Linotype available

Swampman1 · January 3, 2014, 10:48 AM

Picking up some WWs at my local salvage yard today, and they have a boatload of linotype at $1/lb. Lino came from an old printing shop that closed down. My question, is $1 per lb a fair price?

Beagle333 · January 3, 2014, 11:19 AM

Usually, lino goes for $2/lb online. $1 is a good price.

Swampman1 · January 3, 2014, 11:28 AM

Thanks Beagle, some of these are little squares with letters on them, but most are fairly thin strips. They have it in a container about the size of a 55 gal drum...about 2 feet deep. Just not sure how much lino a handloader would actually need. What ratio would actually be need to get soft lead to a BHN 15-20? I'm thinking about casting 9mm.

Beagle333 · January 3, 2014, 11:37 AM

If it is individual letters it is monotype or foundry type. Very hard stuff.

Linotype is rows of letters and words in a line. Hard stuff too, but not as hard as mono.

The very thin strips (with no letters on it) are spacers and can be made of anything, usually softer than linotype, but harder than pure lead. The letters and lines of type are the valuable stuff.
For blending it to make a specific bhn, there have been calculators mentioned on here. I think Mike/TX posted one just recently in a thread. I'll have to scroll down and look for it after I close this post.

Beagle333 · January 3, 2014, 11:42 AM

Here it is....

Lead Alloy Calculators

Swampman1 · January 3, 2014, 01:46 PM

Hey thanks beagle...nice calculator. From what I see, simply water quenching WWs will give me a BHN up to 18. Do you think BHN 18 is adequate for 9mm? I usually load 4.4 gr of HP-38 with my FMJ bullets. I'll be casting a 120 gr bullet. Thanks.

P.S. The lino at the salvage yard was 1 big letter per little square, along with the strips, which I didn't look at very closely. The guy called it all linotype.

YARDDOG(1) · January 3, 2014, 02:17 PM

Swampman, Hardness does nothing if the FIT is'nt right ; )
Y/D

Swampman1 · January 3, 2014, 02:36 PM

Ha ha...got it.

FrankenMauser · January 3, 2014, 04:18 PM

BHN 18 is too hard for 9mm, in my opinion.
I like BHN 10-ish, but most people consider 12-13 to be more appropriate. It's just personal preference and differences in lube/sizing/etc...

$1/lb is a great price, whether it's foundry type, monotype, or linotype headers and spacers (otherwise, it should be 60%+ full lines of text).
If looking for linotype, specifically, and you don't have the ability to test the alloy.... the only way to buy it is in full lines of text. Any other form leaves significant doubt about the alloy.

-

Next week, my father is looking for pure lead (or near to it) at a scrap yard that had over 70k lbs of monotype and linotype in drums last year. I asked him to see if they still have any, and ask about the price. I'm hoping for the usual, "we get $0.76/lb for it - match that, so we don't have to ship it, and it's yours." I'll load my truck until it's sitting on the overload springs.

Swampman1 · January 3, 2014, 07:32 PM

OK thanks Franken, I assumed that with the high pressures of 9mm, it required a harder bullet.

Quote:

I'll load my truck until it's sitting on the overload springs

HaHa good one.

January 3, 2014, 10:48 AM	#1
Swampman1 Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2013 Location: South Louisiana Posts: 432	Linotype available Picking up some WWs at my local salvage yard today, and they have a boatload of linotype at $1/lb. Lino came from an old printing shop that closed down. My question, is $1 per lb a fair price?

January 3, 2014, 11:19 AM	#2
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	Usually, lino goes for $2/lb online. $1 is a good price. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.

January 3, 2014, 11:37 AM	#4
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	If it is individual letters it is monotype or foundry type. Very hard stuff. Linotype is rows of letters and words in a line. Hard stuff too, but not as hard as mono. The very thin strips (with no letters on it) are spacers and can be made of anything, usually softer than linotype, but harder than pure lead. The letters and lines of type are the valuable stuff. For blending it to make a specific bhn, there have been calculators mentioned on here. I think Mike/TX posted one just recently in a thread. I'll have to scroll down and look for it after I close this post. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile. Last edited by Beagle333; January 3, 2014 at 11:44 AM.

January 3, 2014, 11:42 AM	#5
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	Here it is.... Lead Alloy Calculators __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.

January 3, 2014, 01:46 PM	#6
Swampman1 Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2013 Location: South Louisiana Posts: 432	Hey thanks beagle...nice calculator. From what I see, simply water quenching WWs will give me a BHN up to 18. Do you think BHN 18 is adequate for 9mm? I usually load 4.4 gr of HP-38 with my FMJ bullets. I'll be casting a 120 gr bullet. Thanks. P.S. The lino at the salvage yard was 1 big letter per little square, along with the strips, which I didn't look at very closely. The guy called it all linotype. Last edited by Swampman1; January 3, 2014 at 01:52 PM.

January 3, 2014, 11:28 AM	#3
Swampman1 Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2013 Location: South Louisiana Posts: 432	Thanks Beagle, some of these are little squares with letters on them, but most are fairly thin strips. They have it in a container about the size of a 55 gal drum...about 2 feet deep. Just not sure how much lino a handloader would actually need. What ratio would actually be need to get soft lead to a BHN 15-20? I'm thinking about casting 9mm.

January 3, 2014, 02:17 PM	#7
YARDDOG(1) Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: GATOR COUNTRY HA HA HA! Posts: 721	Swampman, Hardness does nothing if the FIT is'nt right ; ) Y/D __________________ There's a GATOR in the bushes & She's Callin my name >Molly Hatchett<

January 3, 2014, 02:36 PM	#8
Swampman1 Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2013 Location: South Louisiana Posts: 432	Ha ha...got it.

January 3, 2014, 04:18 PM	#9
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	BHN 18 is too hard for 9mm, in my opinion. I like BHN 10-ish, but most people consider 12-13 to be more appropriate. It's just personal preference and differences in lube/sizing/etc... $1/lb is a great price, whether it's foundry type, monotype, or linotype headers and spacers (otherwise, it should be 60%+ full lines of text). If looking for linotype, specifically, and you don't have the ability to test the alloy.... the only way to buy it is in full lines of text. Any other form leaves significant doubt about the alloy. - Next week, my father is looking for pure lead (or near to it) at a scrap yard that had over 70k lbs of monotype and linotype in drums last year. I asked him to see if they still have any, and ask about the price. I'm hoping for the usual, "we get $0.76/lb for it - match that, so we don't have to ship it, and it's yours." I'll load my truck until it's sitting on the overload springs. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.