archery1 Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 (edited) My step father has pounds an pounds of that lead Lino type for printing. hope someone will no what i mean. it comes in all sizes and has a letter on end for the old time printin presses. he says its lead.. melts quick ;like lead. but when i try to bend it it snaps. i melted some down and when u clang lead together it thuds. this stuff tinks when u clap it together. i poured some jigs,,shaky heads an more. works ok but man when i cut off sprues i can tell they are harder to cut. very shiny when melted down. seems to have a bunch of zinc or other metal in it. i cleaned it several times when i melted it also. Is there something i can add into this lead type to make it softer? i can get a bunch of it for free so maybe i can cut cost thanks for anyones help on this. Edited January 4, 2016 by archery1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlaery Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 If it is letters/lino type, it shouldn't have zinc in it. if it has zinc in it your mix would be very thick on top like slug. Your lino type is approximately 10% to 12% antimony, that is what makes it hard. In my opinion you need to mix 10 parts of soft lead to 1 part of lino type to get your antimony down to 1 to 2% antimony. I use a 6% antimony and I want it to snap but in hand pouring and you want to cut the sprus you really need to be at 1% or less. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LimpNoodle Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 Best bet would be to sell it to bullet casters. They will pay very good money for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 I was given 70# of it several years ago. I use it on occasion. It's a bit lighter and a lot harder then plumber's lead but it works just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archery1 Posted January 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 (edited) ok. well i got like 40lbs melted down , poured it in muffin pans outside yest. alot of sludge on top when i first put it in. just skimmed that off then fluxed. maybe sell or maybe just add a block into pot with good soft lead. not sure cause so much is available. i saw online linotype was selling bout 2$ a lb. oh i did notice when i was on the last 10lbs or so my lee pot was pourin slow so that made me think that this was harder stuff than the lead i had. i just added some melted down wheel weights and it poured fine . Edited January 4, 2016 by archery1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLT Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 My Dad had a 50 gallon drum almost full of that stuff. Had a guy drive 4 hours to buy it off my Mom when he passed away. He wanted it for bullets. I won't use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
