Author Topic: Antimony question (Read 788 times)

DropLikeFlies · « **on:** February 21, 2005, 10:50:51 AM »

Does anyone know the real dope on the process of antimony alloying?

The Antimony Man (www.theantimonyman.com) states that Sb melts at 1167F and does not alloy well. I have read previously, I believe in a Handloader mag that it will dissolve at lower temps but does so slowly like a hard candy.

Has anyone had practical experience with this stuff? Is it worth trying to acquire some? I've got a lot of WW, some Lino, and some tin, but I like to hoard this kinda stuff ! I know I'm not the only one out there like this!

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Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #1 on:** February 21, 2005, 11:22:18 AM »

the stuff ive tried so far was a real +++++ it was tough to melt and tough to get fluxed in and when it was in the bullets still seemed to have a grainy texture like it wasnt completely mixed in. To be fare to the antimony man i nevered tried his flux i just tried wax and plumbers flux

buck1 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 21, 2005, 03:49:36 PM »

Theres a bit of a trick to it. I learned it from a buddy of mine who does not belive in heat treating at all. He shoots a lot and casts even more.
You don't need that flux .
weigh the antimony ,Melt the antimony at all 1200f. All will be glowing red!
add warmed pure lead to make a 50/50 mix. (as soon as you add the lead the antimony will re freeze, but will remelt in a wile.)
Now mix,mix mix,flux with normal flux, and pour your ingots with a heavy dose of mixing all the wile.
Now you have 50/50 rainbow looking ingots that will melt with ease at much much lower temps when you alloy.
All my alloy comes out even and no grainy feel.
Hope this helps. ....buck

DropLikeFlies · « **Reply #3 on:** February 21, 2005, 04:05:46 PM »

Guys,
Thanks for the input. I'm trying to decide whether it's worth the extra effort to even fart around with it. To be honest, my WW and Sn mix is actually good enough. I've found that shooting a few jacketed bullets after my lead session pretty much takes care of leading and cleaning is easy. I just like to tinker around with things a little.

Hey Buck, what type of flux do you use? I've been using Mavelux from Brownells. Are you familiar? Will this work for the Sb?

I picked up about 4 lbs of lead free roll solder at WalMart on clearance for a total of $4.00. It's 95% Sn and 5% Sb. It's acid core so I think I'll melt it in a soup can so I can skim off the acid and not hurt my pot.

Chief · « **Reply #4 on:** February 21, 2005, 06:26:59 PM »

I had pretty good success when I bought some granulated antimony from none other than the Antimony Man. However, I did use his flux. I just used a little electric stove and followed the instructions I got from him and it seemed to work pretty well. I didn't use that much heat as I actually had a hard time keeping it hot enough to keep the lead melted. If you use to much of the flux it will foam up, turn dark, and pretty much stop the process. Outside of that it worked pretty good, at least as far as I could tell. I wondered if maybe there might be little pieces of antimony (grit) that didn't totally dissolve but I don't have any reason to believe there is. I use a bottom pour pot so I figured even if there was any undissolved antimony it would float to the top and get skimmed off.
Chief

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #5 on:** February 22, 2005, 12:14:51 AM »

personaly i cant stand marvelux it leaves a real crusty deposit on the sides of my pots that about needs to be chipped away. a piece of paraphin wax or bees wax or bullet lube will do the same thing and is alot cleaner.

Quote from: DropLikeFlies

Guys,
Thanks for the input. I'm trying to decide whether it's worth the extra effort to even fart around with it. To be honest, my WW and Sn mix is actually good enough. I've found that shooting a few jacketed bullets after my lead session pretty much takes care of leading and cleaning is easy. I just like to tinker around with things a little.

Hey Buck, what type of flux do you use? I've been using Mavelux from Brownells. Are you familiar? Will this work for the Sb?

I picked up about 4 lbs of lead free roll solder at WalMart on clearance for a total of $4.00. It's 95% Sn and 5% Sb. It's acid core so I think I'll melt it in a soup can so I can skim off the acid and not hurt my pot.

cukrus · « **Reply #6 on:** February 22, 2005, 02:27:55 PM »

I've gone the high temp route and melted the antimony with a blower and charcoal fire then poured the liquid antimony into molten lead. Worked but was a lot of work and ash was blowing all over the place. I prefer to use the casting furnace and submerge enough antimony gravel in a lead-tin alloy so the final alloy is 84-85% lead, 11-12% antimony and 3-4% tin. Temp sufficient to melt the wheel weights I start with is sufficient. I keep a little charcoal on the melt and after about 20 min. there may be a couple of tiny pieces of antimony left that haven't dissolved - don't sweat it. The tin really helps the antimony dissolve into the lead.
Heat treating wheel weights is easier but sometimes I want that infinitesimally larger bullet that linoltype produces.

buck1 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 24, 2005, 09:34:46 AM »

Yes I do use marvelux in my big alloying pot. Kinda messy and holds water big time. But it works fine.
In your final alloy you do need a little tin to mix even.
Good luck ,,,buck