Ajax Metal Compant Bull Babbit

[Pirate69]

I found an ingot this morning at a Flea Market. Looking at the Web, it appears the company operated until 1950. The ingot is perfect and I almost hate to melt it. Anyone have any information on the Tin content of the Bull Babbit?

[riverwalker76]

This is all I could find on them ....


A 1900 city directory lists Ajax as manufacturers of "Ajax Metal," probably a lead-coated sheet metal, since the Ajax Lead Coating Company appears at the site the same year. Ajax continued smelting brass, tin, copper, lead, zinc, and antimony alloys throughout the early 1900s. The company also produced "Plastic Bronze," an alloy for high-grade machinery bearings; "Manganese Bronze," used by automobile manufacturers; and "Bull Babbitt," a soft, silvery, antifriction alloy. By 1908, Ajax had become an international conglomerate with branch offices in Montreal and Paris. In 1936, it introduced the Ajax-Hultgren Salt Bath Furnace. By 1941, the corporate entity became Ajax Electric Company; its subsidiary firms were Ajax Metal, Ajax Electric Furnace Company, and the Ajax Electrothermic Corporation.



http://www.workshopoftheworld.com/fishtown/ajax.html

[excess650]

It must have been low in tin

http://books.google.com/books?id=Q9tLAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA316&lpg=PA316&dq=ajax+bull+babbitt&source=bl&ots=-bgi7oXAbn&sig=lLYmXp2OL7Ix9bfmrM_2nYgSK10&hl=en&ei=mwQoTMyvHIS0lQfYycSTAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=ajax%20bull%20babbitt&f=false

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

"Bull Babbitt," a soft, silvery, antifriction alloy
I have a very old wood Lathe that is probably from that era. The steel shaft turns in a cast Iron housing with a poured Lead Bearing. I wonder if that is an alloy similar to Bull Babbitt ?

It had a large wooden pulley for a flat belt. I wonder what would have powered that ? steam engine ? Mill (as in river water wheel) ?
Jon

[Pirate69]

excess,
The picture of your ingot is exactly like what I have. It much be low in tin content. Thanks for finding that link.