"Equipment advice for new foray into casting white metal ?" Topic

Hello kind people,

I know newbies are tiresore, but here goes anyway: I did some milliput alterations to convert a Yak-9 into a Yak-1B and Yak-7 (for personal use) and would like to cast my own minis (1/285 WWII airplanes) in white metal. I have searched the web for about 8 hours now, and have a good idea of what I need, but would like some advice from you experienced artists :)

As my production would be just for my own air armies, I only need a small melting pot. The Lee Production Pot IV seems popular, and I like that is has a spout. Are there any better ones for $80 USD or less?

I need good info on which rubber to buy that is cheap enough to make a few molds, not just 1 or 2. Also, where in the US to get metal, preferably lead-free, like Raiden Miniatures and I think 15mm Quality Castings use. I read about lead being good for good flow/less viscosity, so if I were to need lead alloys, the less lead, the better. This eBay store has 1 lb. for $23, but I dunno if this is too much…

auction

Apart from a ladle, welder's gloves, C-clamps, what else would I need?

Sorry for the long bore,
Rolando

Check out Dunken's, they sell a lot of casting supplies, and you can get their deluxe hot pot for only $50 USD which I think would be enough for your small hobby purposes.

link

I just recently just started to experiment with home casting (dorp casting).

I started off with a beginners pack that included RTV101 rubber which was perfect for the 18mm sized figure I was molding. I was surprised at how long the mold-making process takes. 24 hours per side. And one thing you didnt mention was the Release Agent that stops the rubber sticking to itself!

For the amount of casts I was doing the ladle included in the pack was big enough for melting the low-melt lead alloy metal. I could envisage investing in an aluminium saucepan for making bigger casts – but then I think I'd still be more limited by the temperature of the molds (which seem to get very hot depending on the size of the sculpt!) rather than the speed at which I can melt the metal!

I have a few suggestions. but not a complete answer.

Firstly, try Prince August for some basic moulding supplies.

princeaugust.ie/index.html

Secondly, if you know someone who works in a precision foundry you may be able to get fine casting sand.

Thirdly, the more you castings you want to make the more expensive your equipment will be.

Finally, remember it is molten metal. Bare flesh and molten metal creates a strange sickly smell. Water and molten metal creates something akin to an explosion.

(I can testify to the last point as I used to work in an iron foundry)

Thanks for the tips, guys. Chris, I think to get good stability I'd rather get the Lee melting pot with the 4 inches clearance below the spout to pour into molds. I'm a careless and absentminded fool, and need something stable if working with liquid metals. Especially when taking John's last point into account ;)

John, the silicone rubber that Prince August sells would set me back around $120! Plus shipping to the American Continent. That's why I was looking for sothing less expensive, and preferably that takes less than 24 hrs. to cure.

What is fine casting sand for? To make molds?

One more thing:

Has anyone tried these two lead-free alloys that Dunken sells that can attest to their qualities?

'Gold Star' metal (per 8 ounces weight).
Gold Star metal is best if people are going to handle your miniatures. Gold Star Metal is "lead free", primarily an alloy of tin and zinc. It melts at about 450° F.

EZ-POUR (per 8 ounces weight). Low melting point, lead free, with lots of bismuth for best detail. Our best lead free metal. It melts at about 290 degrees F.

Gold Star is more expensive at $10.50, but the cheaper EZ-POUR is allegedly the best

Pajaro. sand is used for one of molds.

The sand comes in different grades depending on the job being done. For small jobs that require fine surface detail you can use very fne sand. It comes pre mixed with a binding agent. Allegedly fingers prints can be picked up if the mold is handled incorrectly.