Rice Farmer
Member
Does anyone use Babbitt Ingots as a source of tin for Bullet casting?
Roto Metals say theirs is 90-92% tin, 4-5% Antimony, 4-5% copper.
Roto Metals say theirs is 90-92% tin, 4-5% Antimony, 4-5% copper.
Using Babbitt Ingots for casting
- Thread starter Rice Farmer
- Start date
fiver
Well-Known Member
you could but I'd look at any/every other option I could first.
but I'm cheap.
scrap yards, thrift stores, garage sales, electrical supply stores, anything that cut's the cost a couple of dollars and is somewhat repeatable.
you really don't need that much, 1 lb. will work with 99 lbs. of ww alloy just fine for most of your daily mundane stuff.
but I'm cheap.
scrap yards, thrift stores, garage sales, electrical supply stores, anything that cut's the cost a couple of dollars and is somewhat repeatable.
you really don't need that much, 1 lb. will work with 99 lbs. of ww alloy just fine for most of your daily mundane stuff.
Rice Farmer
Member
Thanks, yes the Babbitt was free, was mainly concerned with the copper content. I think I'll go ahead and melt the big bars down to smaller units for mixing it latter. Have about 8 or 9 lbs of it.
Rice Farmer
Member
Thank You
if you bottom pour the Tin Babbit metal with copper will drive you nuts trying to keep the nozzle clear
To remove the copper, flux, bring the pot down to 550 (IIRC) as it sits, little pimples will appear on the surface, skim them out, keep in mind antimony is also attached to the copper...sometimes this works
I dipper cast, so it's not a problem for me
When I was still Working at ALCOA they rebuilt some pumps for the Hydraulic presses, the Machinist give me the babbit shavings after they line bored the bearings, weighed 40# all total, with an assay of the metal
To remove the copper, flux, bring the pot down to 550 (IIRC) as it sits, little pimples will appear on the surface, skim them out, keep in mind antimony is also attached to the copper...sometimes this works
I dipper cast, so it's not a problem for me
When I was still Working at ALCOA they rebuilt some pumps for the Hydraulic presses, the Machinist give me the babbit shavings after they line bored the bearings, weighed 40# all total, with an assay of the metal
Rice Farmer
Member
Great, thanks for the advice. Will use a dipper.
I re read my post and I wasn't clear
the copper floats when you use the Tin Babbit for adding tin to the melt
the Tin Babbit metal by itself, the copper does not float, try not to get the tin too hot, I did and the ingots had a copper color on the outside, did not seem to hurt anything, but probably best not to
I was melting shaving and had a hard time controlling the heat, Plumbers Gas fired pot at the time
this was 1984
the copper floats when you use the Tin Babbit for adding tin to the melt
the Tin Babbit metal by itself, the copper does not float, try not to get the tin too hot, I did and the ingots had a copper color on the outside, did not seem to hurt anything, but probably best not to
I was melting shaving and had a hard time controlling the heat, Plumbers Gas fired pot at the time
this was 1984
Rice Farmer
Member
Went to the Ranch and got the bars, one is marked, Nickel Babbitt XXXX ,
My uncle had been using it as it was in with his lead that I inherited after his passing. Going to look it up on Roto Metals websight and see what the composition is. The other bar is marked Hewitts Special Hardened Babbitt Metal. I hope this one is the Tin, 5lbs. Looked it up, they say their Nickel babbitt is 88-90% tin, -.15% Nickel, 7-8% antimony, 3-4% copper, melting pt 466F pouring Temp 795F, so I guess its about the same as the other.
what do you think?
Last edited:
Babbitt is basically bearing alloy and there are many kinds. Treat most as tin, the other stuff gets diluted so much it is 'almost' trace material that will have no effect. Nickel is a mixture (not a molecular alloy in lead) so IIRC will flux out. Cu in the alloy is good but less than 0.2% won't make any difference. Body(wiping)/radiator/plumber's lead is mostly lead with enough tin that it will stick and spread easy.
Rice Farmer
Member
Thanks saves me having to buy some tin. You've been a great help.
Just finished trying out my Lee hardness tester. Found out my mechanical pencils are just about as accurate. Going to send it back. Not worth the $128 it cost thru Amazon. Pencils where only $8.
Looks like most all the lead I inherited from Uncle, (400#) in ingots is all Lyman #2. 14-15 BHN
Last edited:
fiver
Well-Known Member
or they are old school wheel weights.
they had oodles of antimony in them back in the day.
during the 80's-90's they were pretty consistent at 4%. [tossing in 2% tin made them just about the toughest [best shear capability] alloy possible, until copper come into home use then it got the newer ww's the toughness they formerly had]
in the 50's-mid-early 70's most were up around almost 7%.
and back in the 30's, 8 or even 9% antimony was not unheard of.
they had oodles of antimony in them back in the day.
during the 80's-90's they were pretty consistent at 4%. [tossing in 2% tin made them just about the toughest [best shear capability] alloy possible, until copper come into home use then it got the newer ww's the toughness they formerly had]
in the 50's-mid-early 70's most were up around almost 7%.
and back in the 30's, 8 or even 9% antimony was not unheard of.