bgokk
05-30-2009, 11:19 PM
My brother-in-law works at a plant which makes radiators for industrial applications. I had asked him about getting the solder drippings. This was some months back. He said that they no longer use solder, but they had some ingots left. Said he would check and see what he could do. On The 18th he delivered 1200 pounds of large ingots about 50 pounds each.[smilie=w:[smilie=w: I took two of the pieces and melted them, cast into ingots which fit the lee bottom pour pot. These ingots could be any combination of the following.
Solder, 35/64.5 Ingot 35% Sn - 65% Pb
Solder, 35/64.5 Wire Spool 35% Sn - 65% Pb
Solder, 25/73 Ingot 1.25% Sb - 25% Sn - 73% Pb
Solder, 2.5/97 Wire Spool .5% Ag – 2.5% Sn - 97% Pb
The ingots I made with the 2 pieces totaled 49.5 pounds. I ladle poured a few Lee 457-340-F boolits with what ever the alloy is. The as cast weight for 12 ran from 293.3 to 297.1 grains with 6 between 295.0 and 296.0. The hardness tested with a Lee Hardness Tester. The lightest was tested for hardness appx. 2 hours after casting with the Lee hardness tester and it measured .066 for a BHN 11.8. Tested again the next day with the same result. Today 1 week later and with improved lighting and technique with the Lee microscope (PITA) I get .072 = 9.8 BHN and .070 = 10.4 BHN.:confused:
I made an alloy of 5 pounds 1st B. This is the designation given to the first ingots made from BIL’s lead. I added 5 pounds of the clip-on WW’s that I smelted. I cast a few CTL312-160-2R boolits. These tested .066 = 11.8 BHN. I weighed 10 boolits and with a gas check they average 156.69 grains. The weights follow; 155.7, 155.7, 156.3, 156.4, 156.4, 156.5, 157.0, 157.2, 157.5 and 158.2.
After casting the boolits I was emptying the pot by casting the remainder into a Lee ingot mold and while waiting for the mold to cool the spout froze. I turned the pot up and was stamping ingots for ID. When I went back to the pot there was a reddish brown granular substance (dry lumpy) floating on the melt. It was ¼ to ½ inch thick. I skimmed the stuff off and cast it into a block which I stamped Mystery Lead. I tested it for hardness and the dimple made seemed slightly oval so I took measurements at 90 degrees. First was .062 = 13.4 BHN the second was .060 = 14.3BHN. What was the dross which floated to the surface?
Solder, 35/64.5 Ingot 35% Sn - 65% Pb
Solder, 35/64.5 Wire Spool 35% Sn - 65% Pb
Solder, 25/73 Ingot 1.25% Sb - 25% Sn - 73% Pb
Solder, 2.5/97 Wire Spool .5% Ag – 2.5% Sn - 97% Pb
The ingots I made with the 2 pieces totaled 49.5 pounds. I ladle poured a few Lee 457-340-F boolits with what ever the alloy is. The as cast weight for 12 ran from 293.3 to 297.1 grains with 6 between 295.0 and 296.0. The hardness tested with a Lee Hardness Tester. The lightest was tested for hardness appx. 2 hours after casting with the Lee hardness tester and it measured .066 for a BHN 11.8. Tested again the next day with the same result. Today 1 week later and with improved lighting and technique with the Lee microscope (PITA) I get .072 = 9.8 BHN and .070 = 10.4 BHN.:confused:
I made an alloy of 5 pounds 1st B. This is the designation given to the first ingots made from BIL’s lead. I added 5 pounds of the clip-on WW’s that I smelted. I cast a few CTL312-160-2R boolits. These tested .066 = 11.8 BHN. I weighed 10 boolits and with a gas check they average 156.69 grains. The weights follow; 155.7, 155.7, 156.3, 156.4, 156.4, 156.5, 157.0, 157.2, 157.5 and 158.2.
After casting the boolits I was emptying the pot by casting the remainder into a Lee ingot mold and while waiting for the mold to cool the spout froze. I turned the pot up and was stamping ingots for ID. When I went back to the pot there was a reddish brown granular substance (dry lumpy) floating on the melt. It was ¼ to ½ inch thick. I skimmed the stuff off and cast it into a block which I stamped Mystery Lead. I tested it for hardness and the dimple made seemed slightly oval so I took measurements at 90 degrees. First was .062 = 13.4 BHN the second was .060 = 14.3BHN. What was the dross which floated to the surface?