Cast Lead Thread ?

[Oldbloke]

DIY BRINELL HARDNESS TESTER. ( BHN )
Just found this thread. As mentioned earlier there are a few ways to do this.

Lee test kit. I haven't used this but reports suggest it works fine but a but fiddly to work with.
Pencil test. I have only just seen this. For a quick guide seems sensible but there is a problem. It is a "scratch" test not a true "pressure" or "deformation" test which is what the brinell test is. Scratch is a resistance to wear, not pressure. They are different physical properties.

I don't have a great need as only cast occasionally. So I went down a different track being a tight arse didn't help and into DIY to. lol. I built one and its pretty easy and I've compared it to pure lead seems very accurate. All you need is:

Reloading press.
Some weights.
A PC to use a excel spread sheet.
A small amount of ingenuity.
Some weights. (I use old bar bell training weights)
A PC or mobile app to use an excel spread sheet.
A small amount of ingenuity to make the platform. My platform is a little different to the one on the link. The lead sits on the ram platform and the ball is held above.
Small ball bearing. Say, about 4 to 5mm
Vernier caliper to measure the "dent"
Perhaps a magnifying glass to help with accurate measurements.


Here is the link I got the info from. Its easy to follow and I will upload the excel spread sheet.

https://mountainmolds.com/lyman-bhn-tester/