Model Soldier Casting (watch, beginners, cheap, bullets)

[npz]

Can anyone recommend any US based websites that sell kits and/or equipment and materials for casting metal model soldiers? In particular, I'm thinking of Napoleonic sets for example. Even Amazon has let me down on this one!!

Many thanks.

[prosopis]

You want to search for "white metal casting"

Low temp alloys can be cast in silicone molds, but they molds wear out quickly. With resin you might get 60 or 100 pulls from a mold (depending on the silicone chosen for the mold), I would guess with white metal you will get 10 or less - I've not tried casting white metal though - resin is plenty tricky enough!

This seems like a pretty good article, though I've only skimmed it:
Whitemetal Casting for Beginners – The Theory

This is a good one too, has decent pics.
Metal Casting

A good silicone and resin source I've used is Hobby Silicone in Los Angeles.

The only alloy for sale I've seen is pretty expensive. If you can do some home metallurgy and come up with a zinc alloy that will melt at 500 C or so, you can get zinc wheel weights from guys who cast bullets. They hate the zinc ones and will usually sell them cheap.

Depending on your intended use, you might be able to use straight wheel weight alloy - its lead and antimony. With adequate precautions, casting lead is safe (the bullet guys can tell you all about the precautions).

[Cyborgt800]

Smooth-On is a company that makes the casting rubbers that you need and Atlas Metals sells the metal alloys that you need.

[npz]

Thanks for the replies. Looks like I need to do some additional reading and research!!

[prosopis]

The other thing you can do is investment casting - it works a bit better but has more $$$ for set up.

Basically you use your silicone mold to cast wax positives of your figure or carving, then add a sprue to two or three of them and pour this plaster like stuff (investment its called) around it. Once its hardened, you burn out the wax and pour molten metal into the mold. There is also equipment you can use to pull a vacuum on the mold as you pour, which gets you some really nice castings with no bubbles. Most professional white metal is probably done this way.

A friend of mine is a jeweler, I watched him do this once to cast a ring. If anything it would be even easier with low temp metals like whitemetal alloy.