The tin can lead casting.

Casting was where my head was going too, that’s why I was curious on the size. Some of the two part silicone mould making stuff is good to 400F and supports low-temp alloy casting. Smooth-On brand is what I’ve used in the past but there will be others I’m sure. I’ve not cast metals in them myself, mostly urethanes, but they say they’re good for it.

My experience with lead in monolithic lumps is that it holds screw threads exceptionally well, probably why it’s often chosen for anchors in stone and concrete. Wood screws work great and a bit of oil or candle wax in the threads will let them drive easier. I haven’t tried to glue lead but I don’t think I would trust it.
 
benmychree said:
Slag on melted lead can be reduced by adding a little powdered rosin, it fluxes the metal and turns most of the slag back into metal.
Click to expand...
Any way to safely use liquid soldering rosin? Powdered is not a staple in my garage.
 
The hole in your lead occurs because the outside of the lead cools more rapidly than the interior. You can largely eliminate it by insulating the can in a bed of ashes or similar until it solidifies.
 
Eek. Heating to 700C in an open fire probably contaminated your entire living area with lead vapor condensate. Are you going to play with mercury, cadmium, or beryllium next?
 
pontiac428 said:
Eek. Heating to 700C in an open fire probably contaminated your entire living area with lead vapor condensate. Are you going to play with mercury, cadmium, or beryllium next?
Click to expand...

At the melting point of lead, its vapor pressure is 0.3 nanometers of Hg.
 
Heating lead alloy way past its melting point puts out very toxic fumes.
 
Use tools like for brass: flat top, no top rake.

Might make a steel or Copper backer, tin it, and melt the lead into it. That would give you a good, solid surface to chuck.

Sent from my SM-G715A using Tapatalk
 
RJSakowski said:
The hole in your lead occurs because the outside of the lead cools more rapidly than the interior. You can largely eliminate it by insulating the can in a bed of ashes or similar until it solidifies.
Click to expand...
Or by keeping heat on the top of the pour.

Back in the 80s I saw video of the lead keel casting process for one of the America's Cup race boats. They had a guy waving a giant rosebud torch over the top of the casting for over an hour if I recall correctly.
 
I used to make molds for my model airplane gliders, for nose weight. These are very sleek airplanes.
I would make plaster molds, air dry them for a week or 2, then slowly bring them up to temp in an oven.. very slowly. It takes a long time to get the mold dry in the interior of the mold. so slow is the way to go, otherwise the mold will crack.
if you make a nice pattern, and wax it you can get a really nice mold. Also heat the mold before you pour to prevent it from cracking from shock.
 
OCJohn said:
Or by keeping heat on the top of the pour.

Back in the 80s I saw video of the lead keel casting process for one of the America's Cup race boats. They had a guy waving a giant rosebud torch over the top of the casting for over an hour if I recall correctly.
Click to expand...
Now here is casting a keel. 1,000 lbs of lead in a pour, 20,000 lbs in total.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top