Lino-Type ??
- Thread starter Drm50
- Start date
FrankenMauser
New member
If you want to use it as-is, you can.
The spacers are generally a different alloy than the 'sentences', though. So, I always melt everything down and cast it into ingots. That way, that whole batch of Lino is consistent (rather than some hard, some soft, and some that's ... who knows..?)
The spacers are generally a different alloy than the 'sentences', though. So, I always melt everything down and cast it into ingots. That way, that whole batch of Lino is consistent (rather than some hard, some soft, and some that's ... who knows..?)
It's just personal preference. Sometimes I make ingots of it, sometimes just add as is.... but when I do make ingots, I make ingots of spacers and ingots of letters and keep them separate. 
If you should ever want some really hard bullets (say, for .270) you would want to know how many spacers you had put in the mix with your lines-of-type to make ingots, and that might be difficult. Of course you could test the homogenous ingots and write the bhn on them or the storage box, but then the next time you happened upon some lino and made more ingots, the odds of that bucket having the same ratio of spacers to type as the first would be remote. 
If you should ever want some really hard bullets (say, for .270) you would want to know how many spacers you had put in the mix with your lines-of-type to make ingots, and that might be difficult. Of course you could test the homogenous ingots and write the bhn on them or the storage box, but then the next time you happened upon some lino and made more ingots, the odds of that bucket having the same ratio of spacers to type as the first would be remote. Was told by an old printer that the "spacers" are called, "rules".
Also, FYI not all type metal is Linotype. There are many type metals and each has its own alloy blend of Lead, Tin, Antimony and some have Copper (Foundry types). All type metals have utility for bullet casting. They only time that the particular alloy is a consideration is when you want to know and control the exact proportions of the alloy for your bullets for repeatability.
Also, FYI not all type metal is Linotype. There are many type metals and each has its own alloy blend of Lead, Tin, Antimony and some have Copper (Foundry types). All type metals have utility for bullet casting. They only time that the particular alloy is a consideration is when you want to know and control the exact proportions of the alloy for your bullets for repeatability.
nemesiss45
New member
I was told that the letter are recast multiple times as the wear out, losing some alloy metal each time until the alloy is too soft for type then it is used for spacers, so the type won't be. Consistant hardness anyway.... not that i know anything about it. I have a good 100lb of lino and i have just been melting it all together
Lino-info
Thanks for info men. Didn't know spacers were different alloy. I'm going to
figure out some"game" to con grandkids into sorting them out. Going to stop
at Dollar store and by some prizes. Just call me Grinch, they'll all be here for
Christmas. I have known that the more times you melt lead the harder it gets.
Before spring I going to have big melt, outside, and cast every thing I've got
the last year into ingots.
Thanks for info men. Didn't know spacers were different alloy. I'm going to
figure out some"game" to con grandkids into sorting them out. Going to stop
at Dollar store and by some prizes. Just call me Grinch, they'll all be here for
Christmas. I have known that the more times you melt lead the harder it gets.
Before spring I going to have big melt, outside, and cast every thing I've got
the last year into ingots.
458winshooter
New member
Type Lead
I agree to blend first I got some that was monotype that is supposed to be harder than Linotype.I blended it with wheelweights to come up with a mix close to #2.
I agree to blend first I got some that was monotype that is supposed to be harder than Linotype.I blended it with wheelweights to come up with a mix close to #2.
Lino-sort
My plot to con grandkids into sorting spacers out of Lino turned into a large game of Scrabble. Not to mention type scattered all over basement. I had to
give prizes for biggest word. I have all this to thank my nosey sister in law.
Guess where I would like to depose of the surgical gloves I bought for kids.
Anyway I think I'll melt type and spacers together. I have large pot, I'll flux
it good. Should make good pistol bullets.
Christmas comes but once a year, that's to ---- often for around here. Grinch
My plot to con grandkids into sorting spacers out of Lino turned into a large game of Scrabble. Not to mention type scattered all over basement. I had to
give prizes for biggest word. I have all this to thank my nosey sister in law.
Guess where I would like to depose of the surgical gloves I bought for kids.
Anyway I think I'll melt type and spacers together. I have large pot, I'll flux
it good. Should make good pistol bullets.
Christmas comes but once a year, that's to ---- often for around here. Grinch
Linotype (literally "line of type") should be kept (at least for my purposes) in the original cast lines of type/sentences to guarantee to anyone it is true lino. Anything can be cast into ingots and called anything you want.
If you ever want to sell or trade it, no questions will be asked!
Lino was used over and over again in the printing industry and had to be "refreshed" from time to time, as the Sn would oxidize off. The best way to find true pure lino is the long factory-cast and marked pigs they used to lower into the machines.
Remember, the individual letters and numbers, are NOT lino and are actually much harder. They were used in the olden days in hand set letter presses. Foundry type normally has a notch on the side of each character. Monotype does not. Both are higher in Sb/Sn than lino. Again, those should be kept in their original forms and are easy to add to your mix in the small quantities you normally use if in that form.
If you ever want to sell or trade it, no questions will be asked!
Lino was used over and over again in the printing industry and had to be "refreshed" from time to time, as the Sn would oxidize off. The best way to find true pure lino is the long factory-cast and marked pigs they used to lower into the machines.
Remember, the individual letters and numbers, are NOT lino and are actually much harder. They were used in the olden days in hand set letter presses. Foundry type normally has a notch on the side of each character. Monotype does not. Both are higher in Sb/Sn than lino. Again, those should be kept in their original forms and are easy to add to your mix in the small quantities you normally use if in that form.