The value of a quality accurate thermometer with a maximum measuring temperature of 1000 degrees Fahrenheit is money well spent. The thermometer permits using the best melt temperature for the mould blocks to perform in the range that the block alloy requires. In smelting WW (wheel weights) to retain as much antimony and possibly tin and avoid zinc or/and aluminum alloy weights, below 600°F as the maximum temperature is below the melt temperatures of both (Zinc melts at 787°F ) and any plastic weights can culled before putting the charge in the pot. Zinc will skim off with the steel clips and trash if the temperature is 600°F or less.

A thermometer easily allows testing for metal purity (tin and lead) as well as eutectic specification alloys. Pure metals and eutectic alloys melt and solidify at a constant temperature. The process is simply melting the metal or alloy to be tested, hanging the thermometer where it can easily be read without parallax. At about 700°F turn the heat off. Plot decreasing temperature on the vertical axis and increasing time on the horizontal axis. Take a reading every minute. In the case of pure lead at the 621° F the melt will stop cooling until it is all solid. (Of course a partial 'heating' curve will be needed to extract the thermometer.) For Linotype of composition 4% tin, 12% antimony and 84% lead this temperature is 465°F. For tin it is 449°F. For lead/antimony eutectic, the composition is 11.2% antimony at 484°F. For lead/tin it is 38% lead and 62% tin at 361°F. I use those 'standards' to calibrate thermometers as the temperatures are invariant.

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