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Post by arthurpaul on Mar 29, 2005 0:51:57 GMT
 I have been using an alloy of 96%tin and 4% silver. This has been working out very well for me. But is their a better casting metal I can use.. I worry about using lead...for health reasons. But I find that metal alloy to be a bit expensive.. Thanks.... Art
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Post by Prince August on Mar 29, 2005 11:59:09 GMT
We also sell 5 star metal. It is lead free.
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Post by Gungnir on Sept 29, 2005 9:24:32 GMT
While I don't want to take away any business from PA on their metal sales, we should not overdo the lead scare. I've been casting for 37 years now, always using reclaimed lead, but also alwats casting outside. I wash my hands after I handle lead or unpainted figures. A thorough blood test at a university clinic revealed no traces of lead in my blood.
As long as you don't plan to inhale lots of lead fumes on purpose, or constantly chew on your figures, you should be okay with lead.
Naturall, keep lead figures away from small children.
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Post by releasethedogs on Oct 18, 2005 7:46:48 GMT
I have also heard that if you paint (such as with a spray can) your lead minis then you dont have to worry. Any one know if this is true?
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Post by Prince August on Oct 26, 2005 9:36:58 GMT
I have also heard that if you paint (such as with a spray can) your lead minis then you dont have to worry. Any one know if this is true? Once it is painted they are safe to handle. Afterall the paint covers the metal so where is the danger. Most people varnish them as well to help protect the paint. |
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carl
PA Lieutenant
Posts: 84
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Post by carl on Jun 21, 2006 1:43:41 GMT
I've been casting for 37 years now, always using reclaimed lead, but also alwats casting outside. I wash my hands after I handle lead or unpainted figures. A thorough blood test at a university clinic revealed no traces of lead in my blood. As long as you don't plan to inhale lots of lead fumes on purpose, or constantly chew on your figures, you should be okay with lead. Naturall, keep lead figures away from small children. I agree with all that. Been playing around with lead for about 50 or more years. I cast my own lead bullets and make lead soldiers, cannons,etc. I reuse lead over and over and have no idea what it is made of anymore. I'm still alive or at least a little bit. |
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Post by ancientsgamer on Jun 30, 2006 15:10:22 GMT
Um-mm, melting points and vaporization points are distinctly different. A heavy metal does not vaporize at the casting temperatures you used to make figures. I am no scientist but I am willing to bet that the vaporization point of lead alloys would have to be extremely high as its components are much heavier than the existing atmosphere.
The only known method of lead poisoning is ingestion. The whole lead scare is based on children eating leaded paint in the main. Lead in paint has been outlawed in the United States, Canada and most modern countries. Lead can still be found in paints and colorants in Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Third World.
The whole lead scare had little basis in fact. The ingestion of lead was the culprit, not the material itself. Certainly, you wouldn't want a lead-based pewter dish to eat from as using utensils will cause scrapings to be ingested. You can't watch your children every minute but the incidence of lead poisoning has been extremely rare. Banning lead in many products makes little sense. There are more poisonous substances in every household that cause more harm than lead ever has including bleach, carpet cleaners, pest control products, etc. Reactive legislation is another example of government going overboard to "protect" its citizenry. Almost any product is harmful if not used in the prescribed manner.
Okay, off of my rant soapbox. But honestly, it seems to me that governments tend to over-legislate. It should not be the governments role to replace common sense.
Chris
San Antonio, TX
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carl
PA Lieutenant
Posts: 84
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Post by carl on Jul 12, 2006 17:49:18 GMT
The lead scare is mostly in people's minds. Constant made up stories about bannig lead, not being sold due to being a poisonous material and many others are usually just that, made up. Lead is used everywhere here in the USA. It is sold openly for fishing weights and I've never heard of a fish complaining about lead poisoning. Lead is used for ballancing auto tires, in auto batteries, bullets for guns and lots of other places. It is sold as commonly in some areas as milk and is absolutely cheaper than gasoline.
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Post by rojayb on Oct 6, 2006 18:29:23 GMT
I have been casting for awhile, but at times some of my figures come out pitted looking. What's causes this....heat, talc. or metal type? Thanks
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Post by mrwigglesworth on Oct 7, 2006 3:53:34 GMT
*Administrator*
I have found a good source for casting metal. Can I say what it is here or not (because its not PA metal)
11% Sn (tin) 3% Sb (antimony) 86% Pb (lead)
Thanks
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Post by Prince August on Oct 10, 2006 9:55:03 GMT
I have been casting for awhile, but at times some of my figures come out pitted looking. What's causes this....heat, talc. or metal type? Thanks Possibly you have not clapped the mold to remove excess talc. Also you may be trapping air in the mold. Make sure you are not overclamping the mold (squeezing it excessively). What metal are you using? Our metal should not pit figures. Please read our casting tutorials on our online newsletter. |
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Post by Prince August on Oct 10, 2006 9:57:21 GMT
*Administrator* I have found a good source for casting metal. Can I say what it is here or not (because its not PA metal) 11% Sn (tin) 3% Sb (antimony) 86% Pb (lead) Thanks Sources of metal is always helpful. Please list a source and contact details if possible. Note: The amount of lead you state may need a little more tin to improve the castings, the figures will otherwise be very soft. Stick a bar of model metal or 5 star into the mix and you will get a better result. |
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Post by Prince August on Oct 10, 2006 10:02:03 GMT
The lead scare is mostly in people's minds. Constant made up stories about bannig lead, not being sold due to being a poisonous material and many others are usually just that, made up. Lead is used everywhere here in the USA. It is sold openly for fishing weights and I've never heard of a fish complaining about lead poisoning. Lead is used for ballancing auto tires, in auto batteries, bullets for guns and lots of other places. It is sold as commonly in some areas as milk and is absolutely cheaper than gasoline. Lead is only dangerous if you are going to ingest it. Open a window when casting to avoid a buildup of fumes (like when you paint a room), wash your hands after handling lead before eating food. That is about it. One person asked me if it was safe for kids to eat our soldiers? I think that person missed the point of using soldiers, common sense rules. |
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Post by mrwigglesworth on Oct 12, 2006 21:53:00 GMT
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Post by hoops335 on Oct 13, 2006 2:30:25 GMT
Have you used the #1186 metal for the Prince August molds? If so, how does it compare with the model metal from PA? (price, strength, flexibility)
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I have been using an alloy of 96%tin and 4% silver.
