40/60 for bullet casting?

[cleardatum]

i always assumed (he who assumes will continue to blunder) that solder would not work for bullet casting, but with the advent of powder coating, maybe it would be feasible? is it worth a try? powder coated solder bullets?

 

[contender]

I'd say that solder is too soft for most applications. And even though PCing a bullet adds a harder shell,,,, it still deforms. Most of us who find old solder,,, use it to blend into other alloys to give us the desired alloy. In pure form,,, I'd not use it. JMO.

 

[mikld]

I wouldn't waste 40-60, tin/lead, solder on bullet casting, I'd use it for alloying lead (range lead, scrap lead, etc.) to increase hardness, as tin is much more expensive than lead. The tin (40%) is used for hardening alloy so if one had 2 lbs of 40/60 there would be just under 13 oz of pure tin.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

I use 95/5 solder (95%tin 5% lead) to increase tin content of my alloy so it casts better. I bought 25 1lb. Rolls from a scrapper for $1.00 a roll. It will be a sad day when I have to start paying for new tin again. The last tin I bought was $7.00 a pound and that was a bargain.

 

[DGW1949]

And do be careful that the solder you use is rosin core, not acid core.

DGW

 

[Slenk]

I use bar solder to harden my casting mix . Does not take much .

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

And do be careful that the solder you use is rosin core, not acid core.

DGW

Mine is solid,no flux core at all. About 3/16" diameter wire. I add about 3" to a one pound WW ingot.

 

[contender]

I like finding solder at odd places like junk shops, yard sales, box lots at auctions etc. I've given 50 cents to as much as $2.00 for rolls of it. I SMILE every time I find some.

 

[cleardatum]

And do be careful that the solder you use is rosin core, not acid core.

DGW

my source is radiator shop "dross". maybe a trace of zinc chloride, and that's it.