Author Topic: Hardness testers (Read 746 times)

Leftoverdj · « **on:** July 13, 2003, 04:02:57 PM »

Richard Lee claims to be on the verge of bringing out a hardness tester for about the coast of the a set of dies.

I'd buy one.

talon · « **Reply #1 on:** July 13, 2003, 07:03:42 PM »

I'd like to see one that would work on an ingot. I have an LBT tester which works fairly well, but there's a lot of "if, ans, and buts" to it's operation. Strange, a hardness tester is such a primary tool for casters, and swagers who make their own cores, but it's a rarity on the loading bench.

gutshot_again · « **Reply #2 on:** July 15, 2003, 07:43:47 AM »

Cabintree products has a tester that will test ingots. Works very well for me.

http://www.castingstuff.com

talon · « **Reply #3 on:** July 15, 2003, 10:29:40 AM »

Thanks, gutshot. I went to their site and read the notes concerning their tester. The dial indicator appears to have the potential of more precise readings than the LBT pointer-scale, but they have the same problem with very soft (bhn 5 to 5.5) alloy... inaccurate readings. Like the LBT tester, it works great (perhaps better than the LBT, I'm not sure, for bhn between 7-30). What is really bothersom in all of this is that the hardness changes over time as well as with the size of the sample. In other words, a .50 cal 500 grain slug will show a different hardness than a .22 cal 50 grain bullet both cast that day from the same billet given all else being equal. Then 3 days later, the hardness in both will be slightly different. Very muddy waters. In any case, everyone should have one of these testers, and the one you point out should fill the bill (LBT testers may come back into production, but not anytime soon, and the SAECO testeris limited to small caliber bullets).

gutshot_again · « **Reply #4 on:** July 15, 2003, 11:26:39 AM »

You're welcome talon. Yes, you're right - very soft doesn't work worth a hoot with either one. And the alloy's will change over time - usually takes about 3 to 4 weeks to stabilize. And with the different cooling rates of different sizes of bullets the hardness will vary some also, as you say. I can also measure the difference between bullets cast in 90 degree weather vs 10 degrees.

Did want to mention that LBT is back in business and according to thier sales brochure I got a month or so back the testers are again available. If memory serves correctly they are $90. Veral doesn't have a web page, but his email address is LBTisAccuracy@imbris.net - shoot him an email asking for his catalog with your mailing address to get one.

Has anyone ever tried a durometer? (Think that's the right term). They're made to measure hard plastics which might work with soft lead - but not sure, just throwing it out.