Tinoligists

[xr650]

There was a post a while back that some wine bottle seals are made of tin. He tested the material by heating it over a stove burner. The seals made of tin melted easily.
I opened a bottle of Glenfiddich the other day and thought of this post. I held the tear strip over a lighter and it melted back almost immediately. Same thing for Buffalo Trace.
What are the chances that this is tin?
Any thoughts on a more conclusive test.

It will take me some time to accumulate enough seals to actually add to my melt to see if it helps or hinders.

[randyrat]

There was a post a while back that some wine bottle seals are made of tin. He tested the material by heating it over a stove burner. The seals made of tin melted easily.
I opened a bottle of Glenfiddich the other day and thought of this post. I held the tear strip over a lighter and it melted back almost immediately. Same thing for Buffalo Trace.
What are the chances that this is tin?
Any thoughts on a more conclusive test.

It will take me some time to accumulate enough seals to actually add to my melt to see if it helps or hinders. I think they are Tin also. I service a Winnery and am going to borrow one of those tops before they use it. I'll test it. They look and feel like Tin. BTW Glenfiddich is some good Scotch... I wouldn't want to drink it just to get the tops, it may become a drinking problem.

[leadeye]

I melt those wine seals all the time, not much tin but beats tossing them.:-D

[snaggdit]

Reminds me of the joke about the guy at the bar drinking martinis. As he got each one, he would place the olive in a jar then drink it. The bartender asked what was up with the jar. He responded his wife sent him to the store for a jar of olives...

[xr650]

Thanks for the thoughts folks.
I am willing to collect the seals. I just don't have the dinero to collect many.

[Tristan]

There is a food product from Scandinavia called Kallas; it is a mixture of cod roe and ??? and tastes great on boiled chicken eggs... but I digress.

It comes in a metal tube much like the old toothpaste tubes. I've been curious if they are tin; anybody know?

(Obscure question, I know, but this forum seems the place to get really obscure questions answered, quickly, with citations to multiple sources... you guys rock!)

[captaint]

I do know that the old toothpaste tubes were in fact tin. Old friend said all the boys used to melt them in. Stink & smoke, but what the heck. Can't help with the Kallas tho.

[geargnasher]

Somebody here posted a thread about "new source for tin?" and contacted a toothpaste manufacturer (I forget which one) that still uses metal ones. Alas, they were made of aluminum. One would have to go back many moons to find tin ones.

Gear

[ghh3rd]

I was fortunate to find two 1 lb rolls of actual "tin foil" that was used in the dental appliance field back in the 60's. My father use to make bridges, crowns etc. and left behind lots of good stuff.

Randy

[David Caldwell]

Many contemporary wine bottle foils are aluminum. Proceed with caution. ...dac

[armyrat1970]

Reminds me of the joke about the guy at the bar drinking martinis. As he got each one, he would place the olive in a jar then drink it. The bartender asked what was up with the jar. He responded his wife sent him to the store for a jar of olives...

Ha Ha. Gonna remember that one.
Are the new toothpaste tubes tin, or tin and ?? I think I have run across some that are not plastic. Gonna check on my next visit to WallyWorld. I have some old tubes of medication, like triple antibotic cream and stuff like skin cream and I bet they are tin. They are not plastic.

[Bret4207]

I've given up on finding cheap/free tin. I broke down and bought a couple pounds a few years back from Midway. I still have almost all of it and to be honest, I'll probably have it for some time. If you just feel you need tin for fill out you can usually fix the issue with a good cleaning, some additional fluxing and by getting the mould a little hotter. Sometimes a little "Leementing" on the vent lines will aide fill out too. I use near straight WW alloy for everything up to 1600 fps and get good boolits by adjusting my casting tempo (mould temp).

OTH if you are alloying with pure Pb, why not just get some for sure Sn from a supplier and KNOW you have the good/right stuff? A little goes a loooong way.

[armyrat1970]

I've given up on finding cheap/free tin. I broke down and bought a couple pounds a few years back from Midway. I still have almost all of it and to be honest, I'll probably have it for some time. If you just feel you need tin for fill out you can usually fix the issue with a good cleaning, some additional fluxing and by getting the mould a little hotter. Sometimes a little "Leementing" on the vent lines will aide fill out too. I use near straight WW alloy for everything up to 1600 fps and get good boolits by adjusting my casting tempo (mould temp).

OTH if you are alloying with pure Pb, why not just get some for sure Sn from a supplier and KNOW you have the good/right stuff? A little goes a loooong way.

I have both wws and #2 alloy. wws have a listed mix of 95.5% lead, 0.5% tin and 4% antimony. With a BHN of 9. Now of course this may be the older wws and I don't know what the newer ones contain but this is at least something close to go with. I would have to add a little more tin for better fill out with straight wws but maybe not. I will try to cast first straight before adding any tin.
The new #2 alloy listed at 92/6/2 also has a lower amount of tin. BHN of 16. Have always read you need at least 3% tin for quality fill out in the mold.
Gonna try straight wws for my pistol calibers. Mix of 50/50 for my 30Carbine and straight #2 for the 8x57. If needed I will water drop for the 30Carbine and 8x57 for added hardness.
My main worry with cast boolits is my 30Carbine. Don't wan't to foul my gas tube and piston with over leading problems. If I can get it right with this caliber I will start casting for my Mini in .223 also.