testing WW

[kbstenberg]

Hopefully i have a tip for some of you that can help speed up your WW testing. One of my fingers are locked close so i can't use a pliers to test my WW now.
First i tried a framming hammer an a 8 pennie nail. Tap the nail to see if it entered the WW. Too hard holding hammer in gimpie hand. I next tried small tacking hammer about 6 oz, an a sharp nail set. Still too hard to co-ordinate all 3.
Last i tried just the tacking hammer on the WW. Within seconds i was testing WW much faster than i could with a pliers with 2 good hands. As fast as i could pick up a WW place it on a hard surface (the top of my vice) tap it with the hammer an drop it into the buckit with the other good ones.
Kevin

[thenaaks]

it's even quicker to just throw 'em in the pot and keep the temp low to start...just skim the floaters off. but i'm glad you've figured out a way to get it done.

[Eagles6]

Hold the pliers in your other hand?
It is a good, quick, simple test to sort out steel and zinc.

[Dennis Eugene]

Just my opinion but I think testing WW's is a big waste of time , spend a few bucks get a thermometer and just melt the darn things, skim off the floaters. Man be dead and buried befor he can test a bucket full. But hey it's your if spend it sitting in a corner crimping ww's if ya want. Dennis

[jr81452]

I scratch them on a brick in front of a shop vac (to pick up the dust, I also wear gloves). If they scratch, they're lead. I'll only crimp really small ones. Takes me an hour and a half to go through a full 5gal bucket, and I know for certain the mix is not contaminated (even if the pot temp gets away from me). The same amount of time it takes to just sort 10gals. After you get a rhythm going, you can pull most of the zinc/steel out by look/feel. But when you scratch zinc/steel, you can definitely tell the difference

[462]

kbstenberg,
Thanks for the contribution, and glad you found a method that works for you.

[Eagles6]

What ever works for you. Sounds good and I'll put it in the reference box.

[Muddy Creek Sam]

I just keep my smelting pot a 650 degrees and skim.

Sam :D