Antimony sources?

[Freyr_255]

So I have some wheel weight mixture that has a fair amount of soft lead in it that I need to get harder. Where are people sourcing their alloying material from to get a higher antimony content?

 

[jasonf]

Try site sponser Western metals

 

[Snider shooter]

I use Linotype to harden my alloy. Check your local scrap yard out.

 

[yomomma]

No. 7,8 or 9 extra hard shot...

 

[Freyr_255]

Try site sponser Western metals

They're out of stock.

I'll look into the linotype but I'm not sure how available it'll be in my area.

Shot isn't exactly common to find around here so it's not a viable source for me.

 

[yomomma]

The other source are the bars for joining battery cells together, for fork lifts etc

 

[garand4]

Western Metal is the easiest option when they restock. I have alloyed nearly pure lead to wheel weight spec with their antimony and tin.

I melt 100 lbs at a time in a cut off 20 lb propane bottle on top of a turkey cooker, 96.5 lbs lead, 3 lbs antimony and 1/2 lb tin.
This increases hardness from about 6 to around 15 and produces a wheel weight spec alloy.

Antimony has a melting point of 1167 F, but when I add it to my pot at the beginning it slowly disappears into the melt. Takes 30 min or so.

 

[Freyr_255]

Ok, well I'll just wait on western metals then. That said, are there no other Canadian suppliers? Searching keeps giving me American places.

 

[Auggie Doggie]

Also note that alloying raw antimony into an alloy can be difficult. As noted you need a lot of heat and often special fluxes are need to get it to mix in properly.

Auggie D.

 

[yomomma]

Ok, well I'll just wait on western metals then. That said, are there no other Canadian suppliers? Searching keeps giving me American places.

There are, they usually have a 500 pound minimum.

http://www.metaldist.com/industrial---lead-products.html

 

[Freyr_255]

There are, they usually have a 500 pound minimum.

http://www.metaldist.com/industrial---lead-products.html

Well...at least I wouldn't run out for a couple years...lol!

 

[Freyr_255]

Also note that alloying raw antimony into an alloy can be difficult. As noted you need a lot of heat and often special fluxes are need to get it to mix in properly.

Auggie D.

Temperature isn't an issue for me. I have a proper melting furnace for other things that need similar temperatures. I was thinking I'd do a 50-50 alloy with lead in a crucible and then dump that in the lead pot as an ingot. Presumably this should work ok. Presumably being the key word in that statement.

 

[B.C.Jay]

Canada metals (Pacific)

Not sure if they still sell small qty to non business but they used to.

 

[yomomma]

Temperature isn't an issue for me. I have a proper melting furnace for other things that need similar temperatures. I was thinking I'd do a 50-50 alloy with lead in a crucible and then dump that in the lead pot as an ingot. Presumably this should work ok. Presumably being the key word in that statement.

Careful you dont vapourize the lead

 

[Cameron SS]

I have a spool of Tin/Antimony solder for lead free soldering/brazing applications.

I suspect any hard ware store would have a role of it.