Anyone have experience with the Saeco Lead Hardness Tester?

Brownells has the Saeco Lead Hardness Tester on sale (also on backorder but I can wait) and with all their coupons and me being an Edge member. I can get it fairly cheap. Saying the word cheap and Saeco in the same sentence seems almost impossible.
I watched a few videos on it and I liked the fact it took up zero space, seemed easy to read, and was very positive to use. There wasn't anything to measure or judge. I'd like to hear from anyone who has one. I realize that there are a few others out there that are more popular, cheaper, and might be more accurate (I hope not!). Anyway, it's too late. I bought it. So please tell me the best way to get good results from it.

I've been using the Saeco lead hardness tester for over 7 years. Very impressed with everything about it.

Good to hear. I'm not looking forward to finding someone is now using theirs as a doorstop.

Been using mine for twenty years. Can't say it is the best. Takes time to develop a reliable reading. Never lose the paperwork that comes with it. It struggles with the softer alloys. You have it, may as well embrace it.

I have a SAECO and an LBT. I generally use the SAECO because it is more convenient. There are always a couple of culled boolits out of every casting session that I can test on the SAECO without further preparation, whereas the LBT is more restricted as to sample thickness, and there is the need to file or otherwise provide flat parallel spots on the sample to test on.

The LBT gives a direct reading, while the SAECO reading needs their chart to convert to BHN, but I don’t find the extra step of reading the graph as onerous as generating the flat parallel surfaces for the LBT.

The experimental error on the same sample tested on both might be a BHN number or so. Occasionally a boolit base with an air pocket will give an anomalous low reading on the SAECO, but, as mentioned, there’s always a few more samples available (or the nose of the same sample) to check against. I seldom just do one test; I like an average of several.

I like mine for 25 years.

I use my HR-150C Rockwell hardness tester for testing lead. I made a indenter with a 1/2" ball, then measure the diameter of the impression and calculate from there. That method seems pretty good comparing to pencils, and what "pure" lead (as best I can get" should read.

at one time i had a seaco lbt and cabinetry. first one i dumped was the seaco. then i found i had no use for the lbt which i did like better then the seaco. bottom line is the cabintry is hands down the best and is a no brainer

Well, that hurt...

If you don't mind my asking. What makes your experience with the CabineTree that good? I'm not doubting it at all. I'd really like to know.

In all honesty, the LBT lead hardness tester looks to be absolutely best but dealing with them is a chore. The only accepted methods to contact them are by phone after 9PM EST, snail mail, or smoke signals.

Several years ago I bought the Lee tester and found out it was a PITA to use, but it was consistent. A few months later I was at an estate auction and managed to get a SEACO (missed out on the LBT).

After getting it home and trying it for a few days, I couldn't get consistent results with it. I passed it along to another member here. He hasn't sent me any nastygrams, so it must work for him.

Lots of members do like them, it just didn't work for me.

I was almost ready to buy either an LBT or Cabintree when I realized I don't use the Lee all that much, so I put a hardness tester into the "Nice to have, but not really needed" category. Kind of like a thermometer. I use one to set my pot, then don't touch the dial for years.

Robert

Like you, I didn't do much think about how hard the alloy was either but then I started coating bullets instead of just sizing and lubing with a lubrisizer. I'm now using somewhat softer bullets than I did before. I'm running low on the pile of linotype I had and there is just no more to be had at what I'm willing to pay without risking a stroke.

I use the SAECO and it works great for me. When testing the hardness in the pot I cast several 45LC bullets to test as they have a large flat testing surface. I then cast the rest of the pot into ingots. I also make sure I get a good quality casting. A couple of days later I will ck the hardness of the bullets and mark those ingots with the results. I now have hundreds of ingots of known hardness and can mix them easily. I use a bread stick mold for my lead ingots as I can slowly mix in the lead. I hope this helps good luck!!

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Originally Posted by AbitNutz

If you don't mind my asking. What makes your experience with the CabineTree that good? I'm not doubting it at all. I'd really like to know.

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its much more consistent and you can also test bullet runout with it

Put your money in Linotype. Add a little to each pot. No tester needed. Correct bullet diameter, most important.

I was taking a look at it. How do you test bullet run out with it? I'm not seeing that.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...r-quick-review

I have several different brands, and -- with no regrets -- use none of them with charts or any other references. Such gets me frustrated and generally disappointed ;)! What I have done/do for at least the past twenty-plus years of bullet making (just for me) is have a few COMMERCIAL manufactured bullets. I use whatever hardness tester I have in hand on a commercially produced/sold bullet and note the depression. Then I repeat on the bullet I cast. If "close enough" I smile and proceed to lub/sizing. A great majority of my "disappointments" were/are with bullets for rifles being soft... Hence, they get recast for pistol bullets (can't have too many, eh?). OR -- I add ~ 1/4 stick of RotoMetals hard stuff, and repeat.
For me, life is so much simpler and satisfying just doing this simple comparison. I only get leading in one handgun (a .38 S&W model 11) which I've accepted as "the gun -- not me". And, with rifles I still can pretty much always hit the side of a barn at fifty feet or less :) :) -- no leading and, getting serious :( -- not bad (for me) groups.
geo

kind of what i use them for' not to slap an exact number on the alloy but more to compare a batch of new alloy to add enough lino to get it close. truthfully weighting bullets will do the same thing

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Originally Posted by AbitNutz

In all honesty, the LBT lead hardness tester looks to be absolutely best but dealing with them is a chore. The only accepted methods to contact them are by phone after 9PM EST, snail mail, or smoke signals.

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and in my experience you send money and never hear from him again