Problem with hardness

[Tomme boy]

I just got around to using some of the lead I got from the scrapyard. I got 45lbs of lead wire. At least I think it was lead. I am thinking it might have been solder of some flavor. I had a batch of range lead that was a little harder than I like for 9mm. So I cut it 50/50 with the "soft" lead I melted down.

I started to cast some bullets and they were coming out beautiful. Nice and shiny. Then it all of a sudden started to frost all the bullets. The only way to keep them from frosting was to run the Lee pot dial straight up at 12 o'clock. Normal for this it is at 3 o'clock. This is why I think it might of been solder.

I don't have a hardness tester and my thermometer has been missing for about a month. So, how would you test the lead for hardness? This is what I did for a basic test. I took a bar of the "soft" and melted about a 1/4" into them SS condiment cups from walmart. . As soon as it frosted over I dropped it into water. My nail just slides across it.

So now I have to try to figure out what to do. I am going to try to call around to the scrap yards to see if any of them have a xray gun. Or whatever it is called.

 

[Mitty38]

Handheld x-ray fluorescence spectrometer.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Pencil test maybe? I bought the pencils and down loaded the xhart. But havent used them.

I have a LBT tester. Id like to get a shade tree or Cabin tree tester.

CW

 

[Joshua]

I did a goggle search for the following phases and found a few good threads on alternative lead hardness testing methods.

Lead two sample ball bearing vise test

and

David Berry Lead T50 stapler test

Josh

 

[Rick]

How does the weight of bullets cast with this alloy compare with bullets from the same mold and previous alloys?

 

[popper]

started to frost all the bullets Common when the mould gets hot. I don't have a hardness tester, just squish bullets that work vs the new batch in my small vice. Look at the indentations. Guess I'm sorta old cook method, tinker till it tastes right. Or for us , shoots right. Have some working recipes that I use.

 

[JonB]

Myself, I found having the Lee hardness tester a very valuable tool, if you are scrounging unknown lead and lead alloys.
ALSO, you can get a some clues by watching melt temp or if in some alloys, the Slush range temp...yes I know you mentioned the missing thermometer, but those are important tools when dealing with mystery lead.

 

[Rockydoc]

I have a Lee Hardness tester but I found it too difficult to use. I got an LBT tester and it is extremely easy to use. There was a comprehensive test of lead hardness testing tools done a year or so ago and the LBT tester came out very good in the results.

 

[Rick]

Shay Cast Bullet Alloy BHN Test Equipment Comparison

 

[Tomme boy]

3 grs lighter on the MP 224-65 mold. Found a few places that have a scan gun. But only one will test for me. But it is a ways away and can't make it till after they close. Next week I will take it down to find out.

 

[Bill]

Before I got my lee tester I made one from a snap center punch, reshaped the tip to an elongated diamond, it worked great for comparing different alloys, by measuring the length of the impression

Bill

 

[Rick]

3 grs lighter on the MP 224-65 mold.

3 gr. on a 22 bullet is a bunch. Most likely high tin so most likely it is solder of some sort.

 

[Mitty38]

3 grs lighter on the MP 224-65 mold. Found a few places that have a scan gun. But only one will test for me. But it is a ways away and can't make it till after they close. Next week I will take it down to find out.

PROBABLY YOU BEST OPTION, THEN YOU CAN KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON. Most places do not like doing it unless they have several people who can use the gun.
We have one at work and 3 people are allowed to use it. Me not being one. Of which I am just fine with. Plus it has a screen that burns out at about a dollar a burn.
It exposes you to gamma and x rays, so they can get only so many burns done in a week per person.
Unless they do not mind glowing in the dark. lol

 

[fiver]

3grs is almost 6% lighter.
6% more stuff that isn't lead or closer to 5% tin in reality [they still make 5% tin solder]
thing is if they frosted up you got antimony in the mix, Tin alloy's don't frost. Bismuth will though.

calcium looks like frost but is more a chalky white and you'd have seen that on the ingots, 5% of that would make you think you were casting with a toothpaste and oatmeal blend.

anyhow I'm thinking your 'lead wire' was body solder it come in a bunch of various mixes from no tin all the way up to 30% in IIRC 5% increments. [might have been 10%]

 

[Tomme boy]

Have not got it tested yet. But a friend on FB owns a jewelry store and said he has one. He said most all Jewelers have one so that may be an option for others that need some testing done.

 

[Missionary]

Jewlers ! I will write that one down in the permanent memory..

 

[Ole_270]

Gonna have to tell my daughter to get on the stick, she's a jeweler and doesn't have one. Didn't know of any jeweler in her groups that have one.

 

[USSR]

I eliminate this problem by using only known lead sources such as pure, COWW, linotype, and solder.

Don

 

[Tomme boy]

Gonna have to tell my daughter to get on the stick, she's a jeweler and doesn't have one. Didn't know of any jeweler in her groups that have one.

He said if they buy or trade in any jewelry they have to be tested to see what they are. He said there are way too many junk items out there that are fake stamped as to what they are. That is why they are needed

 

[Mitty38]

Gonna have to tell my daughter to get on the stick, she's a jeweler and doesn't have one. Didn't know of any jeweler in her groups that have one.

That's because you have to be high volume buy and sell to justify having one.
This is one of those purcases where the salesman travels to you, at your convenience, with the product and a contract. Spends an afternoon showing you how it works. Buys you dinner and smiles all the way home.
They run about 40k new, to start with a Quality base model. They can be as much as 100k depending on their range and abilities. You will also need them re calibrated and maintained, every once and a while. We do ours about once a year. That's about $500.
Only our Chemist, GM and CEO are allowed to use ours.
We get it out if we think something is not a metal or element we deal with. After I have tested it on a spark type spectrometer, calibrated to be alloy specific,, in the lab, producing uncertain results.
However, if you have some extra cash lying around, you can buy factory rebuilds with a 1 year warranty for about $16k.

I wish we still had our old spark tester, machine and standards to set it up for primarily testing lead tin and zinc alloys. I would help a fella out.