Lead recovered from range backstop

Great thread!

Depending on the range rules you may have to sign something that says you're competent to handle lead as it is a possible environmental hazard.
 
notsorichguy said:
I was also surprised to see the difference.

My assumption is that the marvelux works much better at re-introducing the tim and antimony back into the lead... the trick is to “stir” the pot and marvelux every time we skim off the dross.


Believe what you want, but after 20+yrs of doing this I trust my tools to give me accurate information. The way the bullets I cast preform also bear this information out. If you don’t believe me feel free to come to our next clean up and do your own testing.

According to my LHT the Linotype I have on hand is 23bn.
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I have been doing it for 40 years + . Linotype composition is know and as a BN 18-19. Your LBT is out of wack. Send me a bullet - pm me - i will get it tested on a Rockwell lab press - I have access to it - free. If you sent a few bullet with your LBT reading - this can help to recalibrate it to a point.

No matter how long you have been doing it - you will not re-write chemistry and alloy. Pure lead has a BN of 5 - no matter what.

A bit of reading - check also the article on BN obtained by different user of hobby grade BN tester..

http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm

And the BN test of hobby grade tester..

http://www.lasc.us/Shay-BHN-Tester-Experiment.htm

For those of you who don’t like to read a lot.. the best of the hobby grade seem to be the Lee. But none are on the money compared to a Rockwell lab hardness testing rig.
 
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I have a buddy that has a Lee tester, I have used it and both of us aren't that enamored with it, found it hard to get 'repeatable' readings from sample slugs from the same melt so I "home built" a copy of the "Cabin Tree" lead tester. Lots of u-tube vids on "how too". A usable copy can be built using just some ordinary home shop machines (drill press, threading taps etc.) from readily available "local hardware" supplies. I used some scrap pieces from other projects and bought the spring & a couple of bolts for under $5 and made mine in under 2 hrs.

While it doesn't give me a hard copy BN #, however,using samples of different "known hardness" lead (pure, COWW, commercial "hard cast etc) as a comparison media, it gives very consistent reference measurements from melt to melt. that is all I need.
 
fingers284 said:
I have a buddy that has a Lee tester, I have used it and both of us aren't that enamored with it, found it hard to get 'repeatable' readings from sample slugs from the same melt so I "home built" a copy of the "Cabin Tree" lead tester. Lots of u-tube vids on "how too". A usable copy can be built using just some ordinary home shop machines (drill press, threading taps etc.) from readily available "local hardware" supplies. I used some scrap pieces from other projects and bought the spring & a couple of bolts for under $5 and made mine in under 2 hrs.

While it doesn't give me a hard copy BN #, however,using samples of different "known hardness" lead (pure, COWW, commercial "hard cast etc) as a comparison media, it gives very consistent reference measurements from melt to melt. that is all I need.
Click to expand...

Only negative about the Lee unit is that it depends on the user to operate it identically every single time. Change your timing or your pressure and it will change your outcome.

If you can measure the force of your spring on your diy unit you can calculate the BN. I believe the formula is actually in the Lee cut sheet.
 
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