Saeco Lead Hardness Tester

[FabMan]

Has anyone calibrated one of these? Seems to read low.
I assume I would need several test slugs of known hardness.
On the low scale I have dental X-ray foil.
On the high side I have linotype in letter form but not sure of the quality.
Any ideas out there?

[Kennibear]

Dead soft lead is available from Ace Hardware stores in a 5# ingot and maybe smaller. This is your pure lead source to calibrate at the bottom end.

KB

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[mehavey]

Seems to read low....
When you say "low," what is it apparently reading for the alloy(s?) you've tested with it ?

[Sasquatch-1]

I usually get 5 to 6 BHn on dead soft. The range scrap I have form the outdoor range I go to comes in anywhere between 18 and 21 BHn. There is a LOT of hard cast (lasercast and the like) commercial pistol bullets shot.

[shell70634]

I compare the SAECO with my cabin tree and it's very close. Do you have anyone nearby with another BHN tester?

[FabMan]

By reading low it appears to read linotype around 18-20 Brinell. I do question the quality of these metals. I have a friend that might be able test also. I need to go thru my lead stash. I should have some official, verified lead somewhere.

[Wheelguns 1961]

I just went through my lead stash, and tested everything with Staedtler artist’s pencils. Some of the lead was smelted by me, so I knew exactly what it was, and some was bought from here. My recently acquired lino measures somewhere between 18-20. An H pencil would cut, but an F pencil wouldn’t. So, I figured it to be 18-20. Since improving my technique, I have been very happy testing with pencils.
Edited to add; basically all of the lead bought from here has proven to be very close to what the lead was advertised at. Three chears for all of the fine upstanding members that sell good ingots.

[Sasquatch-1]

By reading low it appears to read linotype around 18-20 Brinell. I do question the quality of these metals. I have a friend that might be able test also. I need to go thru my lead stash. I should have some official, verified lead somewhere.

If this is used linotype, it may have been used many times. Printers who use this method will melt it down and reuse it in shop. It may have had some of the antimony cooked out of it.

[FabMan]

I agree, my linotype may be well used. There’s a snap ring to take it apart. I think there’s a spring in there I can replace. I called Redding, who took over these testers. But they stated they won’t work on the old Saeco version.

[Kennibear]

Roto Metals sells new Linotype metal. Mostly the reheat/recycle process removes the tin. The Linotype mix is a ternary (three part) alloy that is eutectic, that is, it forms a perfect alloy that has a uniform grain structure throughout and the lowest solidifying temperature. Eutectic alloys in lead tend to be the hardest for their alloy content. But the reheat process will remove tin and that affects the hardness for sure.

KB

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[FabMan]

I think I may get some pencils for testing. Even wheel weights have changed over the years and roofing lead seems more brittle than in the past.

[Wheelguns 1961]

There is a sticky in the alloys section about testing with pencils. It is a very informative read. I believe it to be a reliable check on your Saeco.

[Apple Man]

If this is used linotype, it may have been used many times. Printers who use this method will melt it down and reuse it in shop. It may have had some of the antimony cooked out of it.

Back in the 80s a print shop was going out of business. Two friends and I bought all the linotype they had, aprox. 3,000#s. Before doing so I talked to a guy who was a linotype machine operator and had been in printing his whole life. He said that the alloy had to be kept up or it wouldn't work well for printing. Every so often they would send a sample in, have it analyzed so that a "master alloy" could be added to bring the whole lot back within spec.

I still have about 800#s left.

[FabMan]

I just picked up another Saeco lead tester. It’s an all steel unit. My other one has an aluminum body. They read about a half hash mark off from each other. The steel one looks old. Maybe the springs have lost tension? It has a snap ring to disassemble the end. But I wouldn’t know what tension was original.

[fredj338]

I had one, seemed as accurate as my CabinTree, but not as easy to use, sold it. 99% of my casting pistol ammo. I dont worry that much about bhn.

[Dusty Bannister]

It was mentioned that the "linotype" the OP had was in letter form so it is not lino but perhaps monotype. When you are spinning your wheels testing unknown blends and alloys, you would do well to send a sample of your "pure" lead and a sample of your "linotype" alloy to BNE and know it is correct before trying to fix the hardness tester. Then if your samples are off, you will know what to expect when testing. This may be to your benefit if some of your samples are lead-tin mixes

[Kennibear]

Ace Hardware sells a one pound ingot of Alpha brand lead for $29 item #24654. Yeah, that's a lot for one pound, but it is specified to melt at 651°F which is pure lead. It would be a one-time purchase to have a calibration source for lead hardness testers. There are a lot of Ace Hardware stores, so it would be easy to source.

KB

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[Dusty Bannister]

Hmm, most of the references I see say that lead melts at 621 F. Typo?

[Kennibear]

You are correct. 621°F.

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[mehavey]

Ace Hardware sells a one pound ingot of Alpha brand lead for $29
$2.69
https://www.rotometals.com/lead-mini-ingot-pure-99-9-1-pound-mix-sizes/
:holysheep