yeserday and wanted to get you to vote in my poll but I deleted the PM you sent and forgot your handle, been a while since I saw you last...you busy?...charlie
Which state has the most members in the castboolits forum? (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?322575-Which-state-has-the-most-members-in-the-castboolits-forum)

3# of Sn + 90# of Sb = 2.03% Sn & 98% Pb = 9.2 BHN = 93# of boolit metal
1# of Sn + 30# of Sb = same as above ..................... = 33# of boolit metal
1# of Sn + 20# of Sb = 3% Sn & 97% Pb = 9.5 BHN.... = 21# of boolit metal

Tin alone isn't going to get you very far as hardness is concerned...what is the purpose, caliber, speed you'll shoot?

If you were to buy 25# of Linotype and mix that into the 90# of Pb you'd get .87% Sn + 2.61% Sb + 96.5% Pb = 11.3 BHN = 115# of boolit metal.
Pretty dang close to wheel weights except that you wouldn't have any arsenic which makes it heat treatable.

I think I have this right according to..the calculator here on CB.

[clearcut]

I'm loading for .30 cal. .223 .45 and 9mm. the rifles get PC and GC's pistol's no. I mostly H2o drop, some of the rifle stuff goes pretty fast 2400 to 2700 fps. I have lots of shot that I think has arsenic in it I may have to add some in the mix. OK I got my vote in for Cali. 2 of my neighbors cast but they are not on the forum. I've been heck a busy working not too much shooting,I bought my nephew a 9mm and I want to get him into reloading.The 300aac bk is finally running. Thanks for the help any info on the shot would help.

CC

[OS OK]

The shot is high in arsenic and Sb and will get that plain Pb working for h2o drops...need to know exactly it's size to determine the content of both. Sb varies from 2 - 5% and the arsenic varies from .625 - 1.25% depending on size. Makes a difference in the blend percentages.
If you have time you could come over and we'll go through all the blends and which will work best for the different calibers. Looks like you need at least two different mixes...about 11 BHN and about 16 BHN since you are PC'ing.

[runfiverun]

you don't need arsenic to heat treat an antimonial alloy.
it just helps speed up the process.

[clearcut]

The shot is #4 and #6 My toaster oven only goes to 400* so post casting heat treating won't work.

CC

[GrayTech]

Why not try swapping the pure for wheel weights at scrapyard. That's what I did before I started using the pure for signs.

[clearcut]

Lead free,shot free,solder free.....Making my own alloy priceless and the scrap yard is 40 miles away .I have lots of ccww now I'm trying learn something new.

CC

[OS OK]

You haven't said how hard you want it or whether or not you want to blend it all together and get what?
If it were me and that's all the ingredients I had, I'd want harder for the hi-pressure rifles and magnum pistol and softer for the low-pressure pistol and since I was going to PC them I'd have to consider that the pow-pressure can be pretty soft.
Then there is how large of a batch for the rifles and how large for the pistols?

[clearcut]

The plan is to go in 25 lb. batches to keep the math simple so I can get it right .I got 25lbs more lead and some other solder today it's 95/5 and some 50/50 2 lb's of each.The coww that I've been using has worked well for me with the PC and GC in the rifles and plane base lubed in the pistoles, so I think I'd like to get close to COWW. I think I have about 150 lbs of shot so using some of that is no problem.
OS OK I'll call you on the weekend.

CC

[runfiverun]

400-f with a 3% antimony alloy will get you to 22-24 bhn.
don't need any harder than that.
you just need to heat soak the boolits for a full hour then dump into water.

[OS OK]

r5r...
I don't have any experience with the heat soaking method, length of time, etc., only have done the water drop with COWW straight out of the mold.
Can you adjust the heat soak time for shorter exposure and then water drop to have less hardness, preferably 14-16BHN?

[clearcut]

Man what was I thinking 100 lbs = 100% 1lb = 1% DAH! Now what's in my #4 and #6 shot ?
CC

[runfiverun]

bout 3%

you can adjust the bhn by changing the temp.
you can draw down the bhn on pre-cooked boolits too.
you just re-run them in the oven at the cooler temp, or allow them to cool off on their own to room temp to get your original bhn back.

your average ww alloy is pretty predictable right out of the mold too.
consider that a mehanite mold runs it's most effectively at @ 375 or so and go from that into cold tap water and you'll go from a 11 bhn alloy to about 17 bhn pretty consistently after a month of waiting.
an aluminum mold runs a titch hotter so you will gain a slight advantage.
if you run tin in the alloy this will negate some of the hardening effect by retarding the antimony migration.
but not really enough to matter unless you put them in the oven and make little puddles out of them or run the percentage much above 1.5%

[OS OK]

Man what was I thinking 100 lbs = 100% 1lb = 1% DAH! Now what's in my #4 and #6 shot ?
CC

Sb varies from 2 - 5% and the arsenic varies from .625 - 1.25% depending on size, no Sn.