Good casting metals?

[Little Forks Forge]

I am getting really intrested in casting metal. Years ago I cast pewter beltbuckels in a RTV mold. Now I would like to cast motifs for wrought iron beds (connecting square and round rod in the motif rather than welding and buffing).
I have seen pictures of a prosses using steel permanent molds and ?? type of metal in a electric foundry.

http://www.thewroughtironco.com/imag...ry/pouring.jpg

Is there a metal that is strong enough to make the connections for a bed, but have a low enough melting point to use RTV?

[Ice Czar]

not if your 19

seriously, the design of the bed and connections are huge variables in addition to the strength of the material

looks like tin and lead are about the maximum that RTV can deal with, in fact pure lead maybe too hot for most RTVs (620F), but there are lots of alternatives. (That was a quick search, not exhaustive)

Hofi mentioned one the other day, he saw a medieval era demonstration of lead cast around a steel balustrade, using I think it was a two part clay mold. If you where to do the welds then cast say pewter around the junction....

could get you where you want to be, strength of the alloy is eliminated, a few holes in the steel would act as anchors (when its not a junction)

alternately there is aluminum, and hundreds of other alloys that may be too hot for RTV but basic ceramic shell casting, plaster, sand casting ect could serve.

Good luck