There are quite a few different types of metal Alloys used in toy soldier model making both with and without lead content. Below is a summary of the different types of lead based or lead free alloys that either have been used in the past or are available today. Quite a bit of this information comes from either Prince August or Dunken Company
Lead
The Original metal, with its low melting point it was the metal of choice until well into the 1970's when the health effects of lead vapors became well known. Lead has a very low melting point though it does shrink on cooling, which was not an issue in the 1920's 1930's and 1940's due to the low detail on the early moulds. Virtually all models poured up until the mid 1970's are almost certainly pure lead. These models should be handled carefully and wash your hands when done holding them! Virtually all of the moulds available today have more detail making pure lead obsolete in my opinion.
Lead Alloys
The health risks of using lead in our hobby exist whether you use 100% lead in your pours or 65%. If you are going to use lead, make sure you are melting and using it OUTSIDE in a well ventilated area. While my preference is for Model Metal, 6-Star Metal is a much safer metal to begin the hobby with and get used to.
Standard metal
Standard Metal is 65% Lead / 2% Antimony / 33% Tin. This is an inexpensive metal as well as a harder metal. As such you should vent your rubber moulds if you use Standard Metal. Standard metal melts at 210°C (410°F). Cast at 320-340°C. A Prince August metal
Model Metal
Model Metal is 54% Lead / 11% Tin / 35% Bismuth. This the casting metal I have had the most success with. It contains Bismuth which reduces the melting temperature as well as shrinkage. While most alloys shrink while solidifying, Model Metal does not. It can be used in rubber, plaster and metal moulds. It does however contain Lead which creates its own problems. If you are just starting out I would suggest that you consider the 6-Start Metal listed further below. This metal can be purchased from Prince August as well as Dunken Company. Model metal melts at 138°C (280°F). Cast at 300-370°C (572F-700F).
Rose's Metal
Deriving its name from the discoverer, the German chemist Valentin Rose the Elder, the grandfather of Heinrich Rose. Rose's metal consists of 50% Bismuth, 25–28% Lead and 22–25% Tin. Its melting point is between 94 and 98 °C (201 and 208 °F). The alloy does slightly contract on cooling, so not a perfect alloy for finely detailed models.
Metal Cast Co.
The Sachs family company Metal Cast, recommended a 87% Lead and 13% Antimony
Lead Free
There are a variety of lead free metal mixtures Alloys, typically replacing the lead with tin. This makes for a safer metal to melt but also typically requires a higher pour temperature which is a lot harder on the moulds, especially the Zinc moulds from the 30's and 40's.
Britannia Metal
Britannia metal, also called Vickers White Metal, is a type of pewter alloy, with a silvery appearance and smooth surface. The composition by weight is typically about 92–93% tin, 5–6% antimony, and 2% copper. Britannia metal is usually spun rather than cast, and melts at 255 degrees Celsius, and would need to be much higher to pour, which makes it unsuitable for the typical silicone molds (and zinc) used in our hobby.
6-Star Metal
6-Star metal from The Dunken Company and Prince August is a low melting point alloy for home-casting of miniatures. It contains 40% Tin, and 60% Bismuth and is non toxic. Castings are safe to handle for children but beware of that small children can swallow small pieces. The metal is hard and miniatures cannot be easily bent. Lowest melting point of any Lead Free casting metal. Allow your pour to cool before releasing from a mold. 6-Star metal melts at 140°C (284°F). Cast at 300-370°C. (572F-698F). For very fine detailed casting at higher temperatures at pour are recommended.
5 Star metal
5 Star metal from The Dunken Company and Prince August is 94.5% Tin / 3% Zinc / 2.5% Antimony and is lead free. However it is more difficult to cast so if you are just getting into the hobby I would hold off on using. If you do use I would recommend that you vent all molds. 5-Star metal melts at 230° C (446° F). Cast at 320-400°C with closer to 400°C being better.
Pewter
There are quite a few different formulas for Pewter. The Pewter Bars from Metal Shipper are made up of 92% Tin, 7.5% Antimony, and 0.5% Copper. This is a lead-free pewter and is very good to use for casting when using rubber moulds. This type of Pewter is also known as Britannia Alloy. Check out this Page for additional types of Pewter. Pewter typically melts at 563F cast at 650F.
Purchasing Base Metals
There are multiple sources for base metal. The Dunken Company in the US is a great source of both melt ready metal and molds. Prince August is a great source of both melt ready and base metals if you are in the Europe area. If you are in the United states and wish to make your own metal mixture then Metal Shipper is a great source to check out for the raw materials. They are where I get virtually all of my metal.
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