Tin

[rod.t.stuart]

I am just getting into casting and am looking for cheap sources for Tin. What do others do. I am using wheel weights, range lead and any other lead I can get my hands on.

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[David2011]

Old pewter found at yard sales and resale shops would be a good place to start. Be sure to read the sticky on pewter hallmarks. It will keep you from buying stuff that only looks like pewter. Babbitt is also a high tin alloy.

[NyFirefighter357]

I can't find any pewter around here, I do get a lot of solder though. Electrical solder, plumbing solder, the old body filling solder. It all has tin, mostly 50/50 lead/tin for plumbing solder & 60/40 for electrical solder. Hope that helps, Jay

[lightman]

David and Firefighter about covered it. New pure tin can be bought, but its pricy. I get good bullets with straight clip on wheelweights without adding any tin. Range lead can vary much more and may require some tin.

[OS OK]

When you do find a source for Sn, be stingy with it in your blends, make your cast call for it, don't just dump in a generous amount and call it good...I think we tend to overuse it around here!

[Dusty Bannister]

If you have access to scrap metal dealers, some will sell lead back to the public. If you find one, then check the plumbing scrap. Many will still have the wiped solder joints and if you are careful you can melt the solder off and keep that separate. It will be something between 30 and 50% tin. Then you can go ahead and smelt the lead scrap and have nearly pure soft lead for Black Powder or other needs.

I see you are new to the forum. Sometimes folks will help someone new to the hobby if they live nearby. When you decide to include your general location in your profile, that might allow someone nearby to help you get started with advise, etc. The archives are a good source of information and easily searched. That is located near the upper right corner of the main page. Also the swap and sell pages will provide members that sell and trade various items that are firearms and reloading related. Good luck with your search. Dusty

[runfiverun]

it has it's place in the pot and under some situations it enhances terminal performance of the bullet.
you need about 100 of those in your lifetime.

how we get tin is to find it anywhere we can get it.
when I was a sprink fitter I went around behind the plumbers at the end of the day and picked up their drippings.
I begged the last 4"s of wire off them.
stopped at yard sales and looked, checked 2nd hand shops.
asked radiator repair shops, anything I could find with tin in it was fair game.

[jmort]

There are cheap sourcces of tin out there for some. For most not so much. On this forum and on Ebay I have averaged around $10 a pound delivered. Retial is around $20. I have no problem using tin as I like a balanced alloy. Most here do not use a lot of tin due to cost. It is all up to you.

[mold maker]

Just because it looks like pewter or has a sticker that says so doesn't mean squat.
Just because that candle stick is marked pewter doesn't mean its weight is all pewter.
Read the other threads to save time and money before buying. I have a milk crate running over with worthless pieces that I thought were pewter bargains.

[Tripplebeards]

Just because it looks like pewter or has a sticker that says so doesn't mean squat.
Just because that candle stick is marked pewter doesn't mean its weight is all pewter.
Read the other threads to save time and money before buying. I have a milk crate running over with worthless pieces that I thought were pewter bargains.

I am learning the same thing in the last few weeks. Next time I need tin, I will buy tin and use my pewter for in no more than 2% increments to help fill out my HP molds which it works good for me.

[ncbearman]

Go to Craigslist in cities. Sometimes you can find some that has been for sale for a while. Buyer will ship sometimes. Try to stay in the $3 per pound range. $5 at most. Buy only "hallmarkrd" pewter

[Traffer]

I just got a bowl at goodwill for $.75. It said pewter and it is. 11.5 oz of pewter for under a buck. However the cheapest I could find the exact bowl for online was over $25. I am not going to melt it unless I have to. The same bowl was being sold on some sites for over $200 go figure. If you frequent second hand shops you will find it eventually. I have about 4 lbs of pewter since last year that I paid under $5 total for. Here is a bowl just like the one I got for 75 cents:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/KIRK-STIEFF-PEWTER-p40-Revere-bowl-6-estate-antique-/272659425281?hash=item3f7bc4a801:g:LsYAAOSwuxFYsvz G

[rod.t.stuart]

I just got a bowl at goodwill for $.75. It said pewter and it is. 11.5 oz of pewter for under a buck. However the cheapest I could find the exact bowl for online was over $25. I am not going to melt it unless I have to. The same bowl was being sold on some sites for over $200 go figure. If you frequent second hand shops you will find it eventually. I have about 4 lbs of pewter since last year that I paid under $5 total for. Here is a bowl just like the one I got for 75 cents:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/KIRK-STIEFF-PEWTER-p40-Revere-bowl-6-estate-antique-/272659425281?hash=item3f7bc4a801:g:LsYAAOSwuxFYsvz GI checked out our Goodwill store here and they had a bunch of collector type plated about 6 to 8 inches. Had dust on them they wanted 15.00 each I offered them 5.00. The manager got snotty with me and said this is a business not a garage sale. I replied not really this is all the junk that does not sell at garage sales.

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[rod.t.stuart]

Go to Craigslist in cities. Sometimes you can find some that has been for sale for a while. Buyer will ship sometimes. Try to stay in the $3 per pound range. $5 at most. Buy only "hallmarkrd" pewterBeen doing that and facebook market place

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[rod.t.stuart]

I can't find any pewter around here, I do get a lot of solder though. Electrical solder, plumbing solder, the old body filling solder. It all has tin, mostly 50/50 lead/tin for plumbing solder & 60/40 for electrical solder. Hope that helps, JayYeah I work a office job now dont get around those guys much[emoji16]

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[rod.t.stuart]

When you do find a source for Sn, be stingy with it in your blends, make your cast call for it, don't just dump in a generous amount and call it good...I think we tend to overuse it around here!I have been. Just found a source for roofing lead. He is in construction and does a lot of older rehabs said he usually just tosses it. Said he would call and I just had to pick it up[emoji2] [emoji2] [emoji2] [emoji2] [emoji2] [emoji2]

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[rod.t.stuart]

If you have access to scrap metal dealers, some will sell lead back to the public. If you find one, then check the plumbing scrap. Many will still have the wiped solder joints and if you are careful you can melt the solder off and keep that separate. It will be something between 30 and 50% tin. Then you can go ahead and smelt the lead scrap and have nearly pure soft lead for Black Powder or other needs.

I see you are new to the forum. Sometimes folks will help someone new to the hobby if they live nearby. When you decide to include your general location in your profile, that might allow someone nearby to help you get started with advise, etc. The archives are a good source of information and easily searched. That is located near the upper right corner of the main page. Also the swap and sell pages will provide members that sell and trade various items that are firearms and reloading related. Good luck with your search. DustyThanks Dusty. Have several friends helping out with advice. None want to help with spreading there sources lol

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[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I have a friend who does scrap and metal recycling as a part time business (for beer money). He will haul junk from house "cleanups"s and/or businesses that are closing/moving. He gets paid to haul the junk away...then he sells the metal scrap (once it's sorted) to the big metals recyclers. He comes across Solder and Block Tin, as well as misc Lead alloys all the time. He will sell me any of that stuff for the price the Big guys pay, which is usually pretty cheap.

Another source for Solder is a professional Radiator shop...there are still a few around, that will solder a new core into an old Radiator from a vintage car/truck. They will have solder drippings by the 5 gallon pail.

[OS OK]

I have been. Just found a source for roofing lead. He is in construction and does a lot of older rehabs said he usually just tosses it. Said he would call and I just had to pick it up[emoji2] [emoji2] [emoji2] [emoji2] [emoji2] [emoji2]

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A great source for the soft Pb...get a pair of foam ear plugs and stick them in your nose...that used flashing do make a stink . . . :bigsmyl2:

[Bazoo]

Slightly off topic, however if you're just getting into casting You may not know that lots of folks, including myself have good success using wheel weights without any added tin. It depends on bullet complexity and mold temperature. I recently forgot how important mold temp was, and spent a while getting it figured out... again. Wont ever overlook that again.

[quilbilly]

If you don't want to work quite so hard to find the tin, just wander over to the nearest Walmart's fishing tackle section and look for the pure tin splitshot sinkers. They are a bit spendy but I have found that two size 7's is just about right to "flavor" a little less than two pounds of pure lead for moderate velocity loads so one package will last a ways. For hardeners, add a little chilled hard birdshot which already has a bit of tin anyway.

[JasonYbarbo]

Goodwill and other resale shops are my favorite hunting grounds for pewter.

[rod.t.stuart]

Goodwill and other resale shops are my favorite hunting grounds for pewter.Inam curious what you feel a good price is for these items? Example 6 inch pewter novelty collector college football plate. What would you pay

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[William Yanda]

Inam curious what you feel a good price is for these items? Example 6 inch pewter novelty collector college football plate. What would you pay

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Old farmer I knew would offer; "You want X, I don't want to pay anything. Let's split the difference."

[JasonYbarbo]

Inam curious what you feel a good price is for these items? Example 6 inch pewter novelty collector college football plate. What would you pay

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It would depend on the weight. I have been known to take a piece to the kitchen area and find a scale. I try to stay around 3 to 4 per pound.

[rod.t.stuart]

Inam curious what you feel a good price is for these items? Example 6 inch pewter novelty collector college football plate. What would you pay

Sent from my SM-G930V using TapatalkAlthough these are comments they do not evem come close to answering the question.$$$$ value. $10.00 per lb, $200.00 per lb $1.00 per lbs obviously I want it as cheap as possible.

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[dondiego]

Read post # 25 again. He said $3 to $4 per pound.

[Grmps]

offerup.com is also a good place to find pewter.
I won't buy an item unlesss it is stamped pewter or Zinn (tin in German)
or
It looks right and I can easily bend it. Check forum on Pewter to pictures and things to look for

[RogerDat]

This is the thread you need to read. A surprising number of items made from pewter, as well as some suggestions on how not to get burned on either "faux" pewter, or weighted pewter candlesticks (my own major hate) http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?127929-Pewter-pictures-and-hallmarks

Solder at garage sales is fairly common, and browsing that pewter thread will provide an education about what is out there and what to look for. Thanks to the information in that pewter thread I bought a very heavy "Zinn" plate for $3 at the same estate sale where they wanted $$$$ for the pewter items. They did not realize "Zinn" is tin in German or Dutch and what they label pewter in those countries. :-)

Also hit the swapping and selling forum here, folks sell pewter and solder fairly often, or post WTB (wanted to buy) tin. Prices vary but generally cheaper than commercial but more expensive than a good deal found locally at thrift store, garage sale, or scrap yard. Good price for thrift store is $3 or less per pound. S&S forum here $7 to $10 is typical, maybe a bit lower if you buy in quantity, maybe a bit higher if especially good quality or not much being offered. Compared to $19 - $21 per pound from Rotometals still a good deal. However since a little goes a long way buying from commercial foundry while expensive is very much a known quality of product.

Plus 1 on you don't need much, just as a tiny percentage of dish soap changes the water by a great amount, so to does a small amount of tin change the alloy by a great amount.

Don't ignore things such as linotype or monotype which are also offered for sale here, or from foundries such as Rotometals (site sponsor, link at top of all pages) Both kinds of printers type alloy have a fairly high percentage of tin as well as antimony which makes for a harder lead. Pound of type metal to a few pounds of either plain or WW lead can yield very good alloy for casting. That is often for sale at around $2 per pound.

[rod.t.stuart]

This is the thread you need to read. A surprising number of items made from pewter, as well as some suggestions on how not to get burned on either "faux" pewter, or weighted pewter candlesticks (my own major hate) http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?127929-Pewter-pictures-and-hallmarks

Solder at garage sales is fairly common, and browsing that pewter thread will provide an education about what is out there and what to look for. Thanks to the information in that pewter thread I bought a very heavy "Zinn" plate for $3 at the same estate sale where they wanted $$$$ for the pewter items. They did not realize "Zinn" is tin in German or Dutch and what they label pewter in those countries. :-)

Also hit the swapping and selling forum here, folks sell pewter and solder fairly often, or post WTB (wanted to buy) tin. Prices vary but generally cheaper than commercial but more expensive than a good deal found locally at thrift store, garage sale, or scrap yard. Good price for thrift store is $3 or less per pound. S&S forum here $7 to $10 is typical, maybe a bit lower if you buy in quantity, maybe a bit higher if especially good quality or not much being offered. Compared to $19 - $21 per pound from Rotometals still a good deal. However since a little goes a long way buying from commercial foundry while expensive is very much a known quality of product.

Plus 1 on you don't need much, just as a tiny percentage of dish soap changes the water by a great amount, so to does a small amount of tin change the alloy by a great amount.

Don't ignore things such as linotype or monotype which are also offered for sale here, or from foundries such as Rotometals (site sponsor, link at top of all pages) Both kinds of printers type alloy have a fairly high percentage of tin as well as antimony which makes for a harder lead. Pound of type metal to a few pounds of either plain or WW lead can yield very good alloy for casting. That is often for sale at around $2 per pound.This really helped i just purchased 100 lbs of printers lead for really cheap < $1 per lbs. Came from a printshop a guy bought out. I have been able to find pewter on a few marketplace for cheap but wanted to make sure I was not still overpaying. I will read up on the link privided.

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[fredj338]

Slightly off topic, however if you're just getting into casting You may not know that lots of folks, including myself have good success using wheel weights without any added tin. It depends on bullet complexity and mold temperature. I recently forgot how important mold temp was, and spent a while getting it figured out... again. Wont ever overlook that again.

I stopped adding tin to my practice bullet alloy years ago. I can get good bullets cast from range scrap. Smaller bullets can be problematic getting good fillout but 9mm & up seem to go just fine w/o tin.

[MT Chambers]

Tin helps with bullet fillout and helps keep bullet from shattering on big game, look for 50/50 solder or 60/40 which may be avail. cheap because it can not be used on household plumbing anymore.

[jarhead0321usmc]

I have to agree on the second hand stores. Earlier tonight I had 15 minutes to kill and stopped into our local second hand. Ended up with 5 pewter pieces totalling just under 2 pounds for 6 bucks. I think it was like 3.07 a pound when I did the quick math. Lady behind desk said she would give me a call when more came in.

[rod.t.stuart]

That is cool

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[John Boy]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-lb-Bar-of-Pure-Tin-for-Bearing-Babbitt-Babbit-/132252713677?hash=item1ecae042cd:g:~3kAAOSwyltZXuQ g

[jarhead0321usmc]

Yikes the shipping on that bar tin is more than the bar itself. That's a lot of wasted space in a mfrb.

[mblack]

i picked up some at goodwill also. hard to beat the price

[GrayTech]

I always remind them that the stuff was donated, ie given to them for free. Whatever they sell it for is profit. I think I have a lifetime supply of pewter by now, but I still buy bargains.

[Rcmaveric]

Sometimes I find the Water Gremlin lead free split shot sinkers around at the sporting good stores and I buy a bunch of them when I find them. Doesn't cost too much a pack and 5 packs lasted me over a year. They are made of Tin. I will test cast a new melt and if I don't have good boolits after about 3 or 4 casts then I will add a couple lead free split shots at a time till I get good consistent boolits. I cast with WW in a 20lb Lee bottom pour pot. I have never had to add more than four split shot.

[old benn]

Maybe someone can tell me (again) how do we find out the ingredients of a 1# ingot, for instance.
Is there really a way to know what is in that melt?

[Rcmaveric]

From my understanding, not with out special instruments. It can be tested with said expensive special instrument and know what the exact chemical make up is. I believe some scrap dealers have it. I think Roto metals can test it, I may be mistaken. I am reading the Cast Bullets for Experts and Beginers. I just read the section where you measure specific gravity of the material. Then use its specific gravity to geusstimate it contents of alloy off a chart. However, it doesn't take into account other hard metals in the alloy like copper.

I don't really see a need to know specific composition. I use a BHN tester to estimate hardness and that's more important to me.