Making WW-equivalent alloy

[Stoats]

I have a load of Linotype (although it could possibly be monotype or stereotype -- how would one tell the difference short of chemical analysis?), and a load of roofing lead (basically pure lead).

Out of these 2 components, how would I get an alloy which behaves roughly the same as wheel weights?

I can't really get wheel weights here since they went over to pure zinc years ago. I know where there's a barrel of about 150 kg, but when you've got 380 kg of scrap printing lead kicking around, why bother? I would essentially like to have this printing lead last for ever so I only want to cast as hard as I need to.

[Lloyd Smale]

i would think a mix or 2/3s pure and 1/3 of your type metal should get you close. At least close enough to not worry about the difference.

[Matt_G]

Lloyd's right on the money.
Assuming it is Lino, 2 parts pure to 1 part lino should give you 1.33% Tin and 4% Antimony.

Actually now that I do the math I think that 3 parts pure to 1 part lino would be closer.
That would be an alloy consisting of 1% Sn and 3% Sb.

Here is a page (http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm) that may be helpful.

As far as telling the difference between lino, mono and stereotype, I'm not sure how to tell the difference except for this.
Linotype is a ternary eutectic.
True lino will freeze at a single temperature. (464 F)
All other lead, tin, antimony alloys will freeze over a range of temperature.
Melt a little in your pot, then unplug it and see if it goes from liquid to completely solid rapidly.
If it does, it's linotype.

[largom]

The above mix'es are for Lino + lead, if what you have is really Lino. The best way to tell what your "type" metal is would be with a hardness tester. Lino should test around 21 or 22 BHN, Monotype should test around 29 or 30 BHN. If you do not have a tester you could cast a few boolits from your metal and have them tested by a forum member. I would be happy to test them for you.

Larry

[Matt_G]

The best way to tell what your "type" metal is would be with a hardness tester.

Duh!!
Too simple for my tiny brain early in the morning... :groner:

[Dale53]

I have been using Linotype for a long time (as a "sweetener") although in the early days when it was available for 20 cents per lb I used it straight for some loads (it casts SO beautifully, that it does wonderful work with .22's (in my Hornet and .221 Fireball) and .25's (in my 25/20).

At any rate, when I was a young feller linotype was readily available as was Monotype. Mono is "one". Monotype represents the large single letters that were reused for headlines. They were very durable and used over and over.

Linotype (means "line of type") and is just exactly what it's name implies. It is the strips of letters that are cast with linotype machines. I used to watch them at the local newspaper when I was a paper boy - they kind of fascinated me). The linotype is used one time, then remelted and cast again and again.

Rule of thumb - if it is a "line of type" it is linotype. It it is large singular letters, it is monotype.

FWIW
Dale53

[largom]

Dale53, Thanks for the education on type sizes. I acquired a 5 gal. bucket of linotype? in a trade last year. The letters were all LARGE [as you described], and when tested on my tester they read 29 BHN. What I really got was monotype. There was also a lot of thin flat "spacers" in the bucket which tested out to be linotype.
Larry

[Stoats]

Then I probably have a mix. I've got mostly small single letters, spacers of various sizes from 1mm-ish strips up to 1/2" cast chunks with lightening recesses, and some large single letters. There's the odd full line in there too.

Quite a lot (well, a couple of % in 660lb seems a lot!) turned out to be aluminium or steel strips, but I picked as many out as I could.

I don't have a hardness tester to hand, and I may take someone up on the offer of a test, international shipping-dependent.

[Zbench]

I mentioned it on another post, but if you live near a large scrap yard, take a few pieces with you and ask if they can tell you what is in them. Most scrap yards have a *very* expensive gun which uses Xrays to give you a detailed chemical analysis of what's in there.

The only thing you are interested in is what the % of Tin (Sn) and Antimony (Sb) is. The rest will be lead (and trace elements which probably don't exceed .1%). Write those numbers down. From there it is just simple math to calculate what amount of softer lead needs to be added to get what you want.

For instance, the range scrap alloy we sell is essentially 2% Sb. The math is not complicated, but can be tricky because as you add one metal, the weight of the total changes and adjusts the total percent.

While you are at the scrap yard, take the opportunity to ask how much pure tin costs, or how much 60:40 bar solder costs. Most don't realize that scrap yards are like a metal bazaar. They sell as well as buy scrap metal. You can sometimes get good deals.

Bottom line, most people have a way to figure out what they've got and if you can do that, then the battle is half over. I'm not a big fan on relying on hardness alone as a sole determination of content. Who knows what combination of Tin and Antimony might be giving you that hardness level you are seeing.

Hope this helps.

Pete

PS. You will be much better off if you buy something while you are there...if you show up and constantly ask for favors, at some point the guy with the "gun" becomes scarce when they see you coming.

[Zbench]

The very best way to get a single alloy you can use for years is to melt it all in a large vat, flux well and stir to get one alloy and then cast into ingots. That way you know that whatever variation exists is gone. When you go to the scrap yard, you just need to take a couple pieces because you know that what you have is all the same.

Since you are thinking of using this as a "sweetener" to blend with softer lead, there is no downside to doing this. The issue might be finding a large enough pot to do that in.

Hope this helps.

Pete