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Please Help with this alloy
Pepper -
Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 6:18pm
Hey guys I'm new to this site so I hope I'm posting properly :) Just getting into casting and stuff so figured this site would be a great place to find guidance! My question: Is it possible to make an alloy of 65% Copper and 35% Lead, if so what difficulties arise from doing so? Ive asked a supplier for some but they said their pots don't get hot enough for that amount of copper.. I look forward to your answers Thanks! Pepper » Pepper's blog | login to post comments ![]() I'm trying to create an
Pepper -
Thursday, April 19, 2012 - 1:01am
I'm trying to create an alloy with a density of silver without the cost of silver for a fine tuned calibration device I would have used silver 5 years ago but with the price of it nowadays I am looking for an alternative Thank you for your response, maybe someone else can help shed some light on this conundrum as well! :) » login to post comments ![]() Alloy
don johnson -
Thursday, April 19, 2012 - 8:22pm
Following Rich's lead, the alloy for Nickle/Silver aka German Silver may work as there is no actual silver. It may also look better when finished than anything with lead in it. I have worked with leaded iron so the temperature differance must be controlable but I am not a metalurgist. Do you have a concern on final appearance as some alloys can be ugly and poorly machinable? Don » login to post comments ![]() German silver doesnt work
Pepper -
Thursday, April 19, 2012 - 11:57pm
German silver doesnt work because neither of the 3 additives have a larger density than silver itself. Needs to be machinable and will be nickle plated afterwards The material itself cannot be magnetic.. a possible combination would be a Lead and Bismuth alloy but It isnt very desirable . Is it possible to alloy tungsten and copper? Or how about 50% Thalium 50% Copper? Thanks Pepper » login to post comments ![]() Disregard the Tungsten
Pepper -
Friday, April 20, 2012 - 12:00am
Disregard the Tungsten Copper.. Their boiling/melting points overlap so that wouldn't work. » login to post comments ![]() Do you have to have an
bigfootnampa -
Wednesday, May 2, 2012 - 10:26pm
Do you have to have an alloy? I am thinking that it would be much easier to do something like a mokume mixture. You could still get the density you want and yet not spend a fortune making a custom alloy. If the objective is to save money creating an exotic alloy seems a poor pathway. » login to post comments ![]() Tungsten shot is available
bigfootnampa -
Wednesday, May 2, 2012 - 10:39pm
Tungsten shot is available at reasonable prices that has a density of 15 to 16 g/cc (vs 10.5 for silver). Could you mix that with copper shot or some other lighter shot and solder it together? » login to post comments ![]() Alloy C986 and C988
CastMetal -
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 - 7:14pm
My CDA alloy data lists the above alloys . Federal Metal and Schumann here in Cleveland might supply you with certified ingots . Similar to yellow brass , much smoke / fume should be expected . I am an older professional casting salesman and nobody has ever asked for high leaded alloy . Clean air and water efforts has made lead a dirty word . How about making a hollow bronze casting and filling it with lead ? Filc Nannerb » login to post comments |
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Welcome to ArtMetal,
Welcome to ArtMetal, Pepper.
It is possible to make an alloy of those two but it isn't going to be particularly easy. Quite a difference in melting points between the two and you'll have some issues with vaporization of the lead at the melting point of the copper.
I've never tried that alloy, but I have an idea that you won't be able to do it by melting the lead and then dissolving the copper in it. But melting the copper and then introducing the lead may result in the aforementioned fuming of the lead. Maybe someone else has more/better information.
I'm curious - what do yo want to do with this alloy? If you substituted zinc or tin for the lead that would be a bronze alloy that is not unheard of, but I've never heard of the Cu/Pb alloy.