Getting back into casting my own figures in metal, rather than Fimo / Sculpey Polymer Clay, after a break of several years is proving interesting.
It hasn’t all gone to plan. Moulds, especially metal vintage ones not used for a while, need to be “run in”. Warming the moulds gently helps the metal flow too.
Moulding disasters get put straight back into the melting pot or melting spoon.
Schneider Settlers and Indians – Back into the melting spoon together …Rough, but useable 54mm castings from old metal moulds in need of a bit of trimming and filing. Faces are a bit blank. An attractive WW1 / early WW2 British infantryman marching, c. 54mm height
Rough raw castings of Prince August 40mm Cowboys and Indians designed by Holger Erikkson
Lovely to know that these ‘HE’ or Holger Ericksson figures (cast from moulds sold by Prince August) are still popular many years after they were first carved by Holger Ericsson (1899-1988) as shown here http://www.tabletoptalk.com/?p=572
Schneider type moulds for 30 to 40mm flat 19th century British infantry.Straight out of the mould, clipped but not filed yet – 40mm PA5 modern 1950s infantry marching (Holger Eriksson / Prince August moulds).
Lots of filing and trimming awaits … and lots of imagi-nations skirmish game ideas.
Casting using the vintage metal casting moulds is definitely trickier than the silicone rubber moulds, but a few tricks picked up from the toy soldier forums such as warming the moulds first does help with the metal flow.
Hello I'm Mark Mr MIN, Man of TIN. Based in S.W. Britain, I'm a lifelong collector of "tiny men" and old toy soldiers, whether tin, lead or childhood vintage 1960s and 1970s plastic figures.
I randomly collect all scales and periods and "imagi-nations" as well as lead civilians, farm and zoo animals. I enjoy the paint possibilities of cheap poundstore plastic figures as much as the patina of vintage metal figures.
Befuddled by the maths of complex boardgames and wargames, I prefer the small scale skirmish simplicity of very early Donald Featherstone rules.
To relax, I usually play solo games, often using hex boards. Gaming takes second place to making or convert my own gaming figures from polymer clay (Fimo), home-cast metal figures of many scales or plastic paint conversions. I also collect and game with vintage Peter Laing 15mm metal figures, wishing like many others that I had bought more in the 1980s ...
View all posts by 26soldiersoftin
8 thoughts on “More Homecasting”
Had lots of problems trying to cast from metal moulds , bad language do not seem to help either ! , Tony
Tony
I usually save the bad language for when I pick up or prise out a casting too soon with bare fingers. The old metal moulds seem worth persisting with though for the vintage outcome. There is very very little information online in English that I can find about the best methods of their use.
Mark, Man of TIN blog.
Ian
So relieved that some of life’s little mistakes can be so easily forgotten … straight back in the melting pot.
4lbs of lead each keel / side, that’s a lot of lead (men).
Mark, Man of TIN blog.
I used to use the camping gas stove method, not really advisable indoors because of the fumes, so requiring somewhere undercover / dry with good ventilation. Rather than risk wrath by misusing the cooking stove and kitchen areas with lead, I was bought this year as a gift one of Prince August’s hot plates (basically a one ring electric cooker) on a stout wooden table. It works well enough for me although I still use a room with good ventilation / windows open if not the doors open, depending on weather.
I agree that HE was a fine figure carver, I enjoyed seeing the 1968 Table Top Talk article by John Scruby. It’s wonderful to think that his distinctive hand-carved figures will continue to be cast and enjoyed long after his death.
Hello Jeremy.
I am on the Facebook Homecasting group but having a short break from casting as I usually cast outside. The weather just hasn’t been right on days when I aable to or want to cast.
I have been keeping an eye out online for interesting looking moulds, which have gone into the Christmas box.
Man of Tin blog 
Had lots of problems trying to cast from metal moulds , bad language do not seem to help either ! , Tony
LikeLike
Tony
I usually save the bad language for when I pick up or prise out a casting too soon with bare fingers. The old metal moulds seem worth persisting with though for the vintage outcome. There is very very little information online in English that I can find about the best methods of their use.
Mark, Man of TIN blog.
LikeLike
As you say, mistakes can go back in the pot. My little yacht reconstruction now requires two bulbs, each weighing 4lbs, casting to go on the keel.
LikeLike
Ian
So relieved that some of life’s little mistakes can be so easily forgotten … straight back in the melting pot.
4lbs of lead each keel / side, that’s a lot of lead (men).
Mark, Man of TIN blog.
LikeLike
H E was quite a fellow. What heat source do you use to melt your lead?
Alan
LikeLike
Alan
I used to use the camping gas stove method, not really advisable indoors because of the fumes, so requiring somewhere undercover / dry with good ventilation. Rather than risk wrath by misusing the cooking stove and kitchen areas with lead, I was bought this year as a gift one of Prince August’s hot plates (basically a one ring electric cooker) on a stout wooden table. It works well enough for me although I still use a room with good ventilation / windows open if not the doors open, depending on weather.
I agree that HE was a fine figure carver, I enjoyed seeing the 1968 Table Top Talk article by John Scruby. It’s wonderful to think that his distinctive hand-carved figures will continue to be cast and enjoyed long after his death.
Mark, Man of TIN blog
LikeLike
https://www.facebook.com/groups/215844199009920/
LikeLike
Hello Jeremy.
I am on the Facebook Homecasting group but having a short break from casting as I usually cast outside. The weather just hasn’t been right on days when I aable to or want to cast.
I have been keeping an eye out online for interesting looking moulds, which have gone into the Christmas box.
LikeLike