Another What's in this lead question

[fatelk]

I got some mystery lead; at least I think it's lead. It was in dirty old globs, like someone melted it out of something into puddles a long time ago. I melted some into ingots and it's really hard. I put it in a vise and hit it with a hammer and it just breaks. Any ideas?

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Could be zinc, test it with a drop of muriatic acid should fizz like crazy.

Sam :D

[fatelk]

No, I don't think it's zinc. It is hard and brittle, but it seems to melt at less than 500 degrees (if my old thermometer is even close anymore).

Weighing a couple ingots of this stuff compared to a couple WW ingots, I calculate that this stuff weighs only about 85% as much. I was hoping it could be something useful like babbit or linotype, instead of junk metal.

BTW- where would a person find muriatic acid to test for zinc?

[Gelandangan]

I think sulfuric acid from car battery or Hydrochloric acid from toilet cleaners might be used too.

[tall grass]

fatelk

I'll wagger that it is babbit (bearing material). Do a search for babbit as there are several different kinds. Muratic acid can be found in the hardware stores in gallon jugs, the hard part is finding it in smaller quantities. It is handy stuff to have around like taking concrete off of your cement handling tools.

Jim

[Bob Krack]

Available by the quart in most chain hardware stores like Ace, Tru-Value and others.

Be extremely careful in both usage AND storage... It will permeate the plastic containers in comes in and will cause corrosion on anything in the same room (or sharing the same confined air supply). Usually, the label will confirm this.

Bob

[Edubya]

I'll agree with Tall Grass. Babbitt weighs about 85% of lead, so that weight is right on.
EW

[Edubya]

Do a Google search for "babbitt metal".

There are at least 13 different grades of bearing babbitt ranging from almost all lead to almost all tin with other varying percentage of antimony and some copper, most of the bearing babbitt will have a very high BHN. You could probably use small amounts added to your WW or even pure lead.

Good luck,
EW

[lwknight]

As best I can tell from the pictrures , the surface of ingots do not look linotype. but still could be a type metal like mono or foundry type. You may have used the specific gravity chart before but I will post a link again. Download, unzip then look up your S.G.
It will give you a clue at least.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=18225&d=1261865841

[OutHuntn84]

You can get muratic acid at Lowes or Ace. It is used often to clean cement and to clean pools. Use all percautions when using this stuff. Rubber gloves, apron and glasses; use in open air and stay upwind. After used flush the area with water to neutralize the acid. Dispose of properly. Stuff works great for cleaning up rusty metals, just remember this stuff eats most metals, but to my knowledge does not harm wood or plastic.

[lwknight]

While it may be prudent to err on the side of caution, we have gotten paranoid about the evil zinc in everything. It just seems like we are overly worrying on that subject.

[OutHuntn84]

While it may be prudent to err on the side of caution, we have gotten paranoid about the evil zinc in everything. It just seems like we are overly worrying on that subject.

I think you're absolutely right on this one. The only complication I am aware of is to much in your lead mix will plug your bottom pour and you wont get good fill out on your molds. If that is the case thin it out and keep on truck'n. I am not aware of any negative side effects of having a fraction of zinc in your mix when it comes down to SHOOTING boolits, as long as it does not interfere with the making of the boolit.

[fatelk]

That's good to know. I also have 10 pounds or so of WW alloy that I'm pretty sure got a couple small zinc weights melted in. It gets about a half pound or so of fluffy goop on the top when I melt it. Should I just scoop the stuff off the top and chuck it, then mix the rest in with good lead?