The Hermit

Can you melt tin in a lead melting pot? If so, can you pour into /mix with lead molds? Where can a guy get some tin?
Can you add color to lead in the melting pot or oxidize somehow to get red or green colors?
How do they oxidize/color hooks?

What type of metal do they make common silverware/dining ware out of or is there any other metal you know of that a novice could work with for pouring molds in the basement/garage?

Thanks.


Hermit

Diamond Tackle

Wow,
Lots of questions .
Tin melts at approx 450F, so yes by all means you can melt it in a lead pot which easily goes to 800F+(you should invest in a thermometer that goes to 1000F), make sure you dont overheat it.Try not to go over 550 if you can get the cavities to fill at that temp.
You can pour into regular aluminum molds such as DoIT molds, and get a very nice finish.Thereafter you can use fine steel wool to bring out even more of the natural luster of Tin.

Silverware today is stainless steel mostly, there was a lot of PEWTER used in colonial times for silverware, maybe thats where you are getting that from. Cups, plates, goblets etc. I would not really melt those down as they are probably worth quite a bit if you have those.

Adding colors to lead, tin?, Oxidizing & coloring Hooks ? I think you are referring to Plating processes here.A little outside the scope of this board & really not something you can do in your garage.

You can get Tin online. or at most of the flea markets in small quantities if you want to experiment.

Another white metal Bismuth, but that really does not shine anywhere near Tin, and is mostly used as an "environmentally friendly" alternative to Lead for sinkers and jigs etc. as its very heavy(dense metal), but not as heavy as Lead.

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