Casting supply info needed

[paperpuncher]

As previously stated that is linotype, 100%. Typically the alloy composition is 4 tin 12 antimony balance lead. There may be some variance in the alloy depending on how judicious the printer was about maintaining the alloy

 

[RegionRat]

This is free.
http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_textonly2.pdf

At the very least, go from about pp 29 to 36, the section on lead alloys.
The bibliography at the end of that chapter is also very good, but some of the books listed are not cheap.

You can also ask here...
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?96221-Best-Reloading-Manuals-for-Cast-Bullets

Unknown metals are risky when it comes to the finished hardness and casting quality.
Some of the unknowns can ruin your cast and some can even be hazardous to your health.
In my experience, this is not what linotype looked like when sold surplus from a print shop. YMMV
Play it safe.

Happy New Year!

 

[JSH]

I have melted WW all in one pot. Skim the dross and crap off. If there is a WW that doesn’t melt, skim it and toss. If your melting zinc into lead, your way over board on heat, which will actually cook any and all tin out of your alloy.

I was proud to say I had not shot a jacketed bullet in anything in a number of years. I amassed a large amount of alloy over several years. I should cast up a 1000-2000 lbs of bullets and sell the rest of it and move on. A buddy dropped off two 5 gallon buckets of solder from a radiator shop when the cleaned their tank. There was a body shop next door and got about 300lbs of tin from that, along with several buckets of real WW.

To the OP, the lino type will make pretty bullets and hard as woodpecker lips. They will shatter on steel targets. Imho of what I know today, there is better alloy to be had. As mentioned above, harder is not necessarily better.

 

[Cecil S.]

Following this as I am stepping into pouring lead for shotgun. Good stuff here.

 

[paperpuncher]

Linotype will be found in 3 forms The ones in the op pics are the as used form. Those pieces are arranged in a chase and locked in place with a quoin. It is also found in line or spacer form these are long strips of various length and thickness.The only other form is a pig. Pigs are about 23 pounds and about 2 ft long with a loop at one end to suspend it in the pot for melting

 

[rockhound78]

Could also be Monotype or stereotype. More tin(Sn) and antimony(Sb) in the alloy. Good stuff and worth a bit.

 

[RegionRat]

Yup, it could be a lot of things since there is a known metal and scrap operation right there in that same neighborhood that buys and sells material and marks them this way.
ETA: These days powder or polymer coating can cover up many sins and gets you out of lubrication questions and those issues.

 

[PhilC]

Melt enough to create an ingot and then find someone with an XRF for a definitive answer. There's a member on CastBoolits forum who will do this.

 

[paperpuncher]

I took the time to take pictures and document the various types type metal encountered in the printing and graphic arts industries. There is often confusion on the terminology, hopefully this post will provide some clarity and help someone down the road. I will add observations to the pics based on my personal experience over a very large sample size and time period. I will list the chemistry on these alloys as typically encountered in the following order Tin, Antimony and Lead. Keep in mind that there aren't any absolutes when dealing with these materials but my experience has lead me to the conclusion that they are fairly consistent in composition

This is linotype in the form that is used to print
Typically 4-12-84

These are linotype pigs usually around 22# each
Some differences in the appearance of the pigs are encountered
Some were purchased from the foundry and some were recast
from used lino at the print facility

These are spacers and rule The alloy is generally
the same as lino but I have seen some spacers that
were softer more like 2 - 8 - 90

Monotype 8-10 sn 18-20 sb balance PB

Foundry Type generally is 12sn - 23sb some of it
has around 2% copper.


This is what stereo type looks like They
are 1/2" thick half drums varied sizes
They are smooth on the inside and have
letters on the outside. 8 -16- 76 The pic
is not of actual stereo plate but a
representation of the form

 

[paperpuncher]

This is linotype plus metal Printers that re melted
and cast new pigs in house used this alloy to
replenish SN and SB that were lost in the dross
when re melting 11-18-71

Stereo type pigs These are around 40-50#

 

[wildcatter]

"Be very careful smelting those ww into ingots." Please explain< I have too little knowledge to understand. I touch everything in the bucket from the tire place with a magnet. steel goes in the scrap steel bucket. then stick on and clip on WWs get attacked with the side cutters. Dented goes to the lead bucket, unmarked goes to the zinc bucket. But ive been told clip on WWs are a harder alloy than stick on WWS so I have started to separate the clip on WWs. I figure that the clip on WWs will be for a gun needing a harder bullet. Like instead of my 38s save them for the 357.

The Wheelwright from the last 15 to 20 years have turned more and more to wieghts containing zinc! Zinc will destroy any lead alloy it is introduced to.

Many casters use diagonal cuters to test for hardness to sort them, they are harder than the older quality wheel wieghts.

Clip on ww used to contain: lead, tin, antimony, arsenic, all favorable components for casting bullets

By themselves not the best alloy, but very good for most casters, but when added to ither components to create softer or harder alloy with tin added for alasticity and to coat the alloy as it cools making it more castable a great single source to have.

now add just a few of the wheel wieghts made with zink, and you will destroy any alloy it is mixed with!! BE VERY CAREFULL!

Magnum shot is a great place to get arsenic, it will allow you to harden any alloy when doing it properly.

Here is a great place to get casting information. From what alloys for what, to how to make the custom alloy to suite you, and how to obtain many,as well as how to harden alloy and different methods.

From Ingot to Target: A Cast Bullet Guide For Handgunners, Table of Contents - Fryxell/Applegate

 

[ebb]

I have made that mistake, but if I cut every wheel weight the cutters will only cut into lead.

 

[JSH]

If your not using a thermometer when melting alloy, your probably losing a lot of tin.
If your getting hot enough to melt zinc, definitely not doing lead alloy any good.
I have been casting since the early 80’s. Scrounged all kind of alloy. I was really misguided by a fellow that cast back then. To his way of thinking hotter was better and would cook the impurities out, yup it did, along with a lot of desirable things.

I was gifted a pile of WW a few years back, zinc,steel, lead and all the regular crap too. Thermometer in pot go to a bit over melt point, skim everything and toss it out. Flux stir and skim your done.
Temps between the two are far enough apart.
I cast up a bunch of bullets with zero issue. I was not going to waste time sorting a half dozen buckets.

I have seen some folks are using zinc to cast with now.

I

 

[sksshooter]

Thanks for all the info guys. I think in total i have 10-15lbs of these plates. From the messages here and a few pms it seems linotype is worth holding onto. A couple quick searches online and it doesnt seem readily available. I had a little free time this past friday and stopped in a local reloading store and when i walked in there was a stack of ingots on the shelf with a sign that said linotype $4 an ingot. I grabbed 10 of them just to add to the stash. There was only 20 there so i figured id leave some for the next guy. Not real sure how far this stuff will go but i have 20-25 lbs of it stashed away now. Thats assuming these are 1lb ingots. Thry feel heavier but i didnt put them on a scale yet.

 

[Webster]

Thanks for all the info guys. I think in total i have 10-15lbs of these plates. From the messages here and a few pms it seems linotype is worth holding onto. A couple quick searches online and it doesnt seem readily available. I had a little free time this past friday and stopped in a local reloading store and when i walked in there was a stack of ingots on the shelf with a sign that said linotype $4 an ingot. I grabbed 10 of them just to add to the stash. There was only 20 there so i figured id leave some for the next guy. Not real sure how far this stuff will go but i have 20-25 lbs of it stashed away now. Thats assuming these are 1lb ingots. Thry feel heavier but i didnt put them on a scale yet.

Do a Google search or phone directory search for "Babbitt Metals Suppliers ". There may be a place near where you live to buy from.