what type of lead is this

[corey012778]

I recently picked up an lee pot at an local. it still had I am guessing 2 or 3 lbs of lead in it. run a few test pours just to check the ladle that someone added to the set up. the round balls and boolits where shiny, pretty much mirror finish look. took and pair of pliers to a couple round balls smashed them down a little, my WW balls only left shallow tool marks. few pics may help. I hope

the lead from the melter is on the left, wheel weight lead I have on the right.

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/corey012778/005.jpg
ignore the ingots they are going to change shape pretty soon I hope.

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/corey012778/008.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/corey012778/007.jpg

[lwknight]

Its a good chance that it is linotype. The color looks about right to me.
Check the melting temperature. Then you might even do a Specific gravity test if you care that much.

[corey012778]

i kinda do, I cast mainly for Muzzleloaders. soft stuff would be nice.


oops, gotta make an correction,

the left is the stuff from the melter and the right is ww's i had

[corey012778]

double post

[winelover]

Without a hardness tester it's just a guess-timate.

1. You can do the Thumbnail Test (Pure will readily be apparent)

2. You can cast in one of your moulds and compare weight of boolet to one that you used a known alloy such as WW's (Heavier would indicate leaning to pure lead and lighter towards harder alloys)

3. Compare as cast diameters in same mould with 2 or more known alloys. (Smaller diameters lean towards purer lead composition)

That's how I determine my alloy compositions. If I have an unkown alloy I cast a few, weigh and measure diameters and adjust accordingly by adding PURE if I want SOFTER, HEAVIER and SMALLER or add a "type" metal to increase HARDNESS, DIAMETERS but make them LIGHTER. Works for my usage!

Winelover:castmine:

[old turtle]

I agree with lwknight. Linotype casts very well with a nice shiny finish that almost looks like polished silver.

[corey012778]

thanks for the help, did the thumb nail, slight dent, did an weight test, came up the same as my ww round ball rejects and keepers, have not measured.

since it is softer then my ww, I may just add some sinkers and all lead muzzleloader bullets someone gave me to it when I smelt them down to recast for smaller ingots.

[lwknight]

Well... Its certainly not lino then.