Metal Alloy Chart
Type of Metal | Melting Temp. | Casting Temp. | Details | Success Rate | Strength of Casting | Mould life time | Price Range | Available from | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Modelmetal | 140°C | 300°C | 100% | 90% | 50% | 300-1000 | High | Prince August Stockists | Best casting metal on the market |
Standardmetal | 230°C | 325°C | 80% | 70% | 50% | 100-500 | Medium | Prince August Stockists | An economical alternative to modelmetal. |
5 Star Metal | 230°C | 325°C | 90% | 80% | 50% | 100-500 | Medium | Prince August Stockists | All age groups can safely handle the castings from this alloy. |
40% Tin/60% Lead | 230°C | 300°C | 60% | 60% | 70% | 100-500 | Medium | Some Hardware Stores | A good all round metal |
48% Tin/2% Antimony / 50% Lead | 185°C | 275°C | 80% | 70% | 90% | 200-1000 | High | A good all round metal | Very fine metal finish. Suitable for antiqued figures. |
Linotype Printers Metal | 230°C | 300°C | 40% | 40% | 50% | 100-500 | Low | Some Printers Scrap Dealers |
Recommended if you want quantity instead of quality |
Monotype Printers Metal | 230°C | 300°C | 60% | 60% | 40% | 100-500 | Low | Some Printers Scrap Dealers |
Recommended if you want quantity instead of quality |
Lead | 230°C | Old Pipes Old Bullets Tyre Weights |
Not Suitable | ||||||
90% Lead / 10% Tin | 230°C | 300°C | 40% | 40% | 50% | 100-500 | Cheap | If you have lead scrap you can add tin to make it into suitable casting metal. | |
2 parts Lead / 1 parts Modelmetal | 220°C | 300°C | 45% | 45% | 50% | 100-500 | Cheap | If you have lead scrap you can add modelmetal to make it into suitable casting metal. | |
White Metal | 185-275°C | All tin/lead alloys is called white metal. Might be suitable. | |||||||
Pewter | 240°C | 300°C | 20% | 20% | 90% | 100-500 | Very High | Some Scrapdealers | Not very suitable |
1 part pewter 1 part lead |
190°C | 275°C | 75% | 65% | 90% | 200-1000 | High | Some Scrapdealers | Very fine metal finish |
Solder | 180-230°C | Medium High |
Hardware stores |
Depending on alloy could be suitable. | |||||
Zinc | Not suitable. | ||||||||
Aluminium | Not suitable. | ||||||||
Iron | Not suitable. |
This chart will give you and idea of what other low melting paint alloys you can use for casting. If you have some scrap metal in the form of lead flashing, tyre ballance weights, solder etc. After a bit of experimenting you can achieve satisfactory results particularly if you compromise a little on the quality to get a really large army. Ratings and lifetimes are only given as an average for all moulds. Certain moulds particularly the 54mm range and fantasy, are much more difficult to cast. |