Mystery Lead ? or Nickel ?

[Hootmix]

I have 16 lbs. ( 1-12# & 1-4# )of what i thought was hard lead, a H5 pencil will not scratch it. On one end of the 12# pc. the word " Nickel " the "N " is stamped backwards , or it is stamped nick ll , rings like a bell. Both pcs. are painted red, like out of a lab ??? Anyone come across lead or metal like this ?:???:

hav'n coffee,, Hootmix.

[Misery-Whip]

Lay a nickle on it and hit the coin with a big hammer. If its lead it will imprint.

All kidding aside, nickle is very, very hard to machine. Try a drill, center punch, file, if shavings come slow its not lead.

Ive ran into lots of zink. If it rings ill leave it lay, unless i can deform the corner easily with anything within reach.

[Budzilla 19]

Hootmix, at Sand Springs, OK, is a scrap yard they should have pmi gun to tell ya what ya got there! Or,look around and find an industrial X-ray company, see if they will pmi it for you. Good luck. Oh, and if it is Nickel, you hit the jackpot!! That stuff is unbelievably expensive , and to the right buyer, you might have scored a good payday!

[FLINTNFIRE]

It is half the price of tin , but will make a good buy on tin , good luck

[bangerjim]

You probably have ingots of Nickle-Babbitt bearing alloy. It is rather hard. Do an internet search for it! There are at least 15 different alloy formulas of Babbitt I know of. Unless you get an x-ray gun shoot, you will never know. There is no test other than x-ray shoot. Pounding, scratching, stabbing, dropping, etc will tell you nothing! Except it is NOT pure Pb. I really doubt it is pure Ni.

Being you only have a small 16# quantity, you don't have much and spending much money on a test would be rather wasteful. BNE on here used to do testing for members. Search for his name and PM him.

It is a good sweetening alloy for your mix.......if you know EXACTLY what is in it!

[kevin c]

Where did you get it? Is it light, like nickel, or very dense, maybe even heavier than lead? Is it very hard?

I have some devices I got from a radio pharmacy that I think are made of tungsten carbide (chemical symbol WC). Heavier and much, much harder than lead. Melting point around 5000°F. Not much use to boolit casters. Scrap price 3-10 dollars a pound, depending on exact content, but not every scrapper will take it.

Take a blowtorch to one end. If it won’t melt it’s probably not usable to us boolit casters no matter what it is. If it does melt, a sample from a couple drops onto a flat metal surface and a pound of lead to BNE (pm him first for detailed instructions) is a reasonable next step. If it doesn’t melt, getting a considerate scrap yard to XRF will help if you really want to know what you have.

[Hootmix]

It is very hard lead, cut a 1# piece, with a hacksaw and melted in 3# pure lead,(LEE4# pot) still pencil tested B5, melted ( test piece ) at 450-500*, using a therm., then added Pb., may be TIN ? Was used ( as best i can recall ) in lab to protect instruments , will probably ck w/ BNE.
coffee's ready,, Hootmix.

[AlHunt]

It is very hard lead, cut a 1# piece, with a hacksaw and melted in 3# pure lead,(LEE4# pot) still pencil tested B5, melted ( test piece ) at 450-500*, using a therm., then added Pb., may be TIN ? Was used ( as best i can recall ) in lab to protect instruments , will probably ck w/ BNE.
coffee's ready,, Hootmix.

Common Babbit melts around 460F and it's mostly tin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babbitt_(alloy)

[bangerjim]

Common Babbit melts around 460F and it's mostly tin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babbitt_(alloy)

Your reference like is nice........... but totally ignores the OTHER types of Babbitt called Nickel-Babbitt. Do a search for the subject and enjoy reading "the rest of the story".

Usually cast with "XXXX Nickel Babbitt" in the factory ingots, but his may have been melted down and recast.

banger

[Hootmix]

Have sent PM to BNE,,,,,, I want to " Know ".Turns out i have close to 30# of this stuff and don't want to waste it.
I have been cutting the 4# pc. into 4-8oz. pcs. and adding 1# of Pb. to each test piece. Also cast a few bullets ( nice fill out ). 11 BHN usually gets me 215-217gns., been getting 206-206.4gns. w/ my test mix's. ( BACO 40-60 win. .407 @ 210 w/# 2alloy). The test bullets are testing ( w/ pencil ) @ 15-18 BHN,, but the ingots are still at about B5 ????? you cant scratch of indent bullets w/ thumb nail ????

need more coffee,, Hootmix. PS. I love this game!!!!

[bangerjim]

Have sent PM to BNE,,,,,, I want to " Know ".Turns out i have close to 30# of this stuff and don't want to waste it.
I have been cutting the 4# pc. into 4-8oz. pcs. and adding 1# of Pb. to each test piece. Also cast a few bullets ( nice fill out ). 11 BHN usually gets me 215-217gns., been getting 206-206.4gns. w/ my test mix's. ( BACO 40-60 win. .407 @ 210 w/# 2alloy). The test bullets are testing ( w/ pencil ) @ 15-18 BHN,, but the ingots are still at about B5 ????? you cant scratch of indent bullets w/ thumb nail ????

need more coffee,, Hootmix. PS. I love this game!!!!

That is why you need to invest in a REAL hardness tester, and not a set of pencils or use your thumbnail! A real tester, like the CabinTree-style one I use, gives me sold repeatable accurate hardness readings every time. No questions or broken fingernails!

[BNE]

PM Replied to.... I still test, as long as my instructions are followed for sample prep.

BNE

[Hootmix]

UP-DATE, sent samples to BNE, the mystery lead rings like a bell when hit because it contains 13.6% Sb.
4.9% Sn.
81.3% Pb.
Now how to mix to 20-1.

coffee's ready, Hootmix.

[bangerjim]

Very strange alloy, but now you know what you REALLY have. Try using the free alloy calculator spreadsheet found on this forum for your calculations.

I have used it many times with great success.


banger

[Hootmix]

Hey bangerjim, using the LEE BHN Chart, a 1# ingot of Pb, my bathroom scales and a pin i made w/ a 5/32" round tip (like a BB) put in my drill press, a caliper & magnifying glass, the Pb dot measured 5 BHN (according to the chart). Using this method one of my samples ( i did 3) measured 17-18 BHN, 2 CWW ingots measured 8-9BHN & 11BHN, i think they are " close ".
Yes, will use our alloy spreadsheets.

coffee's ready Hootmix.

[RogerDat]

Between Bumpo's alloy calculator and BNE's testing we are really blessed with the ability to tailor our casting alloy to be darn near "store bought"

[Hootmix]

I"m with ya!!!! BNE has helped me have peace of mind.

coffee's ready Hootmix.