Type lead ID

[mattd]

In this box there are mostly single characters like on the bottom of the pic.
The bar on the right has 3 complete words, but is the only one like that in the box.
The bars in the top left have holes, but no letters or words.
The pieces in the top middle are flat, no holes, no text.


Thos box is full of 6-8" pieces that have holes. Some are flatter w no holes.

what do I have?

[yman]

Looks like some type of linotype to me, or bullet molders gold as I call it, google it or look up posts on this web site about linotype. It was used for printing newspapers or hand bills back in they day. They could remelt it and make new letters when it got worn. I add it to wheel wghts by volume when I want a little harder bullet for mag bullets.

[mattd]

I've Googled lino, mono, and foundry individually and couldn't conclusively decide what was what.

[Cowboy_Dan]

Linotype = line-o-type, lines of words, etc.

Monotype and foundrytype are both individual letters and have different grooves cut in the blocks, search "type metal" on wikipedia for further information.

The pieces that don't print anything are spacers to provide space between lines of text. They can be anything. These are the only type metal pieces that I ingotize, then I get it analyzed and stamp it with the percent content.

[bangerjim]

All that stuff with the holes are just spacers for old handset type. I have lots of it for my antique printing presses. Not hard lead normally. Spacers do not need to be hard. They can be anything. The holes are to make them lighter.

Your pix are not that clear, but I see no linotype there. It is litterally "lines-of-type" with FULL words cast into the strips. Made on linotype set machines. Hard lead

Mono & foundry are single letters only. And are very hard.

What do you have???????? A bunch of unknown lead.

[birddog]

Seperate the line type from the single type and melt down into ingots. Then if you have a scrap yard close have them x-ray your ingots for tin and antimony content. Then you'll know
Charlie

[MarkP]

My spacers that looked similar to the long bars standing vertically in the box had the follow:

Sb- 12.38
Sn- 4.35
Bi- 3.38
Pb- 78.13

Long thin strips (approx. 1" x 0.045" x 10") similar to a section 1" band saw blade

Sb- 16
Sn- 6.22
Bi- 3.47
Pb- 72.93
Cu- .13

[bangerjim]

OP - - Like it has been said many MANY times on many MANY threads on here - - - spacers can be just about ANYTHING. Do not rely on something someone else found with their spacers. If you are really loosing sleep over the actual content, melt down similar ones into ingots and get those ingots tested at a scrap yard. Every single batch of alloy I have (at least 12 different ones) has been tested with an x-ray gun at my local yards - - B4 I ever even buy them. That is the ONLY way to really know the actual % content (close enough for "gubmint werk"!)

banger