This pencil method is probably my favorite because it doesn't cost much, it's pretty damn accurate, it's quick, and it doesn't rely on any fancy machinery that can break
I could not agree more. I’m a huge fan of the pencil method. I rarely use any other. It’s that said I follow the “don’t tell anyone their sister is ugly rule” there are lots of methods and almost all of them have their pro’s and cons. The pencils are super easy and accurate IMHO.
Hey guys if you watch my videos please subscribe and if you have your own RU-vid channel give me a shout out I really could use some more subscribers. Thanks Here is a link to the BHN chart. imgur.com/gallery/QqPwvvs
I've never heard of using the pencils to test the harness of the lid. And I've been doing this for a long time. Even had my cousin show me as he's done it for even longer. And I don't think he knows about the lead pencils. So thanks again for your info. I try to learn something new everyday and thank you for making that happen.🤗🤗
Hey thanks! Watched the video earlier this afternoon, ran out to Office Depot and picked up the pencils, came home and did some testing. My latest batch of lead tested at 9 bhn while my previous batch tested at 13 (sailboat keel vs. range scrap quenched). I was waiting to do another casting session until I knew whether I needed to harden the current batch. And I do. So thanks again. I'm a sub.
Bradley those are very kind words, thank you. If you like that video I am about to do an even better one this weekend. Please subscribe so you don’t miss it.
That’s why I made this video for people like you glad I could help. If you need any other questions answered just ask on any one of my videos. I’m always happy to assist.
@@nycreloader Just talked to my son. In geology, they have a set of scrapers to test rocks for hardness. He, too, was wondering how pencils worked. Thanks. again.
Thank you for teaching me this. I found your video while trying to figure out the hardness of some "type" lead used to make rubber stamps. I have drafting supplies with that brand leads and lead holders. When I used your method the H2 didn't scratch the surface, the H3 made a very clear shinny scratch in the test peace. I repeated it several times with the same results. You can't get any better than that! Thanks again.
Danny L I am glad 8 could share some knowledge with you. My goal in life and in reloading is to take difficult concepts and make them easy to understand. Welcome to the channel if you haven’t subscribed please do so. Thx
Thanks I have never tried the pencil method. I used to be a draftsman when we used pencils and ink. It just never dawned on me to use pencil. I have cast at least 300k bullets for one gun alone that I used to keep records for. I have read a lot on casting just do a good job. I do love simple elegant solutions for problems and I consider this an elegant solution thanks again.
Georgiaboy44 nice to see you made it over here. More videos to come. It’s been too cold to make more videos in my workshop/garage so with the weather getting better there will be more to come soon.
you all probably dont care at all but does anybody know of a way to get back into an Instagram account..? I was stupid lost my account password. I would appreciate any assistance you can offer me!
@Jericho Casey i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site through google and Im in the hacking process atm. Seems to take a while so I will get back to you later with my results.
NICE you just saved me $140 AU that I don't really have. Thanks for putting this information out there I'll use this method because I believe it will be close enough and it's cheap.
Thanks for the info. I have been casting soft lead for black powder guns for some time, but I am learning about common calibers and reloading. I didn’t realize that the lead needs to be made harder for this process, and have been having trouble finding the Lee hardness tester. I am going to try the pencil method to see how that works out.
@Blueskies Pure lead is preferable, but 9bhn isn't _that_ _much_ harder than pure but you should probably keep it under 10 bhn for black powder rifles as a rule.
Thanks for demonstrating a cheap, easy lead hardness test. In one of your later comments you report that you have validated the pencil vest with the Lee test many many times. That ices the cake for me. I picked up some scavenged sheets of X-ray room shielding lead which I was told are almost pure lead. Since I'm casting conical bullets for cap and ball revolvers, low BHN matters. When my pencils arrive shorty, I'll see, and report back.
Very very nice video. I helped compile that chart you have there for pencil tests. We always sharpened the pencils so there was a chisel type tip and try to plow the lead...Now I see that was a lot of unnecessary work. We were making harder than it had to be. Thank You.
Hans Pcguy very happy to meet one of the people that created this chart. I’ve been using it a long while. Before that I used the fingernail test and a Lee lead tester. You guys did great work. May I ask without sounding disrespectful what year that was good sir? I’d love to know about how and when you did this great thing and I bet my subscribers would too.
@@nycreloader I should qualify that statement. I have added to that chart and collaborated with others in updating it at Castboolits.com. But the original chart was made long before I started in this game. Sorry about misleading there.
Hans Pcguy I don’t think I misunderstood refining and adding to that chat is also a huge value to all of us out there who cast. So thanks for being a part of it.
Thanks for the information. All this years I have been using a hammer and anvil. I would cast a bach then take one bullet put it on the anvil and smack it with the hammer. Your way looks alot easier.
Thanks for the info. I recently started casting bullets for a big bore airgun and had no idea how to test it other than poking at it with a knife and seeing how hard it seemed. Reloading tools are scarce as hens teeth right now. This is so simple and makes perfect sense. Same principle as hardness files for steel.
Greg I’m so happy I was able to help that’s the reason for me putting Ip this channel. My goal being to find better ways to teach difficult subjects. I’m glad my info and presentation was useful to you.
Hello I appreciate this video as I had never heard of this pencil test before. I have been using a Cabin Tree hardness tester for many years now, but this pencil testing sure seems to be a whole lot quicker. I wonder if you could provide a link to the chart you found online? I've been to the pencils site, and did not find the chart there. I also looked in the Cast Boolets forum and found there was several thoughts on how the lead hardness tested out, but they were somewhat vague approximations. Respects, Richard
Thanks for the video. Just have a quick question I did not see asked in the comments. The Mars Lumograph Art Drawing Pencils in the video, does not mention which version, is the version you have the 12pack graphite version or Lead version, and does it make a difference?
They are “Staedtler Mars Lumograph Sketching Pencil Sets set of 12” staples and Amazon both sell them. Here is a link to exactly what you want. www.amazon.com/dp/B0014E2S0Q/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_BQ16GBMDVTXVC6W1T80P?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Willie Bulletman here is an amazon link www.amazon.com/Staedtler-Pencil-Lumograph-100-G12/dp/B0014E2S0Q/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1515337994&sr=8-3&keywords=staedtler+mars+lumograph+pencils I got the chart from a friend... here is a link to that. www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=xzlSWs6EOMfnmAHOkKCYDQ&q=bhn+pencil+chart&oq=bhn+pencil+chart&gs_l=mobile-gws-hp.3...6115.13045.0.14121.20.19.1.1.1.0.391.1845.15j2j0j1.18.0....0...1c.1.64.mobile-gws-hp..1.16.1265.3..0j35i39k1j0i131k1j0i131i20i264k1j0i20i264k1j0i13k1j0i22i10i30k1j0i22i30k1j33i160k1j33i21k1.107.m2YDZ1qnYNM#imgrc=vtrGHDlh2kaa4M:
Staedler have two sets of 12 pencils available, the 100G12, which you have, and the 100G12S, which goes from 8B up to 2H.... Since I am mostly interested in the softer alloys, would that make more sense?....
Rick O'Shea I use the set in the video as anything over BHN 28 gets melted into raw lead to harden it up. The reason is it’s too hard to resize and too hard for my bullet making purposes. Go with the 100G12 and that’s all you will ever need.
сергей 163 Sergei, the pleasure is all mine. thanks for the kind words I look forward to seeing your post and comments in the future. Сергей, удовольствие все мое. спасибо за добрые слова, которые я с нетерпением жду, чтобы увидеть ваш пост и комментарии в будущем.
@@nycreloader, Вам спасибо,единственно о чем жалею-не увидел ваше видео раньше,заказал уже себе измеритель твердости Лии nycreloader, Thank you, the only thing I regret-I did not see your video before, I already ordered a Lee hardness tester.
@@user-ci3cu6qj1r the pencils are so cheap and much easier to carry around to test lead when you come across it. карандаши настолько дешевы, что их гораздо легче носить с собой, когда вы сталкиваетесь с ними.
Hey Doug if I remember correctly it was about there being multiple types of wheel weights with different hardness values.. all that matters is the BHN values to the left and the right expresses what type of lead alloy it is. The hardness is the hardness the other column is simply a description of what type of lead alloy and designating why some wheel weights are harder than others even though they are all wheel weights. I hope that helps.
Crypto Info both methods work and work well. The pencils are easier, cheaper and faster and these days I only use the Lee tester to validate the BHN. In hundreds of test they come out equal. So either method works one is just a lot faster, much more portable and lots faster using the pencils. www.amazon.com/dp/B0014E2S0Q/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_eCjjFbRS2B832
Crypto Info sorry the price for the Lee hardness tester is 70-90 bucks US and about 10 -12 bucks for the pencils ✏️ there are a few different kits some with more pencils, and some with less pencils. All do the same job but more pencils gives you some even harder pencils for our testing purposes.
@@nycreloader Awesome thanks for the info! Im headed to Home Depot after work to get a set, ive got probably 500 # of lead ive been melting down and casting into ingots with my muffin tin the last couple years. Most of the lead was found metal detecting a old sawmill and homestead, Im thinking it was from roof and window sealing. Can you suggest a place to get the antimony and tin required to harden it up?
Crypto Info root metals is who I buy my lead/antimony from. You want to buy super hard lead from rotometals as antimony is to difficult to melt in a standard meltipot. This stuff is already alloyed and will mix easily and as always don’t make you lead melter to hot. If you do you’ll pull the antimony out.
Arthur Devain you can’t be surprised that something cost 55-70 bucks it’s a calibrated well made tool. If it’s too expensive buy the pencils they can be had from 10-15 bucks. Just showing my two methods. I would say the lee lead tester was one of the cheapest reloading tools I’ve purchased.
JCM45 I’ve been teaching for 28 years. I teach Unix, Linux and other computer related subjects. I’ve also been a scuba instructor for 25 years. So for me it’s kind of par for the course but thank you for noticing. My goal as always is take something complicated and communicate it in a way that people can and will understand.
