What is " TRACERLAB " LEAD ??

[Hootmix]

A friend is moving and ask me if I had any use for some "lead "( say what ? ) gave me some blocks that are tounge & groved to fit together ( 75 lbs. ) . Stamped " Tracerlab " my H-5 pencil will not scratch it !!! yup,,, rings when y'a whack it ,, think it came out of a LAB ,,, LINO- MONO- ?? still has some red paint on it . Any guess's of how hard this stuff is ??

coffee's ready,,, Hootmix .

[Petrol & Powder]

I have no idea how hard that would be but it was likely shielding for some type of instrument.

Tracerlab is a trade name for a company that made radiation detectors and other equipment.

http://national-radiation-instrument-catalog.com/new_page_37.htm

I'm surprised it isn't pure lead but they may have intentionally alloyed it for some structural reasons.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I worked in the security field in the middle 1960s and Tracerlab was one of our accounts located on Wright Ave. in Richmond, CA. The lead bricks were used to isolate radioactive sources which were used to calibrate detection and monitoring instruments that they produced. I never saw any that was painted red -- it was all grey lead color. Odd to see that pop up after all of these years.

Right after I posted this reply it struck me that you might want to check for the radiation level of the lead with a Geiger Counter. It may be painted red for a reason. When I worked there several of the employees were shooters and the lead was discussed fairly often. I learned that for the company's purposes the best lead was salvaged from the keels of ships that had sunk early in WW II or prior to the war as it had been the first and easiest to mine, and it's natural radioactive level was extremely low, but the lead mined later had a radiation level that interfered with their instruments.

[Hootmix]

I was glad to see "IT " ,,, don't think it's pure ,, ring's too much. Have about 70-80 lbs. pure lead none of it rings when " whacked " ( I can whack that bell if I want too--quote from Lonesome Dove ) . Going to melt into 2 1/2 lb. cupcake ingots .

[Petrol & Powder]

I worked in the security field in the middle 1960s and Tracerlab was one of our accounts located on Wright Ave. in Richmond, CA. The lead bricks were used to isolate radioactive sources which were used to calibrate detection and monitoring instruments that they produced. I never saw any that was painted red -- it was all grey lead color. Odd to see that pop up after all of these years.

Right after I posted this reply it struck me that you might want to check for the radiation level of the lead with a Geiger Counter. It may be painted red for a reason. When I worked there several of the employees were shooters and the lead was discussed fairly often. I learned that for the company's purposes the best lead was salvaged from the keels of ships that had sunk early in WW II or prior to the war as it had been the first and easiest to mine, and it's natural radioactive level was extremely low, but the lead mined later had a radiation level that interfered with their instruments.

I think they were speaking about low background Steel, not lead.
Low background steel was produced before atmospheric testing of atomic bombs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-background_steel

One of the prime sources of low background steel were ships produced prior to July 1945.

I've never heard of low background Lead.

[Hootmix]

My friend use to work for " our government " as a someone who measured the earth's crust and atmosphere and some other " stuff ",, back in the ( his ) day ,, I'm sure the lead is safe or he wouldn't of had it,, He did mention he could lock these brick's together to do instrument reading's on .

coffe's ready,,, Hootmix .

[jdfoxinc]

Sunken ship lead over 100 yrs old is bought by micro circuit and computer mfg. To get the minimum ionizing radiation in the circut board. Lead is the final element left from the radioactive decay of uranium.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I think they were speaking about low background Steel, not lead.
Low background steel was produced before atmospheric testing of atomic bombs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-background_steel

One of the prime sources of low background steel were ships produced prior to July 1945.

I've never heard of low background Lead.


Sunken ship lead over 100 yrs old is bought by micro circuit and computer mfg. To get the minimum ionizing radiation in the circut board. Lead is the final element left from the radioactive decay of uranium.

Yes, that was/is my understanding of it. Some is just more decayed than some other and is more radioactive. But, I don't claim to be a scientist.....

[Walter Laich]

But, I don't claim to be a scientist.....

did you stay in a Holiday Inn?

could qualify you

[MaryB]

Send a sample to BNE for an XRF test...

[Der Gebirgsjager]

did you stay in a Holiday Inn?

could qualify you

I actually did, for the first time, about one year ago in Albany, OR. But I used that stay to become a neurosurgeon. Great prime rib in the nearby restaurant!