ANST - Pewter/tin

[Mark.S Harris]

Bill Osterheim wrote:
> Can anybody suggest a source to ingots of pewter or tin? (Lead-free) to
> cast
> with? So far, the cheepest I have been able to find is for about $9.65
> US/
> pound, which seems a bit high and is from a retail store.

> Polydore

What you want to use is probably lead-free pewter. The easiest
source these days is lead-free plumbing solder. The last I looked in
Austin, the price varied all over the place from a low of around
$7 per pound to $14(!) per pound in the local plumbing supply houses.

Since this material comes typically on one-pound spools it can be
easier to break off what you want in this form than when using
the ingots.

Other, sometimes cheaper sources, can be found in this file in the
CRAFTS section of my Florilegium files:
casting-msg      (109K)  2/17/00    Casting pewter and other metals.

The sources in this file might also be of use, but I can't remember if
they handle casting metals or just sheet stock:
metal-sources-msg (10K)  6/ 7/99    Sources and merchants for metals.

If you are using soapstone to carve the molds for your casting this
file has some sources for soapstone. I haven't mail-ordered my stone
before, but since my local supplier here in Austin no longer carries
it (Dyer's Jewelry), I will be soon. Unfortunately, stone being heavy,
it costs an additional 60% to 80% just to ship it.
soapstone-msg      (6K)  9/ 8/99    Use of Soapstone in period. Modern
sources.

The Florilegium is at: http://www.florilegium.org

I hope this helps you get started. I've love to see what you end up
casting sometime.

Lord Stefan li Rous
Sable thistle for metalcasting.
stefan at texas.net
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