Another Wazzit?

[odoh]

Mentioned before I frequent a neighborhood recycler looking for stuff and once in a great while, something shows up they let me have for 25¢ #

This time the owner was there and sold me 165# for lil over $7 (some reason, 5¢ per #) Said he paid 1¢ #

There were 2 ingots apprx 8" dia almost 2 7/8" thick. One was 55# and the other I haven't weighed that shows someone used a torch to melt some away.
in that it had some thinner edged for me to chiesel off, I did so and it reacted like normal alloy until it just about gives way and it fractures and breaks showing sand like crystaline structure ~ like a fine grade of sand. Not really having a lot of 'chips' to work with, I melted what I had and poured in a RCBS 480Ruger mould for a 400gr KSWC. I had enuff to pour 2 boolits. They wgt 384gr instead of the 408gr of my WW alloy. It melts a lil before 400° and casts a real purdy shiny silver. The mould was cold and the edges weren't filled out which will account for some difference in wgt ~ is there anything in all this that might shine a light on what it may be? Did a hardness test @ BHN 21

ON EDIT: Looks like they cast .001" larger than my WW alloy.

[montana_charlie]

63/37 solder melts at 361 degrees. It is eutectic, so there is no slush stage.
CM

[randyrat]

Linotype.....99.9999% sure The Sand like structure and crystaline look gives it away

[Ricochet]

I think lino's supposed to melt right about 475°F, though.

[Matt_G]

I think lino's supposed to melt right about 475°F, though.

464 F actually. Yes, I'm picking nits.

[odoh]

I don't know just how accurate my (new) mechanical thermometer is ~ non-logo recently purchased from roto metals and at the point of reading there was just a dime size molt to stick it in. Room to error on getting right at the edge of the melting point. To wit: I wouldn't bet the homestead over its accuracy. Yes, there was no slush/mush stage. Once I get enuff of smaller pieces, I can probably get better confidence by letting it cool down w/the thermometer inplace and then restart and take a reading at the point of melt.