Sorting Lead.... Need some Guidance

[gnmontey]

So how does one interpret this Lee Hardness Tester when the indentation is bigger than .10 scale supplied? Assume pure lead?

The 7% SB 2% SN hard ball alloy I have actually produced the predicted result. A 0.064 indentation or 12.5 BHN matches up with the 5 + (0.29 SN) + (0.92 SB) equation.

Hmmm, the COWW I have scoped out to be 14.3 BHN? Sound ball park to you?

Had a devil of a time holding the scope steady and lining up the samples, so I rigged this up using a spare powder through expander die I had laying around. Worked like a charm



Update:

Found this on the Cast Boolits website. Plotted for the Lee Hardness Tester.



M

 

[jamesharrison]

Every year, I melt up my remaining ingots of alloy, together with all of my scrounged ww's, sheet lead, plumbing lead, scrap, etc. in my cut-off BBQ tank over a wood fire at the cottage. Flux the whole thing and use a metal screen colander to pick out the dross, clips, &c. Then use some bullet lube & set a match to it and let it flare off. Continue to stir. Then using a ladle, ladle the alloy into old muffin tins (I found a bunch at the dump, but you can probably find them in a thrift store for a buck or two). That way, your entire alloy mix is as homogeneous as you can make it. I usually have ~200 lbs. left after casting & shooting for the year & add around the same in scrounged new material. I've done that for the past 10 years or so and haven't had a statistically-significant difference in either the weight, diameter or hardness of my bullets using that method, unlike in the past, where there was a significant (~15 gr. in a ~160 gr. bullet) difference in weight, diameter (I used to be able to find pure linotype ingot ends) & hardness.

Also, in order to get the hardest alloy with my mix, I water-quench the bullets in a 5 gallon plastic pail filled with water, at the bottom of which is an old bath towel. Leave your cast bullets in the water for at least 24 hours.

I have found that my 5 gang aluminum Accurate moulds cool off too much if I use any more than 3 or 4 (depending on the size/weight) moulds in an assembly-line fashion (ie. pre-heat them all on a stove element, then fill the first one, set it down, fill the next one, set it down, fill the last one, set it down, then walk over to the water pail with the first mould, knock it open so that the bullets fall into the water, re-fill that one, set it down, then empty the second one into the water, refill it & set it down & so on. (This allows the sprue & bullets to set up sufficiently) I can cast 7-800 bullets per day before I get bored / tired / sloppy using a 20 pound bottom pour pot. BTW, as soon as you cut the sprue (& don't be scrimpy with your pour as it doesn't get thrown away), put it back into your pot using your welding gloves that you will be wearing throughout your casting time. It won't cool your melt off an appreciable amount.